[Roland]

My impression of nursing school based on my very limited experience is that there are many things taught that while perhaps not a waste of time are none the less perhaps not the best possible use of that time. If you were made the supreme overlord of nursing school curricula what things would you delete? Conversely, what things would you add both in terms of content and methodology (perhaps you would teach the same stuff but would do so in a different manner). Could nursing schools today implement your ideas (if they wanted to) or would they be prevented by accredidation bodies from straying from approved curriculum?

[explorer]

Originally Posted by Roland

My impression of nursing school based on my very limited experience is that there are many things taught that while perhaps not a waste of time are none the less perhaps not the best possible use of that time. If you were made the supreme overlord of nursing school curricula what things would you delete? Conversely, what things would you add both in terms of content and methodology (perhas you would teach the same stuff but would do so in a different manner). Could nursing schools today implement your ideas (if they wanted to) or would they be prevented by accredidation bodies from straying from approved curriculum?

Nursing is moving more and more towards computers. There are simulators that will show you how to start an IV and no one gets hurt if you do something wrong. Instead the simulator gives you prompts as to how to start an IV in a better way and so on......

[zacarias]

Maybe some schools do this but mine didn't.

I think they should have a class in nursing school called "Practical Application" or something. It would be a informal, fun class session where students bring up clinical situations or hypotheticals and the class with the prof would discuss how to handle it. Also, this class' heavy focus would be on case studies. This way students are learning critical thinking and also feeling like the situations that they study could actually occuri in their careers.

[Roland]

Zach, what you are saying is simple and yet brilliant.

[RN4NICU]

Originally Posted by zacarias

Maybe some schools do this but mine didn't.

I think they should have a class in nursing school called "Practical Application" or something. It would be a informal, fun class session where students bring up clinical situations or hypotheticals and the class with the prof would discuss how to handle it. Also, this class' heavy focus would be on case studies. This way students are learning critical thinking and also feeling like the situations that they study could actually occuri in their careers.

Zach, you read my mind! My only concern would be that nursing instructors would give us the "nursey" answer that applies only in a perfect world.

I just got through reading the thread about a DON withholding a nurse's pay raises due to that nurse charting properly. How's that for a case study? Ithink it would be much more beneficial to teach nurses-to-be how to deal with situations like this than to teach them about good ol' Flo Nightengale and Clara Barton. Fine gals that I'm sure they were - I'm just as sure that their theories don't cover "CYA".

So my vote is less nursey theory and more CYA

[babynursewannab]

Originally Posted by RN4NICU

So my vote is less nursey theory and more CYA

AMEN! I love Zach's idea, too. There is no where near enough critical thinking experience in nursing school. The only time it ever occurs in my program is when they spring it on you during tests. My major complaint the first year was they should teach us how to do this before they test us on it. Hello! Granted you get some experience by the end of the program, but a class designed to do just this would be great!

[SmilingBluEyes]

Zach's concept sounds an awful lot like what my ADN program was like! I was lucky; we were taught a lot of real-world concepts and critical thinking skill-use in our school. There WAS theory, but the emphasis was on legal, ethical and realworld nursing issues most often. Some schools are way too steeped in ivory-tower theory thinking, and I can see it's not changing a lot these days.

[michelle126]

Sounds like a good idea..I went to a BSN program and everything was sugar coated, bye the books. Good thing I had a mom and sister who are nurses and gave me a idea of what nursing was really like

[SKM-NURSIEPOOH]

Originally Posted by RN4NICU

...My only concern would be that nursing instructors would give us the "nursey" answer that applies only in a perfect world....

What instructors should stress is that the NCLEX questions are based on a "perfect nursing world."

In other words, all case-study/critical thinking type questions are based on having all supplies; cooperative as well as quick responding medical staff; having understanding head-nurse/managers; adequate staff/patient ratios as well as cooperative co-workers, etc... LOL!!!

Instructors give "nursey" answers that's meant for a perfect world based on NCLEX. They don't want to trip anyone up with what *should be* done with what *is* typically done in real life. Kaplan stresses in their program that NCLEX is based on a perfect world & questions should be answered with that in mind. According to them, many LPNs who fail the NCLEX-RN the first time out make that mistake. They've said these folks typically answer NCLEX questions based on their personal experiences & not on theory. I can see where that can happen...I almost didn't take this course cuz I'd been a LPN for over eight years & went through a BSN program. Our instructors stress taking the Kaplan course for everyone, but especially for LPNs bridging to RNs before taking the NCLEX-RN. I did & found it to be very helpful.

Hope this helps ~ Cheers!
Moe

[redheadRN]

Hee Hee... Just giggling over the "nursey" way. Wow, I was naive to the way things "should be done". Agree totally with the Clinical Applications idea.