Brand new student needs some help please

[soon_2Bnurse]

Hi folks,

I just started LPN/LVN school September 5th. Things are tough seeing as I graduated from high school in '85 :imbar . Being married over 20 years and a mom of 3 boys doesn't quiet prepare one for this lol. My instructors are fabulous and I have done well on all the tests, quizzes and homework.

I was hoping maybe some of you could give me a few websites or something that could help with questions. My A&P book has smarthinking.com to help with the A&P, but my Textbook of Basic Nursing doesn't.

I am on the Nursing Diagnosis right now, and the homework is asking me to rewrite expected outcomes to be more measurable of patient behavior, and I truly don't quiet understand how? (Not sure if this is supposed to be objective they are looking for maybe?) If maybe one of you could point me in the right direction, I would be forever grateful.

Here is an example: "Patient will move in the hallway" I am supposed to change that somehow.

Thanks in advance for any help folks :)

[smokeyoaks82358]

Patient will ambulate in hallway 10 feet with assistance, with no s/sx of sob by the end of the week.

[Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN]

First, congratulations on returning to school!!!! :) Find yourself a good book. Ackley and Ladwig- Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 7th.ed...This little purple book was my bible.... you can look up possible applicable diagnoses by disease/procedure. When looking diagnoses idividually, it will give you some general expected outcomes and nursing interventions to achieve those goals, along the lines of what the OP said. Some of the interventions are specifically tailored to geriatric, home care, collaborative, peds, etc. What a valuable resource it was for me- it helped alot.

As far as outcomes, make sure that they are specific, measurable, have a timeframe and are realistic. Pt will do (insert outcome here) by (time frame) as evidenced by (supporting data here).

A patient that is anorexic and malnourished is not going to eat 100% of all meals and gain 15 pounds by the end of your shift. Maybe the patient will consume 75% of meals and improve nutritional intake as evidenced by a weight gain of 1 pound in the next week... Hope this helps! Ivanna

[Halinja, BSN, RN]

one of our prof's used the acronym SMART

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Reasonable

Time limited (I've seen it as "time bound" also)

It made it easier for me to get in all the elements when I was formulating outcomes.

[soon_2Bnurse]

Thank you soo very much!!! ~hugs~