Clinical Exposure Should Be Mandatory for Pre-nursing Students

[EyesForward]

This week has been quite an eye-opener for me as I do my 80 hrs. of phlebotomy clinical training. I have made my way through every unit of the hospital, except the ER and Ped's, which have their own dedicated phlebotomists. The most profound thoughts I've had have to do with how many people are sick, obese, in agony, smoke, OD, etc., and are so, so terribly sick, and the fact so much of it could have been prevented. What I'm saying is I've made a personal correlation with a lifetime of bad habits leading to lingering misery and death. The other profound thought has been how certain I am, more than ever, nursing is right for me.

[PJMommy]

I hear ya'. It seems like everyone in the hospital either has a history of smoking or obesity or both. It's amazing how SICK people in the hospital are compared to 20 years ago.

[Carolanne]

It is absolutely amazing what modern day living has done to itself. Between living on fast food, sitting glued to a desk in front of a computer all day and then the couch at home, smoking, overextending oneself/ stress, drinking, and the list goes on and on ... people are killing themselves. And the health field is getting very wealthy from it. Years ago, there were a handful of family physicians in town and now it's blossomed into clinics, health centers, HMO's, just a chain reaction. They can't keep up with it. It is disturbing to see. Last semester I had a patient who was exactly my age but could have passed for 20 years older. She had kidney failure, history of heaving smoking, alcohol abuse, and was diagnosed wtih metastatic ovarian cancer. I read in the paper last week that she died. I still can't get her face out of my mind.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I appreciate your post. It's great that you are making the connection between lifestyle and health ... and also that you are learning about some of the realities of health care before getting too deep into your education.

I think you're right, more students should do things like that early in their educations.

Good luck with your studies. I'm glad you are choosing nursing.

llg