Do you second year students still do written care plans?

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We just found out from our instructor that starting in 3rd semester, once you're able to do a PERFECT careplan, you're exempt from doing any more for the rest of your schooling.

I thought that was a wonderful incentive, and will really give us something to strive for. I was just wondering how other schools do it. Do students continue to do careplans until you're done with school, or once you get to a certain point, do you not have to do them anymore?

Specializes in Pediatrics.

We did careplans first year as well but now we do "Patient Data Forms"....list their med diagnoses/surgical hx, three nsg diagoses, then Pathophysiology of disease...2nd page, on left hand column list textbook data of manifestations, medical management (nutrition, meds, lab tests, activity, treatment, diagnostic criteria), nsg interventions....on right hand column....patient data...with manifestations...etc.

We do three of these for each 8 week rotation and a case study as well.

Specializes in Telemetry, Stepdown.
Second year student here and stil doing careplans. All 28 pages worth every week. We go to the hospital and pre-plan on wednesday. Our clinical days are on thursday and friday. Friday night at the end of our clinical we must have the completed 28 paged careplan turned in. I hate doing them, because I'd rather be studying. I also hate pre-planning because I learn more about my patient during report than I do from doing a careplan, but I just do what I have to do in order to get by.

I could not imagine myself completing 28pgs in that short amt of time. I guess I should tell my classmates that we should quit complaining about just doing 2 one paged careplans a week.

I could not imagine myself completing 28pgs in that short amt of time. I guess I should tell my classmates that we should quit complaining about just doing 2 one paged careplans a week

I am soooo green with envy. Are you allowed to bring med cards or do you have to write them all out? We have to write ours all out which makes things a little harder too, but that's the way I learn. I must go start on page 1 of 28 for my careplan (I hate Wednesday's).

Second year here, a semester and a half to go. Our clinical care plans are more like a worksheet. Columns that we kind of organize our day by. Also have blocks for organizing important data like PMH, Dr.'s name,O2, IV's.... all put together so it's a quick reference (they said they want us to organize like real nurses lol) We are just now starting to mess with the concept maps for L&D but i'm not sure i like them all that much.

Specializes in Med-Tele, ICU.
We did careplans first year as well but now we do "Patient Data Forms"....list their med diagnoses/surgical hx, three nsg diagoses, then Pathophysiology of disease...2nd page, on left hand column list textbook data of manifestations, medical management (nutrition, meds, lab tests, activity, treatment, diagnostic criteria), nsg interventions....on right hand column....patient data...with manifestations...etc.

We do three of these for each 8 week rotation and a case study as well.

This information is similar to what we have to do. This semester (3 of 4) is a bit more laid back. We have a 5 page worksheet that we have to do on each patient - you usually run out of room if you get detailed and have to attach additional paper. Anyway, we average 2 pts each clinical and have clinicals twice a week. We have to list minimum 5 (top) nursing diagnoses with minimum 3-5 interventions for each one. We also have to do drug cards for just the drugs that we give our patients. I found a short cut though. I just downloaded the Davis Drug Guide CD to my desktop. I look up the drugs, and copy and paste them into a Word document. Then, using the actual "drug card" as a template, I just use what's necessary (trade name, generic name, adult/child dosage, side effects, nursing implications) and delete what's not (e.g., pharmokinetics, availability, time action/profile) and then print. I usually have about 3 pages per drug. Runs out the ink in my printer cartridge quick, but it keeps me from getting carpel tunnel syndrome from writing so much!! :o Our instructors will accept the printed versions, drug cards from a previous semester (I've kept all mine) even if another instructor's name is on them, and they'll even accept the printed ones like you can buy at Barnes/Nobles, etc.

I've kept ALL my paperwork from previous semesters (case studies, care plans, etc.) and it's all organized in a big binder. It's been a life saver to refer back to get interventions, etc. I'm thinking of typing up a bunch of stuff on the computer (i.e., some of my care plans). Then, I can just print the ones that apply to whatever patient I might have and, PRESTO! I can save myself some more writing!! :p

There are plenty of care plan web sites that help you as well. You just have to find resources, short cuts, etc. when you're a nursing student, parent, you work outside school, etc.

Specializes in Telemetry, Stepdown.
I am soooo green with envy. Are you allowed to bring med cards or do you have to write them all out? We have to write ours all out which makes things a little harder too, but that's the way I learn. I must go start on page 1 of 28 for my careplan (I hate Wednesday's).

Our instructors also make us write/type down all of the meds. Sometimes we have like 30 meds for each pt since we take care of two a week. So I'm up all night copying and pasting 60 meds!

Look on the bright side because we'll only have one more semester to complete :wink2:

Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

In my fourth semester we only have to do one careplan - but it is completely oral & you have to present it to your clincal group. Mine is this coming Tuesday...eeeekkk!

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