I wish I knew that before...

[cll3291]

I get a lot of student nurses every semester that I have the pleasure of precepting or clinical coaching. That being said, it always surprises me when students come up to me with all these questions...most of them being "they told us to do it this way, why are you doing it THAT way" or "this is how they described this type of patient to us in school". So, I would like to know, what are some things you wish you knew, were taught or prepared for, had access to, or needed during nursing school that would help you now or would have helped you (whether it be Nursing School catered Journals, flash cards, more quizzes or nursing mentors throughout the program etc.) Just anything. I see a lot of students giving up and becoming frustrated and I just want to know the reason behind it so maybe we can try to remedy it.

Thanks,

Here to help

Courtney L., MSN, CCRN

[Andy 12, MSN, NP]

I think this post can also be geared towards new grads. If I could, I'd like to take a bunch of students/new grads to that unit of the hospital that has a dozen beds, only used for overflow and give them imaginary patients. If still in school use the sim lab. Make their assignments appropriate for whatever floor they are working on. The catch is that that day is going to be Murphy's law day. Just to show them what to do.

For example, they need a med stat, but the pyxis is out. The chf, sepsis pt. The dr ordered cardiac ada on a g-tube pt. A pt in a-fib rvr. Teach them when they should wait for the doc to call back vs calling rapid response or even a code. When to call case management. Plus the things that go wrong that aren't pt centered. Toilet is busted, call engineering, if it can't get fixed, move pt to other room. What to do when a family member says "I'm diabetic and don't feel right, can u check my sugar?"

These are things that experienced nurses take for granted, but we never really had to deal with as students.

[SchoolNurse91, BSN, RN]

I really think professors need to start teaching real world nursing. Everything is taught by the book and NCLEX standard. I understand that. But we all know that's not how it always goes. I was so shocked to see the difference.