Critical Thinking - Page 2

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  1. Feb 25 by
    My other class mates are telling me that I should rushed over to Patient's A's room (ignoring my LVN/CNA and other patients) and deal with his chest pain until I'm certain that he/she is not having a heart attack.
    I don't agree with letting everything fall by the wayside until you're certain that Patient A's not having a heart attack. Time management is key. Get a system or you'll drown.
    I don't see an issue with your thought process.

    So, anyway,
    1. I'd go to Patient 'A'.
    2. I'd get some fresh vitals from Patient D from the LVN.
    3. I'd ask the aide to drop Patient 'C' off at the dept in question and throw Patient 'B' in the shower when they get back.

    Rationale?
    - Evaluating those chest pains are most important.

    - The shower is the lowest priority.

    - The LVN doing the shower is being underutilized. Also, the aide is preferable (to me) because they're simply going to be faster at everything. The whole appointment situation is nothing to sweat over, anyway. Even if it's an add-on ASAP/STAT, an individual was tasked with taking the pt to their appt at the start of the shift. It's not a new development.

    - A request for fresh vitals can't wait. You have to phone up the provider, too. They might have questions, TO's to be taken, etc...
    Putting it off or giving this duty to someone who can't complete the task will create more work in the end. Also, if you call the vitals in late, the provider's going to wonder (ALOUD) about 'what took you so long' and blah, blah, blah.
    I don't want to hear it. LOL

    - Taking vitals is the quickest task. The longest part involves waiting for the provider's call-back. But - so long as the vitals were performed, called in and you've charted this? You've done your part. The point is, the LVN will be done wayyyy before me and able to assist with the chest pain issue.
    If there's a status change for Patient 'A'? They've got to be within 'hollaring distance'. LOL I can't have them holed up in a shower, 'somewhere in the dept'. I can't leave the pt with chest pains to go looking for them. The nurse can't leave the pt in the shower to come assisting me.

    - In the end, I'll go check on the aide. Help them finish up.
    Last edit by MedChica on Feb 25
  2. Feb 25 by
    what is the name of this class? have you been thru med surg? have you been discussing delegation?
    I think you may be seeing here, what some persons refer to as the "task oriented" nature of LPN courses and the instructor is trying to expand the students thought process....just a thought.
  3. Feb 25 by
    Ah, I always forget that the goal is to teach to the test first, then alter the info to real world application.
  4. Feb 26 by
    Thanks, MedChica! That's a very detailed answer and very helpful for me (this is my first semester).
  5. Feb 26 by
    morte, it's a foundations of nursing class. I haven't been to medsurg and we haven't done delegation yet.