nursingstudents-english a 2nd langu; con't

[vnsn]

we are embarrassed to ask doctors to clarify their orders. we are afraid that they may think we are stupid, and don't have enough nursing knowledge to be a nurse (at clinical site). Part of our culture (Vietnamese), we think of doctors as superior men, and they are always right. Please give us some advice.

we are going to graduate in May 99. we don't have confidence to perform nursing skills independently. we think our nursing program focuses on many specialties such as OB, Med-Surge, Pedi, Psychiatric, and Public Health..., and we had a short period of time to stay on each one. what would you suggest us to do in order to gain our confidence in nursing skill?

[kipi]

You should never be embarrassed to clarify Drs orders. If you are unsure and you make a mistake it is your registration on the line. Always repeat any instructions they give you back to them and get them to confirm them. If you are taking telephoned instructions ask the Dr to repeat the instructions to them that way you will have an independent witness. Try and get in the habit of writing in long hand unitl you are more confident. Always take as much time as necessary and don't allow any one to bully you into doing something you are unsure of.

[vnsn]

Thank you for your suggestion. that is very good one. Could you please give us some suggestions about how to have confidence in performing nuring skills?

Thanks

[dlc]

Doctors are people too, they can and do make mistakes. Most doctors don't mind you asking questions. Whenever you are writing orders from a physician,always repeat back to them what they have ordered. This practice will allow you and them to clarify any errors that may have occurred in transcribing the orders. In your nursing skills area, most hospitals have procedure manuals for any and all procedures that your hospital does. Don't be afraid to look them up until you become comfortable with the procedure. Also, many new nurses copy some very basic skills on index cards and carry them in their pocket so that the information is just a "finger tip" a way. Some suggestions for the index cards are dressing changes, IM injections, wound care, iv starts, ng tube insertions, foley insertions, these are just a few. Give it a try, it might work for you. Good Luck!!

[vnsn]

response to DLC and Kippi

Thank you for your advices in order to get confidence in our nursing skills. We surely will clarify the doctor's order as you recommeded. Now, we know that native speaker nurses also ask for clarification. We shouldn't be afraid to talk to the doctors espically taking order from them. Thanks again for your priceless talk.

What unit are you working right now? If possibe, would you tell us what state are you working in? We are student nurses in northern CA. Is there any legal or ethical issues that you have come across in your unit? We are going to do our preceptorship in Med/Surg, and we don't know that much about those issues. Please share with us if you have any!