Advice on Med-Surge 1 !!!

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Dec 21, 2005

This is an excellent post, Daytonite. Don't have much to add. Critical thinking and having "common sense" or being judgmental or critical are often confused and are not the same thing. Critical thinking is a skill which can be taught, learned and measured, and must be developed (practiced and reinforced). It involves always asking "why" and thinking through the underlying rationale of "why" something is being done for the patient. Critical thinking involves much reflection (thinking back over a patient care situation and coming up with ideas as to what could have been done better for this patient) and it is embedded in the nursing process (as Daytonite so wonderfully pointed out). Even though I do not agree with the PBDS model of assessing critical thinking, I like Del Bueno's succinct definition: "Critical thinking is doing the right thing for the right reason."

Here is another excellent web resource on critical thinking:

http://hsc.unm.edu/consg/conct/whatis.shtml

d.page · Dec 24, 2005

Thank you so much for the info on critical thinking, it was very helpful and I passed it on to a classmate. It's nice to know that I have somewhere to go for advice.

d.page · Dec 24, 2005

Thank you also, Vicky I used your info also. I'm sure I'll need help again through Med-Surg and Pharmacology this semester. It's nice to know I have somewhere to go.

shannonibellen · Dec 24, 2005

I just finished my third semester of the RN program (one more to go whoo whoa). Anyhow, our med-surg is broke into different parts, the last part we did was cardiac and respirtory. I found two things with med-surg, one..know your A&P, especially of the heart, it is essential in understanding the function and number two I maybe alone on but I found that with med-surg you have epiphanies, one minute nothing is making any sense and then all of the sudden it all clicks. Everything you have learned thus far falls into place with med-surg. I dont want to specialize in med-surg, but I truly feel that it builds the foundation all nurses need and I enjoyed the learning experience tremendously. I hope you find the same pleasure. Good luck and I hope I helped some.

Shannon

rhenmag9 · Dec 27, 2005

:lol2: Hello!!! I suggest you read in advance esp.when you have a clinical duty, much better if u'r prepared, pls.read topics like, DM,hemodyalisis,liver cirrhosis,urti,digestive disorders,..You have to read also nursing managements,nursing medications for certain dse,care plans..med-surg is good coz'you'll learn a lot, always bring your med.dictionary, and use theory's and skills...

good luck and godbless!

shomelggs · Dec 31, 2005

Oh my goodness ladies--

This is a wealth of wonderful information and I appreciate you all in giving us some great advice and websites to visiit. I will also me starting my med-surge rotation this spring and this info helps to ease some of the fears that come along with the unknown.

Thanks for the knowledge that you are willing to share.

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Dec 31, 2005

Here is what got me through Med-Surge:

1. READ THE BOOK!

Many of our classes had huge reading assignments, but we found out that we were only tested on the Powerpoint handouts that were gone over in class. Not Med-surge. So, reading the whole darn book is important.

2. Do something to pound it into your head!

I made notes for each chapter on my computer using a question-answer system. Here is an example:

How does hemoglobin & myoglobin damage kidney?

Blocks tubules, causes renal vasoconstriction.

The question was on the left side, and the answer on the right side, so I could print it off, fold in half, and quiz myself. Also, I could then use these sheets to review for the NCLEX

You may need to do something else that helps you learn, like read the book aloud, make flash cards, etc.

3. Buy an NCLEX book with a lot of Med-Surge content.

I started doing the Lippincott book during my Med-Surge class. It helped me figure out what I wasn't understanding, as well as got me in the mode of doing all those psychotic mulitple choice questions.

4. DO NOT GET BEHIND.

If you can avoid it, don't work. I know that it becomes very attractive to work as a nurse's aide about this time in nursing school, but several classmates flunked out this quarter due to time constraints.

Best of luck!

Oldiebutgoodie

L&Dwant2b · Jan 1, 2006

Thank you all for your replies. I w ill be starting medisurg on 1/9/06. I'm excited but kind of scared of all the diseases and information to remember. Keep the info coming.

auntie2_12 · Jan 3, 2006

Thanks for all the wonderful info, I am saving it onto my computer for later use. Class starts 1/17/06, and I am a little nervous,will I get ahead of myself if I start reading our textbook without the syllabus? Do you all think will start at chapter 1 and read the entire book? What has been your experience.

K

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Jan 3, 2006

Thanks for all the wonderful info, I am saving it onto my computer for later use. Class starts 1/17/06, and I am a little nervous,will I get ahead of myself if I start reading our textbook without the syllabus? Do you all think will start at chapter 1 and read the entire book? What has been your experience.
K

Well, if you want extra brownie points, you could contact the teacher and ask what the first reading assignments are, and then start reading.

Good luck!

Oldiebutgoodie

pvjerrys · Jan 3, 2006

Thanks for all the wonderful info, I am saving it onto my computer for later use. Class starts 1/17/06, and I am a little nervous,will I get ahead of myself if I start reading our textbook without the syllabus? Do you all think will start at chapter 1 and read the entire book? What has been your experience.
K

Time is precious! Use it wisely. It's better to get the syllabus and read the objectives for each module. Read the objective, go to the text index, and note the page number next to the objective. That will also help if you want to write flash cards. The program is too fast-paced to "read the entire book." Again I write, USE YOUR TIME WISELY!