Do you remember everything from nursing school?

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Was nursing hard when you first started? Like right after you passed the NCLEX? What was assessing and diagnosing like? What were you thinking?

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Specializes in FNP.

God no. Assessing is easy. RNs do not diagnose. I don't remember.

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Specializes in med-surg, psych.

The profession of nursing is always changing and care is based on evidence based protocols. Nursing is always keeping up to date with the latest treatments, technology and medications, so each and every nurse is responsible for keeping his or her practice up to date. Many things that are taught in nursing school become outdated and new and more effective treatments and medications take the place of old ones. Nursing will never be stagnant and we see everyday that nursing research helps to bring forth more effective nursing care. I have been in nursing for 30 years and have had to learn many new nursing techniques, theories and interventions. I think you will find that many new nurses are anxious and afraid of making mistakes. Nursing is never easy but you do become more self assured and confident with experience. Every new learning experience will help a new nurse to improve his or her skills and enable them to function more independently. A nurse never stops learning and if or when a nurse refuses to accept new ways of caring for patients, they will be providing ineffective and poor nursing care. I have had the misfortune to work with some nurses who were stuck in a certain mode of thinking and refused to see how important it is to research and try new interventions based on evidence. It is not right to continue to practice in certain ways just because it's always been done that way. Assessment skills will improve with experience and become second nature, without even thinking that one needs to perform a thorough assessment. Nurses diagnose but these are very different than medical diagnoses. Nursing diagnosis is related to the human condition and based on the individual's total needs. Nurses make diagnoses based on the individual needs and well-being of their patients, and this is done within the nursing framework. This is where a nurse's assessment skills become very important, since they need to be able to identify their patients' actual and potential problems. A medical diagnosis may be congestive heart failure but a nursing diagnosis may be activity intolerance related to shortness of breath. Hopefully a new nurse will be fortunate enough to have peers who value their profession enough to support and teach a new nurse. :nurse:

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Specializes in Emergency, Med/Surg.

Nursing in the field is COMPLETELY different from nursing school. Nursing school gives you a foundation, but the real learning is when you get out there and do it. I have had my license for a little over a year, and I'm finally feeling a sense of confidence in how I care for my patients, time management, etc. I learn every shift that I work. I feel that being a nurse is a constant evolution, we evolve as we PRACTICE. Find a supportive environment to start in, where you can grow. Always do your best. Diagnoses are important, but not as much as how you make your patients feel as you care for them. I still have times where I have "WHAT THE HECK?!" moments. It comes with the territory. We all feel WAY overwhelmed at first, even if people don't say it. You're going to do fine.

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I just passed the NCLEX, and I have the same concerns. The way I plan to handle it is to do my best to get a job with a group of supportive nurses who love to teach and develop people. I think this will be far more valuable than a higher rate of pay in a less supportive environment (if that trade-off is even necessary). After that, I'll work my tail off to learn.

Regards,

Mukfay

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Specializes in Peds and PICU.

I barely remember everything I did today, let alone everything from nursing school!

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Do you remember everything from driver's education? % or 10 years into a nursing career you realise that your license is a lifetime learners permit.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I'm a new grad, got my license in June so the horrors of rn school are very fresh in my mind. my sister just started her rn schooling this past fall and they aren't even doing rn diagnosis anymore. they were told that rn diagnosis do not really correlate to nursing practice in acute care so they are focusing on medical diagnosis and the care that correlates to specific s/s of diseases and conditions. i thought that was kind of surprising...:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Peds and PICU.

That's interesting, since I use nursing diagnoses everyday when charting care plans.

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Specializes in cardiology/oncology/MICU.
I'm a new grad, got my license in June so the horrors of rn school are very fresh in my mind. my sister just started her rn schooling this past fall and they aren't even doing rn diagnosis anymore. they were told that rn diagnosis do not really correlate to nursing practice in acute care so they are focusing on medical diagnosis and the care that correlates to specific s/s of diseases and conditions. i thought that was kind of surprising...:rolleyes:

It is really suprising to me as well. I amnot sure a nursing program that has throown Nursing Dx by the wayside will maintain accreditation for long. I work in an MICU and we use nursing diagnoses every day. We actually plan interventions based on problems and evaluate the efficacy of what we are doing. Congratulations on finishing. Good luck:)

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Thanks!

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I barely remember everything I did today, let alone everything from nursing school!

Everything sounds crammed in nursing school even though your really not cramming.

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