Nursing Students Student Assist
Published Jul 17, 2007
justme1972
2,441 Posts
I don't do it often, but sometimes I'll hear something interesting and decide to do a little research on it.....I came across something called "Pfiffer's Synrome" (sp) where infants have a premature hardening of the skull, and evidently this can start prenatally very early.
Some of these things are so disturbing...it was literally the worst defect I have ever seen of an infant in a picture...
...it's a good education..but some things you just pray you'll never actually have to witness.
Nurse Smiley
41 Posts
Yes, Hoperull2009, :balloons:
I look up random diseases/conditions all of the time! Whenever I become aware of something new on TV, radio, or in a newspaper, via the internet, a magazine article, or a personal discussion with other nurses; I research it further. I consider it part of my continued education in nsg.
Best of Luck to you in 20009!
RNontheroad
85 Posts
I am no longer a nursing student but I can assure you that even the seasoned nurse comes across those bizzar-o diseases that you only hear about on the Discovery Health Channel. We look things up all the time! Its part of what I love about being a nurse...the learning never ends!!
Keep up all the hard work. The reward will be worth it!
Wren
201 Posts
I totally ditto what the other posters said! I've been an RN for a long time and I look up diseases, new meds, new treatments, etc. all the time. Thank goodness for the internet! (It wasn't around when I went to nursing school......)
Nursing and medicine in general is a dynamic changing field and you will never stop learning! :)
HeatherB,CST
243 Posts
I do, too...the two most recent and fascinating ones I've found are
malignant hypothermia
http://www.anes.ucla.edu/dept/mh.html
and harlequin ichthyosis
http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpn/vol2n1/harlequin.xml
just a warning...the harlequin link has pics, and they are very disturbing. This is a congenital skin disorder that never has a good outcome for the newborn.
onyx77
404 Posts
I do, too...the two most recent and fascinating ones I've found are malignant hypothermiahttp://www.anes.ucla.edu/dept/mh.htmland harlequin ichthyosishttp://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijpn/vol2n1/harlequin.xmljust a warning...the harlequin link has pics, and they are very disturbing. This is a congenital skin disorder that never has a good outcome for the newborn.
Malignant Hyperthermia is very uncommon yet so familiar to me. I have a strong family history of MH and tested positive as an infant. Luckily I myself have never needed surgery and wasn't sure what COULD be given to the patient with MH if surgery was required. Well, I asked the CRNA this durig my observation in the OR and was promptly removed. They said it was best if I wasn't even on the unit at all because the gases can leak. I guess I never thought about that, because I wasn't getting the anesthetic. But now I know!!!
caliotter3
38,333 Posts
I always look up stuff about my patients to help me with my job. Whenever I come across something that catches my interest, I'll spend some time reading about that also. Otherwise, I spend time here. Have found lots of info about conditions/situations here and learned plenty from others on this site.
miss arron
156 Posts
i got my drug guide a week or so ago and i've been looking up every med i take or anyone else i know takes, and anything i see on tv...
i think i'm already driving my bf nuts :)
FLAgal14
79 Posts
That's interesting -both my mom and I have malignant hypothermia and I never really researched it in depth until nursing school.
I forgot to add that yes, I find myself looking up tons of diseases and conditions since I've started nursing school and especially after clinical rotations. Yesterday I had a patient with severe cellulitis and a two stage 3 pressure ulcers. I was so interested in what cellulitis is and how it is caused that I looked it up once I got home.
AprilRNhere
699 Posts
Yes I do. I always wonder what someone would think lol if they looked at my computer "history" and didn't know I'm a nurse!
zooz
196 Posts
I do it too. My mom watched medical shows as long as I can remember, so I was always seeing and learning about these rare disorders and diseases from an early age. I'm a big fan Discovery Health now, as was my mom. I google everything I'm unfamiliar with and I'm always on the NORD website looking around. Those diseases fascinate me. Just to get a feeling for exactly how much can go wrong with the human body...wow. I guess I'm just in awe of the complexities involved.