in my first term, now I know what you all were talking about

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Ok I just started Intro to Nursing in January. I've been reading this site for about 2 years, and heard you all tell the horrors of care plans, the high school drama, and just over all crap that goes along with being a nursing student. Well, unfortunately this all became fully evident yesterday durring clinical.

People want to ask what I made on my test (95, which I'm completely stoked about:yeah:) and then want to get all mad because they barely passed, and want to make excuses for their grade "I didn't have time to study", or "Oh, I had company", all I wanted to say, "Yea, well I have 3 kids under the age of five. My son who's 2yrs old had a seizure and had to go to the hopsital and had fever of over 102 for the past week that won't come down rotating tylenol and motrin. On top of the 4 month old baby I have that still doen't sleep all night, and you couldn't do your work because....???"(and yes that really did happen) Of course I didn't say that, and decided "Oh, that's rough, but at least you passed. You'll make it up on the next test." would be the more therapeutic response. And then said people go and talk about me behind my back trying to pick apart everything I say or do to try to make themselves feel better.

Then 5 people from our group went out to eat at Ruby Tuesdays to drink durring lunch :nono::uhoh21:. Guess who WON'T be asked to help with my patients? Yea, we were only in Lab and not in the hospital (we go for the first time next tuesday) but we are supposed to treat lab like the hospital, and if your going to drink durring lunch you've got bigger problems than the fact that your failing...

Care plans suck! This is the first time I've been confused since school started. My problem I'm told is that I'm overthinking it, but I don't know. I just don't get how you can put a time frame on some things. For example, how can you say you want someone to increase fiber intake to reduce constipation when they are NPO??? The instructor said "well they can do it when they begin eating again", well if you don't know WHEN they will be allowed to eat again, how can I possibly give a time frame for fiber intake???

Anyway, I guess I just needed to vent. I just don't understand why some people have to try to tear others down to make themselves feel better.

Have A Great Day!

Chancie

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Aww, that sucks. I'm sorry you are having such a rough first semester. But please don't think that it will always be like this. There are some truly nice people in nursing school that won't give you all of this highschool drama, you just have to look for them. And when you find them, cling to them for all they are worth. Friends are what will keep you from falling apart in the months to come!

As far as care plans go, there are other interventions for constipation other than increasing oral fiber intake. Is your client able to ambulate? Walking is a great nonpharmacologic way of helping constipation. Review her medications, that could be a causing factor. Maybe you could collaborate with the physician about switching or lessening the dose of the drug(s), or possibly ordering a stool softener. Or you could increase fluids through the IV, if it is not contraindicated. Adequate fluids are crucial. If the person has a feeding tube, you can still give high fiber if you consult the dietition. You could use something called Benefiber because it tends not to clump or get thick, all you need to do is just flush it with water and there should be no problems. So basically most of your nursing interventions will have to be collaborative, but there are many NPO things you can do.

Another big thing: ASSESS!!! Unrelieved constipation can have many complications, so definitely do a lot of listening to bowel sounds and pay attention if your patient complains of belly pain.

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I agree with your take on the care plan. The pt. is an imaginary case study our instructor gave us to give us a feel on how to do care plans. My instructor gave us the intervention of "increase dietary fiber" and I didn't get why since like I said she is NPO, gradually progressing to clear fluids as tollerated. She is post op cholestestectomy (think I spelled that right, but not sure) and last bm 2 days prior.

I have met some really nice girls in my class, I just don't get the other one's. For example is it REALLY nessisary to say "I hate kids; they smell" and then rolling her eyes when I'm talking to my friend and we are discussing our children durring clinical? This isn't durring any kind of teaching or whatever, just as we are working cassually on our SIM man.

I'm not nessisary upset by it, I just don't get why people think that it's acceptable to treat people like crap.

Chancie

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I agree with your take on the care plan. The pt. is an imaginary case study our instructor gave us to give us a feel on how to do care plans. My instructor gave us the intervention of "increase dietary fiber" and I didn't get why since like I said she is NPO, gradually progressing to clear fluids as tollerated. She is post op cholestestectomy (think I spelled that right, but not sure) and last bm 2 days prior.

I have met some really nice girls in my class, I just don't get the other one's. For example is it REALLY nessisary to say "I hate kids; they smell" and then rolling her eyes when I'm talking to my friend and we are discussing our children durring clinical? This isn't durring any kind of teaching or whatever, just as we are working cassually on our SIM man.

I'm not nessisary upset by it, I just don't get why people think that it's acceptable to treat people like crap.

Chancie

Hey, Chancie honey, first of all anyone who says they hate kids has a very deep problem. People who talk like that have had some terrible childhood trauma. Maybe mentally ill parents, sexual abuse etc. So just feel their pain and move on. Do your best. Forgive me if this next part hurts you but I need to be frank. Maybe you are trying to type quickly but your spelling and grammar leaves a bit to be desired. 35 years ago students who had trouble like this were not allowed to continue in school. You will write exams and eventually you will be required to make entries on charts. Others will judge you to be incompetent based on your writing skills. If your entry is representative, please get some extra help or tutoring. You sound like you will make a good nurse, don't allow a lack of communication skills hold you back.

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Wow......high school crap in college? How ridiculous!! Well I would try to avoid them as much as possible and ignore their crap. You don't need any distractions. Good luck!

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Mom of Student,

I am horrible speller, but am normally quite good at English. My kids were running around, and I wast trying to quickly type so that I could get back to other things. Thank you for bringing my attention to this however. I will make sure I check my post before sending it in the future.

Have a Great Day!

Chancie

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

Your on a forum, don't worry about your spelling! I hear what your saying and can honestly tell you that this is your reality for the next few years. Many younger students say they hate kids and I have an instructor who is not too keen on kids either. Oh well, that's their bag.

I'm glad that you have some students who you like. They are the ones that will help you get through it all. I'm in my last semester and can't wait to be done! The drama is difficult and the cattiness drives me crazy! I'm the type that would like to see everyone make it and will help if I can. I just shake my head at the ones who think they know everything. I learn every day! I'm also grateful to the ones who think they know it all because I also learn how I don't want to be.

Care plans suck! I just finished my last one (hopefully forever!). Just go down your columns and put in your info. The hardest part is figuring out what your instructor wants (they all seem to want things done differently). The one thing I learned is to have goals that you can do something about. If the pt is npo, increasing fiber intake is irrelevant. Like a poster stated above, walking, check meds, any stool softener ordered, etc. It sounds like your much further ahead than I was 1st semester. Your already thinking things through and thats great!

Whenever you put a bunch of females together you will have some chaos. Of course this is just my :twocents:. Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of nursing school! :D

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

Chancie, you'll have to model mature behavior for those juvenile students apparently :D

Btw, I had no trouble reading or understanding your posts.

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whaz wrong wid her spellin?

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I totally hear ya!! I'm the mom of 2 very active boys, ages 3 and 1... My one yo is not sleeping through the night, teething, one of them is usually sick, I'm working part time and my hubby is a pain in the rear!!! LOL...But despite this I'm getting awesome grades and have to listen to excuse after excuse about why others didn't do so hot!! Don't let these girls get you down!! I'm sure you are going to do wonderful!!!!

If you ever need to vent to someone who TOTALLY understands what you're going through definitely send me a message!!

Oh and I'm a great speller and all but when I'm typing quick on websites I'm not exactly at my best either =)

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You just got to relax, let the info soak in and forget about the rambling idiots that probably won't be around the next semester. It's all good, your gonna do it and in the end be glad you did...find your flow and go with it! Good luck and hang in there, the fog gets thinner and thinner as the time goes by. :)

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Sounds like you go to my school. There is this 36 year old chick who thinks she is god's gift to earth. She once told me that I wasn't a christian because I voted for Obama! Those were her exact words!!!

Anyways, a couple of weeks ago during our test I went to the instructor to clarify what she wanted on a couple of the questions. The instructor basically gave me the answer. So stupid me was somewhat bragging about this after the test and now she is trying to turn me in for cheating! The instructor helped me, not anyone else!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Basically she is mad because she thinks she is the smartest person in the world and I have done better than her on every test since 3rd semester!

Why can't we just all get along and not worry what everyone else makes on their test?

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