Need Guidance for Essay

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad, applying to new grad. programs. I am looking to get into critical care, but med/surg would be fine. I am having trouble writing the essay about a difficult experience during a clinical rotation. My top three options at the moment are:

1.) A code my second week of school, elderly pt., the room was filled with hc providers, there wasn't anything for me to do, (as far as I could tell my second week of school), I stayed with the patient's daughter, comforted her. Then she decides she wants the code to stop, wants to let her mom go. I tried to tell someone, the first person told me she was with pharmacy, and that was not her job. Then I found my nurse, told her, just as the code was winding down, the patient was alright.

2)I was in the ICU with a patient who had been transferred from a ltc facility. The doc came, stayed very briefly, as he was leaving, the patient said "doctor, what about me? What will my quality of life be?" The doc, didn't make eye contact, said "I'm not sure" and left. I stayed and talked to the patient for a long time, mostly just listening to him. He thanks me, end of story.

3)An elderly Chinese woman with stomach cancer, her son doesn't want her to know. I felt uncomfortable with this situation, but I went along with it, because it wasn't my place to intervene.

Those are the situations I am trying to decide between. ANY advice, guidance would be great. Thanks for your help!

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

I'd go for #2

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

I'd steer clear of #3 bc your duty is to the patient not the son and she has a right to know.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I won't give any advice because this challenge is meant for YOU to take. Not you and your online anonymous consortium.

Keep in mind that any advice found on an online forum is worth exactly what you paid for it - $0

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Of course I have no idea whatsoever regarding essays for a new graduate program.

I just wonder if you want to write about an emotionally difficult story ? It sounds like all three stories have more of an ethical / emotional drift to it.

Number 1 - what is the point of it? You can not find the code leader and your job was to comfort the daughter.

Number 2 - doctor avoiding discussion and you pick listen to concerns

Number 3 - ethical problem

What I wonder - and again I have no real clue here - what about a story that highlights critical thinking?

Is there anything you have encountered that is not just focused on emotional/ethical but also has some other features?

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