Pure worthless crap

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I was pondering my carrer as a nursing student ,how much was worth while and how much was crap.

My clinical experience in school was really worth while,but learning therapeutic communication was pure crap.

How about you,what did you learn that was really worthwhile in nursing school,the things that helped you in the real world, and what was pure crap and a waste of time?

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Originally posted by kids-r-fun

All I can say is...you never appreciate Maslow until you need it.

I loved learning about Maslow old buddy! :kiss Awesome guy...awesome theory. Anything to do with psychology, I ate it all up and then some. Another favorite psych fella of mine is Erikson. Between Maslow and Erikson.....I felt I was complete in the field of psych. All the others were "interesting" to say the least. :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oops, I went kinda off the point of the Therapeutic Communication class. At the age I was when I took that class (had to be 19 or 20), it was definitely needed at that stage of my development. Helped me to understand and communicate better on a whole with everyone I interact with AND how to get people to open up. It felt silly trying to apply it at that time, but, wow does it come in handy now. :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ohbet,

Rather than asking a question that could be answered yes or no, ask a question or make a statement that would elicit a more "theraputic" response.

Don't ask "Do you want to talk about it?" say, " You seem upset. Something must have happened" or " You must have been surprised by that news. What do you think about what the doctor said?" Open ended questions. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Originally posted by dawngloves

ohbet,

Rather than asking a question that could be answered yes or no, ask a question or make a statement that would elicit a more "theraputic" response.

Don't ask "Do you want to talk about it?" say, " You seem upset. Something must have happened" or " You must have been surprised by that news. What do you think about what the doctor said?" Open ended questions. :)

....and of COURSE you have all kinds of time for this in the middle of your med pass and assessments.... :chuckle:

But seriously folks,

working nights, I have way more opportunity to talk with someone who is distressed, and I have always clung to the

belief that the nurse-patient connection is 90% of what makes a good nurse.

(Or even a good doc, for that matter--I'm thinking of how my second pulmo doc appeared to have a genuine interest in whether or not I lived or died, as opposed to the first guy, who showed me my CT scans with obvious masses everywhere, knowing I was a nurse and what conclusions I would draw, then sat me down in the office and said flippantly, "Gee, you don't LOOK sick." ---no kidding, brighteyes, really???!!! :rolleyes: ---)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.
Originally posted by LasVegasRN

You mean, all of you don't use algebra and geometry on a daily basis? Why, how could I get through a day without knowing (x - 2) + 2(x +4) = ?

Nice to know, but, where in the heck would I put this to practical use?

I think it would have been nice to have been taught:

- The proper way to write out a check

- How to balance a checkbook

- How to determine when/if you are getting a good deal on a car, how much over dealer invoice should you pay?

- Purchasing a home: negotiating your best mortgage

You know, real life stuff that affects you on a daily basis. Ah well...

Yeah, but Vegas, that's stuff we could have and SHOULD have learned in high school. Basic life skills not taught (for many) at home...

And as a matter of fact, I did put some of my high-school geometry to use when working out the size of a desk unit I was looking at. Bisected the line & calculated the length of the sides using the Pythagorean theory (a² + b² = c²).

Somehow, nearly everything I've studied comes back to enhance my life, my practice, even my parenting. It gives more layers of meaning to everything...and teaches me that I definitely don't know everything! :) Chemistry with baking, literature & language as a means of understanding the context of a society...I could go on, but it's time to get out of here & take my daughter to ballet class.

Later!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Originally posted by eltrip

Yeah, but Vegas, that's stuff we could have and SHOULD have learned in high school. Basic life skills not taught (for many) at home...

And as a matter of fact, I did put some of my high-school geometry to use when working out the size of a desk unit I was looking at. Bisected the line & calculated the length of the sides using the Pythagorean theory (a² + b² = c²).

Somehow, nearly everything I've studied comes back to enhance my life, my practice, even my parenting. It gives more layers of meaning to everything...and teaches me that I definitely don't know everything! :) Chemistry with baking, literature & language as a means of understanding the context of a society...I could go on, but it's time to get out of here & take my daughter to ballet class.

Later!

Agreed! High school should focus on life skills. I agree everyone needs the core corriculum but in high school it seems like the basic skills of managing your money and how to survive on a budget is sorely lacking! I have YET to use my geometry, algebra and trig in basic life skills, HOWEVER, I'm sure when helping my daughter with my homework they will come back into use!

You did get me thinking... I HAVE used some algebra and geometry along the way...hmmm... :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Originally posted by LasVegasRN

I think it would have been nice to have been taught:

- The proper way to write out a check

- How to balance a checkbook

- How to determine when/if you are getting a good deal on a car, how much over dealer invoice should you pay?

- Purchasing a home: negotiating your best mortgage

You know, real life stuff that affects you on a daily basis. Ah well...

I actually did take a class like that in high school, I think it was "consumer" math & I took it for an easy A senior year, but I seriously think it should have been required. it was fun and very useful...but sad seeing other students who'd never seen a checkbook up close :eek: Learned things like figure interest on a car loan to finding how much you could afford for monthly housing based on income...might just save a few kids from moving out and showing up on mom & dad's doorstep a few months later :p

RE: Theuraputic communication could be a very useful tool to get rid of that obnoxious co-worker or distant friend who wants to tell you every detail of his or her life that you don't need to know :chuckle It might just be a nice "freak them out" technique!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Originally posted by Lausana

...RE: Theuraputic communication could be a very useful tool to get rid of that obnoxious co-worker or distant friend who wants to tell you every detail of his or her life that you don't need to know :chuckle It might just be a nice "freak them out" technique!

Oh yes...when my daughter was at her most unlikeable hormonal age (13-15) I found if she was being a complete spaz all I had to do was sigh deeply... and put on my best 'thereputic communicator' face and say: "I sense (dramatic pause) hostility"... it was guarrenteed to elicit a blood curdeling scream before she stomped down the hall, into her room and slammed the door.

It was a great way to not have to listen to her for a couple of hours!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think you need to know chemistry-- I tried to dissolve a medication in water when it needed another type of solution; this was so I could put the med down a feeding tube. Not everything dissolves in water.

Algebra was necessary when I had to figure out a dosage on an IV med that had to be converted from mg to mcg per keg per minute; etc.

Even though we have pharmacists and IV pumps that you can input the info to assist us, we should know the basics in case the equipment fails or the pharmacist can't figure things out either. Or, the computer fails.

Therapeutic communications has helped me when I needed to stall for time to think up an answer, such as, "Do you think my dad will be able to get home by (whatever date)?" What do you think the doctor meant by (whatever)? I don't know about the rest of you but I usually get the questions the patient doesn't want to "bother the busy" doctor with. As if I'm not busy!

The courses you take in school are a foundation. They help you to know where to look for answers that may come up during your working life. If you know the basics, you are more apt to know what area you will need to look in to find your answers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiac ICU.

DelGR, what other kind of fluid would you use to dissolve a med besides water? How would you know that you need to do this? This is something new to me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Originally posted by KarafromPhilly

DelGR, what other kind of fluid would you use to dissolve a med besides water? How would you know that you need to do this? This is something new to me.

I've heard that apple juice should be used to dissolve the little spansules in the Prevacid caps....

anyone know for sure?? :confused:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ive tried the apple juice to dissolve prevacid for feeding tubes. it sure didnt work for me...it also didnt work to unclog the feeding tube.

i think ive found something useful in everything i learned in nursing school. for me the worst part was the mentality of it...the white tower nursing.

as a student i used to wonder how all of those nurses could be so perfect....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment