Got to thinking about this today after I took a nursing exam and walked out boiling with high blood pressure! Ok, so we have these tests in Process. Pharm and Assessment..not bad at all, but Process?? Ok, ok,......I know...they are "teaching us to think like nurses" and "there may be more than one right answer, but pick the BEST answer". I understand that nursing is not "black or white" but let's be real people??? The teachers don't know everything, but very few of them admit they don't! How many of you have questions on those tests that DO have TWO BEST ANSWERS??? Dare I say it?? Yes, Two RIGHT answers!! What I mean is, two answers that COULD BE right. The teacher did not weight one more heavily than other in lecture, but since you are learning to be a super nurse (right?), you know that, say, patient safety is more important than administering pain meds. So....... you pick that one on the test, the one pertaining to safety. OOOOPPSSS!!! Well, you were right on question #2 with that rationale but SORRY, on question #12 and #14 this is no longer the rationale. You can defend your answer to the grave. You see the teachers point, but darn it, you have a good point too. The teacher acknowleges that "yes, you could be right, you have a good point, your answer is not wrong, but what I say is right".:doh: It is TOTALLY INSANE. There are questions that I swear are just up to whatever the instructor wants that day. Everyone in my class swears she said one thing and then the next day she'll tell us that "oh no, X gets priority over Y" and then the next day, "well, you are right but Y gets priority over X" I mean, C'mon!! Anybody feelin' me on this??? :rotfl: I mean, I AM critically thinking. I am doing what I am supposed to be doing!! I can fight why I answered what I did and they can fight why they say the right answer is the right answer. They will say neither answer is wrong, you could do both. Ok, then WHY WHY WHY is picking the answer about patient safety wrong? It's like on one test it is the right answer and then next test you get it wrong. I mean, isn't patient safety always your #1 concern??? DUH.:uhoh21: I swear, if I had a copy of the q's I got wrong, I would post them, just to see how many experienced RN's would get them right!! Even getting past the stupid tests...the instructor is always right:rolleyes: . I have had an instructor agree with me that a question made no sense and was indeed misleading and then just say "Oh Well" and laugh and NOT give me any more points!! Careplans??? We have two consecutive days clinical. One teacher (thank goodness for her) says that we could write up a preliminary care plan 1st day and she would correct. Then second day we would resumbit, corrected, the total care plan. This way, we would SLEEP the night before clinical and it would be safe for the patient. OH NO!!! Says the nursing department. "This is how it has always been" they say, and DEMAND that the whole entire careplan (25 pages) be done the night before clinical for 1st day. Doing this, students are taking 12-14 hours to finish the careplan and not sleeping. They acknowlege that this may not be safe for the patient, that it may be better to do careplan day 2 once you have done assessment, but won't change it. I mean, to give students only from 1pm on Wed to complete a careplan by Thurs 6 am, KNOWING it is going to take students almost 12 HOURS to complete and having the power to change that and NOT doing so.........well, that just seems like patient endangerment. It seems almost illegal!! Anyway, the point I am making is that they often make things more difficult for no real good reason in nursing school. In fact, much of it is unfair while they pretend it is fair. I think it is all just a bunch of BS, a big huge "test" for the real thing. They treat you like crap, see how much BS you can take, so that you will be prepared for the real world. I get it, and there is no way getting away from it unless you GET OUT OF IT.:rotfl: Funny.......police officers hold very important life or death positions too but they only have to be treated like crap and negated for 16 weeks. We have to do it minimum of two years!! I just hope I can do it. I hope I can suck down another not so good grade when I know I AM learning what I am supposed to be learning and my thinking is NOT incorrect. Ya just gotta bow down and take it.:bowingpur The End:thankya: Thanks for listening to my rant.
ZASHAGALKA, RN 3,322 Posts Specializes in Critical Care. Has 15 years experience. Sep 24, 2005 A good portion of nursing school is garbage. I clicked on your thread because the garbage that nursing schools teach is a pet peeve of mine - I feel like most nursing students only start to excel as nurses when they learn to throw some off some of the junk taught in school.Care Plans and Concept Maps are pure garbage and a supreme waste of time. Imagine what a student could learn if he/she wasn't wasting their time with this junk! And my opinions are well known on this site that the theorys of ivory tower elitists have no relation whatsoever with actual nursing.But a good chunk of school does have a valid point/purpose. And while I can vent/rant with the best of them, the design of tests isn't one of the problems I have with school. (And yes, I took the same tests with the same multiple answers and with the same disagreements, even among instructors, as to what was the 'best' answer).The instructor's are 'graded' by how many of you pass the NCLEX. If you think they ask difficult questions, remember this: the best of the best of those devious test makers devise the NCLEX.They are trying to teach you directly to pass the NCLEX.But indirectly, the NCLEX and so your exams are devised the way they are for a reason. They are devised to focus not just on knowledge but on application of knowledge. I submit that learning to be a nurse is 40% knowledge and 60% application. In the trenches, being able to prioritize and reprioritize is absolutely essential. As your tests reinforce. But, because nursing is as much an art as a science, some issue of priority are a matter of debate - even among instructors.Nevertheless, it is exposure to these types of situations that you must be prepared to handle. Daily. Hourly. So it is completly acceptable for the programs to focus on them.It doesn't matter how well you know algebra - if you have to pass a test on algebra - I'm going to give you algebra equations until you can answer them by rote. And, if you are paying me to make you the kind of person that can pass that algebra test - even after you learn by rote, I'm going to give you more.~faith,Timothy.
suzanne4, RN 26,410 Posts Sep 24, 2005 Care Plans are not gargage, if they are done appropriately. But a 25 page one is completely obscene. No one is going to read one that size on each and every student each week, they will weigh them, if anything..........something that I do not agree with at all. But there is nothing wrong with a two or three page paper before each clinical so that you know what you should be focusing on for that patient, labs, etc.One extra long Care Plan per semester where you have several weeks to work on it is okay, but to expect that amount of work each and every week is just crazy.
r_janice 175 Posts Sep 24, 2005 Care Plans and Concept Maps are pure garbage and a supreme waste of time. the theorys of ivory tower elitists have no relation whatsoever with actual nursing.Im in Nursing I and we are doing nothing but theory.........what good will it do me to know Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross???? Who is going to sit me down and ask me Patricia Benners' definition of caring? Care plans......we have our first lecture on care plans in a few weeks....Why would they not only teach us something we will most likely NEVER use in our practice and make us do it all semester??? Is it part of the weeding out process or jsut to make us crazy?? The test was ridiculous. I had my first official nursing test last Wednesday....it wasnt as difficult as I expected but talk about two "right" answers! A few of them stumped me completelyMy question is why.................
Editorial Team / Admin sirI, MSN, APRN, NP 18 Articles; 30,666 Posts Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB. Sep 24, 2005 duIm in Nursing I and we are doing nothing but theory.........what good will it do me to know Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross???? Who is going to sit me down and ask me Patricia Benners' definition of caring? Care plans......we have our first lecture on care plans in a few weeks....Why would they not only teach us something we will most likely NEVER use in our practice and make us do it all semester??? Is it part of the weeding out process or jsut to make us crazy?? The test was ridiculous. I had my first official nursing test last Wednesday....it wasnt as difficult as I expected but talk about two "right" answers! A few of them stumped me completelyMy question is why.................Hello r_janice,:Melody: Learning about our "roots" is a necessary step to see from where we originated and what was going on in their time periods to what we have become and how far we have come.As for careplans, Yes, you will develop these for each and every patient and use them.
NurCrystal22 302 Posts Sep 25, 2005 In nursing school, I thought careplans were a complete waste of time.... looking back on it, I STILL do. Our careplans were also 25+ pages but we got a week to do them, if that was the ONLY thing I had to do, I wouldn't complain but I had OTHER classes I needed to study for too. At my hospital, the nurses don't make the care plans and they aren't 25 pages long, it's 1-2 pages and our coordinators do them upon admit. I mean, I'm glad I know how do to them if asked but I think 25 pages of crap is a waste of time too. Anyways, I remember the tests from school, you'll appreciate them when it comes time for you to take the nclex and you'll understand why "patient safety" might not always be number one.... don't worry though, you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Hang in there.~Crystal
Home Health Columnist / Guide NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN 11 Articles; 17,838 Posts Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion. Has 46 years experience. Sep 25, 2005 Why would they not only teach us something we will most likely NEVER use in our practice and make us do it all semester??? Whoever gave you the idea that care plans are never used in practice gave you BOGUS info. Each and every patient whether hospitalized, at home or in other inpatient facility needs a care plan. Most hospitals and LTC facilities have standardized ones that you just pick and choose from, individualizing for patient/client.However, when you are working out in the community, you are often create care plans for patients that the family, lay public (i.e. neighbors), aides and unlicensed care attendants follow. What you write and teach these folks greatly affects the care clients receive. When working out in the field, I created and updated care plans on daily basis. Mastering them while in school ESSENTIAL!
dave1117 202 Posts Sep 25, 2005 Lets all quit school and do something easier that is less of a challenge and doesn't mean the difference between life and death.As for cops, they learn more on the job in two years than you could ever teach them in a classroom over the same period of time.And yes you are probably right...those two years of learning about Neuro, Cardio, Respiratory and Peds and MAternity are all a waste. I am sure a good preceptor will take the time to teach us about blood gases and lab values and inflammatory bowel disorders.Not sure the purpose of your post. If it was to vent, so be it, you vented. But if you really feel the way you claim than move on. Millions have been where you are now and have become nurses without the "this is all Bull" attitude. There was a day when writing a 25 page care plan was necesary to get the job done. Talk to soemone who has been in nursing for 30+ years and they will tell you. It is all a right of passage. Like it or not, live with or don't, but if that is your attitude you are really going to hate nursing school.Just my .02 dave :)
truern 2,016 Posts Specializes in Telemetry & Obs. Sep 25, 2005 What is included in a 25 page careplan?? We have to do data collection using Gordon's Functional Health Patterns and write up a client profile sheet with present history, pertinent past history, clinical course, progress since admission, patho, NDs identified and prioritized, and evaluation of progress after caring for the patient. We do a 2 page careplan on the top ND with an analysis of the data supporting the ND, goal, interventions w/rationales, and an evaluation. We do med sheets for every med we give, and a lab sheet w/interpretations for the abnormals.At the most that's 10-15 pages. I can't imagine what's involved with a 25 page careplan. Are you addressing EVERY ND and potential complication? Edited to add: I actually LIKE careplans....they're like putting together a puzzle when all the pieces fit and VOILA you end up with a road map directing your care.
Curious1alwys, BSN, RN 1,288 Posts Has 11 years experience. Sep 25, 2005 Chill out Dave, I was just "venting". But yes, I really do feel that parts of nursing school are unnecessary. I don't think that means I need to take a hike. While I do see the value of a careplan, I do NOT see the value of assigning a 25 page one that takes even the best student 8 hours to do (most 12-14) the night before clinicals, only to get no sleep and endanger patients. Plus, this is a program designed for those working full time too. If we work all day Thursday, are we not supposed to sleep at all Thursday night?? Just saying...they are the ones that created this program and make it sound appealing for working folks...This was simply a venting thread over the BS of nursing school. Obviously there are some that identify with what I am saying....Believe me, I'll do it.........do I have a choice IF I want to become an RN???:uhoh21: :) BTW all, they make us get our pt the night before clinical because they claim there is a good chance they will be discharged otherwise...Lets all quit school and do something easier that is less of a challenge and doesn't mean the difference between life and death.As for cops, they learn more on the job in two years than you could ever teach them in a classroom over the same period of time.And yes you are probably right...those two years of learning about Neuro, Cardio, Respiratory and Peds and MAternity are all a waste. I am sure a good preceptor will take the time to teach us about blood gases and lab values and inflammatory bowel disorders.Not sure the purpose of your post. If it was to vent, so be it, you vented. But if you really feel the way you claim than move on. Millions have been where you are now and have become nurses without the "this is all Bull" attitude. There was a day when writing a 25 page care plan was necesary to get the job done. Talk to soemone who has been in nursing for 30+ years and they will tell you. It is all a right of passage. Like it or not, live with or don't, but if that is your attitude you are really going to hate nursing school.Just my .02 dave :)
wonderbee, BSN, RN 1 Article; 2,212 Posts Specializes in critical care; community health; psych. Sep 25, 2005 IPRs (interpersonal process recordings) are, in my opinion, a complete waste of time that could be better spent doing just about anything. I don't think we needed to do all the community experience hours either. Nursing curriculums could use a breath of fresh air. But as for care plans, they are a JHACO requirement. Writing all of those school care plans has been a pain but I know how to write one now.
r_janice 175 Posts Sep 25, 2005 As for careplans, Yes, you will develop these for each and every patient and use them.Will we need to use careplans when we get out into the "real world" or is it just busy work for us while we are in school to make sure we do our researching on our patients?? I agree the roots are important. But nobody is going to ask me that question!! :)
