I was reading a thread on "old-school" nursing practices and I'm wondering WHY I am learning to do those same things the same way? For instance, we are learning to do IV Calculations the gravity-feed method, without being allowed to use a calculator (MAJOR issues for some of these girls who don't even know their basic multiplication tables...) having to be able to set the gtts/min and prime the line and watch to calculate drips. Is this a "skill" I'm ever going to use outside of school?? They tell us that the pumps are being used on the floors, but that we may end up "someday" having a situation where we have to use gravity feeds.
What makes me a bit worried is the fact that we DON'T get any practice setting pumps feed rates until we get to clinical. Is this "normal" for nursing college? Learning to do things the "old" way and then having to learn the new technology outside of lab time and on-the-floor with actual patients the FIRST time you ever do it?
I'm a bit sad we won't be doing pressures manually - I'm a star on that front. LOL
That is one of the worst things we see with students. The mad race to get the electronic cuffs. Less than ten years ago, students were expected to do it manually. I remember being told that the electronics were for the staff and we where there to hone our skills.
Just imagine the scene, student has one patient (x four students) Staff have 3-4 patients. Unit has four cuff sets. Staff are left doing their rounds with the manual stuff because the students have grabbed all the equipment and won't let go of it until they finish their assessment and give us "looks" because we are asking "are you done with the cuff yet?"
That is one of the worst things we see with students. The mad race to get the electronic cuffs. Less than ten years ago, students were expected to do it manually. I remember being told that the electronics were for the staff and we where there to hone our skills.
Just imagine the scene, student has one patient (x four students) Staff have 3-4 patients. Unit has four cuff sets. Staff are left doing their rounds with the manual stuff because the students have grabbed all the equipment and won't let go of it until they finish their assessment and give us "looks" because we are asking "are you done with the cuff yet?"
cold day in Hades that my instructors would have allowed that!!!!
and the electronics are not so accurate with a patient with a tremor....
Wow. The only time I was allowed to use the electronic vital signs machine was during a rotation in a hospital where they did NOT have any manual cuffs (shocking)...and even then, my instructor highly encouraged and recommended us to bring our own bp cuff to take manual blood pressures.
It's good to learn how to do things the "old school" way before advancing to machines--just in case technology malfunctions, you still have a back up.
Morte - no mea culpa necessary! LOL. I like to learn about anything I can from wherever I can - realizing all systems are different, it's still good to learn.
I think I might just carry my cuff with me - much easier than running around looking for the equipment and it isn't a skill I want to grow rusty.
I have my first clinical at the end of this month and I am equal parts excited and terrified!
Just imagine the scene, student has one patient (x four students) Staff have 3-4 patients. Unit has four cuff sets. Staff are left doing their rounds with the manual stuff because the students have grabbed all the equipment and won't let go of it until they finish their assessment and give us "looks" because we are asking "are you done with the cuff yet?"
I saw a pair of students (yes - 2 students per 1 pt. It was too scary for them to have a pt each, after all, they were only 2nd year!). Sorry , I digressed there.
Anyway, I saw them use the automatic cuff and then tuck it behind the curtain. I said - If you are done your blood pressure, perhaps you should bring it back out so other people can use it" One of the students said "Well, we need it again in 2 hours to recheck his pressure so we thought we would just keep it here". I just smiled and said "Yes, well, alot of other people could use it during that 2 hours, don't you think?". And left the room. They brought it back out pretty quickly!
I think I might just carry my cuff with me - much easier than running around looking for the equipment and it isn't a skill I want to grow rusty.
I'd find out if the hospital's infection control people would let you do this. They are running around watching handwashing, equipment wipedowns on the unit, etc. They could have a field day with students bringing in their own stuff.
Hmmm. How would using my cuff be different than using a piece of equipment that belongs to the unit? Obviously I'd avoid using it on anyone in isolation - not that I'll be dealing with that this rotation anyhow... we're only going to the Long Term Care facility.
LTC patients have MRSA and live in the general population. Remeber this tidbit, we see more people bringing MRSA in with them than acquiring it in hospital. Perfectly healthy people come in for an appi or gallbladder and swab positive and wind up in isolation.
The only time on my unit that you see a cuff left in a room is when you know the post op is enroute and everything is set up, slider on bed, etc.
And it never fails, the students take the cuffs.
I actually had a student stalk me for my thermometer. I was doing my vitals and set it down - she went to take it and I told her I still need to do 5 more pts so she would have to wait. She followed me around - just waiting to grab that thermometer. If she had asked to use it for 1 minute, I would have given it to her. It was the fact that she just walked up and grabbed it that annoyed me.
morte, LPN, LVN
7,015 Posts
mea culpa, didn't take note of the sub forum....sorry!