Major Academic Problems Of Nursing Students

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 10, 2008

When seeking professional assistance and comments for use in student papers, its considered proper to use formal English including punctuation, capitalization and no text messaging format. Goes a long way to showing credibility.

leslie :-D · Mar 10, 2008

along the lines of what karen said...

oops...

Along the lines of what Karen said, I've noticed many nurses severely lacking knowledge of elemental grammar, spelling and usage of the English language.

It truly can make us look idiotic.

And it is a major academic problem.

(Karen, I hate capitalizing...*whine*)

leslie

bookwormom · Mar 10, 2008

The biggest problem I note with sophomore nursing students is setting up and doing math calculations without a calculator.

BTW, I'm a horrible horrible typist, so I don't look for perfection on an online forum as I do in a formal paper.

Crocuta, RN · Mar 10, 2008

Along the lines of what Karen said, I've noticed many nurses severely lacking knowledge of elemental grammar, spelling and usage of the English language.

In my practice, I have seen a terrifying lack of basic math skills in both nursing students and practicing nurses alike. I spent 20 minutes one day trying to explain to two experienced nurses that they were about to start a grossly over-calculated heparin drip on a patient.

sailornurse · Mar 10, 2008

Yep, I'd have to agree. I just finished grading a stack of clinical papers & the senior students continue to have difficulty with drug calcualtions. From the basic to advance calculations (mcg/kg/min) so what rate will you set the IV at seems to be a difficult concept. The other faculty that I am teaching with are "seasoned nurses (25-30 years experience) and we are baffled as to why this "dimensional analysis" ( I do no remember it being called this in the old days) why students can not do math!!!! Even those that have another Bachelor's degree. Heck I have students that can not even calculate their current average on exams!!!! Gee- & then to try to explain percentages ( the care plan is worth 25% of your clinical grade) Oh & explaining how to mix a tube feed formula that is 3/4 strength, I spent almost an hour explaining that one. Maybe it is that students can not do math WITHOUT a calculator?? Many seasoned nurses just grab a pencil/paper and do the math!!!

Crocuta, RN · Mar 10, 2008

I think that you'll only see this get worse as the tools continue to improve. Frankly, I could get by without ever doing a manual calculation again. Our pumps calculate any rate possible, and my PDA has more drug calculators than I'll ever use.

The problem with all these tools however, is that nurses lose the ability to verify that the pump was programmed properly, and that the rate it is suggesting makes sense based on the data available.

The ability to do quick, reliable drug calculations is a skill that we need to ensure isn't lost as technology advances.

leslie :-D · Mar 10, 2008

In my practice, I have seen a terrifying lack of basic math skills in both nursing students and practicing nurses alike. I spent 20 minutes one day trying to explain to two experienced nurses that they were about to start a grossly over-calculated heparin drip on a patient.

i agree, very scary.

only reason i mentioned grammar is because it is such a fundamental concept that is taught from kindegarten and up.

and still, it is lacking in its most basic form.

i finally allowed my kids to get calculators when entering highschool.

up until then, i insisted they figure everything out on paper.

nurses need to know how to do these calcs, for sure.

leslie

Shenanigans, RN · Mar 10, 2008

As a student I have to say the biggest acadaemic problem faced by student nurses is the following:

- Horrid spell checkers that don't pick up on medical terms

- Horrid spell checkers that people have set to "American" spelling instead of "New Zealand/British" spelling - we put "u"s in a lot of things.

- Sitting next to people in class who text and chat to their txtn friends.

Scrabbler · Mar 10, 2008

In keeping with Shenanigan's post, don't forget that your spell-checker will not pick up incorrect use of a word, even when spelled correctly (eg, their/there, etc.). Grammar and spelling (and pronunciation) seem to be a huge problem everywhere.

KLKRN, RN · Mar 10, 2008

Lack of critical thinking.

HM2VikingRN, RN · Mar 10, 2008

I have to agree. Using the proper sentence structure is an important part of professionalism and by extension credibility.

Text message english doesn't pass muster in the working world.