Hi, I wasn't sure how to title this. And, yes, this is a non-clinical knowledge topic.
Once in a while I'll read a really good, nitty-gritty topic here about pathophysiology, informative evidence based facts on the latest research about medications, fluid management, best practices in the clinical setting. I'm not talking about the latest and greatest in how to make patients and families perceive that we're doing a great job here, but the hardcore clinical stuff.
There's a great thread in the ER section now about hypotension in the septic patient who has received antibiotics, fluid resuscitation vs starting pressors, and the latest research. I also enjoyed, very much, the case study thread. It really got me thinking. But, threads like those are rarities here.
If we are truly professionals, why is it that most of the threads here are related to how much our co-workers and patients annoy us, how bad hospital administrations are, how to get unemployment if we are fired, etc. I'm not saying those topics lack merit. This is a social site and I'm certainly interested in all sorts of topics as well. It's just disproportionate.
Shouldn't we be exchanging more knowledge here at All Nurses?
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Yup. And I think that's OK.
If you want to know whether you can give Lasix and Heparin in the same line, you can Google that. But how are you going to Google "Does my Preceptor Hate Me?" This is the go-to forum for that and other burning questions such as "How Do I Survive Working Night Shift?" and "What's the Dumbest Reason Anyone Came to ER?" This forum provides a place to ventilate about being burned out with precepting, sick of psychotic visitors and tired of doing more and more work with less and less support while smiling about it. It provides a place to get moral support when your mother has Alzheimer's, your father just died and your doctor says the "C" word. And when I wanted to know what a geri-psych unit was all about, there were people who not only knew but were willing to tell me all about it and what to expect next. I probably should have Googled that last, but Google wouldn't have given me the virtual hugs that AN members freely gave.
There are threads here that are hundreds of posts long that are my "go-to" when I need a laugh. Some of them are intentionally funny, others unintentionally so, but all of them give me a boost of endorphins and a warm fuzzy feeling. There's helpful advice here -- what to do when your patient has CPAP, and advice on using or not using your most recent (unsuccessful) job on your resume.
Writing a clinical article isn't something that I view as fun, and while I've DONE it and been published, it wouldn't be something I'd do on an anonymous forum in my free time. If you wanted to read my published articles, you might have already done so under my real name. If the owners of the board want to put up a clinical forum, more power to them. But it isn't somewhere I'm going to be spending my time off.
I can understand your sentiments Ruby. You sound quite accomplished in your career. I'm far from the level of writing my own scholarly papers. It sounds like you are mainly interested in camaraderie and blowing off steam here at this site.
I, in addition to laughing over the humorous aspect of nursing, really get a lot out of discussing the things I mentioned in my opening post. Googling things is not as satisfying to me as discussing with real live folks. I'm glad the management here is thinking of ways to encourage that for those who would benefit
Specializes in Ambulatory Surgery, Ophthalmology, Tele.
Love, love, LOVE your post Ruby Vee.
To the OP:
Check out the "Specialties" area of this site and browse around the different areas there: dialysis nurses discussing why to use different medications during dialysis, cardiac nurses, critical care nurses (to name a few) discussing important themes that pertain to their areas of nursing. There are a lot of meat and potatoes in these specialty areas,not just the cookies and cupcake threads I enjoy browsing in here. You know....the funny/fun/venting threads.
That's why I love AN, there is something for everyone. I even found other nurses and nurses-to-be that love eyes like me.
Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
It is hard to please everyone.......but we try. Allnurses has something for everyone....you just have to know where to look.
We are always looking for comments/suggestions of what additional things you would like to see at allnurses. And we love to hear what things we are already doing right.
Wow - amazing you are asking about this. Staff has been discussing the need for more clinically based threads. Stay tuned for case studies coming soon.
Maybe the thoughts have been percolating in unison. I've been thinking the same thing and often stop reading the forums for weeks due to the lack of clinical threads. I certainly will stay tuned for case studies.
The General Nursing Discussion sub-forum is a confessional, not a classroom ?
Lol! And it is definitely needed. It may be nice to have a forum dedicated to discussing clinical issues without having to scroll past the stuff that's more abundant. But don't get me wrong, I love the social vent side of AN too. Both are necessary.
Regarding case studies. I always worry about submitting any detailed case study type scenario. What if a co-worker recognized me here, or someone put two and two together and figured out the hospital where I work. There are always a few super vigilant protectors of privacy that would only be too happy to nail a coworker to the wall for a very remotely possible violation of HIPAA.
It would be nice if we could submit case studies anonymously to you guys, then have the case submitted by a staff member here. That would insure total anonymity.
I think it just reflects the nature of social message boards. It is quicker to dash off a post about the co-worker that annoys you than to write a quality article on a patient care or pathophys issue. I find it amazing that there are certain posters here who are able to write extensive, detailed, factual posts explaining a clinical matter, but I know I don't have that kind of knowledge at my fingertips and it takes a lot of time and effort to write such a post.
Yes, there are certain members that I know will take the time to write these and I really respect them. Of course evidence-based information can be looked up, but the expertise of our members is invaluable.
I participate on allnurses for recreational/social reasons. If I am interested in hard science/clinical practice/EBP questions and topics, I have tons of resources for that, legitimate academic resources that are not social message boards. I don't have other resources for what I find interesting and worthwhile about allnurses. I have no particular objection to more clinically-focused information being posted here, but it's not something that interests me.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I'm with Ruby.
I participate on allnurses for recreational/social reasons. If I am interested in hard science/clinical practice/EBP questions and topics, I have tons of resources for that, legitimate academic resources that are not social message boards. I don't have other resources for what I find interesting and worthwhile about allnurses. I have no particular objection to more clinically-focused information being posted here, but it's not something that interests me.
THIS!! I have multiple journal subscriptions, more available through my school and workplace, that I can go to for EBP. Nothing else out there offers the (semi) anonymous venting and humor where maybe I just don't feel comfortable going to my coworkers who may one day use that against me or my family, who just don't understand.
Ruby Vee, BSN
17 Articles; 14,051 Posts
Yup. And I think that's OK.
If you want to know whether you can give Lasix and Heparin in the same line, you can Google that. But how are you going to Google "Does my Preceptor Hate Me?" This is the go-to forum for that and other burning questions such as "How Do I Survive Working Night Shift?" and "What's the Dumbest Reason Anyone Came to ER?" This forum provides a place to ventilate about being burned out with precepting, sick of psychotic visitors and tired of doing more and more work with less and less support while smiling about it. It provides a place to get moral support when your mother has Alzheimer's, your father just died and your doctor says the "C" word. And when I wanted to know what a geri-psych unit was all about, there were people who not only knew but were willing to tell me all about it and what to expect next. I probably should have Googled that last, but Google wouldn't have given me the virtual hugs that AN members freely gave.
There are threads here that are hundreds of posts long that are my "go-to" when I need a laugh. Some of them are intentionally funny, others unintentionally so, but all of them give me a boost of endorphins and a warm fuzzy feeling. There's helpful advice here -- what to do when your patient has CPAP, and advice on using or not using your most recent (unsuccessful) job on your resume.
Writing a clinical article isn't something that I view as fun, and while I've DONE it and been published, it wouldn't be something I'd do on an anonymous forum in my free time. If you wanted to read my published articles, you might have already done so under my real name. If the owners of the board want to put up a clinical forum, more power to them. But it isn't somewhere I'm going to be spending my time off.