precepting neuro icu info appreciated

[khansen1]

I am graduating in May with my BSN from a small state university. I have sixty future nurses graduating with me. All of my clinicals so far have been in relatively small community hospitals, so I do not feel very experienced. I just found out i will be precepting in the neuro icu at a level 1 trauma hospital. I feel totally unprepared ecspecially since neuro has been tough for me. If anyone has any information that would help me prepare or what to expect I would greatly appreciate it.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

WOW! What a great opportunity!

Make sure you go over your neuro notes and study materials so that you're prepared to ask intelligent questions. And then ask away! Most people who work in large teaching hospitals enjoy teaching, so you'll probably learn a lot. In my experience, a good nurse who loves her specialty makes things a whole lot easier to understand than your instructors did!

Neuro was my second worst subject (psych was worse!) and I still don't like it. But I wish I'd had the opportunity to learn a bit more about it. When I instructed part time last year, one of my co-instructors was a neuro nurse who gave an amazing lecture on how the brain works and what happens when you interrupt a part of it. It made this old cardiac nurse think it might be interesting to float to the Neuro ICU once in awhile just to learn more.

Good luck!

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

https://allnurses.com/neuro-intensive-care/neurosurgical-resources-61279.html

An old AN post w/ lots of links! I would start by reviewing the cranial nerves, also cerebral vasculature if your text covers that (I don't remember learning that in nursing school, although that was a few yrs ago now!). And then cervical and thoracic SCI's--deficits that can be expected at each level of injury.

I agree, this will be a great learning opportunity!! You'll see things that will break your heart, and some that are miracles of modern brain care. (Side note--I have cried more tears of sadness AND tears of joy over my neuro pts...usually in my car on the way home, but I've been known to blink at work.) Be kind to yourself, ask lots of questions, and soak it up like a sponge. One thing about big teaching hospitals is that we see lots of students, and enjoy helping them grow.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

A number of the links in that thread no longer work directly... though the info might still be available somewhere.