Nursing Assessments in the US

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Dear All,

Just wondering how all of you who moved to the US from the UK coped with nursing assessments eg. auscultation and palpation. Did you get training before you went? If so, was it enough? Do you know of any study days in London that deal with heart and lung sounds?

My agency, Adevia have said that they do a study day nearer to the date of departure to the US, but I don't think that this will be enough for me, as we never covered this in my training.

Grateful for any advice,

Rose :o

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Dear All,

Just wondering how all of you who moved to the US from the UK coped with nursing assessments eg. auscultation and palpation. Did you get training before you went? If so, was it enough? Do you know of any study days in London that deal with heart and lung sounds?

My agency, Adevia have said that they do a study day nearer to the date of departure to the US, but I don't think that this will be enough for me, as we never covered this in my training.

Grateful for any advice,

Rose :o

Hie

If you work with nice dr you could ask them to teach you. I work in ITU AND I ASKED THE DR TO TEACH ME SO EVERY TIME I ASSESS MY PTS I AM JUST DOING IT FOR PRACTICE.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

The above is very good advice. I have had to learn to do full clinical examinations as a NP to clerk patients and after my course I spent time with the junior docs to practice the skills.

Have a look on the net, there are some really good websites which give examples of heart and lung sounds, the littmann site http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Littmann/stethoscope/education/heart-lung-sounds/ is quite a good one.

Get yourself a decent stethoscope, I have a Littman and really notice the difference and if you are going to the states you will definately get the use out of it. If you don't want to pay a fortune you can look on ebay.

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The above is very good advice. I have had to learn to do full clinical examinations as a NP to clerk patients and after my course I spent time with the junior docs to practice the skills.

Have a look on the net, there are some really good websites which give examples of heart and lung sounds, the littmann site http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Littmann/stethoscope/education/heart-lung-sounds/ is quite a good one.

Get yourself a decent stethoscope, I have a Littman and really notice the difference and if you are going to the states you will definately get the use out of it. If you don't want to pay a fortune you can look on ebay.

Good website just browsed through and have saved it in my fav will read it . Thank you

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Youtube is a good resource for adding visuals & commentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyIU1y4Y8TM&mode=related&search=

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Specializes in ITU/Emergency.

I learnt clinical examination whilst doing my BSC and I had to do OSCE's at the end of each module. The text book that I used that I found the most helpful is Macleods Clinical Examination book that you can get on amazon or anywhere I suppose. Its very easy to understand and full of good tips. Also, there is a book called Assessment Made Incredibly Easy which is aimed at nurses specfically and is quite good. I found it a bit simplistic but it was good used with other material. Has some handy hints in it too.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

You know it really isn't that difficult, please do not panic about it. I have heard that there is a great US DVD showing nurses how to do a complete assessment if I find out the name I will post it on here. I didnt do before I came over here and I picked it up very very quickly. We do a lot of assessments in the UK, it is just more formal here and you have to document what you find. You will quickly get used to lung sounds and believe me you know when they are not normal.

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Specializes in Stroke Rehab, Elderly, Rehab. Ortho.

i agree with Madwife...it really isnt something to worry about so much. i listened to lung and heart sounds on the net and a couple of CDRom's. I got no training in it when I came over here but I did learn alot from my precpetor while I was on oreintation for a couple of weeks.

Get a good stethoscope - I have a Littma and I manage very well. Practise aswell before you come over - that is what i did!!!

And as already been said you will know when something doesnt sound right.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Not to be rude or judgemental, but in the UK nurse don't do a nursing assessment on their patients every shift?.

Since I am fairly ignorant, would you guys mind telling me what your nursing duties/patient loads are like in the UK?

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Not to be rude or judgemental, but in the UK nurse don't do a nursing assessment on their patients every shift?.

Since I am fairly ignorant, would you guys mind telling me what your nursing duties/patient loads are like in the UK?

We do nursing assessments just different. Not every nurse will do lung/bowels assessments that is generally the role of doctors or nurse specialists, not saying some nurses don't do it just not a normal part of their role.

Although not nursed on a ward for a few years, know staffing levels have gotten worse though, my normal shift was 2 RN's for 28 patients, 2 sometimes 3 nursing aux (CNA) work load varied depending on type of ward you worked on ie medical or surgical but was responsible for everything including ADL's, medication (all, IV stuff, nebulisers) dealing with multi disiplinary teams, relatives, friends, cleaning, feeding if required. Tend to be jack of all trade master of none :) very good at moving beds around whether it be on the ward or transferring patient to another ward. Could say much more but really need to work in it to understand it

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Hie

If you work with nice dr you could ask them to teach you. I work in ITU AND I ASKED THE DR TO TEACH ME SO EVERY TIME I ASSESS MY PTS I AM JUST DOING IT FOR PRACTICE.

Good idea. Do you think that I should get a book too? That is what a physio suggested that I do, when I asked her to teach me.

Rose

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You know it really isn't that difficult, please do not panic about it. I have heard that there is a great US DVD showing nurses how to do a complete assessment if I find out the name I will post it on here. I didnt do before I came over here and I picked it up very very quickly. We do a lot of assessments in the UK, it is just more formal here and you have to document what you find. You will quickly get used to lung sounds and believe me you know when they are not normal.

Dear Madwife,

Thanx for the words of encouragement. Do you remember the name of the DVD?

Rose :up:

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