Please Don't Eat Me! Short Interview for Experienced Nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi,

My class was asked to interview some experienced nurses: Any takers?

1) What are the major things you do during a routine day?

2) What are the things you like to do best?

3) What are the things you do that are most important to patient care?

4) How much of your day is spent thinking?

5) Do you keep a clinical journal & Does your institution emply evidence-based practice?

Thanks!!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the General nursing discussion forum where hopefully you get some replies

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1) What are the major things you do during a routine day?

Assess every patient, check charts, administer meds, monitor for potential complications related to the disease process, transfer to a higher level of care if needed (ICU or IMCU), ADL's, hygiene, comfort care.

2) What are the things you like to do best?

Wound care. (gross, I know!)

3) What are the things you do that are most important to patient care?

Have a knowledge of their disease process and know what the medications I administer to them are for.

4) How much of your day is spent thinking?

110% of the day. You never stop thinking.

5) Do you keep a clinical journal & Does your institution emply evidence-based practice?

No, I dont, and yes, they do!!

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
hi,

my class was asked to interview some experienced nurses: any takers?

1) what are the major things you do during a routine day?

recover patients from general/moderate anesthesia and intervene appropriately post-operatively.

2) what are the things you like to do best?

relieve people of their major surgical discomfort, manage airway, fluid resuscitate, facilitate transfer to floor or home.

3) what are the things you do that are most important to patient care?

full knowledge of airway management and understanding the continuum of anesthesia.

4) how much of your day is spent thinking?

all day. until i get home, then i veg.

5) do you keep a clinical journal & does your institution emply evidence-based practice?

no journal. yes, we employ evidenced-based practice. we are also magnet, and not-for-profit.

thanks!!

you're welcome.

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Hi,

My class was asked to interview some experienced nurses: Any takers?

Not sure how much experience you are looking for. I've got 2.5yrs if that helps.

1) What are the major things you do during a routine day?

I work on a medicine PCU and I am assessing and re-assessing my patients all day long. The MD may be the one putting orders but as nurses we are the ones who deliver care. The MD may assess the patient once a day, but we assess the patient non-stop. A lot of my time is spent coordinating care. With the patient going for various tests, and being seen by many disciplines (social work, wound care, physical therapy, neurologist, etc), the nurse is the point person who coordinates this. Charting, charting, charting....

2) What are the things you like to do best?

Working with patients and their families. Always learning new things. No two days are ever the same, and I'm NEVER bored!

3) What are the things you do that are most important to patient care?

Coordinating care. Listening to the patient and not just following orders (which is also important). Patient safety - verifying patient and med every time I give one. Prioritizing care -this is constantly being done throughout the day as things are always changing.

4) How much of your day is spent thinking?

100% I'm as mentally exhausted as I am physically when I leave at the end of the day. I may be giving a bed bath but I'm assessing my patient at the same time and thinking about my next several tasks to come as soon as I leave that room.

5) Do you keep a clinical journal & Does your institution emply evidence-based practice? Journal -sort of. I take notes. Evidence based practice... yes and no. 100% in theory .... a bit less in practice :) But we try.

Good luck with school!!!! ;)

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Wow! Thank you wonderful nurses so very much. Please all, continue to respond. Our class is hitting the floors next week for clinicals!

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.

1) What are the major things you do during a routine day?

Pain control and teaching families about the dying process. (Hospice nurse)

2) What are the things you like to do best?

I love being with the families and learning about the patient's lives. It always amazes me when I see pictures of my patients before they were sick, they NEVER look the same.

3) What are the things you do that are most important to patient care?

Keep them clean. Usually by the time my patients come to me they have been in the hospital for a long time, sometimes weeks. The focus has been getting them healthy or doing tests. With the staffing being what it is in the hospital anymore, the people I get are usually filthy. I do what I can to get them clean and give them their dignity back.

4) How much of your day is spent thinking?

All day, every day. When I am off I sleep, a lot.

5) Do you keep a clinical journal & Does your institution emply evidence-based practice?

I write down the more interesting stories. Yes they do.

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Thanks so much! Those first 2 days were real "eye-openers!" We already lost one student after just the first day. I bet it would be very interesting to see the pics of the patients before they were sick. I am saddened and enlightened at the same time seeing these people who rely wholly on the care and compassion of others. I know what you mean by filthy. A patient I bathed turned the wash rag all sorts of colors. They had been in for about 3 or 4 weeks. I experienced my very first witnessing of the death of a patient as well. It was really something.

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