Post clincal conference topic ideas

iteach · Mar 2, 2006

Hi! I hope these ideas help.

First, your conferences should be related to what the students are learning in lecture. For example, if lecture was on CHF, have a student present their pt with CHF. Draw some concepts maps on the board, have discussions, ask questions.

I also make a list of things that happened during the day and ask those students to report. (If it's anything personal, I always ask the student for permission in private first). For example, with one student, it took 4 pills to make up the drug dose on the MAR. I told the student that multiple pills should raise red flags. Sure enough, we went back to the original order and the folate was ordered as 1 mg but was transcribed by the nurse (and not caught by pharmacy either) as 4 mg.

I also get various nurses to speak with the students. The IV nurse bring PICCs, midlines, medports for the students to handle and ask questions. Since I'm on a neuro floor, I have the neuro CNS take them through a neuro assessment. Since I teach in leadership, I also have an LPN talk with them about working with an LPN from an LPNs point of view.

Also, find a book of case studies and use them

Most importantly, just ask students how their day went. What did they feel good about, what would they do differently. Does anyone have a learning experience to share...... sometimes, all you have to do is sit back from there and the conference leads itself!

truern · Mar 2, 2006

May I say something from a student point of view??

After a long day at clinical the last thing I can handle is something heavy...something I have to concentrate on. I remember one post conference where we had to learn to interpret ABGs. Talk about brain infarct!!

I much prefer post conferences where we discuss issues that came up during the day that reflect our roles as health care providers. For example, I had an issue with a tech that totally disrespected my patient this week. My CI and I presented the issue to preface a discussion on the role of the nurse as advocate for the patient and also respect for the patient.

iteach · Mar 2, 2006

After a long day at clinical the last thing I can handle is something heavy...something I have to concentrate on. I remember one post conference where we had to learn to interpret ABGs. Talk about brain infarct!!

Thanks for the student perspective! I've learned not to try to discuss anything too heavy after 6 hours of pt care, especially once the nice weather hits!!

Trauma Columnist · Mar 2, 2006

I am an ER RN and precept the students in a very chaotic and sometimes heart-breaking place. I know some of these students are just way overloaded from their experiences. My suggestions:

1. Check with your students throughout the day and know who is being sensory overloaded...then pull them aside later and ensure they understand what happened. This is especially important for codes, resuscitations and trauma experiences.

2. Emphasize coping strategies. This could be a humorous scenario, or ensuring the students know what a critical incident stress debriefing involves.

3. After clinical is a good time to give concrete examples of delegation by the RN to the UAPs.

4. Ask the students what they saw that wasn't quite "by the book." I think its important to know that there are different ways to get the same job done. (Not unsafe, just different - it is important to always follow protocol).

5. What positive things has the student seen that day? Nursing isn't always about techical skills - sometimes its a personal experience.

6. After working with many new grads in the ER, prioritization skills are the most important along with sound assessment. So...this is what I would emphasize.

Good luck! You sound like a wonderful and innovative instructor.

morahan · Mar 3, 2006

I try and do some practice NCLEX questions that relate to what was covered in theory.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2006

I tried to get nurses from "non-regular" areas of practice to speak on topics related to what was being covered that semester. That way the students had role models and "real" nurses to ask questions about practice issues. For instance, in OB we had a nurse/mid-wife, SANE nurse, male nurse (talked on OR issues but had different perspective), case manager---you get the picture. Let's them see how we all work together.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Mar 8, 2006

I also make a list of things that happened during the day and ask those students to report. (If it's anything personal, I always ask the student for permission in private first). For example, with one student, it took 4 pills to make up the drug dose on the MAR. I told the student that multiple pills should raise red flags. Sure enough, we went back to the original order and the folate was ordered as 1 mg but was transcribed by the nurse (and not caught by pharmacy either) as 4 mg.

I did the very same thing...made it into a game, called "what's wrong with this order"? The order was written wrong (in ml instaed of mg). It was a true story that happened to one of the students that day. It basically took up the whole post conf, which was fine. It launched many many questions.

I too, am looking for more fulfilling post conferences, and enjoyed some of the questions on this thread. I feel like the old "tell me about your patient and what was your nursing focus" is putting everyone to sleep, including myself. The students just start spewing all information (listing V/S, amount of urine output, etc).

Mymimi · Mar 16, 2006

At a conference I attended in Memphis, TN, several suggestions were made for post conference. One program assigned each of the students a medication to discuss at the end of the day. Each student knew which day and which topic/drug to discuss. Someone else suggested playing a game of triage the patient. A group of 2-3 students were given admissions, discharges, and # of beds. They had to make patient assignments according to admission slots and patient acuity. Again, the concept mapping were used on a specific disease process, and was done as a group.

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BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Feb 8, 2008

Hi, i am at the point of giving up to go to graduate school because i can't seem to pass NCLEX. I have taken it 3 times already and still not passing. My anxiety level is too high. I was a great student in my BSN nursing class and did not fail a course. Neither my instructors nor i understand what is going on. I have tried kaplan so many times now and i'm looking into the hurst review this time. Please let me know if there is any help out there. I feel hopeless and stupid. I don't know if i should start my masters in something else.
smashy82

You may get better advice if you posted this in a more appropriate thread, one related to students and passing NCLEX

Charity, RN, APRN · Feb 8, 2008

I often got my ideas from nursing journals or "current topics." We discussed family presence at codes. New advances in pain management they would be seeing. My clinicals were at a Catholic hospital whose written policy prohibited not only abortions but elective sterilization procedures. I had my students find the policy and discuss. We talked about end of life care. Joint commission. OSHA. My group rotated through 5 to 6 different units with me, so we were able to compare how different units functioned at one conference.

I tried to use the conferences to get to some things they could use, but may not find written into the curriculum. And always low-key and informal.

cholli · Feb 10, 2008

One Friday afternoon, the other instructor and I did post conference with all 20 students. We took a grading rubric listing professional behaviors and cut it apart, gave a term to groups of 2, they had 2-3 minutes to come up with a quick skit that represented the unprofessional side of the behavior- ie empathy integrity, self motivation, appearance, time management-

The students presented the quick scenarios to their classmates and the classmates had to try and guess the word being represented or not represented.

It was hilarious, lots of instructor-student interactions, a fun way to end the week.