Post clincal conference topic ideas

vashtee, RN · Feb 11, 2008

I suppose it depends on the school, but yes, we know all about the patient before we arrive, and then sit in on report. Then, we tell the RN what responsibilities we will be handling, and what is beyond our scope of practice. I always try to tell the RN to let me know if they have other patients that need wound care, NG Tubes or Foleys put in so I can get the practice. Once in a while, someone takes me up on it. :)

Perhaps a good use of post conference time might be to give the students an idea of how things normally work and how the students might make the best of their clinical assignments. I know I had to pretty much figure this out on my own by trial and error. The first semester, I am pretty sure the RNs were annoyed by us, but we had no idea what was expected of us. It would have been great if an RN could have spared 5 minutes or so during our post-clinicals to let us know how we could be helpful, what they expected of us, and how we could more rapidly gain their confidence .

KLKRN, RN · Feb 11, 2008

I think your idea is a good one.

I think the problem with this particular place is the area where it is. It is a small rural hospital, not a teaching hospital. There are, on student clinical days, up to 3 students assigned to one patient because there are not enough patients to go around. Some of these students are LVN students and others are RN students.

I have no problem at all with having a student asking questions that show they're thinking and want to learn. What I have a problem with is students who expect to be held by the hand and spoon fed so to speak.

I also have no problem with coaching a student through wound care, Foley placement, NG, suctioning, etc. There are some things I see other nurses doing that mortify me, and I welcome the opportunity to coach a student to do it right, like not letting the end of an IVPB tubing hang loose, uncapped - one of my pet peeves and I see it there all the time. Or ET suctioning with non-sterile technique. Foleys that aren't secured. Lack of oral care for unconscious patients.

I have considered becoming an instructor, but decided I would get too frustrated. I realize that people are brought up differently and in our society children are too often taught what to think instead of how to think.

OK, I'll climb down from my soap box now and go walk on the beach.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Feb 12, 2008

I realize that people are brought up differently and in our society children are too often taught what to think instead of how to think.

OMG, this is a huge problem. They look at me like I have three heads when I do not give them the answer, but make them think it through :confused:

puggymae · Feb 25, 2008

I assign the students (in groups of two or three) to do a post conference program. It is amazing at the things they come up with.

I teach OB so some of the things that my students have done include word searchs on vocabulary words (they gave the definition, students had to find the word in the puzzle), they have made "training" videos about procedures/medications and showed it during post conference (complete with a pre/post test. They have done poster presentations, skits, made commercials - even staged a breech delivery - the list goes on and on.

I let them pick their own topics, have them run it by me and turn them loose. They try to out do each other and the results are always impressive.

To make sure everyone in the group participates I let the group members assign a participation grade to the other group members. They have to justify why they gave that grade (they only came to one meeting or they obtained all the articles and copied them for everyone).

It takes the pressure off of me always having to think up something for post conference, and the presentations are always so creative. I would have to work for 2 years to get that many "cool" presentations together.

KLKRN, RN · Feb 25, 2008

Wow! You really do come from a galaxy far away! I must visit some time. :)

puggymae · Feb 27, 2008

It would be great if we could all visit other faculty members to get ideas for our clinicals and classrooms!

I rarely "lecture" in the classroom - students are in charge of presentations or demonstrations almost every class period - I only facilitate the class. It took me three years to transition to that point (after 13 years of lecturing every class period). Students usually love it or hate it. But it must work because we have had 100% NCLEX for the past 5 semesters.

Anyone who would like to throw around alternative teaching ideas feel free to contact me.

I'm your nurse · Feb 28, 2008

Puggy Mae

I am a new faculty member and I am very interested in your teaching techniques. I would like to hear more and share ideas with you.

meme2 · Mar 2, 2008

Wow...Iwas able to get the 6 students to present the last 6 chapters of the book, how did you accomplish all the chapters that way?

VEry interested. I like the idea because I think they learn more.

Lynn

terryr32 · Mar 12, 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
smashy82

I would recommend buying and studying the Mosby RN, NCLEX. If one can get down the diseases, and the processes of the diseases then you can intertwine and answer NCLEX questions.

Understand CHF, COPD for example, see the person with the disease, picture what they look like, know the signs and symptoms, know what medications they would probably be in, know which one would you see first if you were a home health nurse.

If you work full time study 69 questions per day in one hour, 5 days per week, on the two days you are off go back and review. If you do not work do 300 questions per day. I know some would say no you should spend more time on each question, but I tend to be one that has to tell myself ok you have to do 300 questions before you can go play, or go to bed this way I get motivated.

Spend a good 3 months non-stop studying, taking 2 days off per week to reset your mind.

Pray, pray, pray, and tell everyone you know who is support of you the date you are taking the test and tell them to pray. If you have test anxiety which 90% of us do, visualize the test site in your mind, get your stuff together the day before the test that you are bring, get there 1 hour early sit in your car, relax, focus that you will pass, only positive thoughts. Tell God, listen you got me this far, I need some divine power today to pass this test.

Don't over anaylize the test questions, most people who fail multiple times are extremely smart people, remember this is basic RN nursing knowledge, not real world, book world, not what we know what is possible, what is in the perfect NCLEX world where we have plenty of nursing staff and supplies.

Oh on the mosby use the book, and the CD that is in the book. Before I took the NCLEX our school made us do 6,000 questions in a matter of 2 months.

Yes, you will pass the NCLEX, and yes you should do the masters program. Don't spend time worrying whether you will pass or not, concentrate on the questionss, and take lots of deep breaths, bring pepermints in if they will let you this calms the and stimulates the mind.

Sign up for the next NCLEX like 3 months out, and go ahead and start deciding where you want to work on your masters degree. In your spare time between studying for NCLEX start to find out everything you will do and spend, and classes etc. for the masters this will be a nice exciting break, and will press you on to your final goal.

:nurse:

terryr32 · Mar 12, 2008

It would be great if we could all visit other faculty members to get ideas for our clinicals and classrooms!
I rarely "lecture" in the classroom - students are in charge of presentations or demonstrations almost every class period - I only facilitate the class. It took me three years to transition to that point (after 13 years of lecturing every class period). Students usually love it or hate it. But it must work because we have had 100% NCLEX for the past 5 semesters.
I absolutely agree that the students would learn more, most of ours seem the veg.out and look like they are about to go to sleep. Any ideas you can send my way would be greatly appreciated for alternative teaching lecture methods.:typing

puggymae · Mar 13, 2008

I had to make small changes over the course of time to get away from lecturing.

One of the first things I did was make my course "web-enhanced." I posted all of my lecture notes, outlines, power points on-line. That way the students had the "lecture material" and did not have to try to take notes. I could do demonstrations, show films, take them on field trips without losing "lecture time.

Then I started adding small student projects. My pharmacology course made drug commercials. I picked the group members, they drew a drug out of a hat, made the commercial, and I uploaded it to the web-site. I gave them objectives, and told them that the commercial had to be suitable to show to a Sunday school class full of grandma's! Some of the commercials were so funny that we were holding our sides, crying with laughter while we watched them.

Another small project was having each student pick three topics and make a trifold presentation board about each topic. The topics were picked the first day of class, and the due dates were assigned. I did not lecture on these topics. The students were told what content needed to be covered and told that their peers were counting on them to cover it. Most of them were awesome, of course there are always a few students who try to get away by doing the least amount of work possible. I have found them to be the exception rather than the rule.

Now in all of my courses the students teach 98% of the content. They are responsible for generating information sheets (takes the place of lecture notes), power points, giving me questions to add to my ever growing test bank of questions, and teaching the information either through games, demonstrations, videos that they make, role playing - you name it.

In the beginning the students were reluctant to change from lecture to alternative methods. Now everyone has heard what to expect in my classroom and they rarely complain (because it doesn't do any good ).

Let me know if you want more ideas!

puggymae · Mar 13, 2008

I forgot - students work up to the expectation that you have for them. If you only expect them to sit there and listen, then that is all they will do.