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I like NRSKarenRN's POV. Several years ago I went through a CC CNA program that had us do this very thing. The nurse instructor thoughtfully pointed out that there is an art to bed baths and personal care in general. Although infection control and proper mechanics are key, so too is helping to maintain patient dignity. I can't tell you how I APPRECIATED this lesson. Hopefully all of us make an effort to maintain patient dignity, but I have personally witnessed this is not the case for every caregiver. I think when employed correctly and with thoughtful discussion among students and instructors, this can be a great learning opportunity. You won't soon forget the importance of a bath sheet, how quickly one gets cold during a bath, what it's like to be vulnerable to another person, and so on. In conclusion, I don't think it is way out of line or beyond reasonable conduct. Some people come into nursing school with zero patient contact/exposure, and literally freak out their first weeks of clinical because they have to touch patients and get up close and personal. This type of training with a live body may be useful in quelling nerves as well as providing a lesson in empathy and dignity. Thanks for posting. It made me laugh and brought back memories of the deer-in-headlights look when the instructor told us we were to bath each other!

I love the approach you took with your students. What a great exercise! I am curious, what kind of dialogue did the lesson inspire? I am wondering how many kids had the a-ha moment. My a-ha moment just came when I started crafting this reply. If you check out the smilies bar in the reply box, the "nurse" is female (I guess it could be a longer-haired guy...) with a nurses cap adorned with a red cross. The imagery and reinforcements are everywhere, it seems. I guess we just have to keep in touch with our own biases, how we perpetuate stereotypes, and foster thoughtful dialogue when possible. From the time I was a young girl, I have always felt compelled to speak up when something didn't sound quite right. It may or may not inspire someone to think about his/her words or ideas, but it's a start. By the way, congratulations on being that much closer to your dream of nursing!

I am so sorry you had to experience this. I hope you really are on the mend. Ironic that I am reading your post. I first heard of this reaction about a week ago while volunteering at a free clinic. The patient came to the urgent care after having been on antibiotic for a respiratory infection. Within a day or two she started to have a reaction that affected her mucous membranes and her skin. Poor gal. When she was in the prior week to get help for the respiratory infection, she stated she was allergic to sulfa for the same reason. Unfortunately it appears she is also allergic to more antibiotics. It sounds like a terribly uncomfortable and frightening thing to experience. My best for a full recovery!

Hi Ivan, I am currently facing the fortune of having to decide between several great nursing programs. One is a 3-year BSN at a "top 10" nursing school. Another route is two year ADN at an excellent CC, then one-year bridge to BSN (the BSN could even be done at the "top 10" if I wanted). As you can imagine, the latter option is about 2.5 times less expensive, and offers one year to work/gain experience if I can secure a job. Ultimately I know my heart is in family practice and community health, probably as a FNP. So, I will continue on with school (albeit slowly) regardless of my decision. Seems like a no-brainer decision, no doubt. Regardless of where I go to school, I plan on learning as much as I can in every situation, seeking out challenges, networking, and working hard. In addition, as you can see with my options, either way I will have a BSN after 3 years. I am so tired about the debate over BSN vs. ADN, though. It seems like there are people in both camps. Lately I have been getting feedback that in a rough economic market, the BSN will be a boost, and if it comes from a big school it will matter all the more. I just don't know. Did you ever encounter any barriers in professional development that you could somehow trace back to how you progressed through your education? I am guessing you may say no. I know there is a lot of discussion on this topic, but I see your path is similar to the one I am hoping to take/probably will take. It is always nice to hear from those who have been there/done that. I am looking forward to the journey. Thanks in advance for any reply.

Hi Jill, I know this post is old, but I thought I would try to reach out anyway. I am currently debating between two really good options for nursing school this fall. I could go through OHSU's 3-year program on their Portland campus, or I could do a two-year associate's at Clark and then do my BSN either with the direct bridge at WSU-Vancouver or at OHSU. I think I read in one of your other posts that you weighed the cost of getting your ADN then BSN vs. the expensive route at Linfield. That's kind of where I am at with my two options. For less than half the price of 3 years at OHSU I can go to Clark and WSU. Did you end up doing your BSN at WSU? What did you think of the program? Was it mostly online for you? Did you find it feasible to work while completing it? If I go that route I hope to complete it in one year and work as a RN if I am able to find a decent job. Not sure if that is wise, but it makes sense. Any feedback would be most helpful. Thanks in advance for your time.

Hi VivaLasViejas, I am not able to do PMs yet, but thanks for your private note. We all need reminders about the information we put out there. I appreciate your candor and well wishes. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Yeah, I agree with you Leslie. I care for her in the same way I would anyone else, terminal or otherwise, and have tried to do so without judgement. It has been a great learning opportunity, and she is very open about her feelings and rationale. I am happy to report that it wasn't really judgment that I felt, just a different kind of sadness perhaps. Since she will relieve our services just prior to her death, we actually won't be caring for her until the end. Maybe that is one of the things that feels different to me. Hard to say. In the hospice care I usually provide I am used to caregiving through the end. This just felt different, probably since I didn't have a framework for it yet. I am pleased that early on in my career/education I was inspired by wise individuals to check in with my own biases and how they come across in body language, tone, word choice, etc. Biases can be toward how someone decides to die, or live for that matter. I recall many times in years past how I disagreed with my own father's choices as to how he would treat his various chronic conditions. I learned over time and with more professional experience how to respect his choices. Talk about early lessons in stepping back and respecting the patient bill of rights and personal rights to make decisions. As medical professionals we will be called to care for people from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, religions, and so on. Often they may vary quite differently from our own. It is not really our place to judge. I have always appreciated the opportunity to serve in such cases, which I feel ultimately make me a better provider by increasing awareness of other points of view. :)

I know this is a very sensitive topic, so I will proceed with caution and respect. I am hoping to have the same regard from all who reply. I work for a home health and hospice group. Most of my experience has been as a CNA providing a range of care for people with home health and end-of-life care needs. I really love the work that I do and find it to be immensely gratifying. One of my clients was receiving home care to help with ADLs. She has made the decision to end her life and will be doing so rather shortly. I have never dealt with this kind of experience before. Considering I will be continuing to practice in this area in my journey toward nursing and advanced practice nursing, I suspect I may have the experience again at some point in my career. I have been present through many end-of-life journeys, and am always moved to some degree. I have learned how to cope with this process and I get better at it all the time. I was profoundly moved, though, when I learned this about my client. I don't really want to get into a whole debate about whether or not this is the right thing to do. I would love to hear thoughtful words from those of you who have had experience with this, and how you came to terms with your own reactions. Thanks for listening.

Hello! I was accepted in OHSU's 3-year BSN program at their Portland campus for fall 2010. Although I have read other threads discussing life on the other campuses (Ashland, Klamath Falls, and Monmouth), I am wondering if there are any past/present students out there specifically from the Portland campus. I would love to hear your overall thoughts on the program: what is a typical week like the first year (class vs. clinical load), clinical experience (type, sites, is there much time in OHSU's clinics/hospitals?), favorite instructors/classes, does it seem like OHSU is fair about hiring OHSU new grads (not necessarily favoritism, but do they have a fair shot)... Also, have any of you participated in any global or domestic health outreach/learning programs while at OHSU? One reason I was originally drawn to UW-Seattle is that they have pretty stellar global health immersions you can do in the summer. Have any Oregon nursing students done externships in the summers between school? I am originally from Madison, WI, and the UW there had links with some wonderful externship programs for immersion the summer between junior and senior year. There are so many good nursing school options between Washington and Oregon. It has been really hard to make a final decision. Reading all the different viewpoints in the threads over one program vs. the other can really make a person' head spin. I would really appreciate any constructive and helpful feedback from those who have first-hand experience with OHSU's Portland 3-year program. Thanks in advance for you insights. Best of luck to all in your nursing journeys, and hope to see you on the floor some day!

CuriousMe, I have seen a couple of your other posts about how you have enjoyed OHSU's 3-year program thus far. That is encouraging to hear. There are so many pathways to get to nursing, and so many schooling options in the Portland area. It can be hard to make a choice between several good options. I was accepted into Portland, and am leaning toward this option. Have you spoken to anyone who has gone through/is on the Portland campus? I am curious about instructors and clinical sites. I know OHSU's hospitals are obvious sites, but I'm wondering about other clinical opportunities, as well. I remember you mentioned doing some community-based time in your first year. I volunteer at a local free clinic, so that is right up my alley. I have a few other questions if you don't mind: Are you satisfied with your level of clinical skills (what you have learned and what you anticipate to learn before finishing)? I know that regardless of our path to nursing, we will all learn exponentially so much in our first years of practice, but there is always the raging debate between associate's and bachelor's training, and who has more clinical focus. My humble opinion says it's largely up to the individual (I like to jump in and learn anytime there is something new). Is there an honors or research option in the 3-year program? Are there opportunities to participate in internships/externships over the summer? Are there any multicultural or global health learning/service opportunities that you have heard of? Do new grads seem to have the same kinds of trouble I've heard elsewhere on this site regarding finding new-grad employment in Portland/Oregon? I realize one has to be proactive and even start applying months before graduation in some markets, but is the program good about helping students with the job search? I have looked into some of these things based on OHSU's site, but it is always nice to hear from someone who is in the thick of it. I know there are a lot of questions here, but I don't really know anyone in the 3-year program. It seems like a lot of the board members are hopeful students (nothing wrong with that, just not the kind of source I'm looking for). Thanks in advance for any of your replies, I appreciate it. Good luck with finals if you are heading into them soon!

Larisa, I am curious about the financial aid information you received. Are you officially on the wait list for OHSU? If so, did you just call and ask them what your financial aid package might be? When do they send out official offers? I only ask because I am also a post-bacc student and was offered admission to the Portland campus. Now I am trying to figure out how I will pay for it. I never had financial aid the first time around, so that part is all new to me. Of course I filled out the FAFSA, but I realize that for a second bachelor's I don't qualify for grants, only student loans. So the $10K they tentatively quoted to you, was that for student loans/scholarships? Is it your perspective that they seem to offer enough financial aid to cover most (not all) of tuition costs? Thanks in advance for any information you can pass on. I appreciate it. Good luck with your status and working out the finances!