sharpeiluv

I am saddened that an 18 yr old, as you say, fresh out of high school in an English speaking country has not learned English grammar. I think that says something about the educational process...

When supposed professionals write this way, throwing our wonderful English language and its grammar to the wind, it reflects poorly on the writer and on those of us who are colleagues. Knowing that can be helpful-as perhaps, this very casually constructed post may be read by someone who may someday be considering to hire of this individual.

Medical diagnosis do indeed look something like nursing diagnosis! To wit: Presenting problem per patient is abdominal pain. The doctor writes: Abdominal Pain. After obtaining a history of the pain and doing a physical exam, the physician develops a list of differential diagnosis that may be the source of the pain. The physician may then proceed to the appropriate lab and/or radiologic studies indicated in an attempt to narrow down the differential list. Once the physician believes that there is evidence for a particular diagnosis, treatiment (intervention) is prescribed. So we have a pattern; assessment/diagnosis/intervention/outcome. Sound familiar? Other professions, such as physical therapists and occupational therapists use a similar assessment/ diagnosis/intervention track to ensure their patients receive optimal care. Nursing is newer to the process as it has gone from the "nurses as handmaiden" stage where nurses performed only delegated tasks and custodial care to becoming a mindful profession in its own right. We are defining our own assessment/diagnosis/intervention/outcome from our distinct perspective of nursing. And with transition, there are certainly growing pains as has been in evidence throughout this thread.

"I personally think that the sooner we drop this farce and start accepting that we're MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS (a title I'm rather proud of) - and therefore should tailor our scope within the preexisting one of MEDICINE, the better off we'll all be." I don't practice medicine-I practice Nursing, and am very proud to be called a Nursing Professional. You see, because I look at my patient's medical diagnosis and from there, determine what are the appropriate nursing diagnosis associated with the medical diagnosis, and begin to formulate my nursing interventions from there. Once I meet said patient, I do a nursing assessment and individualize the plan of care from the new information that I learn. My nursing prescription for care is broader than the medical diagnosis alone, because nursing assessment includes but processes more than the physical and biomedical processes associated with medical practice. The nursing history and assessment provides many clues about appropriate, individualized nursing diagnosis and interventions for my patient. It also determines the outcomes and helps me to see when the outcomes of the intervention are met-or not. I don't argue that the language of nursing diagnosis is awkward. The language of the nursing diagnosis is not the way that I communicate with physicians, but it is the way that nurses communicate with each other for now in order to provide continuity of care for patients. This will likely change in the future as our profession finds its true voice. For now, however, the nursing interventions generated from the foundations of the nursing diagnosis provide a basis for education, patient care and for research (why am I doing what I do? Tradition? Sacred cow? Common sense [whatever that is] Scientific evidence?). Florence Nightingale shook the foundations of medical practice with her nursing interventions. In the Crimean War, mortality among the wounded surviving surgery improved by nearly 60%! (This eccentric, well educated woman was a statistician as well). So, along with Florence, I am proud to be a Nursing Professional.

Reading the various posts in the threads of this website, I am frequently struck by the number of posts that claim, in effect, that what we do as nurses should be recognized as a profession in and of itself. But as we discuss one of the taxonomies describing what nursing practice entails, there are many who have written in this thread about the uselessness of the NANDA, NIC and NOC diagnostic system in daily practice. If nursing is indeed a profession in its own right, then, on what basis do nurses claim professionalism? If nursing is a profession, then there needs to be a defined foundation upon which our practice and authority occurs. Nursing scholars are making efforts to do that. The NANDA system is one result, the OMAHA system is another. Professional nurses do not practice using a vaguely defined "common sense" but rather with a specific "nursing sense" developed within the educational process then demonstrated and confirmed by evidence in daily practice. Tewdles has provided for us, in two postings within this thread, a succinct and eloquent summary of the how and why of the nursing process that begins with the nursing diagnosis. Florence would be proud!

I'll keep this one in mind the next time I need to fix a flat out on my bicycle out on the road!

Excuse me, but what did you say? Did you pass your college writing coursework? If you did, it does not show in this post. Please, when posting on the internet in places associated with your work, pay attention to your grammar! This kind of post reflects poorly on you!

How is it that someone can call different ways of impacting human survival unequal? One would be rendered somewhat meaningless without the other. I think that this comment reflects ignorance about what nurses do to impact not only survival but the quality of life for patients worldwide on a daily basis.

Could you engage a Physical Therapist or a Physical Therapy Assistant to help you demonstrate transfer/turning techniques?

My initial nursing education took place in a hospital school of nursing, and I earned a Diploma. I considered myself educated (first year coursework included A&P, Microbiology, Sociology, Psychology, English, Chemistry at a local community college) and my second and third years built on those foundations as well as the first year nursing foundational courses I took in addition to the college courses. But I was also "trained" to not only perform the duties of an RN but to think critically based on knowledge as well. The clinical work helped me to apply what I'd learned in books to the patient care and advocacy at hand. It was an education that served me well for many years. I have since completed my BSN and am presently completing my Masters degree (thesis to be completed) to work as an NP or CNS. It will be a great way to cap my career, having worked over 30 years as a staff nurse in adult critical care and 5 years in adult Med-Surg. So I consider myself to have been both "trained" and educated. As a career, both training and education in nursing has provided opportunities for me to be a nurse in some way in each stage of my life.

My experience with a freeloading family member who was "despirate" for milk for the baby, etc., was to purchase for her a voucher (not a gift certificate, which can be used for anything) from a local grocery store that was to be used for groceries only-no cigarettes, alcohol, movies, magazines, and sent it to her. I never was asked for money again.

You're very welcome. I wish you a good recovery!

I would contact the office of the physician who ordered the IV antibiotic and see if someone there can connect you with a visiting nurses service, hospital or clinic in your area that can give the antibiotic on an outpatient basis. Because the antibiotic is a prescription drug, the nursing service or clinic will need to have the prescription from the doctor before the antibiotic can be given. You could also contact your primary care provider for the same, as hopefully, the two are communicating. I'm more than a little surprised that you were not given this kind of information needed for your follow up care at the time the prescription for the intravenous antibiotic was ordered for you. Good luck!