Sirius Black

Hi, I'm not a nurse yet, still a student. I was diagnosed with type 1 November last year. Was a bit of a shock since I was 19 when diagnosed (20 now) - I thought only kids and younger teenagers got type 1. But it was caught early, I knew the signs, but blamed it on other things until I started losing weight. My bsl was only 25.1mmol/l (451) and ketones were only .6. I've been managing fine while on clinicals, but do drop my dose of lantus and novorapid (insulin aspart) so I run a higher than usual. I'm still scared of hypos even though I've had a 1.6 (28) and 1.8 (32) & got through both okay. Also too embarrassed to let anyone around me know or find out I have D. Do you all let those you work with know about your D or do you keep it to yourself?

I'm still a student, but I do shower as soon as I get home from clinicals. I feel so dirty when I get home, that and I shower twice a day anyway...

I felt like that also when I did my first clinical placement and still feel that way. The first week or so it can be so mentally and physically exhausting. Seeing first hand how say people with dementia are affected, the thought that I'm invading their privacy / minimal -no independence - showering the residents and dressing them, feeding them etc. For me it's especially tough dealing with the younger residents! I've found it does get easier dealing with these emotions, it's also important, if you have clinical debriefing at the end of the day try to discuss your feelings with the other students + clinical teacher. It helps.

I'm a nursing student and we were told this prior to going out on our first year placements last year. We've been told to greet the patient/resident as Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss _______ the first time, then ask what they preferred to be called and do so.

That's it! Thank you so much. I do remember the clinical educator saying something about patient care problems :imbar . I will email my lecturer just to be certain. Another question: The patient I cared for has problems with frequent falls due to poor balance/co-ordination, stress incontinence, amputation of R 3rd & 4th fingers, risk for impaired skin integrity, OA and glaucoma. The patient was also considered to be a danger to self due to walking unaided which increased risk of falls. Would these all be examples of nursing problems?

What is a nursing problem? Is it the same as a nursing diagnosis? The question I'm having trouble with (for a case study assignment) is to identify 5 nursing problems and the rationale for each of them.

I'm working on my first care plan and would like to know does the care plan involve an assessment, diagnosis, planning, interventions and evaluation (the nursing process)? Or is just the diagnosis, intervention + rationale? NB: we have been given a case study and the question asks us to develop a care plan that critically reviews the patients condition. In doing so, you are required to give the rationale on why you would implement the cited nursing interventions.

Thanks, very helpful. I never thought of breaking if down, certainly makes the case study easier to address.

Mrs Sally Brown is a 32 year old woman who is second day postappendectomy. Sally is moaning, restless, diaphoretic: T 37.2C, P 112 bpm, R 26 BPM, BP 142/92. She states the pain is 8 on a 0-10 scale. She is refusing to shower and wants to be left alone. She refuses to do deep breathing and coughing exercises. Outline the assessment you would perform to validate your diagnosis of alteration in comformt related to pain secondary to appendectomy. I have physical assessment: vital signs (sympathetic overactivity) - elevated pulse, respirations and blood pressure, diaphoretic. (I was not sure what to make of the temperature - is it possible for a person to have an elevated temperature with pain? Otherwise, in addition to assessment I would compare these vital signs with past vital signs, particularly temperature (for trends/changes). Subjective assessment - behavioural responses restlessness, moaning, such as refusing to shower, perform deep-breathing and coughing exercises, verbalising pain (8/10). Is there anything else I could add? Or doesn't need to be included? Thanks.

If you memorising something, then it's going to be much harder to apply your knowledge!! You can't effectively apply your knowledge to things like case studies and on placements if you don't understand the material being taught. So yes, I make every attempt to understand information, the only things I have memorised are vital signs.

I have a question that I'm having trouble answering. I need to describe selected frameworks that can be used to guide the health assessment process. The frameworks are head to toe framework, body systems framework and functional health assessment. I'm okay with the body systems framework and functional health assessment, but how would I describe the head to toe assessment. All I have is that it is commonly used in ED (emergency department) setting. Thanks