pkline1

I am in my final semester of nursing school, about to graduate with my BSN in May. I am attempting to get motivated to start my final big writing assignment.. however, the topic has me hung up, so I haven't really gotten too far. I really want to do well writing this paper, but for me to to do well, I know that I need to find a topic that I will enjoy writing about and researching, as well as something that I feel is relevant to my future profession. On that note, the topics must be related to nursing management, whether it be staffing, professionalism, bullying in the workplace, teamwork, etc... I know those topics are rather broad, and that's kind of the issue I am having while trying to research the topics to find something very interesting. I am looking for suggestions for a topic to help me get started on this paper. Maybe a topic that many nurses find to be a challenge in the work place, or something within the broad topic of leadership/management that is a very positive change to nursing, either being researched or in practice already. Having not yet been employed as a nurse, it has been really difficult to see the importance in a single topic over another, as they are all important. The question for all of those reading this is: what do you find to be beneficial in a leader/manager? What do you feel like are hindrances in the work place? What different kinds of staffing would you recommend in a facility that I may want to be employed at? What kind of research have you seen lately on leadership/management styles? Anything that might jump start my brain could be very helpful... maybe just a push in the right direction? Everything seems so important, that it would be helpful to get some pointers from nurses in the work force! Thanks!

I am about to graduate from a BSN program as well. For awhile in clinicals, I struggled with the same issues... even this semester I had to redo a part of my competency exam because I forgot to swab a port with alcohol (oops! I was SOO nervous!) Anyway, the key is to be CONFIDENT in yourself, but even this won't happen until you get into practice (so I hear), so you just have to have confidence that you will find the groove and continuously get better. Also, take the criticism as them trying to help you... its hard sometimes when you feel like everything you are doing is wrong, but you will get better as time goes on.. just move on from each experience knowing that you are still learning and you won't be perfect yet. Even if you feel like your instructors are negative, find an instructor that you have connected with, and even share with them these concerns... you may see a major difference in how you feel if you just get it out of your system. Its hard to really focus on the task at hand and give the best care possible if you feel as though you are negatively viewed every time you complete an intervention. However, some of this may also feel as though its a negative experience, even if it is not. Good luck, it is a crazy journey, but it's over before ya know it!