RedScrubs

The point is, if nursing is a science, it should be treated as one. Best practices suggest several things so the simulator and remediation have the best possible outcome. The grading rubric was something of a pig in a poke and vague with lots of latitude. The use of the equipment and verbalization expectations were not oriented and there is no consistent written reference for the students and faculty to access as a common guide. I must say, I could have asked specifically about what they were looking for, but I was told I would have passed the day prior, so the expectations seem to migrate. I am not sure that is appropriate if nursing is a science. At this point, I just want to survive the unspoken and take an objective test.

Hello, I am having difficulty with simulation and the improvisation expectations. Example, I hooked a patient up to what I believed was a monitor and it was a static vital sign display, I was visually checking for updated vitals as a response, while verbally assessing the patient. I flunked my second test, the first one was during one of the lowest points in my life, literally, and is on film. The well-being of a loved one was uncertain and I would never have attended work under the circumstances. The frustrating part is that I was told I would have passed if my performance was the same the prior day. I have had ongoing anxiety with the simulation tests because we don't have any written guidelines of how to meet the improvisational targets. Another thing mentioned, although no written remediation was ever given, was that I didn't verbalize that now I was doing the six rights. I did the six rights, verbalized each one by one as I was doing them, but that didn't hit the target. I have been reading about the simulations and best practices these issues have been addressed in many settings, but not our school. There is not check list and how the targets are met, which is a huge part of my anxiety. I am a good test taker, but I need to know what the expected response is. Can anyone give me any insight? I want to right a feedback report, non specific to me, so these issues are addressed, and I know how to achieve my goal of becoming a nurse and don't suffer retaliation. One of my thoughts was a possible webinar or online orientation and quiz about how to meet the targets so that it is very clear. Any other insights would be greatly appreciated.

I am an EMT Certified LVN who was working as an ER tech in a small for profit hospital, while finishing my prerequisites for RN. The job description given to me was very casual, but in writing. The things that I was doing seemed to continually get stretched. Splinting with orthoglass, irrigating wounds, dressings that weren't dry (neosporin thrown in for the purpose of padding the bill),etc. When a nurse asked me to d/c an iv, I told her that it was outside my scope of practice. I kept getting radiology coming up and asking my to d/c ivs and reconnect them on return. I went to my department head to confirm, as it seemed quite the norm and he said he would follow up. In the meantime, I pulled up corporate policy, versus the documentation I was given for my job description and it aligned with no duties other that comfort measures, vital signs, etc. Nothing that required skills so much. I knew, as EMTs, we were trained for prehospital splinting only, and I told the man in the interview that I didn't have any splinting skills. The coworkers training me were emts and had been splinting for years. They still didn't look correct and I didn't trust the training as a competency training. Even if I were working as an LVN, I would only have been able to use preformed splints. There were constant standard of care problems, (which I view as training problems) Long story short, I was given a brand new job description that described all of these things and was told that I had been given this description earlier, upon hire. I am certain this isn't so, and my coworkers were given the same job description simultaneously, saying they had turned it in to HR and it had been lost. I wound up quitting because the people relying on the cheating for bonuses were the same people that were supposed to maintain compliance. They asked me to report anything to them that I had done outside company policy, agree to not whistleblow, and report to them any events outside standard of care. I told them I needed to speak with an attorney first. I could go on and on about being out of there and feeling like I woke up from a nightmare, but I had some really wonderful coworkers. Even some of the one on the bonus program were fine, they just had to go along to get along. I need to do what my legal minimum is to protect myself. Do I need to report this to anyone? I keep thinking about the things that go on, and the good nurses have no control. They put (less than 90days) new nurses on the psych patients and give one sitter to three one to ones, etc.(Which is a safety issue for everyone and medicare overcharging) I'm just trying to survive this bad situation as unscathed as possible, with an implied threat. There is no way I can think of to make it better for anyone by reporting anything. I figure I'll volunteer in the area and try to give back that way. I really had hoped this tiny desert crossroads hospital would be a positive experience. I did learn by researching what was wrong. I really expected excellence in a small hospital. Wow. I was wrong. I continuously have flashbacks about the nonsense. Not nursing care at its finest by any means. Fall risk is a fall risk is a fall risk, whether in the ER or Med Surg or SNF. Vital sign machines are basic equipment. Pillows are standard equipment for seizure precautions and miscarriages. I wish I knew how to make it better.