Students being encouraged to make changes!

You really do want to survive your first shift don't you?

If you see a lift/transfer being done in a manner that goes against ur training what are you supposed to do about it? Shout out "unsafe transfer!"

I think you need to get some clarification from your instructors before you hit the real world. Are you, a student (and a guest in the hospital) meant to point out staff errors to the staff member in question, bring it to the charge nurses attention, or discuss it with ur class?

Nobody that ever buddied with me (back in the dark ages) ever did anything unsafe. Might not have been by the book, but they could always explain why they did it a certain way, or how some patients respond best to methods of care.

Good Luck, your instructors sound like precious beings.

Hi Guys!

I am a first year Nursing student, about to go out on placement. We have been told by the uni that we need to be very strrict. when we see a non legal lift, something done slightly out of practice to become very vocal about it. I guess we are here to learn good practice, but we don't want to be locked in the broom cupboaard!

I appreciate there is a real world out there.

Your views?

Paul.

Yep there is a real world. There is also bad practice. There is also very good practice. There are ways and means about going about reporting bad practice and quite frankly being very vocal about it, as far as I am aware is not one of them, nor is it very productive to either staff or students. Staff like students still continue to learn after qualification, and one of the best ways of keeping up to date with best practice is to talk and listen to students and in theory they are being taught by lecturers who should be bang up to date. Okay what the students are taught is sometimes not practical, but it is still best practice.

So what to do if you see bad practice? Talk to the person who has demonstrated "bad practice", ask why they have done it that way, if you still don't agree or maybe have another idea of how something could be done, suggest another way. Speak to the ward manager if you have concerns. If then you feel that there is still an issue then is the time to take it to placement link facilitators, university etc. All this however does not need to be done VERY VOCALLY.

Basically as I said before there are ways and means for reporting bad practice, being very vocal does not usually achieve anything except getting everyones backs up and a lot of discontent.

Thankyou for your viewpoints. Thats the way I see it too, but it seems like we are being encouraged to raise merry hell. Unfortunately I think some students (who also have the balls for it) may take the lecturer seriously.

No doubt there will be some amusing stories when we all get back off placement!

Thanks again,

Paul.

Hi Paul,

I'm sure you know ths already, but it bears emphasising - if you think something's being done incorectly (a transfer, a dressing, a whatever) wait until you're out of patient earshot before asking the nurse about it.

I had a patient once who looked like she was going to code, so I started clearing up the room - moving out extra furniture, clearing off surfaces, taking away old cups of tea etc - while the resident was examining her. The student I was working with kept saying "But why are you doing that?" although I kept answering "I'll talk about it with you later" - thinking that "I'm worried she's going to code and I want to make sure there's room to resus" might make the patient nervous!

Obviously, if you think that it's a potentially life-threatening mistake you'd speak up sooner :)

hi Paul

where is your first placement?? I work in general practice and we often have first placement students. I like having students.. just ask lots of questions!! its much easier if you have a student who asks 'why' rather than one who stands there like a lemon!!

Karen

Hi Karen!

My first placement is in a cottage hospital with about 20 beds, a physiotherapy unit,occ health, community nurses and a minor injuries unit. Was there yesterday, and as far as bad practice goes, there was not any. They go completely by the book. Chatting with my mates, some of them have got dark ages nursing homes where they re-use syringes, and prefer to lift than use the hoist!

It feels like I am with a professional team that work very well together.

Have not met my mentor yet, but i have been told she is very energetic, just hope i can keep up!:rotfl:

Paul.

Good grief...talk about immediately splitting the students off from their potential mentors. What a ridiculous thing for someone to tell students. Hope all of you took it with a grain of salt. Nothing I hate worse than a student critiqueing my 'real world' work from lecture hall lessons.

and love Fiona's comment 'you want to survive your first shift don't you?" :rotfl: