The "Teach a Student Something-a-Day" thread!

agent · Apr 22, 2004

Yes that is a very special story ^bump

HU_nurse · Apr 22, 2004

*always look busy in clinicals

*make friends with your classmates

*never ger too busy to eat

*never try to memorize! It is a waste of time! Always think APPLICATION!!!

*Try to get a job in the hospital early

Good Luck! I have 2 more semesters and I'm outa here!!!

orrnlori, RN · Apr 22, 2004

Don't know if this one was offered up but, if you can't get a reading on the pulse ox when it's firmly on the fingertip, cover the patient's hand that has the pulse ox with their bedspread. Sometimes light in the room messes with the scanning mechanism in the sensor.

MsShell · Apr 24, 2004

So the only things math related that one would tend to need to know is conversions?
Anyone else have some math related advice?

I know this is an old thread, but for the sake of the next student reading it - and as someone who just took this exam, I've gotta add:

1) Understand dimensional analysis.

2) work EVERY question completely - showing every step even in simple ones (builds a good, consistent approach that pays off when doing the more complex problems).

3) If possible, buy a self-study book. The one we had to use was "Medical Dosage Calculations by Olsen, et. al (wish I had thought to buy/ work in it BEFORE the semester began).

tiona · Apr 24, 2004

Find a balance between respecting your instructor and demanding respect for yourself. I saw many "wimpy" students being squashed like bugs. Try not to shake. Be confident, but not cocky.

My program was like the Marine Corp. I was respectful and observed the rules, but made it clear that I was an intelligent, adult individual deserving of respect and consideration. I spoke up in class and was never afraid to ask questions.

I graduated at the top of my class...and was class president. In fact I maintained the only 4.0 GPA in the hx of my program. I was helpful to my fellow students. My class has the first 100% pass rate on the Nclex for this college. Ever. Funny, my exemplary record was not mentioned in any way at my graduation ceremony, but I made it through, while 50% of my class did not. "They" got me in the end, but I wouldn't change a thing. I made important and lasting friendships and don't need to be rewarded for that.

Nursing can brutal, but I loved it. The patients and their families were what made my experience so worth the trauma of it all. I irritated the hell out of some of my teachers, but they didn't mess with me much.

I know that many would disagree with this advise, but it sure did work for me.

Be strong and confident, but DO NOT come off as a "know it all" because we never will. (know it all, that is!)

LouisianaNurse2006 · Jul 15, 2004

Always carry a Sharpie marker in your pocket.
Noney

Ok, silly question here, but what's the marker for?

studentnurse74, LPN, LVN · Jul 15, 2004

My one tip in nursing is this:
Do NOT allow yourself to become bogged down in unit gossip against your peers. Be a positive asset to the unit WITHOUT taking any BS in the process! Protect your right to remain human and take time off when you are too sick to nurse anyone but yourself, and do NOT feel guilty doing so. Keep yourself number one in health, spirit, and emotional balance. If you don't, you won't have two cents of energy to give to anyone else.
Last but not least: Do NOT add to the nursing abuse that is already thicker than mud in nursing! Be a motivater, an optimist, someone who MAKES things happen and not one who watches things happen and tattles about it!

That is great advice. I worked as an aide for a while, and I hated the whole 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shift bickering.

I would advise to try to get all your work done before the end of your shift, and if you can't finish, at least have the courtesy to let the next nurse/aide/student coming on after your patients that you didn't have time to do ____. It will help eliminate the "cold shoulder syndrome".

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 15, 2004

Hope these help. I am enjoying this thread and hope to pick up nursing tips from other nurses.

LOVE this thread.... keep 'em coming !!! :balloons:

We can certainly ALl learn something new here ! Whoooooot !

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 15, 2004

Originally Posted by NICU_Nurse:

"Also, always remember to respect your patient's privacy- don't leave them naked and vulnerable where other people can see! My mom was a nurse for 34 years altogether, and I've never forgotten a story that she told me. She got pulled to the PICU, and they had a code going on and it was just mayhem. There was an eleven year old boy, rather chubby young man, lying naked on his bed and unable to move. He was on a ventilator and the nurses had been performing something on him prior to the code, and had run off quickly to assist another nurse. My mother passed his bed and noticed that he had silent tears running down his cheeks and his face had turned red from embarrassment. She pulled the sheet over him to cover him up, and he just looked at her, crying, and couldn't say a word. She wiped the tears from his face and held his hand for a moment, then had to rush off to do something. Later, his mother told my mom that he'd said that he was terrified because of all the action going on in the unit, and that after he recovered he had just gone on and on about how much he loved her for covering him up because he'd always been self-conscious about his weight, and he'd cried when he told his mom how she sat down with him and held his hand when he was scared.

There is ALWAYS something you can do. Always. "

**************************************************

THANK YOU !!! Lovely... truly lovely. :kiss

(rubbing away the goosebumps now...)

helpinghands, BSN, RN · Jul 15, 2004

One way to keep busy during clinicals is to take the book cart around. Most units I've been on had one hidden away in some corner. Most the patients are so greatful. If your kind of shy like me it really helps you to get used to interacting with the patients.

ALWAYS knock before entering room, even if the door is wide open.

Bring extra pens (black) they always seem to walk away.

Write down the codes to the med cart, utility room, nutrition roon, ect... on one index card and keep it in your pocket.

Offer to help others when they get the "hard patient" they'll remember when the tables are turned.

Always place the call bell close enough so they can still reach it, pay special attention to this if the patient is restrained,

Keep the linens on the bed looking neat, even if the room is spotless and the linens are bunched up it looks unkept.

Treat every patient like she is your favorite grandma.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2004

LouisianaNurse2006

Anything with a pt indentifier on it can't go in the trash... HIPPA. A black marker is handy to cross out a pt's name, for instance on a medication label. It's also handy for marking dressings, IV bags, etc etc with date and time.

-When drawing blood, always draw the blood culture first to decrease contamination.

-NEVER start antibiotics before all cultures have been drawn.

-Always know your pediatric pt's weight.

-Always be nice to students and, if possible, seek them out if you will be doing something interesting that they might want to watch or participate in.

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Jul 16, 2004

Review your Renin-Angiotensin II-Aldosterone pathway.

If you remember anything from pharmacology, learn how ACE inhibitors work, beta blockers, and calcium channel blockers work. It seems like every patient over 60 is on these things.

And make sure you look up your patient's labs before your clinical day starts, especially potassium. My instructors have always wanted to know what the patient's K level was before giving ACE inhibitors, diuretics, etc.

If you are trying to flush a PICC line, and the saline or heparin doesn't go in, it could be that the clamp is on!!

If your patient has no heart sounds, make sure your stethoscope is working (tap on the end to make sure you hear something). Probably patient's heart is beating.

Good luck!

Oldiebutgoodie

11 months to go!!