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

Published

In an effort to not enter nursing school as a completely nieve individual, I was hoping that some 2nd years or RN's could share something beneficial with us students each day.

It can be anything little or totally meaningful. Whatever you contribute will be greatly appreciated and hopefully will help me to be a better student and nurse ;)

Thanks!

Good thread. Bump.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Read over your pt's drugs the night before so when your clinical instructor asks what ex: digoxin is for you can tell him/her. This lets your instructor know you're prepared and are serious about what you're doing, it's also helps you to understand your pt's health issues more in depth. Instructor's looooove preparedness and hard workers. Also, if you have some down time, (not likely), but if you do then help a fellow student with a bed bath or anything they need, they'll appriciate it a lot, as I know I have in the past.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Don't let yourself get so completely consumed by the technical side of nursing- remember that you are working with other human beings, and no matter how rude or inappropriate they are, they are someone's daughter or son or mother or father or sister or husband.

There is always something you can be doing to comfort that patient in some way- whether it's smiling or making them laugh or communicating with them in some other way. Being hospitalized is intensely stressful, and them having a nurse they feel comfortable with and whom they feel they can trust plays a large part in their ability to cope with illness.

When you're on the ICU or critical floors, remember that oral care takes but just a moment, but it can make a huge difference in the comfort level of the patient! Vented patients get nasty oral secretions that are not only uncomfortable and a breeding ground for bacteria (yuckies love that warm, moist environment!) but can actually impede expiration of breath and one of the first things family members will notice when they walk into the room! Grab a warm wet cloth and some gauze and take a moment to wash their face and clean the gunk away from the ETT tube! Not only is it comforting to them (not all vented patients are sedated beyond recognition!) but it's comforting to their families, and it's a human gesture that they will appreciate in more ways than you can count. If your patient has a dry mouth, or has been vomiting, use the lemon swabs to stimulate salivation, or get them a moist gauze to suck on to wet their palate. Dry mouth is uncomfortable! This goes for pediatric patients as well.

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. ;)

This story broke my heart, as I have a 12 year old who is self concious in this way too. Some people just don't think sometimes. You and your mom seem like great nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am just new in nursing ... first semester

Admit when you make a mistake. Specially during skills test. I contaminated my sterile gloves during one and looked at the instructor and said 'I just contaminated my gloves and if this were to happen in a real situation I would get a new pair and start over.' She was supposed to fail me and make me come back but since I realized my mistake she let me begin again and praised my critical thinking skills. Things like that will happen and just don't panic cause they will happen in a clinical setting too.

This is so true and most of the time they notice it and if you go on thinking they didn't they'll fail you. Always admit your mistakes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Dont forget the 7 variables in assessment. You might be surprised by what you learn from them.

Even if you have seen a patient 10 times in one day.....always --always check the 5 rights!--(Yes..identical twins with different diagnoses/on different meds can be hospitalized on the same floor -just one door down)

Look at your patient--not only at the monitors

For patients who are hard of hearing--stand directly in front of them and speak in a clear concise manner ---You don't always have to yell at them---and don't always assume that an elderly person is hard of hearing.

I always write a sample of what I plan to chart --then I reread it or have a classmate read it --to make sure I havent written something really stupid (Lord knows there are lots of threads on that subject) before I actually chart it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

IE: Mr. Smith has the following vital signs.......B/P 145/92 Pulse 98 Respirations -24 he is complaining of nausea and vomiting and has a temperature of 102 orally, he is short of breath and c/o a headache. What will be your FIRST response to the patient?

A) Recheck VS in 1 hour

B) Apply 02 per nasal cannula

C) Administer an analgesic

D) Call the doctor.

IE: Mr. Smith has the following vital signs.......B/P 145/92 Pulse 98 Respirations -24 he is complaining of nausea and vomiting and has a temperature of 102 orally, he is short of breath and c/o a headache. What will be your FIRST response to the patient?

A) Recheck VS in 1 hour

B) Apply 02 per nasal cannula

C) Administer an analgesic

D) Call the doctor.

I had a test question almost exactly like this one on one of my fundamentals test last semester. I picked to give O2. WRONG...... according to my school!!!!!! They said call the docter because as a nurse I could not give O2. Later in another class the instructor said that there may be a standing order for o2 on the floor and you could give O2 but my answer was still wrong. So at least on my tests at school I will NEVER give O2.

Mary Ann

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Utilization Management.
I picked to give O2. WRONG...... according to my school!!!!!! They said call the docter because as a nurse I could not give O2. Later in another class the instructor said that there may be a standing order for o2 on the floor and you could give O2 but my answer was still wrong. So at least on my tests at school I will NEVER give O2.

Mary Ann

You mean to say that we can't give O2 in an emergent situation?

:uhoh21:

I've been doing it for years. Oh well, better me in trouble than my short-of-breath patient....:lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

3rd semester student here

Here are a few tips for Psych rotation

#1. ALWAYS be aware of what is going on around you. NEVER let a patient get between you and an exit route. ALWAYS know your exit routes. KNOW what the codes on the floor mean...and never,ever get involved in a patient take down.

#2. Remember to keep your hands in front of you where your client can see them. Do not carry anything in your hands that can be ripped away from you ( we were not allowed to carry pens on our person). Remember anything can be a weapon!

#3. Remember your non-verbals. Even if you are internally freaking out - remember to maintain a calm front.

#4 Keep the conversation therapuetic. It's not about YOU..it's about the client. Clients will often try to get you talking about YOU...that's not what you are there for.

#5 Dress modestly. This is not the time for cleavage, high heels, jewlery, tons of make up, etc

#6 Rememeber to decompress at the end of the day. It is often very hard to "leave it behind" when you leave....but you have to make the effort to do so. Talk with your clinical mates +instructor at post-conference to decompress.

#7 Lastly- depending on the population chances are there that you will be lied to or attempted to be manipulated. DO NOT take it personally. Clients will on occasion try "splitting". Remember to maintain the rules of the floor and staff. REPORT any and all threats, etc to the staff. Do not "keep secrets"...always let your clients know your professional role.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Great thread! bump!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg/Oncology/Telemetry/ICU.

For clinicals: TIME MANAGEMENT!!!! Can't say it enough. Sometimes you can't help but to get a little behind, but the more you stay on track, the less stressed you'll be and the better you can relate your information when you call an MD, ask another RN about a problem, etc.

For passing tests in class: Get an NCLEX book (I found Saunders and Davis to be the most helpful ones, but if you can't get both, get Saunders!) and get into the mindset of those types of questions. Also, after the first test, look back at it (if it's allowed) and see what you put versus what the correct answer was and asses the types of strategies you'll have to use for the next one. Ask the teacher what they're looking for.

For studying: Really focus your study time. Have a plan/schedule so you don't waste time looking for materials, papers, notes, etc. Also, if you like study groups, be sure to look for those that don't just talk nonsense the whole time. Your time is important and it shouldn't be wasted aside from break times.

Sorry if this was too long!:D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry.

Here's something that I don't remember being covered...

I am applying this month for fall admission into an ADN program, so a lot of this stuff will be helpful in a year or so. But now, since I have the time, I am printing off the individual posts that will benefit me (everyone takes something different from each thread and its replies). I have a notebook, 3 hole puncher and dividers. This way I can organize these pearls until I'm ready to use them. When I get accepted into the program and then get my syllabus, I can better arrange the tabs according to the topics. So far I have potential divider tabs for "study skills", "motivation", "psychology", "dosage calculations/conversions", "heart/lung sounds", "pharmacology", etc. That way, I know right where my reminders are when I need them. :wink2:

I plan to put my study skills & motivation in the very front so I see these often. I have printed out many reminders from you guys to stay humble but to keep my nose to the grind (such as to respect the CNAs, housekeeping, food service, etc as well as a reminder that 500 people apply and only 100 acceptance letters go out and even though it's tough, many people would love to be in your shoes when you are ready to quit.)

Thanks so much to everyone. This is GREAT stuff. Keep it coming!

Best wishes for a great year,

Rachael

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Any words of wisdom for today?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion