The single best piece of advice you've gotten/gave

kissbug26 · Jan 20, 2010

Put your heart into it!

kissbug26 · Jan 20, 2010

I think that is so true. I worked as a CNA while I was in nursing school. Makes me appreciate all the hard work the CNA's do!

HumorHeals22 · Jan 21, 2010

Thank you all for your input, I compiled them all and printed out a sheet which is on my wall as we speak.

Thanks again!

JANNIEBABE · Jan 21, 2010

Keep your own malpractise insurance, in spite of what your employer tells you about being covered by theirs. :yeah:

camoflower · Jan 21, 2010

Remember! Always check the airways!! and know when among your peers.."There is more than one way to cut up a chicken!" :idea:and when on the floor..and the barbarians come at you with "hey:mad: your patient in room..so and soo.. needs to ....or is......" :eek: :eek:cheerfully say "Ok, :nurse: :redbeathe thank you, and just go and put your own eyes on that patient and totally asses that patient for yourself-don't argue without your own assessment usually the CSA's mean well but in the end.. your the boss, your responsible". and NEVER ASSUME anything that anyone tells you (unless its floor nurse or management)..for instance :smokin:"we are using these new tubes for MRSA swabs"...call Lab, get confirmation. That is camoflowers :twocents: for thought. :nurse: :redpinkhe

Sugar-Phosphate · Jan 21, 2010

Words from my clinical instructor:
Someone has to care.
She was going on this passionate rant about when she was on a floor caring for a teen mom and the pt's nurses let the mom and baby go septic because the room was so cold...anyways It really put it into perspective that for many patients, regardless if it's their fault or not, have no one to care for them but you. It is up to you to make sure they get the best care. I would encourage anyone entering nursing to think about if it is truly your passion and if you can care for someone that may not "deserve it" according to your value system, personal experiences or whatever.

I agree with this advice. I live in BC, Canada and Gordon Campbell (Premier of BC), and most health care workers despise this man. I think, can I treat him with the same respect and decorum as every other person? No, at first, but overall he is deserving of our care. It is a tough choice, but since it hits me personally, the quoted question is more of a reality.

The best advice I have heard yet!!!!

Punch · Jan 21, 2010

STUDY STUDY STUDY! And when you are done with that, STUDY some more! It really is the key to digesting so much material and it will all be worth it. :idea:

loofly · Jan 21, 2010

As both a student (I'm doing my Masters in Nursing -Majoring in Mental Health) and as a preceptor to undergraduate nurses; the best piece of advice I can give is ask questions and always show an interest in whats going on around you even if it is not the speciality you would consider working in. I graduated 4 years ago and even though I work in psychiatry, I will often be called upon to use my general nursing skills because humans are very complex creatures. Even when you have finished your formal studies at university, make it a priority to keep your skills refreshed by reading, attending inservices etc. In Australia we have adapted the lifelong learning mode in our schools and this translates into the rest of our lives also.

Another piece of advice I can offer as many people would, be yourself, and treat patients/clients and their families as you would like to be treated. Often we get so caught up in our role as nurses, that we forget they are people rather than the shoulder in bed 2 or the hip in bed 4. Grief, stress and anxiety manifests itself in many various ways and it is not always about you or the care you give. Hang in there, smile and ask for help if you need it. It takes a strong person to be a nurse but a stronger person still who will ask for help.

All the best

Stacie

Registered Nurse Division 1

Mental Health :) :cool:

Australia

jorjaRN · Jan 22, 2010

-Listen to your patients. If they tell you something doesn't feel right, even if there are NO other changes, you should at least do a thorough assessment, and keep a very close eye on them. People know their own bodies better than any medical professional ever could, especially when that medical professional is taking care of multiple other patients. Also, if you can't find an answer about something in a patient's chart, such as how long ago they were diagnosed with something, etc, ASK THEM. Many people are really knowledgeable about their conditions. Obviously this will not substitute for information from a doctor, but it can really help you understand certain things better.

-Get in the habit of documenting, documenting, documenting. If you didn't document, it wasn't done.

-Label anything you put in a syringe that it didn't come in (like if you dilute an IV push med) even if you think you are going directly into that room to push that med...so many things can happen, and it could save you from making a serious error

-Try to make your instructor's criticism work for you...I remember things that I hated my instructors for harping on me about better than I do other stuff

aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Jan 22, 2010

What was the best piece of advice you've received or gave to someone just starting out nursing school?
I would have to say the best advice I have gotten is to stay organized.
What one tip, suggestion, or advice did you find to be true in your nursing school endevor?

For the suggestion, all the new nurses I talked to that went to the same school that I do said to forget getting A's. It was hard but so true!

I told a friend of mine who was in level 1 last semester to go buy Saunders NOW! I wish I would have had it from the get-go!

Oh yeah, and forget about having a clean house.

paddlelady, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2010

Best advice I recieved was "never turn a patient away and treat your patients as you would like you loved ones to be treated."

Paddlelady

CeilingCat, ASN, RN · Jan 22, 2010

Do whatever it takes to not stress out or freak out. This can include time management, planning, studying early and often, being extra organized, saying "no" to things outside of school, saying "no" to family requests, and generally taking care of myself.