5 Things To Ask Your Nursing Professors

[Nurse Pure-Spring, CNA, LPN]

Hello everyone! Congratulations on choosing to become a nurse and getting into nursing school! Below you will find a list of helpful things I personally wished I had been taught or at least introduced to prior to starting the role of the nurse! I hope this helps and inspires you in every way!

1) What to do during an admission?

~An admission or “admit” is when a new patient is coming to your facility and is being placed on your unit. The process is tedious and requires a great amount of time and USUALLY happens at the most inconvenient time. Nursing school does not touch much on this subject so it is best to be ahead of the game and be able to get your ducks in a row before you get that “drowning” feeling.

2) How to deal with conflicts of interest?

~There will come times when you just DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. You feel at war with yourself and you wish you had a solution that will make everyone happy. Honestly, there really isn’t one. But when in doubt, always do the best and safest thing to 1) protect your license and yourself and 2) not appear to be someone who is a trouble maker. Often times it is difficult to slip up and make a error but it’s best to know as much ahead of time and going in so you’re not stunned in the midst of the issue.

3) Should I make friends with the nurses?

~Your nursing professor will undoubtedly have some degree of experience and tell you that either yes it is a good idea or no it is not. Depending on how you feel and your personality type, it can be a rewarding thing have friends at work; someone to vent to and to have a shoulder to cry on. Be cautious however, not every ear is one that will keep your secret.

4) How do I REALLY talk to the doctor?

~In nursing school, you’ll learn about the SBAR process. While using SBAR is a great communication tool, how do you REALLY talk to the doctor when you’re face to face and in care conferences? What things do you talk about? How can you not sound silly or as if you don’t know what you’re talking about? Your doctors will respect you more if you’re truly talking to them regarding the advocacy and safety of their patients.

5) Will the fear and anxiety ever go away?

~The fear and anxiety will eventually diminish. But as a student nurse and even a new nurse it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to realize that. Your nursing professors will definitely reassure you that nursing shouldn’t be a career in which you should have chronic stress and anxiety even when you leave for the day, but rather something that is always able to be learned from and bettered the next time around.

I hope this list was helpful in every way for you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out and share your comments and concerns! Look for more content to help release and relax the tension of being a nurse.

Yours truly,

Nurse Pure-Spring