Thoughts on post-conferences

[lansgrl123]

I posted my comments on the student site and wanted to get some thoughts on clinical post-conferences from other faculty members. I hate them. I hated them as a student 25 years ago and, as a faculty member, I still hate them. Our students are exhausted after putting in 8 or 10 hours of direct care, they are brain-dead (for the most part) by the time they get to post-conference. I do not care how well the activities are planned or how excited the faculty member is, the students want to go home. I understand one faculty member is going to require 2 hours of post-conference from the students. She has the best intentions but fails to recognize the nursing student in todays world. Many work full-time, have children and are single parents. I believe with all my being that post-conferences should go away. In the sim-lab, debriefing is a great idea, in the clinical setting forget it. I am completing my dissertation and want to do a study on this soon. What are your thoughts?

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I don't expect much from my students in post-conference. Each of them tells a bit about his or her patient, talks about the highs and lows, and others (and I) offer input about what might be helpful in such a situation. That pretty much takes most of the time allowed.

We also do role-playing of situations and medication teaching.

If there's something that came up during the day that needs teaching, I do the teaching then too (that comes first before the sharing of the day by the students).

I love post-conference. It's a time when I can assess growth in the students, and when they can be a team in helping each other learn what to do next time. Comments I've received are they think it's a good experience, and no one has ever fallen asleep yet!

Oh...I bring snacks and things to drink sometimes too.

[lansgrl123]

Thanks for the reply. I see each of my students 2 times during an 8 hour clinical. We talk about their patients, I have them give me report (like a real nurse!) and we talk about their lives and where they want to be after graduation. I work with someone who LOVES clinicals and post-conferences, maybe it is one of those things where you like it or you don't. We'll see if I get to conduct a study on this down the road.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I think it's great that you do what you do during clinical time. I do that too. I think the students can learn alot from each other if they do such things in post-conference too....

[jkay32]

I have some of the same feelings on post-conferences. It can be valuable, but not if the students don't want to be there!

I have two clinical days a week. On the first day we stay for a traditional post conference. On the second day, Friday, I had too much trouble keeping the students engaged. On this day, I give them an online discussion board post-conference assignment. This still allows for interaction between the students, but I give them until Sunday night to complete it.

[TooterIA]

WOW, you only see each student two times/day in clinic? What level are they? Do they pass meds without you? I see each of mine probably twice/hour.

I don't expect much from my students in post-conference. Each of them tells a bit about his or her patient, talks about the highs and lows, and others (and I) offer input about what might be helpful in such a situation. That pretty much takes most of the time allowed.

This. Mine are about 30-45 minutes and the above covers it. I find myself doing a lot of teaching from the day: lets say one student had a patient who was scheduled for surgery but we were supposed to administer Coumadin, we caught it, we talk about it. I find there are usually several teaching points each day that can help the other students.

For first level students, we played a game each postconference. They LOVED it. Each student had to make up a game and we played one each day, we played BINGO, Jeopardy, crosswords, etc. Most of the games were centered around medications as the first level students really needed to learn meds.

I think if you hate it, the students will pick up on that very quickly. So find some aspect of the postconference that you like, and run with it.

2 hours for a postconference sounds like a huge waste of time for the instructor and student.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Senior level nursing student here - forgive me if I am out of line in responding. Last semester my clinical instructor did a "working lunch" instead of postconference. We got our lunches, then did our reporting with the instructor and one another and plan of care for the afternoon, verbalizing with one another while we ate. This helped a lot with sorting out ideas that actually could be actively used during the clinical day, getting feedback from other students as well as our instructor and having the opportunity to learn about new diagnoses and medications as well as appropriate interventions. And at the end of the day, other than a brief "round up and farewell", we were free to leave. We loved it and felt it got information to us while our minds were reasonably fresh/refreshed (over food), while we were still in the "active care" portion of our day and able to utilize the ideas we discussed on the actual patient.

[organichombre, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

Post conferences for me are a chance to make sure that the student doesn't leave with a burden on their mind. Stuff happens, as they say and I have found out in post conferences what no one was willing to tell me during the shift. Also I think that students need to vent for a fe minutes. But I agree, short and sweet.

[Merced]

The best "real-life" discussions come up in post-conference. I have found students are always ready for real learning. Discussing what has happened, what they have experienced, the dilemmas, to get answers to the eternal question in nursing, "could I have done better, or was I in a bad situation, & did my best?".

Lots of times, my students need to vent about how they see employees not living up to the standards they hope for. GREAT time for discussion. It will cause the teacher to search his or her soul about the ethical issues that I think are often more difficult than skill/knowledge-type issues.

We, & especially our students, tend to be idealistic youngsters (at heart, anyway) who want to do good things. When they face the realities of profit-motivated care, they need a place for a mentor to help them get to know themselves, what is their own motivation, how much compromising with "ideal" are they willing to do.

It takes courage & the ability to be honest, to help your students through these questions. There are certainly no textbook answers, but I think the learning that takes place after real experiences, is the richest.

[nzarmy]

The first day's post conference we usually have guest speakers and pull in all clinical groups. Guest speakers are generally individuals we like the students to hear from, who are easier to have come speak at the hospital. Great way to get in extra content: pain management, comfort care, role of RT, etc. We do it with the day and evening group from 2-3 pm. 2nd day traditional type of post conteference. Can have topic focus of the day for post conference: how was pain managed with your group of patients, what are their discharge needs. later in the term, we have students present term assignments: communication assignment, wellness project, teaching to their classmates.

[showbizrn]

I have taught clinical

In the hospital setting

and the simulation lab.

Simulation debriefing session

cannot replace

Post Conference patient presentations.

Students need to practice

presenting patient case scenarios

so they can feel comfortable

with the skill when

They get that first RN job.

Sure clinical lab simulations

give the students the opprotunity

to practice "skills"

with Standardized Patients

(live or dummies)

and give feedback on

how the interaction "felt."

Students ALSO need to know

how to verbally "report"

patient information in an organized manner.

This skill is learned in Post Conference

NOT

Simulation.

[Carrollrn]

Hi

I am doing my first clinical instructing in a cardiac unit step-down. I am a orthopedic pacu RN.

This is completely new for me. certain procedures and medication I am really unaware of and I am struggling.

Do you have any tips for me To get through the day without looking like an a**?

thanks