Welcome to the new Nursing Student Assistance Forum

Brian, ASN, RN · Sep 29, 2004

dear nursing students,

this forum was opened for nursing students to use to ask nurses questions. if you have assignments to contact nurses or interview, feel free to post your request here. i hope you find this forum helpful.

enjoy!

please start a new thread for your request.

click here to start a new thread

brian short rn

allnurses.com administrator

z's playa · Sep 30, 2004

Dear Nursing Students,
This forum was opened for nursing students to use to ask nurses questions. If you have assignments to contact nurses or interview, feel free to post your request here. I hope you find this forum helpful.
Enjoy!
Brian Short RN
allnurses.com administrator

Thank you very much! It will be very helpful i'm sure! :)

abundantjoy07, RN · Sep 30, 2004

I'll be posting here in a few months when it's time for my interview assignment. Thanks Brian!:chuckle

Beckylou642 · Sep 30, 2004

I have to give a class presentation on educating a patient on any subject. All the usual subjests are already taken. I am a first semester student, and I am not sure what to do. I have never wittnessed a nurse educating a patient.:uhoh21: I would be greatful for any advice.

Thanks.

SCmomof3, RN · Sep 30, 2004

Thanks :)

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Sep 30, 2004

I have to give a class presentation on educating a patient on any subject. All the usual subjests are already taken. I am a first semester student, and I am not sure what to do. I have never wittnessed a nurse educating a patient.:uhoh21: I would be greatful for any advice.
Thanks.

When you say all the good subjects have been taken ... define this. Nurses perform patient teaching all the time. There are many areas in which teaching can be done. For a first semester student .... looking at your functional health patterns, teaching can be performed on health seeking behavior. For patients that are recent post operative ... teraching can be performed on poreventing post-operative infection or recognizing s/s of infection.

There are also many areas for teaching in relationship to patients who take a blood thinner. Much of the teaching that nurses do can be common sense. For example, the patient taking a blood thinner at home is at increased risk for bleeding. Teaching for this patient might include having the patient do a safety insepction of their home and remove throw carpet or things that might cause them to fall. Remember that a fall can increase the chance of bleeding. Patients on blood thinners tend to bleed for a longer time than those who are not on them. In addition, if a patient on a blood thinner falls and hits their head, they could be at an increased risk for a subderal hematoma. Teaching can also include measures for the patient to take if they start bleeding .... apply firm, direct pressure, call 911 .. etc.

There are many things that nurses teach. If you would like, please list some areas that you might want to teach your patient and perhaps some of us can give you some pointers.

Good luck!

gsunursingstudent · Oct 1, 2004

Hi! I just finished my third week at clinicals. For the past three weeks, my instructor has given me patients with the same medical diagnosis (TAH). Also, we have to do a nursing care plan for each patient, without using the same nursing diagnosis twice. What is a good way to state a diagnosis for a patient that is having lots of "flatus" ?

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Oct 1, 2004

Hi! I just finished my third week at clinicals. For the past three weeks, my instructor has given me patients with the same medical diagnosis (TAH). Also, we have to do a nursing care plan for each patient, without using the same nursing diagnosis twice. What is a good way to state a diagnosis for a patient that is having lots of "flatus" ?

Not sure I would care plan "flatus." Rather, I would look at what is causing the flatus. Is the patient's diet causing the flatus? Does the patient have a GI disturbance or disease that might cause increased gas? Is the patient impacted? There might be a lot of reasons why the patient is having flatus.

Here would be an example of a reasonable ND and care plan:

Alteration in elimination related to poor diet and PO intake as evidenced by constipation and increased flatus.

Goal: Patient will report normal bowel elimination pattern.

Interventions:

1. Use of medications as ordered and perscribed.

2. Monitor food and fluid intake.

3. Assess bowel sounds per hospital policy.

4. Monitor bowel output.

5. Labs as ordered.

6. Keep MD informed of changes or need for new orders to promote normal bowel elimination patterns.

In addition, if the flatus is casuing the patient pain, you could also use alteration in comfort ...... Again, the most important thing is to find the reason.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Oct 2, 2004

Welcome to the forum! :balloons:

Just want to take the time to introduce myself, as co-moderator of this exciting new forum. I am VickyRN, an ADN instructor, and a fulltime graduate student myself! :chuckle

This Forum is here to facilitate your learning experience in nursing school. This is a place where more experienced nurses can help point you in the right direction, as we all journey together towards the common goal of becoming the best nurses we can be, improving peoples' health, and providing excellent patient care.

So welcome, and please be sure to add your suggestions and comments :)

Beckylou642 · Oct 3, 2004

When you say all the good subjects have been taken ... define this. Nurses perform patient teaching all the time. There are many areas in which teaching can be done. For a first semester student .... looking at your functional health patterns, teaching can be performed on health seeking behavior. For patients that are recent post operative ... teraching can be performed on poreventing post-operative infection or recognizing s/s of infection.
There are also many areas for teaching in relationship to patients who take a blood thinner. Much of the teaching that nurses do can be common sense. For example, the patient taking a blood thinner at home is at increased risk for bleeding. Teaching for this patient might include having the patient do a safety insepction of their home and remove throw carpet or things that might cause them to fall. Remember that a fall can increase the chance of bleeding. Patients on blood thinners tend to bleed for a longer time than those who are not on them. In addition, if a patient on a blood thinner falls and hits their head, they could be at an increased risk for a subderal hematoma. Teaching can also include measures for the patient to take if they start bleeding .... apply firm, direct pressure, call 911 .. etc.
There are many things that nurses teach. If you would like, please list some areas that you might want to teach your patient and perhaps some of us can give you some pointers.
Good luck!

Thank you for your reply. Sorry it has to me so long to get back here, but I have had school. I think you misunderstood me. What I meant by all the usual subjects were already taken, was all the usual things that come to mind, high blood pressure, diabetes, diet ect.... . What I meant to ask is exactly what is expected in a exchange between a nurse and a patient.(as far as educating the patient) That is what I am not sure about.

Mandee25 · Oct 4, 2004

Here's what my textbook says about it: The teaching process involves development of a plan that includes assessment, diagnosis, setting patient objectives, intervention and evaluation.

You would be setting up your teaching based on the needs of your patient. If your patient has already been having a disease or condition for several years, you may want to change your teaching to something new or something more in depth. Also, you have to look at your patient's age and education level. What you teach a PhD will probably be on a totally different level then what you teach someone who never finished elementary school.

Also, you can do your teaching on drugs, not just their medical condition. Take a drug that they just started taking and work from there.

Oh, and from what I've learned the teaching shouldn't really last for more than 15-20 minutes because they get overwhelmed and stop paying attention.