Worried sick

Do you work in a hospital now? Like as a tech, CNA, or Nurse Intern?

I just finished up my 3rd semester and I'm a nurse intern on a med-tele floor. My clinicals were also on a telemetry floor. The way I applied the knowledge was to look for the Patho first. If I got a CHF patient, I remembered back to Patho the manifestations I should be expecting to see in that patient. Right sided, I should expect to see some edema in the ankles and feet. Then I think about about what is taking place in the body. What is causing the fluid retention? Then I look at the interventions. What needs to be done about the manifestations? Lasix and daily weights. From there, I ask myself, why was Lasix given and why do the patient need to be weighed daily? Then I ask myself, what do I need to monitor when at patient is given Lasix? Urine output. Why? Also, I ask myself, what is a potential side effect of Lasix? What lab values do I need to monitor? Potassium. And why?

This is how I apply what I learned from the classroom to the clinical setting. This is how I piece together the bigger picture. I always ask myself why I am doing something before I do it. I hope this helps.