Student Nurse Teacher

Do your nursing classes make you feel like you're trying to drink from a fire hose? Do you leave class wondering if and how you will remember everything you heard? One of the secrets to long-term retention is taking quality notes while in class. Here are my top 5 tips for doing just that. 1. Get the PowerPoint ahead of time if possible. If your teacher uses PowerPoint, see if you can get a copy of the presentation before class and print it out. I usually print mine out with two slides per page and room for notes. This allows you to focus on what the teacher is teaching, rather than copying down every word from the slide. You can also simply work from the PowerPoint on your computer and take notes directly in PowerPoint. 2. Don't write down every word the teacher says. Listen for key ideas and summarize in your mind as you take notes. This helps you to process the information rather than simply recording it. Pay attention for phrases like "in summary, most...

You've made it through all your prerequisites and have finally been officially accepted into clinicals. Congratulations! Nursing school provides a unique opportunity to see first hand the day-to-day responsibilities of a nurse. Whether you are placed in the ER, a clinic, or a med-surg floor, your clinical experience is an invaluable part of your nursing training. So, how can you take full advantage of your time in clinicals? 1. Be prepared Several days before your clinical rotation, take time to read through any paperwork your teacher has given you. Some sites will have different requirements for what to bring, what time to arrive, etc. Make sure you know ahead of time what you need. For suggestions of what to bring for clinicals, check out my post  here ! Lay out your clothes the night before. Don't forget your badge! Wake up early--set several alarms if necessary. Eat a good breakfast with some protein and take a deep breath. You are ready to enter the hospital as a stu...

Earlier I shared what I take to work in my nursing bag . Today's post is for all my nursing student friends. Hopefully, your school has given you some suggestions on what to take to clinicals. But if not (or even if they have), consider this some added encouragement from me to you. I was in your shoes...not too long ago! So without further ado, here is my nursing bag: student nurse edition. Chap Stick That dry hospital tho. I love eos coconut lip balm Clipboard with room for papers This one is super helpful for storing clinical paperwork. Makes it easy to remain professional and not have papers spilling everywhere, while still having everything you need close by! Always take an extra piece of paper or a small notepad for jotting down vital signs, meds, or questions you have. Pens, highlighter, pencil Get you a couple of each and be the nursing student who is prepared!! Drug reference book Your school probably has a required drug reference book for your classes. But, if...

In the Nursing Specialties series, we have met  Telemetry ,  Family Practice ,  Labor and Delivery , and  Pediatric ICU  nurses. In this post, you will be introduced to Marilyn, a Public Health Nurse working in the Middle East!  What type of nursing do you do?  I'm a public health nurse working and teaching at a public university in Northern Iraq. I just arrived in September and prior to that had a career at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Public Health Nurse Adviser. It was an amazing job that took me to the immigrant and refugee communities all over the state of Massachusetts. I really loved it, but I love being back living and working in the Middle East.  Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty?  I began loving public health when I first worked for a grant-funded cancer prevention program in Massachusetts many years ago. I had grown up overseas and had been exposed to publi...

For every shift I have a few essentials. You know, things like scrubs, my stethoscope, comfortable shoes, my cell phone charger, water and coffee, a positive attitude, my brain etc. 😉 I also always take my nursing bag and I thought it would be fun to show you what I pack in it! So here is my nursing bag: RN edition. The Bag. I love Vera Bradley bags . This one has several pockets for pens and small items. The shoulder strap is comfortable and it is just the right size to be manageable but hold what you need with ease! 😊 For Reference. For the first several months on a new floor I like to keep my basic orientation information with me to review. My floor provided me with information on common procedures and medications, EKG rhythms, and more. It was super helpful to be able to review details and brush up on things when I had some extra time in the middle of the night. After I was more comfortable on my floor I compiled a lot of this information onto little cheat sheets that I ...

Today's nursing specialty interview is very near and dear. ❤ Not only is Kandis a close friend, but she is a former coworker of mine! She has worked on a Telemetry floor for several years now and it has been so neat to watch her learn and grow there from a new nurse to a leader and strong team player.  What type of nursing do you do? I do inpatient cardiovascular telemetry nursing. (That's medical jargon for hospitalized patients with heart problems.) Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty? I graduated from a technical college with my ADN looking forward to working in material nursing, either labor and delivery, mom/baby, or even antepartum. I had done my practicum on a mom/baby unit about an hour away from my house, and didn't feel the Lord was leading me all the way back out there full time on nights, so I applied for several positions at hospitals closer to me. Those maternal/infant positions remained closed, so I applied...

In my first two nursing interviews, we got to know a Pediatric ICU nurse and a Labor and Delivery Nurse . This interview features Rachel, a nurse who works for a federally qualified health center , where she provides care to a variety of patients who may not be able to find the healthcare they need anywhere else. Rachel is a compassionate nurse who uses her skills to serve her patients on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing with us, Rachel! What type of nursing do you do?  I work in family practice at a federally qualified health center. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you chose that specialty?  I am a 2016 nursing grad. Being in church every Sunday is important to me. I chose this job because it allows me to have weekends off. How is your specialty unique to other types of nursing? What are some of its challenges and rewards? A FQHC has some differences from other family practices, because of the population with which we work....