By popular demand, our first article for 2019-20 will be about Cannabidiol, or CBD. There are a lot of great take aways from these articles,and I hope you enjoy them. When discussing CBD with patients please stress fact over what is essentially Junk Science.
I was able to find three very short and very recent articles that give quite a bit of information about CBD, and products associated with it. These three articles represent a good balance of research and opinion. Cannabidiol (CBD) - what we know and what don't, The Nurse's Guide to CBD and Here Are 5 Harmful Things That CBD Articles Get Wrong. After you finish the third link, keep scrolling on it for further articles about CBD. As a new expert on the topic, you will be able to discern fact from junk science in these further readings (which are not required).
Questions
- The basics, in one or two paragraphs, explain the difference between THC and CBD.
- How are CBD products regulated to the public, and how can you determine the quality of any given CBD product?
Discussion Question
With the onset of fall comes another school year. Maybe you aren't going back to school, but someone somewhere is registering for classes right this moment in order to enter the health care field. Whether you are a nurse, PCT, or Surgical Tech, this article is meant to be inclusive for all health care professionals. Ten Things They Don't Teach You In Nursing School.
Question - If you were allowed to add a course or topic to the education you received to enter your chosen health care profession, what would it be? The course you design can be serious or not. Back in the day, I would have appreciated a course on " Commonly Acquired Patient Stains and How to Remove Them From Your Nursing Whites". Or on a more serious note, a class lead by a social worker on caring for patients with toxic family members.
Please send your answers to melissa.luebbe@ctca-hope.com, and enter your discussion response on the blog. FYI, I will be away for the next nine days and will acknowledge your answers when I return. If you have an urgent question please send it to my personal email at melissaluebbe@comcast.net.
Please send your answers to melissa.luebbe@ctca-hope.com, and enter your discussion response on the blog. FYI, I will be away for the next nine days and will acknowledge your answers when I return. If you have an urgent question please send it to my personal email at melissaluebbe@comcast.net.
In hindsight, I would have appreciated a course which demonstrates the general process of a patient's initial visit to a hospital through discharge. Regardless of how a patient becomes admitted, then treated, etc. it would be interesting to see the "forest from the trees." I work in surgery. I have a good idea of what occurs in the perioperative realm. However, when the patient leaves the department of surgery, the mystery begins. We all have different roles in treating the patient, but our care seems segmented/compartmentalized. I would enjoy getting a bird's-eye view of the patient's entire journey. The unknown has always intrigued me and I'd like to know how all of the moving parts fit and work together.
ReplyDeleteHi John, that is a great idea for student nurses and even seasoned nurses!
DeleteI remember when I first started working at CTCA about 10 years ago that they did offer a program, Jigsaw, that allowed to shadow a variety of departments to allow you get a complete viewpoint of the patients journey. At the end you got to choose one department that you simply wanted to shadow whether it be the finance department or culinary to just see their day to day functions.
DeleteJohn, I agree both inpatient and outpatient. It's difficult to know how and where you should refer your patients to get the right answers if you are not sure of the process yourself. We all need updates from time to time with all the changes in healthcare as well as our own hospital.
DeleteI think that a class in how to deal with difficult people and crucial conversations would be valuable. This class would be excellent when working with all sorts of patients, family, friends, doctors, staff. I would have benefited from this class!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, a class on dealing with difficult people would not only help us at work but also in our daily lives. Great idea!
DeleteSarah, you've got a great idea. During my nursing school experience, we simply glossed over basic "therapeutic communication" skills.
DeleteI think this would be a great course especially where we all work. As much as it may be the physician who should initiate this first conversation we all know that doesn't always happen. How to navigate these conversations while maintaining hope would be beneficial!
DeleteI think it would be interesting to have a class "A Day in the Life of a Patient". This way as health care providers we can view things through the patients eyes. What helps them, what aggravates them etc. All the way from takes medications to pain, noise, gowns, visiting hours. I feel this would allow us to make simple changes that may have a big impact and make their visit a little nicer.
ReplyDeleteLaura I think this is a fabulous topic. As nurses we do our best to take care of the patients, but that is from our perspective. We may do something that we think is great, but the patient may not like it or we may not be doing something that the patient prefers we do. It can be something as simple as knocking before you enter the room or introducing yourself even if you are just going into a room to fix a beeping IV pump. I agree that making even a small change could make a big difference in a patient's visit.
DeleteGreat proposal Laura. This would be a good workshop session with the opportunity for each stakeholder to assume the role of a patient experience throughout their journey. This would help us nurses better understand patient's feelings and idiosyncrasies.
DeleteLaura, I think this course would be a great idea. Some times it is hard to deal with certain patients, but I think if we were able to put ourself in their shoes and were able to better understand how they were feeling, things would be much easier.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI also agree, that a class directed at coping constructively with difficult personalities would be useful. Our organization has grown and there are many more personalities to contend with. As a nurse for over 30 years, doctors were once upon a time allowed to chastise, belittle and yell at nurses, and sadly, actually throw things. Many new nurses were frightened to ask questions and intimidated, I wish there would have been a course for that.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. Luckily I haven't had to deal with physicians like this but even dealing with the different way each physician communicates without taking it personally can be a difficult at times.
DeleteI agree Mary, us "seasoned nurses" saw many things that went on and it was also "bullying" by RNs to other RNs. We use to say "nurses eat their young." I am glad the culture changed as I thought some of my professors were just as bad, and not sure would have received much support 30 years ago.
DeleteOh my goodness, I cannot even imagine having to deal with these types of behaviors by a physician. That would definitely mentally break someone, especially a new nurse. Seriously, throw things at you?!?
DeleteOh, Amanda, yes. Back in the 1980's, I knew nurses who were cut by flying scapels thrown during tantrums in surgery (working in another state). We faced predators on the unit. I was advised to hide as a 21 year old new nurse when a certain doctor made rounds as he was inappropriate with young nurses. I had one bad encounter, that was enough to make me seek cover. It is now a different world. We have respect and are empowered. I am proud of where we are today.
DeleteMy non-serious course would be: "How to hold your bladder without getting a UTI"
ReplyDeleteMy more serious course would be about nurse to nurse relationships including how to work as a team with nurses in other departments and best ways to communicate with a patient-centered focus.
Stephanie, I agree with both of these! However, on the more serious course this is good. I think we all forget that even though we may be doing a little bit different job or in a different department, we are all human. Everyone's end goal is to get patients the care that they need and deserve. We must always remember to be respectful. I feel like when we can hide behind technology (email, skype, cortext) we may not be as professional as if we were talking on the phone or in person. Sometimes reading the messages can be difficult to emphasize tone.
DeleteBoth of these would be good topics! How many of us nurses hold their bladder until the last possible second because we have to that one last thing?! LOL
DeleteNurse to Nurse relationships should be a given. Our jobs are stressful enough and we should be able to rely on and depend on our fellow nurses for support.
This is good topic Stephanie a good relationship between nurses to nurses working together as a team for the good of all our patients . a better communication tools that we can used to improve our care and I need to know too how to hold my bladder without getting the UTI
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI agree to all of the above ideas. A workshop on techniques on how to diffuse toxic environment and people will benefit everybody. It become contagious when co worker, family member or patients display those attitudes, although we knew that we should not react but as human it is very hard to control our selves.
Ninfa L. Bontes October 11.2019
ReplyDeleteEach one of us is a unique individual with various complexities, potentials, and purpose in life. We set our goals and priorities in different perspectives which make us successful people throughout our journey. We wear different hats and fill many roles in our daily routine which not only can it preoccupy our time and tip our balance sometimes, but it can also affect work productivity and efficiency. Being resilient would make things recoil easier and turns stress into a more motivating force of achievement.
After working in the building trades for 20 plus years, I was surprised that the healthcare environment was not that different than from where I came from. While not as bad as the construction site, there are quite a few “characters” around that could be a little more professional. Therefore, I believe a course in professionalism would benefit the new healthcare provider as well as the workplace environment. Common characteristics of professionalism can include: 1. A Neat Appearance, 2. Proper Demeanor, 3. Reliability, 4. Competence, 5. Communication skills, 6. Good Phone Etiquette, 7. Poise, 8. Ethical, 9. Organized, and10. Accountability. Having these characteristics can help make the any work environment less stressful and more pleasurable to work in. These skills can also help when dealing with difficult patients, family members and fellow staff members. Having established these qualities, it should also help with getting that new job.
ReplyDeleteI like the comparison you make between the two professions. I also agree with the 10 common characteristics you shared. They are so important to nursing. I remember the days, long ago, when I answered every phone call with much more formality, title, etc.
DeleteI agree Donna. Those 10 characteristics in any profession are valuable. Speaking as a girl on her own, I feel so much more at ease when an HVAC tech or auto mechanic has these qualities:-)
DeleteI would actually want the topic of how to deal with anxious patients. We have all come across these patients and I have empathy for them. But I would be interested in a class on how we can communicate with them where it doesn’t sound like we are brushing off their anxiety. Or if there are programs we can offer down the line if they aren’t the type to want to have medication to help with their anxiety.
ReplyDeleteI agree that approaching anxious patients or even co-workers requires a skill. I wish we could learn as children at schools how to read emotions and how to control our own emotions too. It is not only the course that would be beneficial in nursing schools. It just happens that nurses encounter these situations every day at work. There is very little education in terms of psychology and that makes a lot of nurses and doctors incompetent to handle human emotional states and limit the treatment to medications.
DeleteI agree with all of the above as well. This isn't a course or really much of a topic but what I wish I knew as a young nurse or student was that it is ok to say "I'm not sure about that or I don't know, let me ask". Critical thinking is important but I think it is equally important to know your limitations and never guess or assume. As nurses we are never alone, we can always ask someone who knows. You can (if you are on the phone) put the patient on hold and ask your peers or members of the healthcare team. We are a team and we have so many resources at our fingertips. If you are true to your word and get back to the patient with the answer, it is ok to say "I don't know but I will get back to you with the answer."
ReplyDeleteYes, a class about scripting in response to hard questions or situations would have been nice as a young new grad:-) I can recall many an awkward moment as a new nurse, not knowing what to say:-)
DeleteThis is so true to know your limitations and ask questions and for help when it is needed. It was not really taught in nursing school but, I believe this concept really comes forward in ACLS which not everyone has taken or is required.
DeleteThis is a great idea! It took many years for me to realize that it's OK and normal for us to not have all the answers. In nursing we want to help our patients and put their minds at ease and I strived to do that by always giving an answer. However, I realized that it's not always the best way to go especially if I'm not 100% sure that I'm answering correctly. I was always so worried that my patients would think I'm not smart and then question my skills to take care of them. However, telling them I'm not sure and finding someone who has the correct information is the best route to take and I end up learning in the process!
DeleteI would have liked to learn in school, how to not bring work stress home with you. Whether it be a difficult patient or co-worker, it's not worth the expense of our health or families. Over the years I have gained the skills on how not to do that, however this was definitely a struggle for me as a new nurse.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was more focus on palliative care, hospice, and having those discussions about transition of care. As a new nurse being programmed to learn everything to save a patient's life to beginning at an oncology inpatient unit where hospice and dying are a very real topic was difficult to adjust to as I often thought I failed as a nurse to provide the care they needed to be discharged/continue therapy etc.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth,
DeleteI would have loved a course that focused a bit more on the end of life too! Nothing really can prepare you for the first time a patient dies, but at least some kind of course on how to talk to patients, families, each other, heck, even doctors about end of life would have been so helpful.
I would have loved a course that focused a bit more on the end of life too! Nothing really can prepare you for the first time a patient dies, but at least some kind of course on how to talk to patients, families, each other, heck, even doctors about end of life would have been so helpful.
Elizabeth, I agree this would be a great course to benefit the nurse as well as patients. This can be a very difficult or uncomfortable topic to address. Having the tools to start the conversation would be helpful.
DeleteI agree with you, Elizabeth. I think it would have been very beneficial to learn how to discuss end of life decisions with patients...it is very different than the curative model that is focused upon so often in nursing. I remember my first professor teaching that "nursing is focused on the patient's response to disease," however we were not given much preparation to deal with when the patients no longer want to treat that disease.
DeleteTruth! Being a Cancer hospital and dealing with death and dying is so hard and often overlooked because it is a difficult topic and conversation.
DeleteA class about self care and compassion fatigue would have been nice but back when I was in school it was all about being tough and powering through!!
ReplyDeleteThese skills could also be utilized later on in time also! I totally agree with you.
DeleteI think it would be great to have a class on self care. So often we forget that we have to care for ourselves to be able to care for others.
DeleteThere are so many things that I wish they really taught you in nursing school. How to manage your time appropriately. How to deal with difficult or negative co-workers. I wish they would have discussed self care and compassion fatigue. Knowing how to deal with difficult and draining patients and caregivers would be another useful topic.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was more psychology courses and how to work with human emotions. Nurses face patients every day and every patient is different with a complete different set of life experiences. Based on the above comments, there is a high demand for behavioral education. Many people said they would like to learn in nursing school how to deal with difficult people both patients and co-workers. I wish that nursing school would prepare us to face those challenges. Another useful course would be on communication at workplace and work ethics.
ReplyDeleteAnna, I couldn't agree with you more on this subject matter. I noticed a lot of communication barriers in the operating room.
DeleteI would have valued a course in multi-tasking and juggling balls in the air while appearing calm and not rushed by patients and stakeholders. It has taken many years and even more deep breaths to appear calm in the middle of chaos.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I recommend to teach how and why to network with the ancillary departments. When I worked in a smaller community hospital it felt like a small hometown. I strengthened connections with departmental staff I could count on for quick responses to problems. From maintenance, housekeeping, pharmacy, to radiology and secretarial staff, I created a network of go-to people. The ancillary departments can contribute to your successes. By showing respect and interest in them as colleagues, this type of networking helps everyone win.
I would have loved a course on career pathways. To physically provide care to patients in a clinical setting is so very demanding of the nurses body. After 20 in an operating room my skills transfer to very few settings where my salary would match my expertise. Its extremely daunting to imagine the aches and pains after 40 years of bed side nursing.
ReplyDeleteAmy,
DeleteThere were few pathways when I graduated. The sky is the limit now! This would be an excellent course so the nursing student can work where her strengths are. I always thought you needed to work the floor for a few years but I have changed. If your strength is research - God Bless you and elevate the profession of nursing!
If I was allowed to add a course to my baccalaureate nursing program, it would be something to the effect of a CNA basics course. I felt like some students in my program came with practical experience, but I was not one of them, as I came from a very rural area. It would have been nice to have that built into the program as a way to gain that practical experience and have a reference point for all that we were learning about anatomy/physiology, etc.
ReplyDeleteJen I completely agree! I have spoke to so many incoming nursing students about the importance of having just basic familiarization and experience in the environment before starting nursing school. So many of my peers in school did not have one step in a hospital room and the importance of just comfort with patient contact is crucial for some of the skills you need to learn and conquer in clinical s. I would not be opposed to them adding a prerequisite to the program that included a CNA certification with minimum of 1 year experience.
DeleteI think a very useful course would have been some type of stress management/self-care course. Something that would focus on meditation, how to make space for yourself, how not to take work home with you every day, how to say no, and so much more would be great for new nurses to learn how to set boundaries for themselves and learn ways to cope with the stress of nursing before they're trying to dig themselves out of a stress-hole.
ReplyDeleteFor a bit of amusement, a small collection of "classes" that would have been useful:
1. Night Shift 113: How to walk softly like a hobbit.
2. Furniture Arranging 236: How to make 18 things fit in a room made for 11.
3. Wardrobe 402: How to snap a gown together in 2 minutes or less.
4. Contortionism 345: How to maneuver yourself over, under, and through all things. (Pre-req Furniture Arranging 236)
5. Physician/Nurse Comm 126: How to talk to "mean" doctors without ending up in tears.
(I've thought about these a lot over the years, as you can tell!) :-)
Katrina I LOVE your classes, I was dying over here laughing! I definitely feel like I need to go to your nursing school.
DeleteKatrina, these classes are funny but realistic to have.
DeleteI believe a class on Self-Care 101 would have very helpful. I learned a lot in the Holistic Nursing program and how nurses don't know how to take care of themselves when it comes to stress and just taking down time to revitalize. This should be taught first thing in nursing school with a continuous theme throughout your career in nursing.
ReplyDeleteMary- I have learned a lot from you & ML about self-care. I agree this is something they should have taught us in nursing school or school.
DeleteLooking back on this I would have liked to see a course on how to communicate with families. Specifically when it is relaying information about loss. Yes this is simply compassion but there are so many scenarios and so many different family dynamics. For those who do go on to oncology, or hospice this type of experience may better prepare nurses for those times. There is so much focus on just patient care and not as much on caregivers on how nurses interact and utilize resources to aid families in caring for their loved ones, and then especially in loss. It is one of those topics I didn't feel prepared for, they focused on the codes and that is so important but one other important detail is how to be a great nurse to those who are standing by in that code.
ReplyDeleteHaving the right words for difficult situations and the right answers for painful questions doesn't come easy for most. I believe a communication course that would cover this area would be a benefit for everyone who works in healthcare.
DeleteHaving the right words is difficult even talking to friends and family, let alone trying to communicate therapeutically with patients.
DeleteI think that a class on successful communication would have helped me tremendously, not just in my profession, but in my personal life too.
Thanks Jolie!
A good class to add to the nursing curriculum would be advanced nursing career paths. There are several educational levels for nursing that are not discussed in nursing school such as; clinical nurse specialist,nurse educator,nurse midwives,nurse practitioner and certified nurse anesthetist. I would have liked to have a class that informed me of advance nursing education and what requirements were needed for these advance courses. Lifelong learning is essential.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved a semester where the nurse has to follow in the footsteps of other disciplines in the hospital from the housekeeper to kitchen staff, maintenance... If we all walked in each others shoes once in awhile there would be more understanding. I am in awe of the CS staff when we call down "I need that little green thing that screws onto the blue tubing" and they know exactly what we mean!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Pat, knowing and understanding what others do gives us a sense of appreciation. We use to that here through Jigsaw, but I guess that program is no longer implemented.
DeletePat,
DeleteThat would be so beneficial. I have been a housekeeper, CNA, worked as an ADON, worked in retail, worked painting curbs yellow, and cleaning up trash in the city (no, I was not in work release, it was a summer job for students) and I have to tell you, I feel like I can relate so so many people. I can see things from so many perspectives. I feel it can only add to a more positive experience if you can see things from both sides.
Patricia Adams
I would have liked a business class I feel this would help with every day finances and understanding the business aspect of the Health System. I also think a Medicare/Medicaid ongoing course would be helpful now.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to learn about the financial aspects of the health care business. This area seems to change rapidly.
DeleteI agree. I feel like in nursing school they do not touch on the financial aspects of nursing and how its constraints can affect your care. Which leads me into a less serious class we need called "Working with Less 101"- to help with efficiency
DeleteI agree, Laura. I wish I had better understanding of the financial aspects that patients need to consider instead of always referring to the business department.
DeleteI fully agree, with the new CNCM role, knowing the business side and financial would be very helpful.
DeleteModern Vaccination Prejudices would be an interesting topic for a class. With many families not vaccinating their children, some diseases that had been eradicated for years are now having breakouts. According to the CDC, there is currently a Pertussis breakout. Understanding peoples beliefs against or for vaccinations would be a fascinating topic.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! If we don't know why the have barriers we can't help them understand why the vaccines are necessary.
DeleteSheila,
DeleteI am one of those parents who choose not to vaccinate myself and my children.
I get lots of pushback, hate mail and bashing from people who haven’t put in the thousands of hours of research on both the pros and cons of vaccines.
Many people just do what their Dr recommends for vaccines, taking a new drug, chemotherapy or radiation without really considering all of the side affects and long term affects it could have on them.
Although I am not against vaccines in general, my hope is that individuals would REALLY do their own research of ALL of the pros AND cons of any medical treatment and decide for themselves what is in the best interest of themselves and their families.
That way when the side effects and future ramifications happen, it was their educated choice and not their doctors or someone else’s.
So many patients I see in wound care that have chronic wound issues to a previous radiation site tell me that they had no clue that the radiation would do as much damage as it did.
It’s sad.
Thanks,
Brenda Chiappetta
I feel like I would have loved to take a class to understand/deal with "difficult family dynamics"- which can always make things awkward/interesting. I would have liked more classes on palliative/end of life/comfort care.... as I feel like these are not easy things to navigate through.
ReplyDeleteSome other classes that would be great:
1. Primary Nursing 101
2. It's Downtime... Now What??
3. Prioritizing Your Patient's Needs and Your Needs: Knowing When to Eat, Pee, & Take a Break
Amy those are all awesome class ideas! Downtime is such a big thing! We find ourselves in a bind a lot of the time when we have downtime, especially since we are without unit secretaries now. Also, patient prioritization and prioritizing ourselves is a tough balance too! That would be a great class! I would attend your school of nursing :)
DeleteAmy,
DeleteAll of those are great topics. If perhaps not an entire class, we could incorporate that at CTCA with lunch and learns, or Grand rounds, etc. where we could all put our heads together and come up with ideas on how we could transfer this wealth of knowledge we all have and share ideas to be able to truly make CTCA the best place to work.
Thanks,
Brenda
Brenda Chiappetta
DeleteI would like to see a class on dealing with the death and dying process of your patients and their caregivers and how to cope with the after effects as their nurse.
ReplyDeleteWorking at a cancer hospital we see this probably more so than a lot of other hospitals. Sometimes finding the right words to say to the patient and family when they are transitioning to hospice, or dealing with your own emotions when your patient whom you’ve known for years has passed on. Many times we see 3-4 of these patients we have developed a relationship with over the years all pass on in a very short time. That is the hardest to handle and try to cope with sometimes. It also makes you realize your own morbidity more, and appreciate every day as a gift.
Brenda Chiappetta
Wound Care
I agree, Brenda. I think we are not prepared well in nursing school for death and dying. There have been many times I have walked out of a room where my patient has passed away, and there is not even a moment to collect my thoughts or process my feelings. I feel as healthcare professionals there is this expectation that we are supposed to just move forward with little consideration for how these things take a toll on us emotionally.
DeleteMichelle,
DeleteThat’s a very great point. I feel that a nurse should be given 15-20 minutes at least to go into a renewal room and just be able to collect our thoughts and process what just happened, and/or grieve the loss of life and our patient.
Brenda
I would have been interested in a class covering the different kinds of insurance. Understanding Medicare A, B, C, D, E, Q, R, S lol ok maybe there's not that many - but it seems like it sometimes! Also being able to understand how insurance works on the pharmacy side of things. Having knowledge about prior authorizations, appeals and free drug programs would have been so helpful coming into the nursing field!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on this, I just do not have a good idea on how health insurance works and this might be helpful just in case patients or their families will have some questions about this topic
DeleteI totally agree with you both Epi and Beth.. We need more informations about these types of insurances so we can make a smart decisions for ourselves and for others.
DeleteI think it would have been ideal to have more coping skills within the process of balancing ones personal life along with your work life.
ReplyDeleteI would maybe think of a course on how to deal on days with being on “CALL” status to help nurses on how to deal with the stress of just being call. I find some nurses are having anxiety about it and some just do not care. Since working in PACU requires me to take calls, especially on the weekends and on weekdays after the regular shift ends. For an example, for me I do plan some activities with my family, just not to waste the weekend, that would allow me to get in the facility within an one hour if I get called or sometimes just stay at home be boring or do some chores and wait to be called..
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. Taking call was something I didn't know much about and I would totally take this course! Nice job!
DeleteIf there was a course I could add to my education in the nursing profession, it would be nutrition. There is so much linked to what we eat that effects our health. One semester of Nutrition was not enough. With the increasing cost of food, deteriorating quality of food, false advertising and misleading articles for the consumer, I do believe that nutrition should be a large portion of what nurses teach the public. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI feel like theoretical courses which we have learned from nursing school are awesome, but if I was to add a course into the nursing profession, it would be a course that tackles more on the personal side of a nurse like coping with anxiety because of taking care of an anxious patients or dealing with depression as a result of the challenges many nurses are facing. I feel that these subjects are being ignored or maybe not just focused on, but I think these are important things we also have to give emphasis on because they create such an impact and when that happens its always too late to regret.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Richie!
DeleteI have experienced the highest levels of anxiety being a nurse. I feel like I knew I would be stressed, but it has really taken a toll on my health over the years and I never knew it would be that severe. While becoming holistic certified, I obtained a lot of tools to help care for myself and my own well-being, but I still experience a lot of anxiety and sadness with our day to day career even though I love what I do! I just wish I would have learned some of the coping mechanisms in school, too!
These are great ideas! When I was in college, I would of liked there to be a course map. For example, during my prerequisite classes, taking medical terminology closer to when I entered into my actual program. Instead of taking it, in my opinion to early on. Possibly having students take a course to keep them on track!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a good question!
ReplyDeleteI would have loved a class on dealing with toxic family members. I feel like in the more recent few years, I have been surrounded by that a lot on the floor. More recently, a patient's husband actually made threats about harming the nurse caring for the patient because she was advocating for her well-being. This was actually frightening. We care for patients and their support system, and having a better toolbox of ways to cope with them and their stresses and anxieties would have been awesome. I think it is something we learn as we become more seasoned, but I still feel like I have a lot to learn in this area.
Stephanie, I agree sometimes family members are extremely difficult when you are dealing with their loved one. There are also many different personalities and ways others deal with stressors in their lives. It is unfortunate that a RN would be frightened in light of helping others to get better.
DeleteAs we all know it, a lot of changes are going on in the Healthcare system. For some of us, our incomes are fixed or maybe getting lower because of cancellations and no overtimes, but our expenses are going up everyday. So in a non serious note. It would be great to have a course called HUSTLING/ FINANCE 101 : How NOT to spend money for meals while at work.
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note, I want to know more about these courses :
1. LIFE & RELIGION 101 : Organ Donation Process and How Life Goes On.
2. COMMUNICATION 101: Basic Communication Technique: A NOT so good day with a patient, significant others, doctors & management.
3.HEALTH 101 : How To Deal With Stress
4.PSYCHOLOGY 101 : Life As A Nurse : What's Good & Not So Good About It.
5. NUTRITION 101 : How To Eat Healthy
Alex,
DeleteCommunication is key in healthcare. Any miscommunication can lead to serious issues. I think on your list it is my favorite.
I think if Hustling/Finance became a course, that the Nutrition, how to eat healthy might suffer a bit since it can be expensive to eat healthy.
Patricia Adams
Patricia Adams:
ReplyDeleteI would have liked a course on how to manage others. Managing people who are your co-workers but their role is to support your role can be challenging for a new grad. I remember as a new nurse at my first job, all of a sudden, I was taking care of a lot of patients but I also had 3-4 CNA's who I was to direct and make sure they were doing their jobs and directing them on things that needed to be done for my patients. I had never been in a role to tell another adult what to do and suddenly without being the boss, I oversaw my unit, my patients, and my immediate co-workers. I was a new grad and felt lost myself and the added pressure of making sure other people did their job was stressful. As a side note, not everyone comes to work to do the best job they can and to support the patient. So, suddenly, I was also writing up staff and having meetings with them and our supervisor and then I returned on the unit with that same employee. It took me a long time to get used to having to take steps to have someone disciplined or to direct people who work hard at getting out of work.
I would love a class titled "Say this, not that." I can't tell you how many faux pas I made as a young nurse. Life became much easier when I learned to ask "how are you related" instead of assuming the relationship between patients and their caregivers.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I agree I have learned over the years to never assume a relationship as I have put my foot in my mouth many times. I also now always ask before assuming the roles of family members.
DeleteI think I would have liked to have a course on the toxic work environment and ways to handle and communicate in difficult situations. There are a lot of things that can happen unexpectedly in the work environment and some are more difficult than others, whether it be due to a coworker or patient. I think that it would be beneficial to learn how to better communicate when things get rough in the work environment.
ReplyDeleteEvabeatriz S. If I were to add courses/topics, I would love to have a course
ReplyDeletePsyche 101: Nurses are Human Too. To prepare us with the negative effects of cancer or any disease to a patient. We care for our patients and a lot of things going on with them, their diagnosis , treatment, support and how they are holding on. We end up the receiving end of their anger and frustrations. We absorb these negative vibes. On the funny side, a topic pre-requisite to Psyche 101, Nurses with Cardiomegaly- a must. Nurses should have a bigger heart to better understand patient.
The course I feel is lacking, and I imagine it would be SUPER boring, is understanding insurance, especially Medicare/Medicaid. As a CNCM, this is basically what we are dealing with on a daily basis. I have gained a lot of knowledge but even this month I found out about Medicare Part N and F and G...I have no idea what that even means. Google is great but it does not help me to understand the full picture to even begin to help the patient's understand their coverage.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have chosen a topic to learn in nursing school it would be on communication with families, physicians, and co-workers and managing different personalities. Every physician has there own way of practice. Not all RN's do things the same way and are not perceptive to constructive criticism. And then there are the patients and their families that are a whole other beast. Sometimes I wonder if I am on candid camera and someone is just waiting to see how I react to a comment or situation. This would have been a helpful course.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very good point. I wish I learned "How to keep a poker face - 101"
DeleteInsurance is the back bone of health care. I would of appreciated a course that explains the in's and out's of private insurance and Medicare/Medicaid. Medicare has so many parts to it and I think that it is important for nurses, along with other members of the health care field, to know this information.
ReplyDeleteThe class or skill I feel I should have learned (and every nurse should learn) is inserting IV's. They told us we would learn on the job. It would have been nice to have that skill prior to entering the profession.
ReplyDelete-Danyel Scharff
I agree. I never had a chance to learn or practice IV insertion at my nursing school. I think every nurse would benefit the training.
DeleteIn pain management with all of the changes in prescribing opiates, patients have become more challenging... I wish I would have had a course in defusing difficult & demand patients.... sometimes co-workers
ReplyDeleteI graduated nursing from the Philippines many years ago & at that time we didn't use computers. It would have been great if typing was part of our curriculum so I would be more efficient in typing & not just use 2 or 3 fingers to type which takes forever to chart.
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