Thoughts about that kitchen waste..STOP THE PROCRASTINATION!!!

HOW TO PREPARE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE AS A STUDENT NURSE

Second year is here and you can’t imagine how far you’ve come. Memories of the entrance examination, acceptance letter and most especially orientation day with other nursing students floods your mind. You are so happy because your dream of becoming part of this noble profession of caring is materializing. Your basic nursing skills has improved drastically, your confidence too is not left out and you just can’t wait to get to your final year.

Now the time comes for clinical practices and you will have to do more than one. Your brain can’t help but release some amines such as the adrenaline hormone. You have a lot of questions "why now? so soon? Umm... I do not think I’m prepared". It seems someone borrowed all your essential nursing skills and confidence you’ve acquired since you started studying and you just need so hints on how to get prepared for this challenging phase of your study life. 


"Keep calm" will be the appropriate statement for you at this moment. I have been there and I felt the same way so you’re not alone. I have been in the hospital since August and still there. It’s been an exciting experience and below are some tips that older nursing students (in terms of educational level) and I used during our practices. 

Get Organized: This simple fact can make your practice an awesome one or the contrary. Print all the necessary documents you need before the start of the practice and fill them. Examples of such documents are your work schedules and evaluation forms. This will give your mentors in school and at the hospital the impression that you’re ready for the practice. 

Plan with your mentors where you can get your work clothe and this depend on where you work. In the central hospital, you can get your ID card and keys for your dressing room from the personnel service. You can ask your mentor or from the reception in the hospital where they are located.

Get oriented to the ward before the day because this will help you avoid rush and late-coming on the first day of your practice. More so, you could know the shift to start with. This can also be achieved by writing and responding to mails from your hospital mentor.

Take Notes: Since you cannot remember everything that will happen in the ward for one month, taking notes can be very beneficial to you. Keeping a diary of your daily experience in the ward can help you evaluate if you’ve achieved your goals for the practice and keep you focused. You may also need the notes for some practice assignments because some assignments are a reflection of your practice.

 Assignments: Assignments help to deepen your theoretical knowledge about some nursing issues. Be glad to do it. Remember to do it as soon as you finish your practice because you're most likely to start a new practice which may be unrelated to your last practice field thus, all your attention may be on the new practice that you may not remember all you’ve done from your previous field. Doing your assignments early, may relieve some burden of late-hour rush and not having your credits for your practice.

Observational Skills: This is a golden treasure that you need to take along with you in all your practices. You can learn new skills and enforce the ones you already know by watching how other nurses work. It is a one-on-one skills lab with your mentor and evaluation time can some so fast so do not allow a second to slip without observing all that is going on around you.

Take Every Opportunity: Make use of all the opportunities that come your way because you do not know what the next one holds for you. I have done catheterization just twice and this is my seventh practice. Make sure you give in your best because it will help to build trust and make you dependable. Do not perform any procedure you are not sure of just because you want to explore. Remember you will be dealing with humans and not dummies.

Pharmacology: Write down if possible all the medications you will administer to your patients and learn them. It is an excellent opportunity to deepen your knowledge on medication and this is so important because you will be with your patients for a long time so all the effects of the medication and the principles applied in medication administration will be handy to you.

Punctuality: This cannot be overemphasized. Every second counts in the hospital and your absence due to late coming can have lethal effect on the patients’ health and your professional life. For tips on being punctual check this http://eliterossy.blogspot.com/2016/11/normal-0-false-false-false-en-gb-x-none.html?spref=fb .

 Finnish Skills: Go with the little Finnish you know because it can form a foundation upon which you can build and develop your Finnish language skills. Some nurses are not comfortable in English language speaking, having some knowledge can break the barrier and can help you learn more. Nevertheless, do not feel insufficient when you do not understand. Be gentle with yourself and give yourself some time to learn and improve.

 Be Approachable: Wear a huge smile and always be ready to exchange pleasantries. Say thank you and genuinely say you’re sorry for your mistakes. This is a trusted strategy of being a good team member and advancing both personally and professionally.

Hydration: The stress can be a bit challenging depending on the ward you are posted to that is why you need a break for water, coffee or energy drinks. Remember to take care of yourself too so you can be alive to take care of others.

Positive Mind: You may have heard of unpleasant stories in the hospital and you now have fears, doubts and misconceptions. Remember every one’s journey is different. Have a good and positive outlook to life and choose to ingest only the positives.

Ask Questions: This is the only phase you are not expected to know everything so make good use of it. Be a questionnaire if need be and flood the nurses you are working with questions. This will save you a lot of troubles in the future and help to increase knowledge needed for your professional growth.

Follow Your Mentor: You do not have to only follow your mentor’s shifts but also his or her working style. Some nurses can feel some rebellious attitude from you if you do not work according to their style. The good news is that you can choose from the various styles and be the best nurse you can be when you graduate.

Mistakes: Be prepared to have some as a student. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes that is why you are not a professional yet. Remember to learn from the mistakes and avoid a repetition.

 

Feel free to ask any question you have using my email and as always your comment is a treasure to me

Until I come your way soon, remain graciously fabulous!!!