Monday, October 3, 2011

procedures

Nursing school. Procedures, right? Placing Foley catheters and IVs, running codes, dropping an NG tube.

No. Why not? 

Because procedures change. Equipment changes. Teach you today and the procedure will be outdated before you graduate. And anyone can learn and do a procedure. 

So what then? Thinking. In nursing school we teach you to think. Why are you doing the procedure? What's the anatomy? How does the patient feel about the procedure and what does he or she believe about illness and health? What's the best way to perform the procedure, based on research? Thinking. Critical thinking. That's what we teach in school these days.

And holistic nursing. Look at the whole person, the family, and the community.

Communication. How will you speak to the patient, the family, and the health care team?

Politics. Where does the money come from, what can you do as a nurse, and what are the imminent reforms? How does one effect change? Thinking. That's what we teach. That's what nurses do. Welcome to health care 2011.