The BSN Student’s Guide to Nursing
10/01/10
With our aim to reach out with all the nurses worldwide and goal to learn and share what we can learn here at Nurses Notes, here’s another article from Nurse Tina of the Philippines who we really admire for being so selfless to share her study habits and strategy to become a nurse equipped with all the things each of us need to know especially during the university years. Please take time to read what she has shared with us.
Picture this: Your eight-hour shift ends in thirty minutes. You have to finish everything that you have to do to complete all the things the doctor has ordered, attend to your client, and end your notations in the client’s chart making sure that there was nothing left that was not taken in to account and that everything’s checked by your clinical instructor. As the clock strikes six (you look at it with fingers crossed), you get on your feet and pack your bags. Then, you walk through the halls of your assigned unit and leave the hospital premises. In a cab on your way home, you realized that you missed your room for the first time, longing for the bed, sheet covers and your pillows. Then, just as you reached your home doorbell, you know for sure that you are frantically excited to lie down and sleep. As you lay down, however, you remembered that you still have to review for your pathophysiology and pharmacology examinations. And all you can do is sigh…
.
Is this scenario familiar? A nursing student’s life will always be laborious and compelling. Intellectual, physical, and sometimes emotional demands are encountered in the Nursing discipline in order to satisfy the provisions dictated in the curriculum. Laboratory sessions, classroom lectures, and clinical duties are just some of those things you have to get over with until graduation. Most Registered Nurses at present had experienced the same predicaments and challenges, all in varying degrees. They had undergone such events before becoming the great nurses they are today.
.
The prime way on how to deal with the BSN life is to have this realization: It’s never easy to become a nurse. In line with this, you have to recognize the fact that in order to be up to it, you really have to pour on a great deal of hard work.
.
As they say, “it is easier said than done”. For sure, you’re now at the peak of your ‘worry meter’. The good news is it isn’t as hard as it seems. Relax and calm down while checking out these fun and easy ways to make it through your BSN years:
.
FIND MEANING IN NURSING.
Anything that is not done in the context of its essence is surely unrewarding. In order to enjoy Nursing, one must indulge in discovering the beauty that lies in it. Find out the immeasurable wonders of Nursing and opportunities to implicate positive things through it. Nursing plays a valuable role in ensuring an optimal well-being to everyone in the society. One should realize the privilege of being able to become a professional nurse, to touch people’s lives, and to make a great difference. One would realize how splendid a nurse’s role can be that becoming one, though difficult and challenging, is indeed fulfilling.
.
BECOME WHAT YOU WANT TO BE!
Envisioning your self in the near future as a Registered Nurse sure is a great way to start! The more you think of becoming a RN, the more you are fortifying your mindset geared towards its achievement. Then, you have to devise ways in order to achieve this ambition. Begin by knowing your goals and priorities. This is a great means to jumpstart your way in reaching your RN dream!
.
BE A STUDENT NURSE.
Okay, let’s face it. From this very point, you are still in college. This means that term papers, examinations, recitations, related learning experiences, and tons of other schoolwork loads are inevitable. Faced with all these, focus and perseverance are what you need to keep up with the game. Every student should keep this in mind: Do not rush things. You can’t be a RN that easy! Since you are still in your BSN years, do what a student nurse ought to do. That is, learn… learn… and LEARN hard.
.
DON’T RELY TOO MUCH ON YOUR MEMORY.
For individuals who have “photographic” memory, information retention sure is a piece of cake. However, what if you’re not one of those people? That is where taking-down-notes is held indispensable. When you jot down things in your notepad, make sure that you write only those important pieces of information. You don’t have to note down your lecturer’s words in verbatim. The secret is to listen first. Then, paraphrase into much simpler words acceptable to your level of understanding. This way, you are able to assimilate information instead of just plainly writing them down. Also, always write in strokes easy to decipher. Finally, love your notes and have them handy so you can review them anytime!
.
MAKE THE MOST OUT OF RLE.
Learning in BSN is best achieved through theory and application. Related Learning Experiences (RLE) provide concrete correlation between what you have learned in lectures or read in textbooks and what you encounter in the actual practice. Memorizations and return demonstrations of nursing procedures are not enough in fully understanding the Nursing discipline. It’s a whole lot different and diverse in the actual clinical setting. That’s why, no matter how uninteresting for you an area could be, it is still very important to attend your scheduled clinical duties. When you are in the area, be initiative. Try to read your patient’s chart (if available) and compare findings by performing your own nursing assessments. Communicate with the client or their family members and always make yourself available and willing to assist. Explore the client’s responses to his disease process and determine cues that warrant immediate interventions. Ensure your client’s safety and comfort. Don’t just sit somewhere and wait until the shift is over. Explore the area and observe. Take note of the things (i.e. medications, diagnosis, laboratory tests, etc.) that you are not familiar with so you can make further readings about them later.
.
PROFESSORS ARE NOT TERRORISTS!
Professors or clinical instructors are supposed to facilitate your learning. If you don’t understand a certain topic or concept that much, don’t hesitate to raise this concern in class. You can also pay a brief visit to them in the faculty area during their consultation hours. They would certainly value your eagerness to learn. It would also be helpful to do your own share of reading to augment the output of your lectures. On the other hand, you might find some of your professors strict or intimidating. Unknowingly, their composure might just be a part of their professional style. Avoid hasty judgments and misconceptions. Discover their teaching strategies and regulations (i.e. house rules) so a harmonious professor-student relationship can be established and maintained. Finally, be aware of your decorum and do your best to act accordingly.
.
HAVE FUN!
Once in a while, BSN students should learn how to seat back, relax, and enjoy. The best way to do after a week of compelling school activities is to give your self a break! Spend time with your friends and loved ones. Catch a movie, do some shopping, or have a trip to the karaoke bar—name it! The possibilities are endless! Having fun is a great way to “buffer” the stresses of the BSN life. However, this should not jeopardize your study routine.
.
EAT AND LIVE HEALTHY.
Here’s a dogma that every student nurse should know and live by: sufficient meals, exercise, and sleep boost optimal body function. This might sound too ideal, however, try making it happen. Always begin your day with a hearty and unhurried breakfast. Try to obtain and ingest nutritious meals and snacks within the day. When it comes to rest, plan your study routine to coincide with your circadian rhythm in order to maintain a proper sleep-wake pattern. It is best to read and review lessons after an adequate sleep. Power naps (ten minutes long) are also great in between readings. The key is to not to force yourself to read if you’re too sleepy to do that. It might compromise efficient comprehension. And finally, try maintaining an active lifestyle for improved circulation and performance. You don’t necessarily have to be enrolling in a gym. Walking on a nearby luncheonette instead of riding a cab or climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator are just some of the simple and practical ways of doing this.
.
SMILE.
Nothing beats a jolly and outgoing disposition. You have to be serious in your studies to finish your nursing degree. However, don’t prevent it from flashing your most radiant smile. And hey, always share it to everyone around!
.
And most of all, BELIEVE. Never fail to trust in your own capabilities. No one out there can help you except your own self. Nursing is not as complicated as others demonstrate it to be, you just got to have the faith and the heart to fulfill it. Always hold on to your RN dream! Good luck!
.
.
**Nurse Tina was also the contributing author of B.O.A.R.D. E.X.A.M. Tips posted here at Nurses Notes
I got this from: http://nursesnotes.org/the-bsn-students-guide-to-nursing/
No comments:
Post a Comment