#12
I think that technology in nursing is a facilitator. It allows for people to do all the skills of nurses in the past, before technology, but to a more intense degree. I think it enriches all aspects of nursing. Though it changes the way we care for a patient, it provides for better outcomes.
From an educational standpoint, technology allows for educators to teach students that supports their individual learning styles. As students, we can learn through different experiences, such as simulations and actual practice. Simulations in the skills lab allow for supplemental learning, along with actual clinical practice, that provides a controlled environment to comfortably learn. Technology also helps if people are sick, and have to miss class. In some school they are then able to access a lecture and class information on the internet directly from their home.
I think technology is an essential part of professional nursing in today's society. As technology advances in the future, we will be able to use it to facilitate our degree of practice even further.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Language of Nursing
#11
This week, as I wrote earlier, I had a patient that spoke no English. As I was writing my Record of Care, I came to self-evaluation part of the paperwork. At that time I was able to reflect on my week. I was thinking of all the care that I was able to provide for my patient even though she spoke no English. I did have an interpreter a lot of the time, but not every time I entered the room. I realized how I was able to communicate through my actions alone. I was able to speak deep concepts such as care, concern, love, and gentleness without ever saying a word. Then I realized that nursing is a language all on its own. The act of caring for someone speaks all these concepts. It reminded me how universal nursing is. I can go anywhere in the world, even though I may not be able to speak much of the language, I can still show love. This week I learned how to communicate better, was able to experience the language of nursing.
This week, as I wrote earlier, I had a patient that spoke no English. As I was writing my Record of Care, I came to self-evaluation part of the paperwork. At that time I was able to reflect on my week. I was thinking of all the care that I was able to provide for my patient even though she spoke no English. I did have an interpreter a lot of the time, but not every time I entered the room. I realized how I was able to communicate through my actions alone. I was able to speak deep concepts such as care, concern, love, and gentleness without ever saying a word. Then I realized that nursing is a language all on its own. The act of caring for someone speaks all these concepts. It reminded me how universal nursing is. I can go anywhere in the world, even though I may not be able to speak much of the language, I can still show love. This week I learned how to communicate better, was able to experience the language of nursing.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Language barrier
#7
Yesterday I was picking out patients for clinical today. I was interested in taking care of a woman with an infection in her foot. Then I saw she did not speak any English. She only spoke Russian. I was going to change patients because of that. Then decided it would be a challenge and I was ready for it. So I met her today and had Ilana introduce me since she speaks Russian. Ultimately the day went well, and I was able to communicate in other ways like hand motions, demonstrations, and drawing pictures. I also had help from Ilana translating while I tried to communicate more intricate messages. It was a challenge but turned into a great experience. The nurses said she was more pleasant and content than she had ever been since she was admitted. She said that was the only day the woman was not constantly asking to go home. I saw how a little attention, and making an effort to communicate and understand her, went a long way. Sometimes the most difficult situations turn into the most rewarding.
Yesterday I was picking out patients for clinical today. I was interested in taking care of a woman with an infection in her foot. Then I saw she did not speak any English. She only spoke Russian. I was going to change patients because of that. Then decided it would be a challenge and I was ready for it. So I met her today and had Ilana introduce me since she speaks Russian. Ultimately the day went well, and I was able to communicate in other ways like hand motions, demonstrations, and drawing pictures. I also had help from Ilana translating while I tried to communicate more intricate messages. It was a challenge but turned into a great experience. The nurses said she was more pleasant and content than she had ever been since she was admitted. She said that was the only day the woman was not constantly asking to go home. I saw how a little attention, and making an effort to communicate and understand her, went a long way. Sometimes the most difficult situations turn into the most rewarding.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Summons
#5
Will you come and follow me
If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know
And never be the same
Will you let my love be shown?
Will you let my name be known?
Will you let my life be grown in you
and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind,
If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you
and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see
If I but call your name
Will you set the prisoners free
And never be the same?
Will you kiss the lepers clean,
And do all of the unseen?
And admit to what I mean in you
And you in me?
Lord, your summons echo true
When You but call my name
Let me turn and follow you
And never be the same
In your company I'll go
Where your love and footsteps show
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you
And you in me
This is a song that I learned when I was younger. For a long time it has stuck with me because it is so meaningful to me and my life. Whenever I think about my future, or what I am going to do, I am reminded of this song and it encourages me. I love how it is about leaving myself behind and just living out God's will. His will is to love other people, even through hostility and turmoil. He calls every Christian to that. It's a pretty simple calling, it is usually in different ways though. In my life, I want to do this through nursing. My favorite part of this song is the last verse, where the person being called is accepting the calling. It also reminds me that I shouldn't just accept it and try to live out God's will, but I need to dwell in Him in order for me to do anything good.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Loving the person
#4
Yesterday I went to my resident's room, and as soon as I walked in I realized she had not slept well the night before. I knew this because she was so irritable and not herself. Usually when I greet her with a smile, she usually smiles back. This little "good morning smile" is the highlight of my day. But there was no smile this morning. The first thing she said when I walk in was, "Where have you been? Are you here to help? Go clean out my dresser drawers." Willingly I did it, and then helped her with her morning care. That was not the end of it though. She soon ordered me to rearranged her bathroom drawers, to re-hang everything in her closet, to re-fold everything in her dressers, and to decorate her room with some Halloween decoration (which she was never content with how it looked). I was getting a headache, and there were other things that I needed to be doing. Then after 4 hours of that, she was tired and I transferred her to her bed, and she laid down for a nap. My head hurt and I was stressed because I did not do the things I needed to be doing, like physical assessment practice, or Gordon's part II and I now needed to catch up. I went to ProM (Professor Morgenroth) and told her about my morning. She gave a little of her wise insight. She explained to be how it is easy to love people when they love you back. She explained that I have to put myself in my resident's place. If I had not slept well that night because I was shaking from Parkinson's, and needed to clean but was too tired to do anything, and wanted some attention, I would probably act in a similar fashion. She explained that I need to love them even when they are not so lovable. Why? Because of the mere fact that she is a person and she is made in the image of God just like anyone. That is the reason I love and help her, and should not be dependent on anything else.
Yesterday I went to my resident's room, and as soon as I walked in I realized she had not slept well the night before. I knew this because she was so irritable and not herself. Usually when I greet her with a smile, she usually smiles back. This little "good morning smile" is the highlight of my day. But there was no smile this morning. The first thing she said when I walk in was, "Where have you been? Are you here to help? Go clean out my dresser drawers." Willingly I did it, and then helped her with her morning care. That was not the end of it though. She soon ordered me to rearranged her bathroom drawers, to re-hang everything in her closet, to re-fold everything in her dressers, and to decorate her room with some Halloween decoration (which she was never content with how it looked). I was getting a headache, and there were other things that I needed to be doing. Then after 4 hours of that, she was tired and I transferred her to her bed, and she laid down for a nap. My head hurt and I was stressed because I did not do the things I needed to be doing, like physical assessment practice, or Gordon's part II and I now needed to catch up. I went to ProM (Professor Morgenroth) and told her about my morning. She gave a little of her wise insight. She explained to be how it is easy to love people when they love you back. She explained that I have to put myself in my resident's place. If I had not slept well that night because I was shaking from Parkinson's, and needed to clean but was too tired to do anything, and wanted some attention, I would probably act in a similar fashion. She explained that I need to love them even when they are not so lovable. Why? Because of the mere fact that she is a person and she is made in the image of God just like anyone. That is the reason I love and help her, and should not be dependent on anything else.
Called to...serve????
#3
Going through college I made myself a vision board. A vision board is something I was taught to do in speech class. It was a tangent that our class went off on, when our professor told us to never forget our dreams. She said we could even make "vision boards" to keep our dreams in plain view. Then every time we saw the board we would be constantly reminded of our dreams, it would encourage us to keep fighting for them. We would remember to run the race with endurance. So I made my vision board and hung it on my wall. It consisted of pictures of everywhere in the world I wanted to go to help people. It had a poem on it that would encourage me each time I would read it. But the main point of the board was something written in big decorated letter which said, "Called to Serve." I wrote that because I knew that, above anything, that was what I wanted to do. Whether that be through nursing or helping in a church or just being a good friend to someone, I knew that was it. As Jesus washed his disciples feet, he called us to be servants of each other. I have decided to be a servant to people through the nursing profession.
But it wasn't until I started clinical that I realized how hard "serving" actually is!!!! It so easy to say and preach, and even make a vision board about. But when it comes to waking up at 4am, going to deal with people that don't necessarily want you there always, working with staff that think you are getting in the way, learning beginning skills like changing depends and peri care, and loving people who may not even remember you tomorrow makes this a little more interesting. The first few days I remember stopping one day, finding myself on my knees in front of an woman who is angry because she is in pain (her legs were aching from her Parkinson's disease), washing her legs and rubbing icy hot on them, trying to soother her pain. My body was exhausted, my knees were hurting, she was bossy and mean, and I really did not want to be helping her at the moment.
When I went home, I reflected on my day. I laughed to myself...so this is what serving is all about! If I only knew it was not as easy as I thought it was. Then I started to feel content and a peace, because I knew this was what I was supposed to be doing. I am living the dream, and serving people with all my heart, even though it is not always fun. This is my calling, and I am living it out.
Going through college I made myself a vision board. A vision board is something I was taught to do in speech class. It was a tangent that our class went off on, when our professor told us to never forget our dreams. She said we could even make "vision boards" to keep our dreams in plain view. Then every time we saw the board we would be constantly reminded of our dreams, it would encourage us to keep fighting for them. We would remember to run the race with endurance. So I made my vision board and hung it on my wall. It consisted of pictures of everywhere in the world I wanted to go to help people. It had a poem on it that would encourage me each time I would read it. But the main point of the board was something written in big decorated letter which said, "Called to Serve." I wrote that because I knew that, above anything, that was what I wanted to do. Whether that be through nursing or helping in a church or just being a good friend to someone, I knew that was it. As Jesus washed his disciples feet, he called us to be servants of each other. I have decided to be a servant to people through the nursing profession.
But it wasn't until I started clinical that I realized how hard "serving" actually is!!!! It so easy to say and preach, and even make a vision board about. But when it comes to waking up at 4am, going to deal with people that don't necessarily want you there always, working with staff that think you are getting in the way, learning beginning skills like changing depends and peri care, and loving people who may not even remember you tomorrow makes this a little more interesting. The first few days I remember stopping one day, finding myself on my knees in front of an woman who is angry because she is in pain (her legs were aching from her Parkinson's disease), washing her legs and rubbing icy hot on them, trying to soother her pain. My body was exhausted, my knees were hurting, she was bossy and mean, and I really did not want to be helping her at the moment.
When I went home, I reflected on my day. I laughed to myself...so this is what serving is all about! If I only knew it was not as easy as I thought it was. Then I started to feel content and a peace, because I knew this was what I was supposed to be doing. I am living the dream, and serving people with all my heart, even though it is not always fun. This is my calling, and I am living it out.
Social Issues Interview
#2.
I was in the group that interviewed Rosemary Kneeling. I asked her a question about how did she integrate her faith into nursing. Her response really stuck with me. She explained how it was really hard for her to exactly "preach" due to modern limitations. She didn't speak the Bible at every bedside she was at. She said the way she integrated her faith was by "showing" the Bible. Her actions showed the love, respect, and kindness of Jesus. She didn't just show this to her patients but to all her colleagues as well. She explained it was not always easy, but in times when it was hardest was when the Spirit of the Lord was most evident. A quote a wrote down by her was, "Show through actions, and finally, when necessary, speak."
I was in the group that interviewed Rosemary Kneeling. I asked her a question about how did she integrate her faith into nursing. Her response really stuck with me. She explained how it was really hard for her to exactly "preach" due to modern limitations. She didn't speak the Bible at every bedside she was at. She said the way she integrated her faith was by "showing" the Bible. Her actions showed the love, respect, and kindness of Jesus. She didn't just show this to her patients but to all her colleagues as well. She explained it was not always easy, but in times when it was hardest was when the Spirit of the Lord was most evident. A quote a wrote down by her was, "Show through actions, and finally, when necessary, speak."
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