I'm new at this so try to be a bit patient with me :)
I am just beginning course work toward a Masters Degree in Teaching Nursing. This is both an exciting and overwhelming experience. There is a large amount of new information to assimilate and then figure out how to put it to the best use. I took a moment to put together a calendar where I listed the due dates for all things required for my three classes. How will I ever get it all accomplished?
I have been a nurse for just over 10 years. The majority of my experience has been in the operating room. I find I enjoy the fact that I have one patient - and only one patient - who gets my undivided attention. I have just recently changed jobs and am working in endoscopy - scoping colons and esophagus/stomach/duodenum. Still only one patient at a time.
We use technology almost exclusively. In fact the power went out the other day and we hardly knew what to do until the generator kicked on and our systems were all up and running again. The doc's can access, electronically, patient records they have generated along with records from many other sources. There are times when the information has not been recorded electronically and we try to recreate information based on the information given to us by the patient. We also use technology to create a hard copy report to send home with each patient along with a copy sent to their referring physician. (I suspect that eventually we'll send electronic reports to the referring physician.) We have also accessed web information and created information sheets concerning the different problems we find in patients with suggestions on how to make lifestyle changes, different drug choices and what the drugs do, and often include support groups for some of the diseases.
All of our in office communications are done via e-mail. Our schedules are posted on our email sites and we use an electronic computer based company for our time cards which we can access from home if needed.
Since this is my first attempt at blogging I may have overdone things - given you too much information - or maybe it's really boring - I suspect with some experience I'll get better at this.
Welcome! You have done a great job with your blog and your first post.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the power outage--good to hear you were up and running again so quickly. We recently experienced a "crash" of the server at my hospital and I had to think hard about how to write a note by hand. Part of maintaining any "system" is having clear back-up procedures and practicing--like a fire drill--what to do when the system is down. You certainly get a better idea of what you're missing once you experience the downtime first hand.
P.S. you'll get it all done--your assignments for all of your classes--one bite at a time!
Hi Mary Ann, we are in the same Teaching Nursing program. I am new at blogging as well so it's a new experience for some of us. We had a computer crash at my work towards the end of last year and we lost 4 months worth of data. We had a back-up server and so most info were there. But we had to reenter all the data to our main server. It was very painful. This is the reason why I am still hesitant to fully rely on computers and such.
ReplyDeleteHi Mary Ann, I am also in the Teaching Nursing program. It is interesting how dependent we have become on technology--we had the power go out at our house a few weeks ago and our kids thougt it was so cool (for a short time, until they realized the tv didn't work). I look forward to getting to know you.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann,
ReplyDeleteHello!
Blogging is so new to me and so are the diverse databases that I am now learning. One thing reassuring for me , though, is that my 'memory cells' have not undergone 'senescence' yet and they seem to be regenerated by all these new information!
Honestly, I am quite impressed with your input in class and I hope to learn more and more as the semester goes! Thanks for sharing a part of you!
Mary Ann,
ReplyDeleteI also don't know how we will get everything accomplished in our Teaching Nursing program, but it seems that you are off to a well organized start (especially if you are still fitting in some physical activity).
I look forward to learning with & from you. I might have to chat with you about that cyber pedogogy class that you have taken =)
Hi, Mary Ann--
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear from you! I was surprised and pleased when I noticed that you're also in this class. It sounds like you're making great progress toward graduation! I'm in the MS-DNP program, and I'd better graduate as planned in December 2011--or my family may do serious harm to me (if I don't do it first!!). Please tell Tod "Hi" from me...and congratulations on the marriage of your son. I'll be taking N6010 later, and will need to take a 3rd one as an elective. Do you have any suggestions?