Surgical Intensive Care Unit ( Sicu )

My clinical duties performed this shift involved practicing time management and reporting skills. That morning, I was responsible for getting a detailed hand off report of the three patients during our walking rounds. I then went on the computer charting system to acquaint myself with the three patients and get organized with my plan of care for the day. This also involved reviewing the laboratory results and active physician orders for all patients. For the active physician

The following essay is a reflective account on an event that I, a student nurse encountered whilst on my first clinical placement in my first year of study. The event took place in a nursing home. All names have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the patient (NMC, 2008).

This was my first shift back from having a few days off and I returned to work on a night shift. Patient A was admitted to the hospice that day. She was admitted for general deterioration and she had tried to maintain her independence up until breaking point. It was handed over she has aphasia.

Giving myself time to read up on nursing experiences, attending more clinical practice labs, participating and watching these duties in the health care setting will allow me to develop a secure level of confidence the next time that this type of situation may occur. Staying in the room allowed me to experience the feeling of support while looking past social norms and how they are challenged. I met my personal values, and I believe that one should respect another person`s privacy. This understanding allowed me to be there to support the resident during her time of need. In the article `starting out` by Jane Schulz, a nursing student shares her experience of helping her colleague assist an elderly patient with daily care. Observing the compassion and care between nurse and patient from fundamental tasks, she took away a valued lesson of how our support and caring methods affect an individual. My relation to this story allowed me to reflect on the effects my care and supporting actions had on our patient.

This interview was conducted on October 12, 2016, with Judy Hayes, RN. Ms. Hayes began her nursing career in 1981 as a primary nurse at New England Medical Center (NEMC). During her tenure there she held various positions ultimately becoming the manager of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). Over the years Ms. Hayes has worked for private consulting firms and attained the Directorship of Utilization and Care Management at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center (St. E’s). In 1999 Ms. Hayes joined Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) as Director of Professional Practice and Staff Development. From 2005 through the present Ms. Hayes has been the Vice President of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at the Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (BWFH).

Time spent at my mother’s bedside in the intensive care unit changed my perception of the nursing profession. I realized what unique value was integrated in comprehensive nursing care, which was built on excellence, compassion, and respect. I knew right then and there that nursing was a professional path which I would like to take. Changing my college major to nursing was not a difficult decision – I wanted to repay for all that courteous care my family received in the most vulnerable time of our lives.

For this reflection instead of focusing on a specific situation I am going to be reflecting on my feeling throughout the shift. Going into the clinical rotation I was really looking forward to a experiencing the new pace of the surgical floor. Last semester I was on Medicine A. While I doubt I want to work full time on medicine I did fine it as a very easy way to transfer from Long Term Care to the Hospital. I found that it really taught me to prioritize and spend my time wisely while on the floor, because even through it was a slower pace, there was a lot to complete each shift. It also helped me to work on creating therapeutic nurse-client relationships not only with my assign patient but also for the patients I was helping by answering call bells. I found all of this gave me a good background to go into the surgical floor. Even from the moment of report I could tell the more serious feel from how the nurses went through report, it was quick, informative and effective. I was nervous about meeting my co-assign because I did not ever really have a good experience with them on Medicine. However I found my co-assign this week was approachable and answered all of my questions and even helped explain the differences between how she does

As a volunteer in the emergency room, I was exposed to various medical procedures performed by the technicians, nurses, physician assistants and physicians. I was surprised to see how a place that seems to be constantly chaotic can still give every patient the care they need. It was not until I spent more time volunteering in the emergency room did I realize that although it seemed to be chaotic, the healthcare providers had a well established routine along with teamwork. I was shocked when I saw a physician assistant delivering lunch to a patient, as this is usually done by the nurses or technicians. It was through this that I understood how teamwork is essential to providing excellent care. The health care professionals in this emergency room never pulled rank or established clear cut responsibilities, everyone just did what they could and this was how simple their routine was. They didn’t let their pride prevent them from what needed to be done, after all every healthcare worker only has one responsibility; and that is to care for the patient to their fullest

Miscommunication and missed information, resulting in potential errors, have been on the rise at Pelham Medical Center. In the past, the primary nursing staff was giving verbal report to oncoming nurses at the nursing stations. There are many disadvantages to this practice. Verbal report at the nursing station is distracting with so many nurses talking at the same time and is frequently interrupted by other staff, call bells, and family members. There are also potential HIPPA violations when reporting on patients within earshot of other people who are not involved in that patient’s care. The patients and their family members or care

I desire to become a Certified Nurse Assistant in order to form the building blocks for a lifelong career in the medical field. With the experience I’ll gain from shadowing the CNA’s at the nursing home, I will be able to decide what route I want to pursue in the medical profession. One of the fundamental lessons that will be taught by my instructors is to establish a compassionate relationship with my future patients. I am fortunate enough to have a strong relationship with people whom are major components in the medical industry. My two older sisters, one a doctor and the other a CNA, have left lasting impressions on how rewarding a career in the medical field

This interview was conducted on October 12, 2016, with Judy Hayes, RN. Ms. Hayes began her nursing career in 1981 as a primary nurse at New England Medical Center (NEMC). During her tenure she held various positions ultimately becoming the manager of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). Over the years Ms. Hayes has worked for private consulting firms and attained the Directorship of Utilization and Care Management at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center (St. E’s). In 1999 Ms. Hayes joined Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) as Director of Professional Practice and Staff Development. From 2005 through the present Ms. Hayes has been the Vice President of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at the Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital (BWFH).

Over the past seven years as a clinical nurse on the McKeen Pavilion (the medical-surgical amenities unit at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center), I have committed to excelling in a clinical bedside capacity, as well as a member of the NYP community. This combination has allowed me to be a true advocate for my patients, their families, and my colleagues. The unit has afforded me a tremendous amount of hands on nursing experience, as

Nearly ten years ago I entered the Army service. Through these years my work in the medical service as a medical laboratory technician, biomedical research, and most recently as a registered nurse has challenged me to examine my own practice and technical skills. I have learned about compassion, respect, empathy, equity, understanding, benevolence, and other attributes that contribute to being a proficient nurse. Our service members, families, and military culture present unique challenges that demand diversification, flexibility, and adaptation to sometimes overwhelming circumstances. My love for our military men and women and the families that stand behind them causes me to seek best practices, and innovation. The military has done a tremendous job at advancing battlefield trauma care, and statistics indicate that we have standard setting rates of battlefield lifesaving.

In the professional setting, knowing the patient through his or her diagnosis, name, history of present illness, laboratory results or reason for staying in the hospital only contributes to the manner of physical care of the patient. However, recognizing the patient 's spiritual needs such as emotional support, mental positivity, and intellectual understanding of his or her situation gives a better assessment, as well as a trusting relationship between the nurse and the patient, as per personal experience. In the ward, it is evident that most of the staff nurses spend their time doing documentations, preparing medications, following-up laboratory requests, as well as reading through the patients ' charts to affirm the physician 's order. Throughout the duration of our shifts as student nurses, I see that the most that the staff nurses get to be conversant with the patient is when certain procedures (such as feeding through nasogastric tube, taking

In the surgery department, I work as a circulator, scrub nurse, and a charge nurse. Using these different approaches, ideals, and standards of care are often needed and applied to my assessments. Being compassionate, respectful and honest to patients is a required principle our hospital expects in caring for each