Graduating Class Message

            Thank you Dean Cowell, and thank you everyone for your kind welcome.  As Dean Cowell said, my name is Laura Barron and it is my privilege to speak to you during today’s pinning ceremony and represent this graduating class, Spring 2011, as President.

            This has been the goal of every student here today.  Not everyone who started this journey with us arrived here, along with us.  We offer our hope and encouragement to all of them, and know they can, and will, reach their goals.

            I especially want to thank Dr. Lyder, today’s guest speaker, who took time from his busy schedule to join us on this special occasion, and celebrate along with us.  I also want to thank our AVC President   Dr. Fisher, and Mr. Wilson, our Board of Trustees President.  Their efforts on behalf of all students at Antelope Valley College, and especially the nursing program,   made this day possible.  Our health Sciences Dean, Dr. Cowell, and our class Faculty Adviser, Professor Stewart, for provided outstanding leadership, and instilled in all of us a desire for excellence.  Each and every instructor who guided us through our lessons, including those outstanding professionals on the hospital floor, deserve a special thanks for their wisdom, patience, and technical expertise, only small bits of which we were able to absorb, but it was enough to allow us to reach today’s milestone.

            I’d like to offer a few thoughts regarding the achievement we student nurses are so rightly proud of.

            There is a hand-off sheet used when a patient’s care is being transferred to another responsible party. It is called the SBAR. S for Situation, B for Background, A for Assessment and R for Recommendation

I’d like to give you the SBAR of the Spring Class of 2011.

Respectfully Submitted by Student Nurse Laura,

Thank you

I wish I was at Labor & Delivery Today

It is a new year, and I wish I was working at Labor and Delivery today.

The last day of 2010 is when I had the experience of listening to a patient’s special apical heart beat. I’ve listened to so many now as a student nurse, moving my stethoscope to the right location and then moving it around to see where it was stronger, and then counting for a full minute. I can add up my favorite sounds on one hand, and the beat of a new born is definitely up there next to falling rain.

For some reason when I auscultate the human body, I get a mental map of where the sounds are originating from. It’s like a 2 story house with a basement in my mind. I’ll hear the lungs filling and deflating like the house heater turning on and off. I’ll hear the rustle of the gown on the stethoscope like the crows on my roof top. The bowel sounds will fill the basement. And if I am listening to a sim man –

ACLS

Yea! Another Certification!

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support

I took the ACLS class at Life Support Associates in Acton, CA and and passed my test! The CD comes with a good pre-test you are required to take, but I also liked the ACLS-Algorithms.com site.

The algorithms are a great way to help understand the priorities and what works with each condition.

A couple days of self-study, two days of classes and examination and I now have a card – but am I really capable of the skills this card says I am? No, not really, but I’ll know the processes and can be an effective team member.

I was listening to a song on my way to the examination, “Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind”.

I think this goes well with the nursing program!

The music bar links to a cycle of their songs

lyrics

AVC CNSA Recognition

AVC CNSA

recognized the following individuals at their Luncheon yesterday with Certificates of Membership and a NSNA Graduation Cord:

Maria Fatima P. Bustos

Samantha Chavez

Evelyn Delgado

Rocio Diaz

Michele Forness

Kristie Hier

Brandi Hill

Nicole Hollinger

Michelle Kemp

Laura Maluccio

Jackie Merino

Karin Meyers

Karla Parada

Hope Ryan

Jade West

CNSA Convention

Flash Cards Made Simple

Paper Folding:

If you don’t want to deal with back-to-back printing the paper folding technique is a great way to go.

Try this with the schizophrenia.pdf

Set your options and print the cards	Vertically fold each page in half	Cut around the outermost border of the flashcards	Glue together the inside edges of the folded paper	Cut between each card	Instant flashcards!

Freud and Ice Cream

Can a person compare the Id, Ego, and Superego

to eating a bowl of ice cream?

The desire for immediate gratification and pleasure to have a sweet bowl of lime sherbet  smothered in dark hot fudge and nuts, comes to me once a month. I believe it may be the Id of me. Yet once I dip into the rich, sour, sweet crunchy scoopfuls, I take my time and taste it. I slow my Ego self down and relish all the beauty of it and how begin to notice the coldness in my throat and head. Not far into my bowl I start to wonder how this bowl of sherbet is going to ruin my dinner in a couple hours, not to mention how the chocolate always makes me break out. The right & wrong feed back system of my Superego has now taken over and sent the remains of the green-brown melted mess down the garbage disposal.

To live through Freud in the matter of a few sticky cold minutes…..

iTouch

I have updated my iTouch to include                  

The way this app works is you download from itunes. Synch your iTouch/iPhone. Then on your iTouch you use the wifi connect – it gives you an address to put into your computer browser which accesses your desktop. On this web page, upload the file you want – and presto – it is immediately on your iTouch!

What is nice about this – we can upload our 8×5 orems to our iTouch.

NPA 2725 – a good one to have

Mental Case

I am inputting new flashcards for these modules we have studied in Chronic (Med Surg 2nd semester). I have not gone over spelling errors yet, but I will work on this 🙂

Now the cool thing is…. if you down load Mental Case from itunes, you can use your iphone/itouch to download questions from flashcard exchange. You can set up your own account and create your questions – just like 3×5 flash cards manually.

http://www.macflashcards.com/

Then on your itouch, under ‘exchange’ you can input your flashcardexchange username, select which flashcards you want on your Mental Case. It is awesome!

I promise to start this soon next semester!!!! 

Student Nurse’s Check List

Our teacher gave us a check list used before by nurses as a way to make sure things were documented correctly. I updated it to include a few other things, and make it more appropriate for our student nursing rounds. Here it is – any suggestions, please let me know!

Download a pdf file of this 4×6 card here

AVC Chapter of the CNSA under NSNA

Our second meeting of the Antelope Valley College (AVC) California Nursing Students Association (CNSA) of the National Student Nursing Association happened today.

We are officially a club under the ASO of AVC and we are officially a club under the NSNA!!!

Today we voted and passed to offer all graduating student nurses a blue and white graduation cord of the NSNA if they are a member.

 

Being able to share in whatever way we can to make our fellow student’s step forward into nursing a better one is awesome.

 

Congratulations to all the graduating student nurses!

 

First General Meeting!!

We are going to have our first meeting of the new Antelope Valley College California Nursing Students’ Association under the NSNA on  Friday, February 19th, at 8:00am. In the APL rm 101.

A flyer with the  meeting’s date and location is outside Professor Stewart’s door.  

Please come and learn what this chapter will be all about and how it can help you. 

We can go over what this chapter of the National Student Nurses’ Association will be doing, what benefits there are in belonging to this chapter, select officers, sign our ICC papers to be official, and entertain any questions.

Upcoming Events:
 There is a CNSA for chapter representatives to attend in Mission
> Viejo,California at the Saddleback College on Feb 20th 9am – 3pm for anyone who wants to go.
 http://www.cnsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/save-the-date1.jpg

Thanks! See you there.
Laura Barron

Starting a Chapter of CNSA at AVC

https://nsnamembership.org/

I am working to start a chapter of the National Student Nursing Association at Antelope Valley College. I think it offers AVC’s nursing program, both students and teachers alike, an opportunity to network amongs the four semesters, encourage professional development and leadership opportunities. Our school deserves to be on the NSNA map and part of CNSA.

Please let me know if you want to be involved. We have many students and teachers already who are excited to get it going. 

I’m also applying for a grant through NSNA to get $1000 towards creating this chapter. Check out the Grant Statement so far. (still working it, any advice is good 🙂 )

And for all you 1st semester students, by being a member you can apply for this scholarship:

The Foundation of the
National Student Nurses’ Association
In Memory of Frances Tompkins

ATTENTION ALL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

 The deadline to submit an application for the 2011 – 2012 academic year will be in May 2010. Updates regarding the application process will be made on the website in spring 2010. An application will also be made available for download at that time.

Download the FNSNA Scholarship Fact sheet, if you would like more information regarding the scholarships that we offer or contact the FNSNA at (718) 210 – 0705.

The Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association
Attention: Undergraduate Scholarship Program
45 Main Street Suite 606
Brooklyn , NY 11201

Donations Needed!!

Hi Laura! Katie here. I wanted to talk to you about something and see if this could maybe happen. My friend Annie has a foundation called Project81, http://www.project81.com. Her and her husbands foundation has done alot of past work in Haiti, and she is going down there soon. She sent me a messege looking for donations of shoes and clothes. I was wondering, and I will take care of shipping, if maybe we can talk to our class and maybe the other classes about donating to the cause. Let me know, thanks!Katie

    – Wow, what a great idea Katie. I posted this here so others would be sure to read it. Also you should send and email out to the other students through AVC to let them know. Perhaps we can pick a day at AVC for a drop off at the APL. Let me know when and I will help you box them up! – Laura.

Med Cards

I am trying something different with my medications.

Not mine really – those are generally under lock-and-key.   

   I mean the medications to learn for these classess. Obviously we need to know all the meds for the NCLEX in the end of the program. Also there are a few repeats – though they are used for different therapeutic effects depending on what module we are reading. Instead of repeating my work, I’m going to put them on 4 x 6 cards so I can pull them for the next module and update as needed. These are my OB cards. I have more to fill still, and I am updating important info on them as I read.

This link for Module 1 (updated 1/10/10) Cards →   .pdf   or .doc

I figure if I put them in a word doc, then when they need to be updated I can reprint it with just a few changes. Such as Terbutaline, a bronchodiltor. In OB it is also used  “Unlabeled” as a tocolytic (medication used to suppress pre-term labor). I also read it is used to relax the uterus to turn the baby. So this card will be one that I would update and reprint. That’s the latest plan by student nurse laura.

*Disclaimer – Every attempt has been made by me, a learning student nurse, to insure accuracy of medication info.  If you find an error please contact me. If you have any questions whatsoever or are unsure about anything on this site double check with your instructor or please refer to your textbook. Thanks!

Thanks Gary!

Reading for RNs

Yesterday we were fortunate to have Linda Secretan from the Reading Department ( #2197) in the Learning Center speak to us about time-saving and comprehension tips in our text reading. There is so much to read, and for some of the material we need to scan through, she gave us some good tools to use. 

1.  Pay Attention (don’t let you mind wander) 

2. Pre-Read (know the glossary, the back critical thinking Qs, the headings, charts) 

3. Put headers into questions (Biorhythmicity – changes to What is Biorhythmicity and why is it important?) 

4. When you read, use your hand and don’t go back over what you have already read. 

5. Don’t vocalize the words in your head. 

6. Read for 20 min at a time, take 5, then back at it. (take notes of the important things you think the teacher wants you to know in question form) 

7. Speed reading should be 400-500 words a minute. 

Linda was great.

Speech is at 250 words a minute and if you say the words in your head when you are reading- then you are reading at the same speed of speech. Interesting.

She said this type of speed reading (with no words in your head, only eye to brain) will be a little uncomfortable at first, but it will speed up our reading and Comprehension. I’m all for that!

Here is the Learning Center Workshop Schedule for Intersession 2010

OB Math

This morning I feel like another math session before I begin my day. Then a little run, and  off to the Getty with my DH and DDs. These math problems are from a prior class.

This practice not only keeps my math limber, it has made me utilize my iPod touch’s calculator. When the need comes to use this on the floor – I’ll be ready! So those of you who also are new to it (Vicki,) try using it  🙂

1.      You are to administer MgS04 (magnesium sulfate) IVPB at 1Gm. per hour. You are to add 20gm of MgS04 to 500mL D5LR. You have a 10mL vial of 50% MgS04 on hand. (50% MgS04 = 50gm/100mL)   answer

a. How much will you add?

b. At what rate will you infuse the IVPB?

2.      You are to start Pitocin IV at 1 mU/min. and you have added 10U of Pitocin to 1000mL D5LR. At what rate (mL/hr) will you START the infusion?   answer

3.      The patient has been diagnosed with DVT and is to receive Heparin. She is to receive 800U per hour. The IV bag is labeled: Heparin 40,000U/1000mL of D5W.    answer

a. Calculate the flow rate to deliver the ordered dosage using the in­fusion pump.

b. While making nursing rounds, you notice that the patient’s IV pump is infusion at 30mL/hr. Calculate how many units of Heparin is infusing per hour.

4.      The order is for Gentamycin 80mg IVPB in 100mL q 8 hours and to run over 30 minutes.   answer

a. Calculate the infusion rate.

b. Calculate the drip rate in gtts/min.(tubing delivers 15gtts/mL)

5.      During resuscitation the doctor orders Narcan 0.l mg/kg to be given to the newborn. You have an ampule of Narcan labeled 0.4mg/mL. The infant weights 2430 gm. How much medication will you give?  answer

6.       The doctor ordered Ancef 2gm IVPB in 50mL D5W to infuse over 30min.  Calculate the infusion rate in mL/hr.   answer

– my iPod touch turns off too fast!

Nurses Developing Cultural Competence

The five components of a nurse’s ability for cultural competence includes the following:

1. The nurse’s knowledge  which is the process of learning of the different cultural backgrounds of her patients.

2. The nurse’s awareness   or looking at self biases and prejudices.

3. The nurse’s desire  or motivation and willingness to learn, respect and accept individual cultures.

4. The nurse’s skill as a framework for assessing cultural ethnic differences.

5. The nurse’s encounter process of interacting with diverse backgrounds thus developing cultural competence.

Skill includes –

Environmental control: how much do we belive we have control over our environment or is it just luck? Traditional western medicine vs. folk medicine

Biological variations: Scientifically any genetic factors in particular ethnic or racial groups that affects their health or high risk in  diseases.

Social organization: Patrilineal or male dominated, Matrilineal or female dominated, Bilineal where male & female are dominate

Communication: assertive vs. more passive, nonverbal verbal, tone of voice, eye contact.

Space: eye contact, touching how close a distance between participants

Time: future-oriented, present oriented or past oriented

 

laura’s thoughts generated by the article of: Flowers, Deborah. “Culturally competent Nursing Care,” Critical Care Nurse, August 2004, Pages 48-52.

 

NANDA-I Article on Patient Safety

In comprising my article on Patient Safety, I tried my hand at another graph of visual information.

Article titled: Clouded Vision – A Patient Safety Deficit

Clouded Vision 

Lab Test In ‘General Relativity’

Using my info from my previous post, I will put abnormal lab values in graphic form for an intereseting perspective. This is my “General Relativity”