Things You Need to Know Before Nursing School Posted on November 10, 2021 at 4:33 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Michelle Ho Congratulations to everyone who got into nursing school! Now, let’s talk about what you need to know before starting nursing school and how you can begin your semester STRONG and PREPARED. Work-life Balance: We’ve all heard those dreaded awful questions about nursing school equating to no longer having a social life. Is that true? Partially, yes. However, you can still have time for your friends and family with good time management and an excellent work-life balance. Before you head into nursing school, think about where/what your current priorities are and if you will be able to adjust where you need to. Nursing school is ALL about adjustment. You may have to give up that second job or those weekly book club meetings to have time for lectures/simulations/skills and labs/clinicals. Nursing school takes up a HUGE chunk of your time. Schedule your outside activities around your nursing school schedule. Test Scores: I’ll be straightforward: you will not get those perfect test scores that you used to get. But DO NOT stress out over getting the perfect scores on exams because nursing school exams are challenging. I don’t say this to scare you that you will get consistent C’s and D’s on exams, but I say this to help ease your anxieties and remind you that you will not succeed on every exam. Your test scores DO NOT define you and do not reflect the kind of nurse you will be. Remember, you are studying to save lives. Do not beat yourself up over your grades! Social Support: Lean on your nursing school friends! No one understands you or the stress you go through in nursing school better than your nursing school peers. I encourage you to seek out those opportunities to make friends with those people in your cohort. This may look like studying in groups together or carpooling to clinicals together! Be there for each other, ask each other for advice, and vent to each other. Nursing school is hard, but it is also a lot harder going through it by yourself. You will be going through blood, sweat, and tears with these people, so be there for each other! Network: Join the professional nursing organizations on your campus, whether Sigma Theta Tau or National Student Nurses Association. This is a great way to connect with your cohort, other cohorts and keep up with the latest events. In addition, nursing organizations are supposed to help mentor students and provide support as you journey through your academic career! Creating a network may also look like networking with managers or the nurses at your clinical sites and even with your nursing school professors or clinical instructors. Keep in mind that every clinical shift is like an interview with that hospital. Moreover, your professors/instructors know you best, so keep in touch with them as much as possible because they can write you that golden letter of recommendation once you start applying for jobs post-graduation! Your Purpose: You will go through a lot of self-doubt in nursing school. You may find yourself screaming the following things in your head: “I didn’t work hard enough,” or “I’m not good enough,” or “I’m not smart enough,” or “how did I even get accepted into this program in the first place?” Trust me, I’ve been there, and even being in my final year of nursing school, I still feel all those same feelings. But I constantly remind myself what brought me here, what led me here, and my “WHY” for pursuing nursing. You stepped into one of the most selfless and rewarding professions for a reason. Do not let the obstacles in nursing school obstruct your future visions. No matter how hard school or clinical gets, keep your head HIGH and learn to EMBRACE CHANGE because that is how you become an awesome #FutureNurse one day.
The Key to Success as a Nursing Student Posted on October 30, 2021 at 4:38 pm.Written by daniellejanke By Richa Kohli Let’s talk about confidence as a nursing student! Self-doubt usually keeps us on our toes and helps us practice nursing safely for our patients. However, too much self-doubt can become problematic and hinder our growth as a nurse. Self-confidence is crucial to overcome learning gaps, stop feeling like an imposter, and fight school/work anxiety and stress. When I did my clinical rotations, I worked hard to overcome self-doubt and develop my confidence as a nurse. Some of the things that helped me become more confident are: ?Remind yourself how you got here: You studied hard, learned skills, killed it at clinicals, passed tests, and got a job/placement because of your hard work. Don’t forget how hard you’ve worked and how much knowledge you possess. Remind yourself of your past successes and know that you got this, too! ?Make progress each day and reward yourself: Learn something new each day, and when you perform a new skill you just learned, appreciate it. It will help you build confidence in your learning skills and performance. ?Become a sponge: Take in all the knowledge as much as you can. Always show initiative to learn new skills. Do not think twice before grabbing that chance if you find an opportunity presented at your workplace to learn something new. New skills and new knowledge will help you build confidence in your competence as a nurse. ?Specialize (learn everything about the field you’re practicing in): I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to always keep learning. Not only will studying and learning information about each specialty of nursing help you gain more knowledge and provide better care, but it will also give you an edge and unique confidence. ?Have a positive mindset: It is essential to have a positive mindset towards your learning journey, inclusive of your successes and your drawbacks. Having a negative outlook on constructive criticism or ruminating over mistakes will hinder your learning. Instead, look at each error and drawback as an opportunity to learn from it. ? Don’t forget that you are human: Before comparing yourself with other peoples’ successes and learning journeys, remember that each student is different. You will learn at your own pace, and you are HUMAN to have days of self-doubt. However, don’t let those days dishearten you and continue to do your best. ? Share your successes: I personally found this crucial in the development of my confidence levels. Sharing some of your successes and things you learned during clinicals or in class with friends and family will insinuate a feeling of accomplishment in you and help you become more confident in your practice. These were just some of the tips to help you build confidence as a nursing student. Like what I always say, “fake it ’til you make it.” Don’t hesitate to ask for help, and don’t feel bad about asking questions. Your clinical instructors and preceptors are there to help you succeed and become the nurse you want to be. So don’t hold back even if you’re scared of someone thinking you’re stupid for asking a question. Because after getting the answer, you’re growing for yourself, and they were once in your shoes, too. Don’t let anyone or anything bring you down! Allow yourself to make mistakes and grow.
Skyscape Mobile App for Saunders NCLEX® Titles Posted on October 12, 2021 at 7:20 pm.Written by [email protected] Your favorite nursing school resource just got better—with our partnership with Skyscape, you can now access your favorite NCLEX prep titles on your mobile device with the Skyscape app! Test your nursing knowledge anywhere, anytime using the app on your mobile device! Feature Highlights: Custom mobile quizzing with 6000+ questions (everything from the book and online). Study by Content Area, NCSBN Client Needs Test Plan or Priority Concepts Detailed performance reporting to inform your studying, so you know what you don’t know. Set study goals – make NCLEX prep a daily habit “ASK-an-EXPERT” – although the apps provide detailed rationales for every question, you can also connect with real subject experts for further clarification or extended rationales all within the app. Access Elsevier titles: Want to learn more? Visit nclex.skyscape.com to view all Elsevier NCLEX Titles and download the app! Saunders book owners receive 30% off full access to their mobile review apps – visit your book’s Evolve resources to redeem!
Preparing for Nursing School Posted on October 11, 2021 at 4:30 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Kayla Gonzalez My name is Kayla and I am a Senior student, currently in my third semester. I am taking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Getting into nursing school is a big accomplishment. You conquered your way through numerous competitive applicants, and you are now on your way to becoming a nurse! While this is an amazing achievement, it is also a huge responsibility to be prepared even before entering nursing school. Committing to nursing school is just as important as any other life-long commitment in our existence. It can be challenging, nerve-wracking, and demanding. The transition from taking prerequisite courses to taking nursing school courses can be quite a shock. It is essential to not be overwhelmed with these changes as your cohort is going through it with you! We can get through this and come out victorious! Listed below are a few of the ways that you can start preparing for when entering a nursing school: Investing in a Planner Purchasing a planner that is specific to your lifestyle and needs will help you with consistently planning out all aspects of your life and scheduling things ahead of time. Planners definitely aid in organizing your life, both socially and academically, during your nursing school years. Being aware of the deadlines for assignments and documentation is essential. Therefore, ensuring that they are submitted timely should be a priority. Once your professors begin uploading the syllabus for the course, it would be beneficial to sit down with your planner and gradually begin to fill out the due dates and exam dates before even starting Nursing school. Setting a Routine and Holding Yourself Accountable Set boundaries for yourself and wake up early to check in on your courses and assignments for the week, even on the days you do not have class or clinicals. Additionally, get dressed as if you are going to class and plan what assignments you are accomplishing for each day of the week. Self-accountability is going to be one of the motivating forces that will keep you going despite the online aspect of some of your courses this semester. Communicating with Professors Do not hesitate to ask for help! It is important to reach out to faculty if there is a question about assignments, exams, homework, etc. Take advantage of office hours and any additional resources, such as tutoring, to help you understand the material better. Connecting with faculty is also a great way to start networking and showing your commitment to learning. Taking Care of Yourself Incorporating self-care in preparation for nursing school should be a priority as well. Make sure to pay attention to what your body needs, whether it be taking a break from studying to prevent burnout, participating in a movie night with your family, or staying active.
Finding Balance While in Nursing School Posted on October 9, 2021 at 4:37 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Kymberly Wisniewski One of the questions I frequently receive in my inbox goes something like this, “I am so overwhelmed. How do you balance school, be a mom, and make time for yourself?” And while I am flattered that I put out the perception that I have it all together at all times and can give advice on the topic, that just isn’t the reality. Some weeks, I feel like I am on top of my game, ahead on assignments, and spending a lot of time with my family and doing things that I enjoy. Other weeks, however, I feel like I am drowning in assignments, commitments, and household duties. The important thing that we must remember: we are only human. There are only 24 hours in every day, and some days we will get everything done that we set out to do, and other days we simply cannot. The biggest lesson that I have had to learn since the beginning of nursing school was to give myself grace and kindness on the days that I fell short. I wish that I had some sort of secret to effectively balance everything and excel in all areas all of the time, but the greatest lesson that I’ve learned after a year and a half of nursing school is that I cannot do everything. That said, there are ways to help you allocate your time and plan your week. The first thing I do is come up with a “Mental Game Plan” for the week. I look at the upcoming week in my planner and assess what assignments I have due, completing the most time-consuming ones first to get them out of the way. Then, I leave the quicker/easier assignments last since I know that I can just knock them out. I also study in small increments each day instead of cramming it all at the last minute. Most of my schoolwork gets completed after 9:00 pm after my son has fallen asleep for the night. While staying up late isn’t the time I would prefer to complete studying and assignments, it is the best time for me to have quiet time and focus without losing out on family time during the day. It is one of the sacrifices that I make to make sure I get as much time as I can with my family. The most important thing that I must remind myself is that nursing school is only temporary. These late nights, saying “no”, and added stress from exams will eventually come to an end. Making sacrifices, whether it be with family, friends, sleep, or otherwise, is part of the journey. Some weeks may require more sacrifice than others, but all of this work is being done to achieve the goal of becoming a nurse. And then a new set of challenges will arise and finding balance may differ a little bit from being in nursing school, but that all comes with experience. It’s “one day at a time”.
Five Tips from a Nursing Graduate Posted on October 1, 2021 at 4:46 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Jehr Dotson I never thought I would be writing a post like this so soon. It seems like I was just signing my forms to attend orientation yesterday. I would like to say that I was successful in nursing school, but I want you to know that our journey in nursing will always be a journey of endless learning. So instead, I would like to believe that there is always room for improvement. Before I get into my top five tips for nursing students, I’d like to introduce myself. I am Jay Dotson. I graduated from the University of Memphis Loewenberg College of Nursing back in May 2021. I accepted a position at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on a Cardiac Stepdown Unit. After two years of tutoring my peers during my undergraduate studies, I decided to enroll in a Master of Science in Nursing program this fall to advance my degree in nursing with a concentration in education. After the completion of my MSN, I want to go back for a post-certification Nurse Practitioner (NP) to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) as a Family Nurse Practitioner. As someone who has been in your shoes, here are my top five tips for nursing students: Manage Your Time: Most students struggle with managing their time. I think it is important to create a realistic schedule that reflects everything that you are doing for a day including commuting, cooking, and any other tasks that take up more than 30 minutes of your time. This will allow you to see how much time you must study and to see what adjustments you may have to make to achieve a particular study goal. Ask Questions: Most people are afraid to ask questions out of fear, but most likely your peers have the same questions that you may have. Asking questions allows you to gain clarification on a specific topic and prevent mistakes on an exam or even worse, in the clinical setting. Asking questions shows that you are engaged in the topic and will open doors to new information. Always carry a mini notebook to write down any questions that you may have. Aside from your professors, it is important to research when you don’t understand something. Get a Tutor or Be a Tutor: As a tutor myself, I learned the importance of going to tutoring even when I think I understand something. I noticed the most successful students attended tutoring, including myself as a tutor. Nursing school requires a different level of thinking and a new way of answering questions. Tutors will give you other ways to think about a topic and provide sample questions or allow you to teach them what you know and give you feedback on areas that you can improve in. Learn to Say “NO”: Nursing school is a temporary sacrifice for a long-term goal. It is important to set boundaries with family and friends that want to spend time with you all the time. Learning to say no can be a challenge at first but there is nothing worse than knowing you could have done better if you just said no. Most of your time should be dedicated to your studies but it is never a bad thing to celebrate an exam with friends/family. Balance is key. I would always reward myself with eating out with friends or spending time with my family after an exam. Become a Mentor or Mentee: Mentors are an absolute cheat code to nursing school. Having a mentor or three made a significant impact on my journey through nursing school. Most of my mentors were professors or staff at my college of nursing. They were able to assist me with anything academically. Most importantly, they guide me through the program and provide a listening ear whenever needed. Even months after graduating, I still have access to my mentors, and they give me tips and advice for transitioning into my role as a Registered Nurse. I am always grateful for my mentors and I believe that every nursing student should establish a relationship with a mentor before graduating.
Test Anxiety and Nursing Prerequisites Posted on September 30, 2021 at 4:34 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Megan Sentes Test anxiety can be an enemy when trying to achieve a perfect grade or mark. It isn’t just a little bit of nervousness before an exam, it can ruin your perspective – if you let it. Symptoms of test anxiety include excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, headache, feeling faint, self-doubt, fear, stress, anger, and hopelessness. It can make it very difficult to concentrate and focus on the task. It can make it hard to choose between different answers on a test and make you forget everything you just studied for hours. I struggle with test anxiety, and I have been struggling with it since I started university. I would struggle with it in high school but I didn’t know it was a real problem or could turn into one. I failed Anatomy & Physiology the first time because of my test anxiety. I would second-guess myself when trying to decipher between a few options to a question. I would forget everything I just worked so hard on. Test anxiety put me in a dark place and made me question if nursing was for me. When I sat down with myself and thought about what was happening with myself, I decided and chose to bounce back. I may have questioned my studying strategies, but thanked God that I never gave up! Here are some tips that helped me and might help you deal with test anxiety and never second-guess your dream: Learn your learning style and study efficiently. Take an online quiz to find out your learning style and what strategy works the best for you. Finding out if you are a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and/or reading/writing learner will help you study correctly and help to retain information. Establish a studying routine. Every time you have an exam, you should be consistent with a routine for studying. Following the same steps in each exam will help you get ready for the test. It will help you feel more prepared and more comfortable with studying. I usually will start studying a week in advance and print out all of the notes. I will re-watch the lecture videos or re-read the chapters in the textbook. I will take another color pen and make more notes that I may have missed or rewrite them in another way to help fully understand the material. I will keep reading my notes. Get enough sleep. Do not pull all-nighters and burn out your brain because of studying. Sleep is the most important thing you can do for academic performance and memory. Instead of cramming studying in at the last moment, follow your study routine in advance so the night before your exam, you can sleep like a baby! Test anxiety is something I will always deal with, but I can use these few steps when it comes to exam season. These will help me focus on myself before cramming my brain with information. Remember: You can’t focus on something else if you don’t focus on yourself first.
How to Train Your Brain to Study Better and Smarter Posted on September 1, 2021 at 4:29 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Mishell Ganchala The year 2020 has brought us many changes, and it’s fair to say that nursing school will not be the same for a while. As a student in an Accelerated Nursing Program, I had to get used to attending online classes. The pandemic taught us to find ways to study smarter and faster. Before the pandemic, going to the library or your favorite cafe was hassle-free. Now that we’re adjusting ourselves to study at home in a new normal, how can we work with what we have? How can we work smart at home? Here are some ways that have helped me: CREATE YOUR STUDY SPACE. Believe it or not, the first tools involve a good pair of noise-canceling headphones, a bright lamp, and a comfy chair. Grab your things and find a space in your house where you can always come to study. It’s essential to make this your designated space for all your study sessions and lectures only. Entering your study space trains your brain to stay focused in that particular space. By using a lamp every time you start studying, you can condition your brain to focus. These small routines serve as orders for your brain that eventually keep you focused when you are studying. STICK TO YOUR ROUTINES. Routines also help your brain get prepared for how your day is going to be. By waking up every morning and going through our schedule, we are giving our brain orders. Following these orders comes with gratification when completed, so it’s essential to balance studying and resting. Organizing and maintaining a schedule leaves more room for self-care as a reward, preventing the feeling of burnout. PRIORITIZE YOUR TASKS AND LESSONS. Just as there is a lot of work to do, studying from home also comes with many distractions. Distractions often lead to a lot of procrastination, which can be positive if utilized correctly. When we procrastinate, it is because we don’t want to do something or are feeling overwhelmed. Before classes, organize your study sessions and start strong on the first exams. It is towards the end of the semester when we begin procrastinating because we are catching up trying to bring our grades up. When you start strong on the first exams, you can prioritize what needs more of your time later on. Procrastination can give you this space to reflect and figure out where you need to focus. Nursing school is different for everyone. Whether you have kids, working two jobs, or are first-generation students, it will come with its challenges. But never forget that you matter, and you deserve to take care of yourself. Nursing is a very giving career, but don’t allow student burnout to whip you out. We cannot learn if our mind is not free to absorb all the new information. So don’t forget to take care of yourself in the process. You got this!
The Difference Between Pre-Nursing and Nursing School Posted on August 12, 2021 at 4:31 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written by Naomi Burks As you start nursing school, it is essential to understand the differences between pre-nursing and nursing school. The first semester is a huge adjustment, and you may feel like you do not have the chance to get acclimated to nursing school. So, I think it would be good to share these things with incoming nursing students to give them an idea of what to expect. However, it all starts with your mindset. So what are the key differences? What can you expect in nursing school? 1. Study to Save Lives Pre-nursing is about memorization. However, nursing school is beyond that. When you study in nursing school, it is not about getting an A on every. It is about dealing with actual patients and real lives. Long-term retention and learning the information are the key because what you have learned now will be used for the rest of your career. The sooner you can make that mindset shift, the more the nursing school will be easier and more enjoyable for you. 2. Apply What You Learn to Real Life When you are studying, you have to apply what you learn to real life. Besides understanding the textbook versions of the material you have, you will also need to know how to explain it to a patient in a way they can understand. By then, they will have an idea of what we are doing and how we do our assessment. But how do you apply those skills? NCLEX style practice questions are your best friend! Do a lot of those because they will prepare you for your exams, but they are also helpful in developing your critical thinking. Doing case studies, teaching the content, and connecting what you see in clinical to what you learned in class will help you apply your knowledge. 3. Learn from Clinical and Skills Practice Clinical is a big adjustment when starting nursing school because it is more than just your lecture courses. Having clinical and skills days/check-offs adds an extra layer to time management and scheduling. It can be overwhelming to juggle it all since pre-nursing school is solely on your classes. So, be prepared to put in some extra work outside the classroom to practice skills and prepare for clinical days on your off time. 4. Know Your Test-Taking Strategies Tests in pre-nursing are straightforward and focused on the facts, but nursing school is more about the application. Understanding test-taking strategies will get you pretty far in your nursing school exams. Here are points in test-taking that you need to know: ABC (Airway, Breathing Circulation), Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, identification of keywords, and prioritization. These are just four differences between pre-nursing and nursing school. If you are aware of the difference, you are already a step ahead of the game! If you are starting nursing school, enjoy the journey. It will all be worth it! Believe in yourself and know you got this, future nurse!
Applying for Jobs and Passing NCLEX Posted on July 15, 2021 at 4:43 pm.Written by daniellejanke Written By Autumn Aniello First off, I want to congratulate all who are in their last semester in nursing school. No matter how stressful and challenging the journey went, you finished it strong. You have made it this far, and I’m so proud of you all! Now that you have conquered, the next step that I want you to do is BE CONFIDENT. After graduating from nursing school there are two big things that you all need to accomplish: (1) finding a job and (2) passing the NCLEX. So, here are some helpful tips to reach these two (2) goals: Applying for jobs Make a list of all of the hospitals you are interested in. Ideally, you will start researching programs at least three (3) months before graduation. Some of my friends had jobs secured three (3) months before graduation, and others waited until after graduation to start looking. While you can take either route, I recommend the earlier because most hospitals have residency programs for new grads, and these start at specified times throughout the year. Start to ask for letters of recommendation. I needed two letters and asked my clinical instructor and a nurse on the unit I worked on. Prepare yourself for the interview. Make sure you have a professional outfit on hand. Most importantly, practice interview questions! My interviews were virtual so I used my computer to record myself answering practice questions. That way, I became comfortable with speaking to a screen. If your school has a mock interview program, don’t hesitate to join as well!Research on the facility. Have a list of questions to ask them. I try to ask questions about specifics of the hospital so I can showcase that I actually researched. Have faith in yourself. Don’t feel discouraged. Instead, learn to hype yourself up! You are placed in your position for a reason. Remember your purpose and your passion. Passing the NCLEX Start as soon as possible. Signing up for the test is quite a process in itself, so I recommend starting as soon as possible. You have to apply for a license with the Board of Nursing that you wish to work in and also register with Pearson VUE. Afterwards, you also have to sign up for the background check, and then get your fingerprint done. Upon graduation, a confirmation that you completed a nursing program needs to be sent to the Board of nursing so then you receive your ATT and can schedule a test date. Determine what resources you wish to use. This will help you develop a study plan. I personally used the Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX Review book and UWorld. Here’s why:I used the Saunders book throughout nursing school, along with Adaptive Quizzing, in order to prepare for exams in nursing school. Practice questions are key in school. It is nice to use a physical textbook with Saunders because I can annotate when answering questions and reviewing content.UWorld was very helpful. I used the package with two practice tests. I took one of the tests very early on, and completed all of the questions in the bank. However, I completed the second test a couple of days before the NCLEX. I did about 100 questions a day – sometimes 100 in the morning and 100 in the evening. UWorld has an app so I would answer questions on the go instead of scrolling through social media I hope you have learned something from my tips. Continue to work hard on your goal, and I’m sure you will reach it. Best of luck, #futurenurses!
How to be Successful in Clinicals Posted on July 8, 2021 at 4:46 pm.Written by daniellejanke By Kirsten Anderson In nursing school, some of your best memories will take place during your clinical rotations. When you have designated days to go to your local hospitals and work alongside all the nurses, you can adjust to the clinical setting, improve your interprofessional communication, and decide on what nursing path you want to pursue after graduating. In most nursing programs, you will start clinical after the first one or two quarters; and then continue them until your graduation date. That said, it is crucial to develop a clinical routine as it is a massive part of your nursing school journey. I have compiled a list of tips and things you will need to know and keep in mind as you go through clinical practice in your program: Ask questions. At appropriate times, do not be afraid to ask questions. Everyone knows you are a student. Meaning, you’re a work in progress. As a student, your purpose is to learn so don’t feel bad about not knowing a thing or two. Your nurse preceptor has been in your shoes before, so do not worry about being embarrassed about asking too many questions. Embrace your mistakes. Mistakes are bound to happen. As a student, take it as an opportunity to learn. It is always important to perform all skills with the supervision of your precepting nurse, but if a mistake were to happen, it is always important to be honest, and rectify your actions the best you can. Sometimes making a mistake can be the best way for you to become wiser and better. Remember that clinical practice is your place to make mistakes and question things. So, embrace and acknowledge it before you are a registered nurse!Learn to be equipped. Don’t forget the essentials. Prepare a bag equipped with everything you need to tackle the twelve (12) hours of the day. Some important things to bring are your stethoscope, pens, clipboard, penlights, and a pocket-sized notepad for notes. Make sure to check with your facility for the items that they allow.Stay hydrated. It is so easy to get carried away during a busy day and forget to drink your fluids. Nothing is worse than going on a shift without drinking water. I recommend bringing a large filled water bottle from your home and making goals throughout the day to drink it.Volunteer if you have the opportunity. As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Volunteering for different skills allows you to learn hands-on. Through involvement, you share your drive and passion with the people you are working with. This is also beneficial if you want to stand and show and potentially be a stepping stone for a post-graduate job.Take down notes. Jotting down various things while in the patient rooms will help you recall them when it’s time to fill out your clinical paperwork. It is also a great way to learn about specific conditions and relate them to what you may be learning in class. While doing this, make sure to follow Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines and avoid any patient identifiers. I hope these tips help you succeed in clinical practice and make you a little more comfortable when beginning your rotations. Just remember that you are there to learn and gain beneficial experience to help you in your nursing journey. These experiences will shape you as a better person and as a nurse in the future.
Spanish Phrases to Know As a Nursing Student Posted on July 6, 2021 at 4:37 pm.Written by daniellejanke By Koralys Rodriguez Good communication skills are very important when working in a diverse environment. It is the foundation or cornerstone of our interaction with our patients, effectively choosing the best words to help them feel secure. As a result, communication brings us closer to them. During my years of working in healthcare, I have encountered countless patients who speak very little English or none at all. I have been lucky enough to be raised fluent in English and Spanish, as it has been valuable when communicating with Spanish patients. Official translators are rare in the hospital setting, and electronic translation services can be inefficient. Despite this, we owe all of our patients the best care we can offer to them. So I’m here to share some of the most important Spanish phrases to know as a nursing student: Hello, my name is ____________ and I’ll be your nurse. Hola, me llamo ____________ y soy su enfermera (o). I am here to help you. Estoy aquí para ayudarle. I’m sorry, I don’t speak Spanish. Lo siento, no hablo español. What is your name? Como se llama? Are you in pain? Tiene dolor? Where? Dónde? Please stand up/Please sit down. Parece, por favor. Siéntese, por favor. Breathe deeply. Respire profundamente. Do you need to use the bathroom? Necesita usar el baño? Use the call light if you need help. Use el botón para ayuda. I am going to take your temperature/blood pressure. Le voy a tomar su temperatura/presión sanguínea. Would you like something to drink or eat? Quiere usted algo de tomar o tiene hambre? What medicines are you allergic to? A qué medicinas tiene usted alergia? Do you have any family that you want us to call? Usted tiene algún familiar a quien podamos llamar? Common illnesses/symptoms/body parts to ask about: (a) None (b) Diabetes (c) Heart (d) Lungs (e) Kidneys (f) Ulcer (g) High blood pressure (h) Seizures (i) Arthritis (a) Ninguna (b) Diabetes (c) El corazón (d) Los pulmones (e) Los riñones (f) úlceras (g) Presión alta (h) Convulsiones (i) Artritis Becoming an official translator for a hospital takes separate certifications. Certified translators are still necessary when it comes to translating documents, interpreting procedures, and more. For more details about this, you could check out your hospital’s policy. It is important to keep this in mind for legal purposes. But don’t let this stop you from using basic Spanish for routines like assessments, hourly rounds! This list is far from being comprehensive, but it can take you a long way if a Spanish translator isn’t available. Whatever language it may be, always try to imagine yourself in your patients’ shoes. Imagine being in an overwhelming environment while you’re sick or hurt. Knowing and having knowledge of your patient’s native language will give them comfort that will ensure them that you really care for their situation. This, to me, is quality care! I hope these phrases will stick with you when you encounter a Spanish speaking patient!
