Unconfused Learning

Now on my way back after a really long and hard day at work. There were so many things to do! Change this, take that, measure this and etc etc...

The things we had to do today were mostly part of the daily routine. There wasn't time for any assessment or instructions from the instructors. As I did my assigned routine and answered call-bells, I decided to put some observational skills into the tasks at hand. Assessing the patients that I have contact with, for any physical abnormalities or conditions.

I can say that this little 'practise' of mine opened my eyes to interesting little details that seem to tell a great deal about the patient's conditions. I'm still slow in 'linking' them into a coherent overall picture but I believe I will improve with more practise.

It is gratifying that I can put theories to practical, bit by bit. Of course, as the senior batch of students now, this would already had been a long-term expectations of us. Let's face it: a majority will still not 'get' it if they only worried about who's gonna sign their books and how much marks they can get. I myself only understood it slowly now. It's interesting that through reflection, learning finally occurs. And these reflective lessons occurs without the need for signing any logbooks or fulfilling some specific criterias.

As a student, I love my learning. As a nurse, I love my patients and my calling. But I can't help feeling that structural training have muddled up and confused the purpose of our learning these skills. By now if anybody cares to read my earlier posts, will know that 'grumblings' about students who are primarily concerned about their MARKS is my pet topic.

If I ever become an educator one day, and a student showed me that he or she is only concerned about how much marks they are getting and neglecting the most basic goal which is patient's wellbeing, I will fail them outright based on their attitudes alone.

Nobody's perfect, including me. But to show care for another human being is something so primal that any human being can do it. Let's not lose sight of what it means to be a professional nurse AND be human.

Observations

I realized the importance of keen observations during the course of our training. It is very important to be observant as we need to be able to tell what the patient whom you are caring for of their intentions. There was so much non-verbal communications going on when interacting with the patients that sometimes even not speaking the same language, we can also communicate with each other.

Observational skills also allow the student nurse to be more active in the learning process. The important thing to add is that observation works much better with asking questions about the things that you want to clarify and to affirm.

Just observation alone will make you a passive learner whom I feel that it is not a very effective way of learning. If going by a theory I heard of, which says that people can learn 10% from seeing, 10% from hearing, 10% from doing, then I think that the other 70% comes from doing all these at the same time and teaching others!

Now I've got a great reason to be a busybody!

Got a message from a former student ealier today that one of her classmates (also a former student student) met with an accident in the early hours of the New Year day. My student was seriously injured and the friend whom she ferried passed on at the scene. When I visited her, she was in SICU and was to go for another operation. She was conscious and recognised me but she insistently told the nurses that she did not want the operation and just wanted to know if her friend whom she ferried was ok or not. I could not lie nor tell the truth but could only tell her that I want to see her walking back to school. I told her she must leave it to good hands now that she is in the hosp. She should leave it to her parents whom have consented to her operation.

I appreciate the guilt feelings one may harbour and it would take time to accept it, but we are on this earth for a reason. If we are not due, we have to make the best of this life. May be she now has two missions in her life. One of her own and the other her friend's.... that really makes it more important that she pulls through and continues in her challenge in life. I wish she recover fully to face the world again.

And to the rest of you... we only pass this earth but once. Make this appearance in this world a worthy one.

Ward Practices

The clinical practices that we had observed during this attachment differ greatly from what we had learnt in school. Things like sterility and positioning which are emphasized during our learning phase are not fully followed here in the ward.

At least, through such comparisons and observations, we can learn to observe the wrongs and practise the rights.

In a few instances, I have to start asking the staff if certain procedures are supposed to be done this way. To their credit, they did point out that the way that they are doing could be wrong and for me to remember my clinical skills taught in school. Fortunately, they were not offended by my questions even though I've tried to be as tactful with it as possible!

I do think that by observing the proper ways of doing things is good but if we were to truly learn from the 'wrong' then we better start asking the correct questions.

Expectations of us are higher now though. When one of us asked our CP instructor whether to assess us for feeding patient(orally), the instructor replied: "Feeding? That is soooooo year 1!"

Oh yeah. We are the seniors now. :)

Uncommon Attitude For The Common World

~Attitude~

manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, esp. of the mind: a negative attitude; group attitudes.

• Friends whom you thought you could trust, betrayed you by lying to you.
• People who you thought are the kindest souls you ever met, turned out to judge you based on rumours.
• People whom you thought that are your friends turned out to be using you for their benefits.

We have all encountered such incidents and people before but still why does it hurt so much every time it happened to you again?

Speaking the truth all the time does pose a problem sometimes.

Some people just cannot accept the truth.

Must we all put up an act just for the sake of each other or for self?

I wanted very much to be nurse. I did all that I possibly could have done just to get into this course. As I faced the varied changes and characters along my journey, I've found something that bothers me deeply.

A noble profession filled with people of less noble intentions.

I do not seek to judge them, nor do I want to work with them unless I absolutely have to.

I believe the solution is to change my own attitude. I cannot join them in what they do because I cannot lie( at least I can't even lie properly).

I asked my closest friends what am I like? They told me that I did everything that I chose with a lot of passion. I chased after what others said is impossible. They also told me that my downfall will come about because of my passion.

To those that have hurt me, you can continue to hurt me.

To those who used me, you can continue to use me.

To those who hate me, you can continue to hate me.

To those who judged me, despised me, wants to make my life a complete misery, spread lies about me, ignore me and even want to make me QUIT...

please continue to do so.

After all, when all the people who are standing around can't see my pains and sufferings, SOMEONE will still see.

I believe in justice. Someday, you will reap what you sowed.

I'll pray for you.