A Day in the Life of a Nursing Student

On Tuesday, November 29th 3-O Day was held at Mead Hotel. 3-O Day stands for our bodies, ourselves, our responsibility. Wood County Medical Society, as well as local businesses, churches, schools, and private individuals work together to bring this event to junior and senior high kids from multiple schools in Wisconsin.

The event includes a keynote speaker followed by sessions that discuss multiple tough topics facing our teens today. The topics included this year were: internet safety; drug use, misuse and abuse; depression; suicide; HIV/AIDS; relationships: rejection, dependency, control; teen parenting; sexually transmitted diseases; as well as two others titled Minding Your Life and Light the Fire: making personal change.

I was able to participate in 3-O Day this year. It was amazing to see how many kids are affected by some of these issues. As nurses, one of our major roles is teaching patients, especially children and teenagers. It was quite the experience putting some of my education to work. There, again, is another benefit of becoming involved in your community. It gives you the chance to put some of that theory into action.

~Amanda

Medication errors are made every day. Even the most experienced nurses make mistakes. A recent MSNA speaker discussed the medication errors they have seen, and what measures have been taken to prevent errors. Out of all the preventative measures, the most important measure nurses can take is continuing to use the 5 rights of medication administration.

Josie King died of dehydration and misused narcotics (http://www.josieking.org/page.cfm?pageID=10), Betsy Lehman died of a chemotherapy overdose (http://www.prhi.org/docs/September_2002.pdf), and Ben Kolb died after receiving epinephrine instead of lidocaine during an elective procedure (http://www.krupnicklaw.com/site/press/healing.htm). These are just a few well known medication errors that ended tragically.

JCAHO, as well as other organizations and programs, work to prevent medication errors through the institution of policies and programs at health care facilities. Such interventions include: storing pediatric and adult medication separately to prevent dosage errors, providing staff with a website that contains up-to-date medication information, and developing a list of unacceptable abbreviations.

The 5 rights is a simple, but fundamental, precaution that is essential in protecting patients and ourselves from medication errors. However; don’t forget your rights as a nurse. You have the right to: a complete and clear order, to have the correct medication in the correct dose and form dispensed to you, to have access to information, to have policies that guide safe medication administration, to identify system problems without fear of retaliation, and the right to be cautious in medication administration (http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/nursing/Issues/NurseAdviseERR200707.pdf).

~Amanda

I am often asked how I study. My response is usually, “You have to find what works for you.” However; there are a few things to keep in mind when studying, especially for the final.

First of all, you cannot learn it all in one night. Staying up till 4am drinking energy drinks and reading the text book the night before the final is not going to do you any good. You should have already learned the material. Studying for the final is about recognizing what you don’t know and studying that.

Second, you need to get some sleep. I can’t stress this enough. Sleep not only helps us put information into memory, but it helps us think clearly when we are taking the test. So if there was ever a night to go to bed early it is the night before the final.

Third, make sure you eat breakfast before your test. Your brain needs food to function. And it will help keep your stomach from distracting you, and the person sitting next to you, during the test.

Good luck! I hope all your hard work pays off. Enjoy your break!

~Amanda