Nursing Students Comradeship

I am now finishing off the first semester of my first year as a nursing student. It has been exciting, stressful, and at the utmost a rewarding experience. I have learned many new basic nursing skills that have given me the confidence to enter into January clinical with a little less apprehension. The greatest opportunity I have had thus far is the chance to meet a lot of great people who have helped make this first semester an easier transition and my time more enjoyable. We have experienced all the ups and downs together and experienced the stress and hardships that come with being a first year nursing student. This has bonded us together and created a comradeship that hopefully will last us over the next four years and into our nursing careers. These connections are the very root of what helps a nursing student pass successfully through four hard years of stressful and many times emotional work. The ability to have someone there who knows what you are going through and who you can vent to or just simply laugh with when things just seem to hard is what keeps us going. I am grateful to have met so many caring and compassionate people. Maybe it is because this line of work draws a certain type of person in or maybe its the kind of work we do that connects us, but I find the friendships formed between nursing students is different from other programs I have experienced. I look forward to walking down the halls of the hospital in January with the support and comradeship of my fellow nursing students.

Therapeutic Touch in Nursing

Throughout my first semester of nursing I have been exposed to a multi-disciplinary approach to the care I can offer my patients. An alternative practice that really stood out to me was the use of therapeutic touch. Therapeutic touch uses touch and massage to help in relaxation and healing of the patient. I think massage can be a beneficial tool when used in conjunction with mainstream medicine to achieve optimal overall well being for the patient. I also think that therapeutic touch allows for the nurse and patient to build a stronger therapeutic relationship which is essential in good nursing care. It creates a more open channel between nurse and client. A client must drop their guard and be comfortable enough to allow a nurse to practice therapeutic touch. I think it also allows for a deeper connection because when the patient is relaxed and comforted by the nurses touch they become more comfortable with the nurse. Therapeutic touch or massage has the ability to make a person more physically comfortable but it can also help a person to feel emotionally more at ease. Massaging can help a person to destress which can help the mind relax as well as the body.

Technology and the Health Care System

Technology is an intrigel part in the transfer of information throughout the health care system. Technology allows information to be transmitted quickly and efficiently from one practitioner to another. This gives members of the health care team the ability to receive information instantly and react accordingly. Also by using computers to electronically record patient data this will help decrease errors due to misread orders. Handwritten orders can sometimes be difficult to interpret due to unclear writing. There are also many technologies that help to support the heath care professions. These technologies include personal assistance devices that allow practitioners to quickly access reference material or charts at the bedside of the patient. Technology allows continuous communication throughout the heath care system and promotes more efficient and reliable care.

Blood Donation

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to have my blood type tested at school. I have always been curious as to what blood type I was. When it was all said and done I found out that I had a blood type that was very common and that was in high demand. The nurse that tested my blood type told me all about blood donations, something I have never done before. She informed me that for every donation I made I could help save 3 lives. This was the first time that I had ever considered blood donation, mostly out of fear. I've never been good with needles. So I took it upon myself to further research blood donations through Canadian Blood Services. I was astounded by all the differences one can make by taking 20 to 30 minutes out of their lives. Suddenly the prospect of a pin prick did not seem so daunting when considering all the good it could do for people facing much worse. In conclusion I am now prepped and ready to make my first donation on December 3rd. I hope to be able to make a difference to someone and continue to donate blood for as long as I can. I urge everyone to take the time and look into blood donations. This is the link to Canadian Blood service : http://www.bloodservices.ca/centreapps/Internet/UW_V502_MainEngine.nsf/page/Home?opendocument. Check it out!

Welcome!

Hello fellow nursing students and instructors!

My name is Jillian. I graduated from Sinclair Secondary School in 2005 and since graduating I have kept very busy. I worked apprenticing under a C.C.C. Chef at Cullen Gardens: Grill and Grape and attended Fleming College for Culinary management. I had a beautiful daughter who just celebrated her second birthday, and last year I graduated from the general arts and science program at Durham College with presidential honours. This is my first blog and I’m interested to see how it unfolds. I think blogging is an excellent way for people to express themselves and share their ideas. I look forward to getting to know everyone and reading your thoughts and opinions.