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This might sound like a no-brainer, but performing professional nursing assessments is one of the basic skills a nurse will use on the job every. single. day... whether it's asking the patient about themselves directly, getting info from their family or friends, or digging up background data from their past medical records.
(FYI: the data is considered subjective if it is from the actual verbal descriptions about the health condition directly from the patient/client. The data is objective if it's a second-hand account observation or some type of direct measurement (like one's blood pressure) used to describe a patient's health condition... but, you knew that already, right?)
So, if you're not comfortable approaching and speaking with other people about their past medical history and what types of medical issues they are currently experiencing... what are you doing in nursing school?!
Aw, just kidding-- I, for one, believe that public speaking can be learned. I think with practice, experience, and the more you build up your knowledge base to learn to understand the difference between "normal" and "abnormal" conditions, the more comfortable and easy these types of situations will be. Here's a few links that may help with speaking with others:
The assessment part is just the 1st step in the Nursing Process. Together, this process is a scientific way to approach a health issue or condition and to find the best individual response for each patient. This, too, shall become second nature once it's been thoroughly practiced and we've all been thrown in the fire... so to speak.
I'll close with some other considerations on performing the nursing assessment:
- Consider the environment & surroundings so the client is comfortable
- Be on time, organized, and well-prepared about the task at hand
- Look professional: Neatly Dressed, Groomed, and (preferably!) with a Smile
- Be aware of verbal communication: Volume, Tone, Pronunciation, Speed,...
- Be aware of non-verbal communication: Posture, Eye Contact, Expressions...
- Be attentive & take time to really listen to what they are trying to tell you
- Allow time for the patient to ask questions
Two of the first topics a new nursing student learns about is Caring and the Elderly.
I'm assuming here, but I would guess that a lot of people that are attracted to the nursing field would generally consider themselves as being caring individuals. Yes, we know that this is no easy job, but it's the opportunity to help other people and make a difference in other people's lives that help make being a nurse worthwhile.
There's a number of different theories on what it means to be caring (Benner & Wrubel, Watson, Leininger, etc...) but basically it boils down to being aware that each patient is a person first and, the 'ol golden rule, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," "do as you would be done by," and "give as good as you would like to get." Anyway, you get the idea...
Examples of caring includes:
- Have a presence and "be there" for another person
- Listen to understand what they are telling you
- Take time to know who they are (they are more than just a disease)
- Learning about one's family or relationships that they have with others
- Allowing others to express/practice/share their own spiritual beliefs
- Making one's environment as comfortable as possible
The second major topic is learning about our growing elderly population and the basic skills of how to properly provide them care. Did you know that this year (2011) marks when the first baby boomers will start to turn 65? And, with the improvement in healthcare and the big group of baby boomers born between 1946 & 1964, the number of elderly adults will increase to 70 million people by the year 2030.
Here's a quick pic (from the United Nations, 2009), since I'm more of a visual learner myself...
Some of the first skills that we'll be working on are:
- Proper Documentation
- Proper Hand Hygiene
- Using Proper Body Alignment & Body Mechanics
- Bedmaking (w/ an occupied & unoccupied bed)
- Elimination Assistance (urinal, bedpan, & catheter)
- Bathing and Personal Hygiene
So to close, so I can get back to all my reading....
Here's a couple sites from the web on some general elderly care skills:
