By Robyn Knapp
The time is going to come for every graduate nurse to sit for their state boards. To become a Registered Nurse, the graduate nurse must pass the NCLEX. This is a comprehensive examination of the skills necessary to practice nursing safely. It is important for the graduate nurse to use all of the tools available to ensure success at passing. Many schools prepare the student nurses early in their curriculum with test questions that mimic the format of the NCLEX.
This is done to familiarize the students with the type of questions that they will face when they take the NCLEX. Many schools, in addition to in class tests, are also incorporating outside resource testing. These companies offer a wide selection of computerized nursing test bank questions that measure the student's comprehension and application of practice and theory for each nursing course. The student's are required to pass these tests with an acceptable score that is decided by the school that they are attending.
Most of the time, the score that the student tries to achieve is at or above the national average. If the student's score falls below the national average, that student is then required to take the test until their score is acceptable. This can be most bothersome for many nursing students. Although these tests do not add or detract from the student's grade point average, they are mandatory for many schools. Most nursing schools will with hold the student's diploma if the student has not completed all of the necessary required tests. These questions not only help to measure the student's knowledge level in regards to the material covered, but it also acts as a tracking tool. In acting as a tracking tool, student's scores from all participating nursing schools can be compared and contrasted.
These same students are followed up until the end of the program, and then determinations regarding one schools performance over another can be interpolated. Once the student graduates from nursing school, they are further tracked by their mandatory and or voluntary participation in a four day NCLEX review seminar. These seminars are usually offered by the same testing corporation originally used by the school throughout the program and are offered at no extra expense to the student's. The performance of the student's throughout the program can then be interpolated with some degree of confidence on how well they perform on the NCLEX.
Of course all of the tracking and testing statistics can only predict outcomes. Only the student knows how much effort that they need to expend to pass their nursing courses and the state boards. Ask any nursing student, and most will concur that there is a lot of work that goes into getting through nursing school. It is important for the nursing student to look objectively at the numbers and percentages of those who pass the NCLEX. The rumor, that is supposedly based on fact, in, that all "A" and "B" students pass the NCLEX the first time, and all "C" student's fail the first time, is a false assumption, and one which can be detrimental to a "C" student's psyche. The only fact, is that the student must be the final judge of themselves, as far as knowing what they are capable of accomplishing, and not what rumor or statistics reflect.
Students should be aware that the use of outside practice resources is an acceptable and proven method to increase their chances of passing the NCLEX Nursing student's are encouraged to study not just one NCLEX study guide, but many. Using two or three NCLEX study guides as a reference is a solid strategic plan. Knowledge gained from the nursing program is of course valuable. However, a student cannot possibly remember every little detail. They would have thousands of flash cards to study, if that were the case. So, as the saying goes, "study smarter, not harder" applies.
The NCLEX is scientifically designed and percentages are assigned in respect to different content areas. The student is urged to study how the test is put together and use review material that best supports a similar format. This article will not recommend any study material, but it will impress upon student's to use up to date, current and respected sources. Nursing instructors are a good resource for suggesting resources. It is a good beginning strategy. Nursing instructor's have a lot of experience and are consistently revising their test bank material to keep current with the latest NCLEX question format.
Students are encouraged to practice online computer tests as well. Not only does familiarity with computer testing ease the student's anxiety, but it also gives the student the computer skill necessary to maneuver through the test without difficulty. Here is an example, imagine having to drive two thousand miles, and getting into a car. You know the direction to where you are going, but you never drove a car before in your life. How do you think you are going to feel getting behind that wheel, with such a long road ahead, and not being able to anticipate or know what to do when confronting unfamiliar situations?
It is the same thing with navigating the NCLEX. Knowing how to work the controls is very important, and it will save you time and energy that can be better put to use answering questions.
It is important not to go into the test thinking that luck is on your side, without having studied. Luck, may or may not be, but the fact is, most teachers will tell you, that if you didn't study, then you won't do well. The same thing can be said about the NCLEX. Study, is the key. Know what you are facing. There is so much information out there that gives the graduate nurse all the tools that they need to be successful in passing the NCLEX. Remember, it's up to you. So best wishes, on your test, and study, study, study.
Showing posts with label nurse educators in PA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nurse educators in PA. Show all posts
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Frameworks in Nursing Theory and Practical
Nursing theory is the term given to the body of wisdom that is used to support nursing practice. In their professional education, nurses will study a range of interconnected subjects which can be applied to the practice setting. This knowledge may come from experiential learning, from formal sources such as nursing research or from non-nursing sources.
Nursing theories provide a framework for nurses to systematize their nursing actions: what to ask, what to observe, what to focus on and what to think about, to develop new and validate current knowledge. They define commonalities of the variables in a stated field of inquiry, guide nursing research and actions, predict practice outcomes, and predict client response.
Nursing theories are used to describe, develop, disseminate, and use previous/present knowledge in nursing. Descriptive theory identifies properties and components of a discipline. They identify meaning and observations and describe what elements exist in that discipline. Explanatory theory identifies how the properties and components relate to each other and accounts for how the discipline functions. Predictive theories predict the relationships between the components of a phenomenon and predict under what conditions it will occur. And, Prescriptive theories address nursing therapeutics and consequences of interventions.
There are generally 4-levels of Nursing Theory: Metatheory is the most abstract and not easily tested. Grand Theory is a conceptual framework that defines broad perspectives for nursing practice. Middle Range Theory is moderately abstract and has a limited number of variables. They can be tested directly. Mid-range is very useful in nursing research and practice. Practice Theory traces the outline for practice. Objectives are set and actions are set to meet the objectives. Four steps in the development of practice theories are: factor isolating, factor relating, situation relating, and situation producing control.
In nursing, theories can also be analyzed by types which are needs, interaction, outcome, and humanistic-focused.
It is interesting to note that 90% of all nursing theories have been generated just in the last 20-years. Many schools encourage students to formulate theories of Nursing as part of their curriculum. In fact the pages of Nursing Science Quarterly are a major mouthpiece for Nursing Theory. Some still argue though that this multiplicity of theory is detrimental to the practice and undermines common vision. Others would say that the nature of the young science is sufficiently far reaching to require such tactics in order to elicit true consensus. It cannot be denied, however, that there is much vanity involved in the formulation of nursing theory.
Nursing theory is essential to the framework of nursing practice. Nursing theory information will assist in guiding individual practice and research methods.
Nursing theories provide a framework for nurses to systematize their nursing actions: what to ask, what to observe, what to focus on and what to think about, to develop new and validate current knowledge. They define commonalities of the variables in a stated field of inquiry, guide nursing research and actions, predict practice outcomes, and predict client response.
Nursing theories are used to describe, develop, disseminate, and use previous/present knowledge in nursing. Descriptive theory identifies properties and components of a discipline. They identify meaning and observations and describe what elements exist in that discipline. Explanatory theory identifies how the properties and components relate to each other and accounts for how the discipline functions. Predictive theories predict the relationships between the components of a phenomenon and predict under what conditions it will occur. And, Prescriptive theories address nursing therapeutics and consequences of interventions.
There are generally 4-levels of Nursing Theory: Metatheory is the most abstract and not easily tested. Grand Theory is a conceptual framework that defines broad perspectives for nursing practice. Middle Range Theory is moderately abstract and has a limited number of variables. They can be tested directly. Mid-range is very useful in nursing research and practice. Practice Theory traces the outline for practice. Objectives are set and actions are set to meet the objectives. Four steps in the development of practice theories are: factor isolating, factor relating, situation relating, and situation producing control.
In nursing, theories can also be analyzed by types which are needs, interaction, outcome, and humanistic-focused.
It is interesting to note that 90% of all nursing theories have been generated just in the last 20-years. Many schools encourage students to formulate theories of Nursing as part of their curriculum. In fact the pages of Nursing Science Quarterly are a major mouthpiece for Nursing Theory. Some still argue though that this multiplicity of theory is detrimental to the practice and undermines common vision. Others would say that the nature of the young science is sufficiently far reaching to require such tactics in order to elicit true consensus. It cannot be denied, however, that there is much vanity involved in the formulation of nursing theory.
Nursing theory is essential to the framework of nursing practice. Nursing theory information will assist in guiding individual practice and research methods.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Certified Nurse Assistant’s Duties
Among the vast array of health care careers lies the area of direct care giving. These professionals are often Home Health Assistant (HHA) or Home Health Aides, Personal Care Assistants, Nurse's Aides, Patient Care Technicians and several other titles, depending on the work environment and the region.
Certified Nursing Assistants work closely with patients and provide assistance with daily living tasks, such as: dressing (according to patients' needs, ranging from minimal assistance to totally dependent); bathing (bed baths, tub baths, showers); feeding (serving meals, physically feeding patients who are unable to do so themselves); toileting (assisting with bedpans & urinals, help to the bathroom, provide incontinent care for patients who need it); vital signs (Blood pressure, pulse, etc); Catheter caring (emptying, upkeep of Intake & Output sheets when necessary); answering call lights in a timely fashion; assisting patients with ambulation, when needed; range of Motion Exercises, as prescribed by physical therapy; assisting residents in wheelchairs (a lot of heavy lifting at times); making beds and keeping the patients' rooms and belongings neat and organized; ensuring that bedridden patients are turned at least every two hours, to ensure comfort and to prevent bedsores; reporting all changes, physical and mental, of the patients to the nurse; Post Mortem Care; safety awareness - keeping an eye on wanderers and watching for potentially dangerous situations; Documentation - daily documentation on the care provided to each patient; and anything else that needs to be done.
Certified Nurse Assistants are required to lift patients, assist a patient that is falling and carry heavy medical equipment. They should have the physical dexterity to perform skills that require fine motor movement. Basic observations are made by the CNA; therefore they should possess the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch.
Certified Nursing Assistants can be found in nursing homes, hospitals, adult day health centers, assisted living facilities, even personal homes. Wherever there is a need for personal care, Certified Nursing Assistants are the ones who, for the most part, perform the most basic needs for patients, young and old alike. They work under the supervision of a nurse. Since aides have extensive daily contact with each patient, they are keys to providing vital information on the patients' conditions to the nurse.
A certified nursing assistant's job does not end with the physical needs of the patients. This is a job which requires compassion and a desire to make people comfortable and happy. Residents of nursing homes often suffer from depression and/or dementia, and the certified nursing assistant is often the closest human contact afforded to many of these people. A sense of humor helps in this field.
Certified Nursing Assistants work closely with patients and provide assistance with daily living tasks, such as: dressing (according to patients' needs, ranging from minimal assistance to totally dependent); bathing (bed baths, tub baths, showers); feeding (serving meals, physically feeding patients who are unable to do so themselves); toileting (assisting with bedpans & urinals, help to the bathroom, provide incontinent care for patients who need it); vital signs (Blood pressure, pulse, etc); Catheter caring (emptying, upkeep of Intake & Output sheets when necessary); answering call lights in a timely fashion; assisting patients with ambulation, when needed; range of Motion Exercises, as prescribed by physical therapy; assisting residents in wheelchairs (a lot of heavy lifting at times); making beds and keeping the patients' rooms and belongings neat and organized; ensuring that bedridden patients are turned at least every two hours, to ensure comfort and to prevent bedsores; reporting all changes, physical and mental, of the patients to the nurse; Post Mortem Care; safety awareness - keeping an eye on wanderers and watching for potentially dangerous situations; Documentation - daily documentation on the care provided to each patient; and anything else that needs to be done.
Certified Nurse Assistants are required to lift patients, assist a patient that is falling and carry heavy medical equipment. They should have the physical dexterity to perform skills that require fine motor movement. Basic observations are made by the CNA; therefore they should possess the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and touch.
Certified Nursing Assistants can be found in nursing homes, hospitals, adult day health centers, assisted living facilities, even personal homes. Wherever there is a need for personal care, Certified Nursing Assistants are the ones who, for the most part, perform the most basic needs for patients, young and old alike. They work under the supervision of a nurse. Since aides have extensive daily contact with each patient, they are keys to providing vital information on the patients' conditions to the nurse.
A certified nursing assistant's job does not end with the physical needs of the patients. This is a job which requires compassion and a desire to make people comfortable and happy. Residents of nursing homes often suffer from depression and/or dementia, and the certified nursing assistant is often the closest human contact afforded to many of these people. A sense of humor helps in this field.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Nursing Scholarship Programs Funding
Scholarships are financial aids provided on the basis of academic merit awarded to an institution or an individual for the purposes of furthering their education. They are offered by governments, colleges and private, and other outside sources. They are generally awarded based on the financial need, academic achievement, athletic achievement, community involvement, nationality or ethnicity of the individual. Like grants, they do not have to be repaid.
Nursing Scholarships and grants are provided to compensate for the critical shortage of nurses around the globe.
Many Nursing Scholarship Programs provide tuition fees, required fees, other costs including required books, clinical supplies, laboratory expenses, research facilities, etc., and other scholarship benefits. Preference is given to qualified applicants with the greatest financial need who are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate nursing program. Nursing scholarships or loans are not only granted to the needy and with the highest grades.
Nursing scholarships are given in exchange to: practicing full time as primary care nurse practitioner in a community, teaching in a nursing school, employment as a nurse administrator in health care agencies, working for the Department of Health, service for a period of 2 years at health care facilities, and/or assist in the area of mental health research.
The major sources of nursing scholarships for students are the state and federal governments. Some are sponsored by individual donors or private organizations. Since they often have more nursing scholarships funds available, more and more federal dollars are used to promote underserved areas for nursing students who can commit to service after graduation in a medically underserved institution or region.
Professional nursing organizations, such as the American Nursing Association (ANA) and other active political voices, and many colleges and universities with nursing program, have built up generous scholarship and grant funds for both undergraduate and graduate nurses because of the lack of funding across public and private sources. These grants are administered to nursing scholarship programs to help shore up flagging nursing programs, provide needed funds for new facilities, and provide money to hire more well-trained nursing faculty.
Nursing scholarship forms can be accessed online or you can obtain copies from schools’ financial aid offices. Requirements must be completed at favorable dates or deadlines. They are in first come first served basis. You can explore the web to be able to find what kinds of nursing scholarship programs are offered. You can also find them in private sector loans, grants and other assistance that your local service organization provides.
Nursing Scholarships and grants are provided to compensate for the critical shortage of nurses around the globe.
Many Nursing Scholarship Programs provide tuition fees, required fees, other costs including required books, clinical supplies, laboratory expenses, research facilities, etc., and other scholarship benefits. Preference is given to qualified applicants with the greatest financial need who are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate nursing program. Nursing scholarships or loans are not only granted to the needy and with the highest grades.
Nursing scholarships are given in exchange to: practicing full time as primary care nurse practitioner in a community, teaching in a nursing school, employment as a nurse administrator in health care agencies, working for the Department of Health, service for a period of 2 years at health care facilities, and/or assist in the area of mental health research.
The major sources of nursing scholarships for students are the state and federal governments. Some are sponsored by individual donors or private organizations. Since they often have more nursing scholarships funds available, more and more federal dollars are used to promote underserved areas for nursing students who can commit to service after graduation in a medically underserved institution or region.
Professional nursing organizations, such as the American Nursing Association (ANA) and other active political voices, and many colleges and universities with nursing program, have built up generous scholarship and grant funds for both undergraduate and graduate nurses because of the lack of funding across public and private sources. These grants are administered to nursing scholarship programs to help shore up flagging nursing programs, provide needed funds for new facilities, and provide money to hire more well-trained nursing faculty.
Nursing scholarship forms can be accessed online or you can obtain copies from schools’ financial aid offices. Requirements must be completed at favorable dates or deadlines. They are in first come first served basis. You can explore the web to be able to find what kinds of nursing scholarship programs are offered. You can also find them in private sector loans, grants and other assistance that your local service organization provides.
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