My First Semester

As the end of the semester is approaching, I thought that I would update my blog on my experiences as a first year nursing student thus far. This semester has been rough at times, with the heavy workload and the short time span, however I have managed to pull through and have learned a lot. I have learned that nursing is more than a profession; it is a way to care and support others in times of need. I have also learned some basic skills in the lab which will transform into my duties as a student nurse next semester. As a student, I find nursing to be challenging but I am still learning new concepts each day. I am both excited and nervous to start clinical next semester, because it will be my first step in becoming a nurse. I hope my peers are just as happy as I am in the nursing program, and I wish everyone luck on their exams!

Photo taken from http://www.uoit.ca/assets/Section~specific/Current~students/Academic~resources/Library/Images/homepage/library_01.jpg

Technology within Healthcare Settings

When it comes to communication in healthcare settings, technology plays a major role. I think that by having technology, such as electronic documentation, pagers and call bells, nurses and healthcare professionals are able to overcome all communication barriers. By using electronic documentation, nurses can enter a patient’s health status into a computer for other nurses. A few advantages to electronic documentation are it is clear and legible, it takes less time and it is also harder to lose. Pagers are also efficient because nurses do not have time to run around and find other nurses. Similarly, call bells work the same way; if the patient needs the nurse, they can contact the nurses’ station for help. Overall, I believe that technology has revolutionized the way healthcare professionals interact and communicate with one another.