Best books for nursing students

Hello readers!!
Today I'll be chatting about the nursing books i could not live without (Well... okay... I COULD live without them but it would be hard...). These books are my favourite by-the-way. I have so many i love but these are the main ones! ^   ^ Head down to your uni library if you are interested. I haven't linked them to Amazon or anything because almost every uni library will have these books. Do you really want to waste £130 of your student bursary on one book? That's what I thought... Just search your library catalogue. It saves pennies. So, here we go. In no paticular order...


The Royal Marsden of Clinical Nursing Procedures
Such an amazing book but SO heavy -_-... This is the most important book of your training though, whcih regards to learning clinical procedures anyway. This has pretty much EVERY nursing procedure but it's great to learn from because its set out well, with great diagrams and in an easy-to-read way. Probably not a good idea to buy this or some of the other books mentioned in this post as many, if not all of these are very expensive (some over £100...) Just head down to your university library. More often your uni library will have withdrawn books and you will be able to take them home for free. Anyway, I love this book so get one if you can!

 
British National Formulary
This book is a must for when you are on the wards! It simply lists all drugs and their indications, side effects etc. I believe they are released a couple times every year (March and Sept, I think) which is great because it means they are always up-to-date. Plus, they are always such pretty colours!! Anyway, don't panic if you don't have one, every ward has at least three or four. You don't have to pay Amazon prices either. Just run down to your pharmacy dept. and ask if they have any they are chucking out. (They always want up-to-date ones obviously). So, get your hands on one!! 

Gray's Anatomy
Every nurse needs to have some knowledge about A&P and this book is amazing! It's pretty heavy for the layman mentally and physically (It'a a BIG book...) but it's a must for any student of biology or healthcare.





  


  
Principles of Anatomy & Physiology
This book is actually available as two separate volumes and is actually one of the best A&P books I've read. It covers almost everything you need to know as a student nurse and is perfect for assignments. This book was actually recommended by the A&P lecturers and I found so many copies in the library. Only problem was that I would have to stay in the stacks and flick through the book to make sure I had the right volume with the right topics in before taking it out! Other than that, highly recommended!


                                         

The Incredibily Easy! Series
I LOVE this series because, being a first year, some aspects of the course and of your training are quite daunting. This series helps to clarify some of the harder topics. Each chapter starts with the very basics and gradually delves into the deeper and more analytical stuff. The text is broken up into smaller paragraphs, making it easy to read. And text is also accompanied by cartoon pictures which is quite cool. There are quite a lot of books in this series and so far I've only read about three/four but I hope to read them all eventually! There are books on: Wound care, critical care, clinical skills, fundamentals of care, mental health, nursing pharmacology, assessment, nutrition, paediatrics and many more! Check them out!  


Nursing Calculations
Although this is a book of little pages but is very easy to get through. It simply comprises of a lot of drug calculations and is set out like a maths textbook. But it starts with the easy stuff and gradually gets to the more difficult calculations. It's easy to carry around, weighs practically nothing and the answers are at the back which helps you to check what ones you got right or wrong... Anyway, this is a MUST! I love it!





                               
The Student Nurse Handbook
This was one of the very first books that I took out at the library and it's brilliant!! It helps students to gain an insight into nursing before going on their first placement and it really did help me a lot. It gave me insight regarding what to expect once I stepped on the wards. I actually kept this in my bag during lectures in case I had a spare minute to have a read and I'd also read it on the bus. It's easy to carry around and cover a multitude of topics. I also used this for my interprofessional module!! Like gold dust!!




Well, I suppose that covers it! I hope you have found this post useful! I've been under a lot of stress lately what with so many assignments and trying to arrange my next clinical placement (which is actually with a district nurse, buzzing! lol) I hope you are well and I hope you have time to research into these books because I love them and have found them so beneficial!
Take care!

Emily

Study skills

Good evening!
I know it's been a week but so much has happened! I've been so busy trying to make an effort on my assignment and portfolio that I've (almost) forgotten about this blog! So, i'm sorry about that! Also, I've been trying to get ready for my placement and everything which has been really stressful! The couple hours i get when I return from uni everyday is simply leisure (like lounging around watching The Walking Dead).
So, for this post no theoretical stuff. No A&P, no OBS, no IPL... NONE of that today! I'll be talking about study skills (and hopefully this will motivate me to want to study harder!!) This won't just apply to health and social care students (Nurses, social workers, radiographers, ODPs...) but it'll apply to ANY student - whether you are at GCSE level, Advanced level or degree level.
So, I'll be dividing this post up into sections: Who, what, where, when, why and how? So, lets begin!!

WHO?
Depending on your personality you will either work alone or in groups.

Alone
Personally I prefer to study alone. I actually CANNOT study with others. I'm not unsociable, in fact i'm the very opposite - if i study with others i will end up talking about something else. Like, shopping, gigs, piercings, food, music... stuff like that. Which obviously has NO relevance to the endocrine system whatsoever. Anyway, if you choose to go it alone then by all means do so. Don't think that you can't. Just because you're friends aren't gonna walk you to the library or whatever, you can still be independent and study on your own. Besides, if you study alone you can focus on the areas you specifically need to work on, you can stay as long as you want and take breaks when you want. You'd actually be surprised how many people study alone. Almost everyone! Plus, I always think that study groups are just EXCUSES to be together. To 'study'. Riiiiight. It's like a 'study date'. Dude, you're not going to study... Who would study on a DATE?! Hello?! Moving on, If you are going to study alone, make sure you have everything you need such as your study utensils and plan (we'll get to that bit later) and make sure you have a suitable area for study. Figure out if you work best in silence or with some background music or a little mummering from others in the background. I remember at A level I would always study in the library after four because most of the kids from years seven to eleven had gotten fed up by then and gone home. Therefore, the library was blissfully peaceful! I was friends with the librarian so she'd let me stay until six sometimes! Also, choose a computer or desk that is in a perfect position: either near the stacks in the library for quick referencing, or opposite a window for perfect ventilation; near the water fountain for hydration or in the corner for tranquility. It's up to you so at the beginning of the year seek out these little areas so you aren't squeezed elbow to elbow with other students at 'rush hour'!

In groups
Even though I don't really study in groups that often I still find it quite fun! (IKR! Bet you weren't expecting THAT!) Like they say: 'two heads are better than one' and in the case of studying, sometimes it works better to have a study-buddy or a couple other people to lay the snakes out flat, so to speak. Studying with others can be great because its not only a social thing but it's a peer-support thing. What I mean is, if 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours'. If you don't get something, someone else can clarify it for you and help you. If you get something they don't, then you can help them to understand so it works out by helping each other. Also, you can study in different ways, E.G. by presentations, discussion and debates ETC. Not only that, but you'll be improving your communication skills which is very important for any student - it will help you no end in university interviews, job interviews, on your CV, in the workplace, make friends in the future... the list goes on. So, don't dismiss the idea of working with others. it can be great fun. However, beware of digressing conversations and laziness. Some people may also try to get away with doing nothing while the 'smart ones' do it all. Which can be extremely annoying.

WHAT?
This section will talk about WHAT you should study. Again I'll divide this up...

Lecture notes
So many people write a ton of lecture notes in their notebooks but can be fussed to type the notes up and print them out for their folders. WHY?! It literally takes about ten minutes tops. Plus, going over what was covered in classes will motivate you to research more and will clarify to you what was said about a certain topic and what wasn't (I.E. what the lecturer expects you to do extra/individual research on).

Prioritizing
After typing up your lecture notes, try to ascertain what you DID understand and what you didn't. The stuff that you didn't understand is probably the stuff that is more pressing. Its the stuff you should study/cover first.

Resources
So when you've chosen the topic you don't get, you can choose where you'll get the informaion. So, where do you start? In most libraries you won't just have books. There will be internet access, journals, e-books, CDs, DVDs ETC. And you can use any of these (probably not the CDs and DVDs for assignments...) to aid your study. As long as it helps you to understand a topic. Thats the main thing. Also you can normally reserve and renew books online, whether its your local or university library.

Choosing the book/journal
So, lets say you've decided to just look in books for now. You are standing in the aisle for 'Nursing' and you have NO idea what book to pick out. What the heck do you do? Well, first off, scan the book spines for titles. If you are looking up something about ATP, it's no good looking at a book that is entitled 'Guide to clinical placements', is it? So, think logically. Look for an A&P book if you want to know about ATP. Look for student guides if you are looking up clinical placements.
So, now you've picked up a book and it looks kind of relevant. What do you do? Well, open the book and flip through it. Is it set out in a way that you'd easily learn from it. If you are a visual learner, does it have plenty of pictures? If you are a logical learner, does the book go into lots of detail or does it just cover the basics? Also, think about whether you'll be taking the book out or not. If you are, is it of suitable size to carry it around for a few hours (or at least your trip home)?

And once you've got it?
Sometimes I start typing up whats in the book, word for word. But then i just get bored and start watching anime. Which kinda defeats the object. So, perhaps scan through the chapter before writing notes and place post-it notes over the paragraphs that are most relevant? Then, why not leave the computer for a while and draw up a mind up, jotting down key points of important information and colouring it so the key bits stand out? you could also write up notes on it and then type. Sure it may take a bit longer but you'll be going over the information twice which makes the studying actually WORTH it and you'll definately understand it afterwards. You could also make little revision cards on the key info. By-the-way, they don't literally HAVE to be 'cards'. I studied using revision cards and just paper did fine for me.

WHERE?
Determining where to study really makes a difference. But you can either study at home or at your institution / university / school / college.

Home
This covers grandmas house, your student accomodation, your friends house ETC. I alwyas say 'oh, yeah, I'll just do it at home'. And then I don't. haha. But sometimes studying at home isn't that bad. You may be distracted but if you have the house alone you will, hopefully, be free from major distractions. Unless the TV is calling you... Remember that if you study at home you will have distractions like 'dinner time' which you think 'ahh i need a break anyway. You'll have brother and sisters screaming the house down. You'll have mummy popping in to put the washing away or if your bedroom is next to the bathroom like mine is, someone will flush the toilet and you're concentration will diminish rapidly. Oh and if your brothers or sisters call up to you telling you someones on the phone for you or that 'Alcatraz' is on TV and you really CAN'T miss an episode... Anyway, what i mean is, home has so many distractions. If you can take it, sure. But I don't have tonnes of breaks and prefer to study for like an hour or two at a time. But it's up to you.

University/college
Sometimes there will be cafes or studying areas you can just take a book to and read or take notes from quietly. However, obviously there is the library where more resources are available to you. Every institution is different though and some campus unis can get really crowded so the library at three is not the best place to go for peace and seclusion. Why not go slightly off campus so a small bar or cafe and just read for about thirty minutes and wait for the rush hours to die down. That way you can definately get a computer in the library later.

In bed
Okay, i can explain! Read a book before you go to bed. If you don't like reading, tough. Get used to it. You'll need to like reading in order to pass the course. Even if you dont read fiction before bed its always good to read something before you hit the hay. Research shows that reading for 15 minutes reduces your stress by 70%. Others say more. Also, reading just a couple pages a night is better than nothing. I've started doing this and i'm actually learning a lot. A lady in my classes mentioned something that I wouldn't have even known if i hadn't read it in the book i'm currently reading!

When travelling
Not just in bed. Yes, on the bus, in the car (if you're not driving!) and on the train just read a few pages. Not even that. It will help so much towards your knowledge!

Outside
You can actually study in the park, at the beach... anywhere! Outdoors is actually a great place to escape to if the house is too noisy or the library is jam-packed! It's stress relieving and almost fun! Just be careful you don't get sunburn or anything!

WHEN?
It's important to decide what time to study as it determines how much information you retain and how long you will study for.

In the morning
There's a girl in my classes who always says that she studies and prepares for classes in the morning before she goes to uni. Now, I personally wouldn't recommend this. Why? Because in the morning, generally you are probably rushing around to get ready. Therefor you'll have limited time to study. If you procrastinate and just sit at your desk thinking, then you'll have wasted precious sleeping time so theres no point. Some are more alert in the morning (I am, i know) but even so, save your energy for lectures and seminars. Give yourself more time to prepare. Don't get up early in order to do so. The mornings should be to allow for a hearty breakfast and to get your circulation and brain juices flowing! Also, NEVER study for exams in the morning! It only makes you panic. I know plenty of people who've done this in the past and have literally MUCKED UP the exam because of it. Study the night before but leave the books in the morning. Don't be tempted.

In the afternoon
Lunchtimes are actually good times to allow for study time! This may be difficult if you eat with friends because they might call you a geek.. my friends do... But don't let that deter you! If you are THAT worried, just read a couple pages from your book like we said earlier. Later in the afternoon, say three-ish, is probably the time I set out for study. It gives me time alone so I can focus and, even though I am tired, I have time to type and print out notes and print out research for tomorrows classes. I also have time to read around a topic and look for better books. I've even stayed at the library until about nine at night! Plus, if you want a break you can always go for a wander. Our campus shop at UCS is literally just under the library so it's perfect for getting late afternoon snacks! I also believe this is the case with University of Essex as well and a few other unis.

In the evening
The evening is great for study too! This is the time i have at home for myself or for extra study. I can update this blog or read from books or journals or e-books. Or I can do a bit more to my assignment or just watch anime! I try to get at least an hour a day study time in. Even if it's just scanning through internet pages for something. But I would say that past eleven, studying is not good. You'll be too tired to process the information and you do need sleep in order to keep up good grades.

WHY?
whats the point of studying and reading around a topic?

Grades
C'mon! If you don't study then your grades will obviously fail! But I guess many people do actually think that there is no need to read around a topic or do extra research, but there is! If, like me, you are studying to become a HCP, then you need to keep up-to-date with medical research and this entails reading around a topic. Also, to become a competent student you will need to UNDERSTAND a topic. Not just 'know'. I found this to be the case with many of my fellow sixth formers. Most thought they were okay just reading from the textbook a few minutes from the exam. Nope. They weren't. You need to understand what you are learning and make the knowledge your own. Don't just accept what the book says. Use other books and journals, written by different authors. Everyone has a different take on the world. Authors will disagree and maybe you will disagree with what they have written. In fact, in exams by pointing out research flaws you actually get the higher grades. This was certainly the case in psychology.

For your own competency
Kind of touched on this one. But if you study hard and really put in the effort, you will obviously have a better knowledge. This will set you up better for jobs and will aid in your future choices and decision making.

Confidence
No-one likes looking like a fool. So don't walk into a lecture without having some idea (at least) of what the lecture will be about. I don't just mean knowing what the title of the lecture is, I mean knowing what the title suggests.

HOW?
And finally, how can you study?

Written
You can study by writing notes from a textbook or drawing up diagrams or mind maps to help you retain the information. Revision cards or making a quiz for yourself and others.

Orally
You can have a group discussion or debate on a given topic which will allow for new ideas. You can also give presentations or just chat about a topic to someone who isn't on your course or knows nothing about the topic.

Technologically
By this, I mean using technology to learn. So, you can type up your notes. Make a slideshow presentation. Or just record your voice on a tape recorder. My A level PE teacher suggested that we record a fake-radio show once. He even suggested we make up a song! I thought it was a dumb idea at first but, thinking back to it now, it wasn't actually a bad idea in terms of remembering information!

Mnemonics
Just an easier and more fun way to remember stuff.

Reading
You get the idea by now (: read just a few pages a day of any book that relates to your course!

Practise exam questions
Exam questions are great because they are specific to most students needs and very relevant!

Role play
If you are doing a health and social care course like me, you could ask a sibling or family member to be a guinea pig so you can practice things like vital signs for instance.


Well, that is it for now! I hope this has helped! It has motivated me to keep studying hard, actually! Sometimes, i must say, i feel like giving up. Sometimes I think to myself that I'm never gonna improve or I think that others are so much better than I am but I know thats just me being underconfident. It's me undervaluing myself. I know I shouldn't but I just do. If you do this, don't worry! I can totally understand! It can be hard when you feel inexperienced and unworthy and you are not! Just keep trying hard! Enjoy what you are learning! you'll never be a student again! (unless you do post-grad -_-...) So enjoy the experience! But give yourself plenty of breaks and make the most of the time you have to learn!

Emily

Nursing Practice: Pressure Ulcers

In this post I'm going to talk about what we covered in one of our first nursing practice lectures which was about pressure ulcers.

Nursing Practice

•Guideline – A general rule, principle or piece of advice
•Policy – A proposed or adopted course or principle of action. Something you must follow otherwise you may be disciplined
•Standards – A required or agreed level of quality. Recommended by regulating/professional bodies and must be followed EG The code of practice.

What is stroke?

A stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted to part of the brain. Without blood to supply oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products, brain cells quickly begin to die. Depending on the region of the brain affected, a stroke may cause paralysis, speech impairment, loss of memory and reasoning ability, coma, or death. A stroke also is sometimes called a brain attack or a cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

Pressure Ulcers
Pressure ulcers, also sometimes known as bedsores or pressure sores, are a type of injury that affects areas of the skin and underlying tissue. They are caused when the affected area of skin is placed under too much pressure.

Pressure ulcers can range in severity from patches of discoloured skin to open wounds that expose the underlying bone or muscle.

How pressure ulcers develop
Pressure ulcers develop when a large amount of pressure is applied to an area of skin over a short period of time. Or, they can occur when less force is applied but over a longer period of time. They can develop within two hours. So it is important to move a patient at least once every two hours.

The extra pressure disrupts the flow of blood through the skin. Without a blood supply, the affected area of skin becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients. It begins to break down, leading to the formation of an ulcer.

Healthy people do not get pressure ulcers because they are continuously and subconsciously adjusting their posture and position so that no part of their body is subjected to excessive pressure.

However, people with health conditions that make it difficult for them to move their body often develop pressure ulcers. In addition, conditions that can affect the flow of blood through the body, such as type 2 diabetes, can make a person more vulnerable to pressure ulcers.


Preventing pressure Ulcers
•Change a patient’s position at least once every two hours
•Use equipment such as mattresses or pillows to relieve pressure on vulnerable areas

Vulnerable areas for pressure ulcers
If a patient is bedbound (unable to get out of bed) they are at risk of developing pressure ulcers on their:
•shoulders or shoulder blades
•elbows
•back of your head
•rims of your ears
•knees, ankles, heels or toes
•spine
•tail bone (the small bone at the bottom of your spine)

If they are sitting or they are a wheelchair user, they are at risk of developing pressure ulcers on:
•the buttocks
•the back of your arms and legs
•the back of your hip bone

Other reasons for patient discomfort:
•If a patient is incontinent, urine is acidic which may burn their skin
•Hospitals can also become very warm which may cause them to sweat which can in turn cause discomfort

Hygiene needs of a patient

Assessment
•Check the nail beds and the skin to check for capillary refill time and circulation – press on the skin and check how long the skin takes to return to its natural colour
•Skin can be an indication of dehydration – this is obvious if the skin is dry, if, when the skin on the back of the hand is pinched, the skin takes some time to return to its normal state. And also if the tongue is dry.
•Check the patient for ulcers
•Find out if the patient is diabetic – because you must not cut diabetics nails in case you catch the skin because of slow wound healing which could make them more prone to infection
•Is their skin a healthy colour?
•Check health of nails – are they yellow or horn-like?

Nutritional assessment
•Is the patient overweight or underweight?
•Maintain holistic care whilst bathing – involve them in conversations by asking them how they are feeling, asking them what their name is. Make them feel at peace and comfortable.

However…
Allow them independence as much as possible. If they can, allow them to dress themselves or wash themselves without help. This also allows them to maintain dignity and self-respect

Social assessment
•Integrate them into the conversation if with another nurse and use a nice calming tone of voice

Evidence based practice
•Do not wear gloves unnecessarily (each box costs £8!!) and if there is no clinical reason to as this might frighten the patient or put up a psychological barrier between the nurse and the patient
•Do not touch intravenous infusions!!
•Pat a patient dry instead of rubbing – especially if the patient has dry skin as you do not want to aggravate the skin
•Check the skin for sores of ulcers
•You should work with your mentor approximately 40% of placement and you should have three meetings with them. One at the beginning, one two/three weeks in and one at the end.

Emily

Holistic Nursing

Hello ^ ^
Long time no see (; LOL!
Tonight I'll be talking about holistic nursing.

What is holistic nursing?
• Relationship-centred care
• Recognising body-mind-emotion-spirit-environment principles in daily life and in clinical practice
• Desire to do good – not performed for the sake of the law or because of duty
• Paying attention to all aspects of an individual – the physical, social, mental and emotional person
• Communicating verbally and non-verbally

The practice process is based on six main principles...
• Assessing
• Diagnosing
• Identifying outcomes
• Planning care
• Implementing plan of care
• Evaluating

The caring process involves...
• Recognising the totality of the human being – the interconnectedness of the body, mind, spirit and emotion
• Focusing on how the individual is cognitively perceiving and emotionally dealing with the illness
• Focusing on effect on persons family, social relationships and economic resources
• Focusing on care interventions that promote healing, peace and comfort

Holistic Assessments
• Include physical, mental, emotional, cultural, sexual, spiritual and transpersonal and energy field assessments
• Energy field assessments are based on the concept that all beings are composed of energy and congestion of this energy will create disharmony and disease
• Spiritual assessments – religious beliefs and a person’s purpose in life. Ask questions about their sense of peace, what brings them joy, strength and hope.
• First ask an individual: “What do you think is happening/going on with you?” And then: “What do you think would help?”
• Help the person to identify risk factors such as lifestyle, habits, beliefs, values, family or personal history
• Focus on individual’s goals rather than the nurses
• Therapeutic plans of care respect person experience and uniqueness of each healing journey
• Holistic nurses respect that outcomes may not be expected as they may evolve differently


I know some of my posts seem quite short and to the point, without much detail but I promise that as the year progresses I will continuously add detail as I go along! You'll pretty much be able to see my knowledge grow over the years, I promise ^^
Oh, also I did a little research earlier. It might sound silly but I actually did not know what the different was between diagnosis and prognosis. If you didn't know here you go:

Diagnosis: what illness or injury a patient has.

Prognosis: the outlook/forecast/decision of how to TREAT the diagnosis. Good prognosis = you are likely to recover. Poor prognosis = you are not likely to recover.

Bye!!

Emily