Dear Class:


Once upon a time (five weeks ago) I thought that I was creative and pretty technologically savvy.  Now, after a mere five weeks of …




 




education in how to use technology in nursing education,I realized that I wasn't as "high-tech" as I thought.  But now I am really excited to begin using all kinds of high-tech applications to engage YOU, my students!   We will create projects using:

Xtranormal

                                   Voki
                                               
                                           Glog







Even your participation in this BLOG gives you some indication of the forward direction we will be going in this nursing program.  No longer is it sufficient to just learn how to properly pass medications, or change complex dressings.  Healthcare, and nursing, is changing and advancing at an almost incomprehensible rate these days, especially with the use of and because of technology.  It is therefore CRITICAL that you are technologically savvy.  Many of the assignments you have completed using the fun tools listed above, but they accomplished much more than you may yet be aware of.  They were meant to introduce you to technology, and begin to embrace it in your practice.


My final words to you are – never fear the unknown, if you enter into it with open eyes and a clear head, you will succeed!

Reflection

Thoughtful or critical reflection is a skill that all nurses should get into the practice of using.  It is a way to discover aspects about yourself and your practice that not only could use improvement, but also that work well.  Read this article on critical reflection and comment about its usefulness for your professional development.


A part of thoughtful reflection is always remembering why you chose this profession of nursing.  This is one of the hardest professions and often results in a phenomena known as "burnout".  In order to help combat that, it is vital that you discover ways to relieve stress in your life, and to reflect on all the reasons you became a nurse.  Enjoy this short video that will help to remind you of how important you (the nurse) are, and how much people appreciate you.

There will certainly be times in your clinical practice when you will encounter a phenomena known as horizontal violence.  The video below is a humerous glimps at what horizontal violence can look like between a physician and a nurse...

but it is more commonly used to talk about how nurses treat other nurses. Here is a more serious look at the problem...

 New graduate nurses are often the recipients of horizontal violence, so it is important that you are properly equiped to deal with such issues upon entry into practice.  Explore as many resources as possible and comment on possible strategies you can use to combate or avoid it all together.

Thanks to the folks at "Living in Sim" for this clever view of the importance of simulations.  After you watch this video, share your thoughts and feelings about how the use of simulation either improves or hinders your nursing education.  Then visit this link to learn a little about virtual reality simulations known as "Second Life" and share your thought about how you feel about that form of simulation. Provide substance to your comments, and include both the pros and cons of this form of learning.  Would you like to have more (or less) simulations as a part of your education and why?