Dear med student,
Hi. I’m the nurse that had been taking care of this patient for the last 12 hours. I am the nurse that charted every med given or not given over this shift. I’m the nurse that verified all those vital signs. I’m the nurse that put in that progress note last night. I drew the labs this morning. Yes, I know my patient.
You do not. That’s ok.
While I do not mind you asking me about my assessment, I will not do your assessment for you. You need to check the pupils. You need to check a neuro status. You need to check the lab results. You need to look over the vital signs. You need to look at the meds. You need to know this patient so that you can give your information during rounds.
Walk in. Introduce yourself to the patient and I, the nurse. Put on your gloves and get hands on. Ask questions, we don’t mind. We nurses understand that you are still trying to get your footing. We were there at one time as well.
Understand that ultimately, you still have to assess your patient yourself. Take these moments to build your communication and assessment skills. Each moment of patient contact is a potential moment for learning. Get all up in there!
Barely Sane Nurse 