Nursing Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Your Honors Thesis will likely be one of the more challenging writing projects of your undergraduate studies, but it can be very interesting and rewarding if you pick a topic that has the potential to contribute to the body of nursing knowledge and is something you are passionate about. Writing your Honors Thesis does not have to be a dry and dreary task, although it can be at times. For me it was a scholastic adventure that took me down a road I did not expect. I discovered pieces of evidence I was not looking for, and it took on a shape that I had not anticipated. But that is the wonder of nursing. God's creation is so complex we are continuously surprised and delighted by the mysteries of His handiwork. Our earthly bodies daily testify to the glory of our King and tell of His wondrous deeds (Psalm 78:4).

If you are a sophomore or a junior nursing student figuring out your thesis topic, I suggest looking in and looking around; look in to find what is really important to you or what interests you, and look around to find out what is going on in nursing and medicine. Once you pick a topic, find a mentor, this will usually be your thesis chair, to help you to find a searchable question to answer in your thesis. Formulating a question using Patient Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) can help you narrow down your search.

Using your resources is also important. Even though I used to work in the Library, I still sought input from the nursing librarian when I was writing my thesis. Another resource I wish I had used when I was an undergraduate was the residential writing center. As a grad student, I have used the graduate writing center multiple times and found their feedback very helpful and informative.

Finally, have the grit to stick with your thesis topic when you get tired and bored. If you pick a topic meaningful to nursing and yourself, the laborious process will be well worth the effort.

Perfect Peace

How many of us wish we lived in "perfect peace" all the time? I know I do. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Now that's a promise! Over the past few days the Lord has been convicting me that I often allow myself to become distracted by the "cares of this world" (Mark 4:19) that easily crowd out thoughts of my Savior. Instead of continually renewing my focus on Him and devoting myself to Him "in body and spirit" (1 Cor. 7:34), I all too easily allow my focus to drift away from Him to things like homework, clinicals, and grades. 

I know that it the middle of the semester, and that this can be a difficult time with Mid-Terms and exams that just don't seem to end in Nursing School, but I want to challenge you, as I am challenging myself, to remain focused on the Lord. I was reading in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers this morning, and Chambers challenged his readers to "use your imagination to put yourself before God" (p. 42). What he meant by that was to use your imagination (your thoughts) in a way worthy of the Lord (Phil. 4:8-9). Instead of our imagination living in a starved state because it is set on thinking about whatever our empty impulses desire, we can instead set our thoughts to contemplate the majesty and the wonder of God. Where can we look for our inspiration? The beauty of sunsets artfully painted by God, the trickling or thundering waterfall pouring over the side of a cliff, the majestic scene of mountains overlaid with clouds of water vapor, the starry host of heaven twinkling in an inky sky--these are all launching boards for our imaginations to imagine God--to consider and meditate on His power, majesty, and grace in saving us mere humans. 

When setting our mind on Christ our King and Creator, we have no reason to fear the future, to worry about what will come our way, or to think for a moment that He might not come through for us this time. Instead we can rejoice with the psalmist who realized the majesty and the wonder of God and found "perfect peace" in Him. Psalm 8:1-4, 9: "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? . . . O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

 

Critical Care Certificate Program

Over the past year I have received numerous questions regarding the Critical Care Certificate Program (CCCP) from nursing students at Liberty University. Most often these questions revolve around what the program is and how it benefits students interested in critical care nursing.

The Critical Care Certificate Program gives students the advantage of taking three American Heart Association tests that nurses normally will not take until they have already graduated. These three tests are Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP). Taking these tests before graduation allows Liberty Nursing students to achieve more qualifications for a nursing job than most new nursing grads, in effect, giving students an extra advantage. This is particularly helpful for positions, such as those in an intensive care unit (ICU) or emergency department (ED), that require these certifications be acquired soon after being hired.

Another advantage of the CCCP is the numerous hours that are spent in simulation, running code blues, interpreting EKGs, selecting and administering the appropriate drugs to the simulation patients, performing CPR, delivering breaths with an Ambu bag, and practicing recording drugs and interventions given during a response to cardiopulmonary arrest. This provides the opportunity to learn in a low-stress environment by working through real-life scenarios that allow you and your peers to learn from your and others' mistakes as well as successes.

I am currently in the Adult CCCP and loving it! We start each NURS 465 class with two hours of lecture, break for lunch, then come back and run mock codes for three hours. An added benefit is NURS 465 (for the Adult CCCP) counts for the nursing elective required to graduate from Liberty's Nursing Program.

Another advantage of being a part of the CCCP (both Maternal/Child and Adult) is you will be given preference during selection for Leadership. This means that your requests for Leadership clinicals will be looked at first before your peers who are not in the program. The reason for this is that you will need to complete 140 hours of Leadership (NURS 490) clinicals in a critical care setting, such as an ICU or ED, which is greater than the 90 hours of Leadership required of your peers. If you get into the Adult CCCP, you will also have the opportunity to shadow in a critical care setting of interest to you such as the CVOR, flight nursing, EMS/fire department, etc. These are great observational opportunities that you may never have again after graduation.  

Relationships in Nursing School

I often am asked by other nursing students my opinion on relationships in nursing school and whether it’s possible to have a boyfriend while in enrolled in such a rigorous program such as Liberty’s. My response in the past was to smile and remind the nursing student who asked the question that God is in control of everything, including her love story. While I used to point out that I knew several nursing students who had boyfriends, were engaged or even married, now I can testify from personal experience that it is possible to have a boyfriend and still be a successful nursing student, which was the real issue my nursing friends were getting at with their questions.

Desire for companionship and love is a natural longing deep-seated within the heart of a woman; nevertheless, it is dangerous to want a boyfriend just for the sake of having one. One of my friends told me recently that her goal for the year was to “get a boyfriend”. The problem with this thinking is that if you seek to make something happen—like getting a boyfriend—you may miss out on a better plan that God has for you. Solomon shares some insight into this in Ecclesiastes; “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: . . . a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose; . . . a time to love, and a time to hate” (3:1, 5b, 6a, & 8a). The Song of  Solomon also speaks about waiting on God’s timing in your life; “I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” (3:5).

To all the single nursing students, guys and girls, this is just a reminder to let God write your love story. Seek the Lord in prayer before entering any romantic relationship—just like I hope you do with every other decision you make. If there is no one in your life right now, do not be discouraged. Jesus is your Bridegroom King (Isaiah 54:5, 10), and He loves you with a love no other human being on this planet could ever match (Jeremiah 31:3). Rejoice in His love for you, and be content in waiting (Phil 4:4, 12).

When that special person does come into your life, be sure to have good time management. I used to joke before I was courting that I was dating my textbooks—not really an exaggeration for how much time I spent with them. Since I still study a lot, I have to be intentional about taking time to just be with my boyfriend and talk or do something fun. (Yes, having fun is important for single nursing students too! You should try it sometime). When the time comes, remember you can—and I often do—spend time with your significant other while studying. You both have to be able to stay focused, but it is possible to get a lot done and still be in the same room.

On a final note, I want to remind you all not to fall for the nasty Liberty rumor that you have to meet your spouse at Liberty University or you will never find anybody. One of my friends graduated from the nursing program single and unattached over a year ago...she's getting married this Saturday to the man of her dreams, who she met after graduation! So, if you graduate with no one in the romantic sphere of your life, trust the Lord. He may have a surprise waiting on the other side of graduation.

   

Join the Liberty Nursing Journal Club

As many of you know a few senior nursing students founded the first Liberty Nursing Journal Club for our Department last semester. As the Club's President, I would like to invite you all to join the Liberty Nursing Journal Club for an exciting time of learning from each other about the latest research in fields like Cardiology, Neurology, Trauma Nursing, and Critical Care. Participating in this student-led group will give you the opportunity to explore ground-breaking research in nursing and discuss how this information applies to you and your future practice with your peers.

The LU Nursing Journal Club meets once monthly for about one hour. Dates will be advertised in the Nursing Department Office on the Department's kiosk. You can also check out the Liberty Nursing Journal Club Facebook page. 

I Shall Fear No Evil

This morning I undertook the task of re-memorizing Psalm 23, a chapter I learned when I was 6. After reading it a few times, I decided to turn it into a prayer of thanksgiving to God. It was only after doing this that my heart was impacted by the magnitude of His love and grace toward me, His child.

The LORD, the Great I AM, the Lord of Angel Armies, is my Shepherd, and He takes care of my needs so that I do not lack anything (Psalm 23:1). He not only gives me the peace I need to rest (John 14:27), but He makes me take a break and lie down like sheep in green pastures (Psalm 23:2a). He leads His sheep, His Church, by still waters--waters I can drink from and not be swept away (Psalm 23:2b). He again is protecting me from danger as a Good Shepherd would. He restores my soul when my spirit is weak and exhausted (Psalm 23:3a); He imparts new joy. I am continually able to rejoice in His mercies, which are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24)! 

Even though I do not know the future or the path that my feet will take, I can trust that God will lead me in the path of righteousness in order to bring His name honor and glory (Psalm 23:3b). And even if the path I take brings me right into the valley of death, I shall fear no evil because my God--who created the valley--is with me and will lead me through to the other side in safety (Psalm 23:4). I know that God is my Salvation; I will trust Him (Isaiah 12:2) and not fear the enemy who stalks in darkness (Psalm 91:6). In fact, the Lord blesses me even when I am in the presence of my enemies (Psalm 23:5).

Truly, it is good to follow the Lord! He takes such great care of His people, the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3). He causes us to experience His goodness and mercy every day of our lives (Psalm 23:6). And when our time on earth is fulfilled, we will dwell with Christ in the house He has prepared for us forever (John 14:3). Praise the Lord for His continual faithfulness and mercy!    

10 Suggestions for Writing a Solid Patho Paper

1.      Figure out the main problem/diagnosis. The main medical diagnosis is usually what brought them into the hospital or it could be the root cause of their visit. For example, a patient who had a heart attack two weeks ago may present to the hospital with dyspnea and new onset heart failure. While dyspnea is their main complaint, the main problem is heart failure since it is the root cause of their difficulty breathing.

2.      Clearly structure your paper. This stems from a good outline. Before I ever sit down to write the Pathophysiology portion of my profile, I figure out what the main diagnosis/problem my patient is facing. Once you know the top problem, write down the various other issues that your patient is dealing with and then arrange your patho in a way that organizes the information in a logical fashion. For example, if your patient’s primary diagnosis is heart failure (HF) secondary to a recent myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by renal failure (RF), I would outline the paper like this: Hx of present illness, patho of HF (from macro to micro level, i.e. down to the cellular level) and how the diagnosis of HF was made (echocardiogram, BNP, etc.), patho of MI in relation to the development of HF, patho of RF which was caused by insufficient perfusion secondary to the decreased cardiac output associated with HF, discuss the patient’s current status (edema from fluid overload secondary to HF and RF, dyspnea secondary to fluid overload leading to pulmonary edema, etc.), and conclude with a paragraph discussing patient education (e.g. call the doctor about significant weight gain in short period of time) and follow-up care (nutritional consults, congestive heart failure out-patient clinic).    

3.      Spend sufficient time discussing the pathophysiology of the primary diagnosis. Write as much as you need to sufficiently cover the topic, including the normal anatomy and function, the pathophysiology of the disease, and the manifestations of the illness and what causes each of them. When discussing acute kidney injury (AKI), for instance, discuss the normal anatomy and function of the kidneys (nephrons, tubules, glomeruli and how they are involved in filtering urine and regulating fluid status), the original insult to the kidneys (e.g. decreased perfusion from low cardiac output associated with HF), the stages of renal failure, and the stage the patient is currently in and how each manifestation (peripheral edema, hypertension, and decreased urinary output) relates to the diagnosis of AKI.

4.      Be sure to include procedures and studies related to your patient’s diagnoses. If your patient has HF, discuss how it was diagnosis such as by Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) and BNP values. Discuss how this procedure, TEE, is performed and the physician’s interpretation of the results (ejection fraction, hypertrophy of ventricles, etc.).   

5.      Write at least one paragraph or more on the other diagnoses related to your patient’s primary condition. For instance, if the patient has HF, RF, and past MI. Discuss how the MI led to his HF, the patho of MI, and how it is currently affecting the patient (this could easily be three paragraphs). Also, discuss the patho of RF and why it resulted from HF and how it manifests in the patient.

6.      Relate the information to your patient in each paragraph. At the very minimum, include your patient (e.g. their presentation, diagnosis, etc.) in the topic sentence (usually the first sentence in a paragraph), and in the last sentence of the paragraph.

7.      Integrate your patient’s labs into your paper. This is one of the best ways to relate your topic to your patient (#3). Whenever you give your patient’s labs don’t just list their lab values, include the normal ranges (specific to age and gender) and the correct interpretation of the labs (low/high/normal). Then apply this information to the patient and their diagnosis and prognosis. For example, your patient has low hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count; you know this because these values are lower than the normal levels for an adult male, indicating that he is anemic. After explaining this, address the reason for his anemia. For example, he could be anemic as a result of insufficient production of erythropoietin secondary to his renal failure.

8.      Integrate your patient’s medications into your patho. This shows your understanding of your patient’s condition as well as the indication for the medications which they are prescribed. For example, your patient is on a statin, ACE-inhibitor, aspirin, and beta-blocker; these are all standard medications prescribed to a patient post MI. Don’t just list the medications; instead, talk about the specific medication your patient is prescribed, its drug category, mechanism of action, and indication for your patient. For example, your patient is prescribed metoprolol (Lopressor), a cardioselective beta-blocker, which decreases heart rate and blood pressure by blocking the beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This medication is given to treat hypertension by lowering this patient’s blood pressure.

9.      Read before your write. It is so much easier to write a patho if you’ve read about the diagnosis and the related issues in your Med Surg and patho textbooks and journal articles before you start writing. By doing this, you can avoid the risk of plagiarism that arises from writing as you read. You also are able to demonstrate your understanding by writing the information in your own words.  

10.  Read your patho before submitting it. The flurry of patho writing it is easy to miss grammatical mistakes and spelling errors that you will be able to catch on your final pass over your paper. I usually like to read a paper out loud before submitting; this keeps me from just skimming the content. Remember to use spell check and Google the spelling of words you are not sure how to spell. Finally, the undergraduate writing center at Liberty University is another great resource. They usually take a few days to review your paper, so start working on your patho and send it to them early if you want to be able to update your paper based on their comments before the deadline. 

Seek 1st

Over and over again in both the New and the Old Testament the Lord emphasizes the need for us to make Him our first priority. We all understand why it's important to place Christ at the center of our lives (because He is God and is worthy of our all), but how many times do we push Him to the background of our attentions? I know I am guilty of allowing other things (grades, work, people, even family) to become such a focus of mine that I lose sight of what is really important—Christ and Him only. This is the point when I allow things to become idols in my life.

The only way I have found to keep competing attentions from stealing away my focus on the Lord is putting Him first in my life. It takes intentionality. For me I know this summer I allowed myself to get in a morning routine of checking my Facebook before I had my devotions. The problem I found was that I would get engrossed in Facebook and would forget until later that I still hadn’t spent time with God. The time I had wasted on Facebook forced me to cut short the time I would have liked to spend with the Lord.  

The solution I found for my predicament is not getting on my computer until after I’ve spent time with the Lord. The Old Testament speaks of offering the Lord the first fruits of the harvest (Nehemiah 10:35), but couldn’t we apply the same principle of offering the Lord the BEST of our time? Whether your best time is early in the morning or late at night, let’s all choose to give the Lord our best.   

“But SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, emphasis mine).

God Our Provider Will Meet All Our Needs

Recently I’ve allowed myself to worry about life after college, paying off my loans, taking care of all my own bills, buying a car, and providing for myself. Even though I was fully aware of Who my God is—that He is Jehovah Jireh, “The Lord will provide”—and that He is faithful to His Word, I still allowed myself to worry about the things Jesus says in Matthew 6 only the Gentiles worry about (vv. 31-32).

This morning as I was giving God all my anxieties in prayer (1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:22), the Lord reminded me of His promise in Matthew 6: “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (vv. 26-30).

As I read the whole sixth chapter of Matthew and looked at these verses in their context, the Lord dissipated my fears and anxieties that I had allowed to creep into my mind. Over and over again, Jesus speaks of our “Father” in this chapter of Matthew, conveying the message that I have a “Father” in Heaven who cares for me and wants me to ask for Him to meet my needs and then trust Him that He will take care of me (Matthew 6:11, 25, 31-34).

I have discovered that worries about the future not only rob me of my joy from the Lord but also distract me from the real task at hand—seeking first the kingdom of God. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

Will I consider myself a living sacrifice unto the Lord and give my life to Him, allowing my time and resources to be spent for Him as I seek first His kingdom and His righteousness? Will I choose to be broken bread and poured out wine for my King’s glory? Will I cast all my cares on Him knowing that He cares for me and will meet all of my needs as He promised? 

My Experience As An Extern

I'd like to take a moment if I can and talk about how wonderful my experience as a nurse extern at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center was in hopes that it will encourage many of you juniors to apply this fall when the application opens up.

A typical week as an extern included working three 12-hour shifts in my home department and shadowing for four hours on another unit. My externship allowed me to rotate through two different units. I started in the Emergency Department (ED) where I learned about triage, prioritization, focused assessments, and caring for high-acuity patients. As a Nurse Aide (NA) II in the ED, I was able to sharpen my skills base and grow in knowledge about how trauma, sepsis, burns, strokes, and MIs are treated.  

During my second rotation on the General Medicine unit, I was able to care for four to six patients at a time as their primary NA. This opportunity refined my ability to prioritize, multitask, communicate, and perform NA I and II skills. Because I was often able to care for the same patients two or three days in a row, I had the opportunity to get to know my patients as well as see them improve from one day to the next. 

During my externship I was also able to shadow nurses in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU), Pediatric ED, Cath Lab, AirCare, Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), Rapid Response Team, Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), and Hospitalist Service. Each opportunity taught me something new about nursing and gave me new knowledge about disease processes and treatment pathways. 

I cannot express in one post the magnitude of all that I learned as a nurse extern nor express my gratitude for the friendships I developed with my coworkers. I can only encourage the next class to apply to the nurse externships in your area. If you have specific questions, please leave a comment. I'd love to aid you on your journey to success as a nursing student and a future nurse!

Books on Facebook?

As the fall semester draws close, we all start looking for the textbooks we'll need to succeed in our nursing classes.

I would like to spread the word about two sites on Facebook which will help connect you with buyers and sellers of nursing books. The first is the "Liberty Book Exchange", which is a venue for Liberty students to sell their books to other LU students. It allows you to get the most out of your books by cutting out the middle guy.

"Nursing" is another page within Facebook Groups at Liberty that serves the same function while catering to specific nursing classes. The Nursing page also allows students to post questions about classes and get advice from fellow classmates as well as upperclassmen, even LU nursing graduates.  

Work Experience Builds Confidence

I cannot overemphasize how important it is to gain experience in healthcare before graduating from nursing school. Many nursing schools require some sort of experience as a nurse's aide (NA) at either a I or II level. These schools require this experience from their students because they know that students will learn lessons at work that they may not learn while in nursing school.

I know for me personally working as a nurse extern at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center has been a great opportunity to learn many skills that are vital to success as a nurse. Working in a hospital as a nurse extern (NA I and II) has taught me time management skills, prioritization, effective communication, and people skills.

My responsibilities do not end with the basic duties I perform as a NA; they go much farther and encompass communicating patient and family concerns with nurses, doctors, nutritionists, medical and PA students, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists.

These are life experiences for which I wouldn't trade the whole world because they have prepared me for my future vocation as a nurse, a job that will put me in the position to deal with issues with both people and equipment. I now have confidence when I walk into a patient's room--confidence that I can get the job done in a timely manner and take care of all the patients I am assigned. This confidence was born first in the amazing clinical experiences we have at Liberty University, but it has matured and grown as I have worked in the hospital setting as an employee with coworkers I have an opportunity to get to know and patients I get to see more than one day a week.

Nurse Aide Daily Task Checklist

Recently as I've been working as a nurse extern, I've created a checklist that helps me stay organized and make sure I complete the numerous tasks I am responsible for throughout the day. This is a tool I wish I had used while I was a sophomore and junior nursing student. I hope that you will find it to be useful to you during your time serving patients in the hospital. Feel free to use it and edit it any way you wish to best serve your needs as nursing students. 

Nurse Aide Daily Tasks Checklist by Elisabeth Campbell

Filled in NA Daily Task Checklist by Elisabeth Campbell

Health Assessment Health History Interview Assignment

I remember when I filled out my Health History Interview Assignment, I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. In retrospect there are several things I wish I would have done differently. For example, when you’re filling out your health history assignment, make sure to leave no blank spaces. If something doesn't apply to the patient (pt.) you’re interviewing, write, “N/A”. For example, if you’re interviewing a male pt. in the obstetric section, write N/A in the blank next to gravida. Since he’s a male, it doesn't apply to him. If you don’t know what gravida and parity mean, look them up in a medical dictionary. It's important to know the difference.

When you’re constructing your genogram, make sure to include a key for your shapes and colors. I forgot to do this when I created my genogram. You can find a sample genogram in your Physical Assessment work book in the answer key for worksheet 26.

In the review of systems section (ROS), you can write “not indicated” when a pt. responds that they have not experienced a particular condition. For example, “headaches, head injuries, and dizziness not indicated.” Or you could write, "No history of headaches, head injuries, and dizziness." If on the other hand your pt. experiences headaches and dizziness due to a head injury, explain the reason for his/her head trauma and the location of the pain and any other important details. For example: “Pt. reports headaches on the left side of the head and dizziness due to a head injury experienced during a car crash seven days ago.”

Email Subscription Box Fixed

It was recently brought to my attention that the email subscription box on the left-hand side of the screen was not enabled. The problem has been fixed, and those who are interested should be able to sign up for email notification of new posts. If there are any more difficulties, feel free to leave a comment, and the problem should be rectified as soon as possible.

The Call to Care for the Lost and Lonely Around the World

Recently I've been reading Rolland and Heidi Baker's book Always Enough: God's Miraculous Provision Among the Poorest Children on Earth. While reading this book, my heart has been impacted by the great need for missionary nurses around the world. As the Bakers tell of their experience in Mozambique, Africa, my heart ached every time I read of them coming to yet another village filled with men, women, and children all without medical care or knowledge of the Gospel. A few times they told of a doctor and a nurse who came with them on the trips to the remotest parts of Mozambique, but the need was always overwhelming, more than could be met by a single doctor or nurse.

My question to myself and to you, is “Will you have compassion on these broken and forsaken people who are dying without hope of life after death?” Will we—can we—stay aloof from their needs in good conscience? Or will we say "Yes" to the call of God to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel? Will we live our lives as though they were not our own but Christ’s? Will we go, saying “Thy will be done, Lord, not mine”?

Here we are. We are going to be nurses. No matter where we are—whether we’re in the remotest part of Africa or the biggest city in America—we have an opportunity. We are surrounded by people—people who don’t know the Lord—people like those Mozambicans the Bakers met who need someone to share with them the TRUTH. God’s TRUTH. His Word is TRUTH. Let us be ready, wherever we are—in season and out of season—to be witnesses for Christ, in the way we live, in what we say, and in who we are.

May we not live for our own comfort but for much greater aim—Christ’s glory. May we be willing to pour out our lives that the lost might be saved. May we be willing to do whatever it takes—even to the point of laying down our lives—for the sake of Jesus Christ’s precious Gospel. I pray that God would give us the opportunity to share Him this summer with the people we encounter and that we would be unashamed as Paul was, for the Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

Pressing on Toward the Goal

To all my peers in the nursing program who are (like me) growing weary in this last push before the end of the semester:

Keep pressing on! We are rounding the corner...we've almost reached the finish line. Keep up the pace. Don't lose heart. The race is almost over. The end is in sight. You can do it!

Keep up the good work! The reward is worth it :)

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" (Philippians 3:12).  

End of Semester Jitters

I know that as the end of the semester approaches, final exams begin to become less of a distant idea and more of a very present reality. I know that, for me at least, it’s easy to become overwhelmed as I focus on all the things I have to do before the semester ends. Focusing on uncompleted tasks is not helpful, though, if we allow it to consume us and take our focus off the Lord and Who He is.  Listen to what the Psalmist says in Psalm 103:11-21,

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on [his] children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are [but] dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, and its place acknowledges it no longer. But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!  Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will.

Who are we that the Lord is mindful of us? We are mere men, yet the Lord is faithful and is abundant in lovingkindness toward us. He is compassionate with us like a father with his child. Therefore, we have no need to worry, for our God will take care of us (Matthew 6:25-34).

Books and DVDs to Keep from Sophomore Year

There are three books you definitely need to keep from sophomore year—your drug book, nursing diagnosis handbook, and clinical skills textbook. I am not sure which books the current sophomore class utilized, but the ones I used (and am still using as a junior) are Mosby’s Nursing Drug Reference, Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An evidence Based Guide to Planning Care, and Clinical Nursing Skill & Techniques.

During your junior year these books will serve you well as you write your nursing profiles. The drug book will aid you as you write the medication information as well as the patho portion of your profiles. Also, the Nursing Diagnosis Handbook will help you formulate cohesive careplans that are specific to the needs of your particular patient.

The Clinical Skills textbook will come in handy when you prepare for clinicals as well as serve as a study aid when you prepare for your junior-level Med Surg check-offs. I’m not sure if you received information about the clinical skills you will be checked off on during your first few weeks of Med Surg, but you will be checked off on various skills that you will be expected to perform during clinicals. These skills range from knowing how to set the flow rate on an IV pump to performing tracheostomy care. Unlike Health Assessment and Fundamentals, however, you will not have a lab portion to your classroom time. Instead, the burden will be upon you to learn the material and master it for your check-off with a senior.

The good news is that the nursing department has provided you with many resources to help you walk into your check-offs and, eventually, your clinicals competent and confident. One of the resources is the nursing lab coordinator who provides a once-a-week elective review of the skills on which you will be checked off. I highly recommend attending this informational session. I am a visual learner, and I understand processes much better if I am able to see them demonstrated rather than read a step-by-step guide to a skill.

Another suggestion I have in regards to preparing for check-offs is to keep your DVDs from Fundamentals (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced Skills). I found watching the videos helped me review skills I learned in Fundies (such as inserting a foley) as well as learn new skills (such as providing trach care). 

Lessons from Psalm 27: Encouragement for the Discouraged

Feeling discouraged about all you left to do this semester and the little amount of time left to do it in...? Here's some encouragement from King David:

I would have despaired unless I had believed that

I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;

Be strong and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:13-14, NASB

Today, the Lord has been using Psalm 27 to remind me that He is my light and my salvation (Ps. 27:1). When troubles surround me, He is the lifter of my head (Ps. 27:6). He is my fortress—my place of safety (Ps. 27:5). I have no need to fear or worry because the Lord’s plans for me are good, and He is faithful to accomplish them (Ps. 27:3; Jer. 29:11; Phil. 1:6).