The Nurse Refresher Modules VOL I

The twenty three nursing modules are in 4 volumes. The course will address a Medical-Surgical Nursing review.

I cannot wait to get started. So I dig in. I am unemployed so I devote myself full time to my studies. I want to finish the course work as soon as possible. The time line for finishing the course work is 12 weeks to 9 months. Of course I want to finish in 12 weeks and do my Clinical Requirement as soon as I finish. The director warns the refresher students that we may have to wait for the clinical part because there are a limited number of preceptors.

Volume I contains six modules. These first modules are both easy and interesting. Contemporary nursing discusses the nursing role today, the nursing changes, the nursing shortage, and the changing client demography. North Carolina now has a higher Spanish speaking population than it did 15 years ago.

 The legal and ethical aspect of nursing is another module. We can no longer easily access records of clients for whom we are not responsible. The new HIPPA and privacy acts now protect patient’s rights. Nurses need to be very careful to protect patient’s privacy in both what we say and in any notes that we jot down during nursing report.

Nursing Diagnosis and the nursing plan of care are discussed in two modules. The nursing plan is now much better structured than it was when I left nursing over 15 years ago. The hardcopy Kardex has been replaced with formal plans of nursing care complete with source references. I am looking forward to seeing the nursing care plan in action during my clinical experience.

Module V discusses the aging population in the United States and the nursing shortage as nurses retire in large numbers. I am hoping that retiring nurses will leave job opportunities for me.

Module VI discusses patient and nurse safety. I will talk more about safety when I discuss my findings during my clinical experience.

MY first Submission consisted of the first five modules. I have an op-scan sheet for each module. I complete each sheet with my student ID, name and answers. We are given a student ID when we sign up for the course. The university does not use our social security number as an ID anymore. Yeah! The maximum number of modules I can submit at one time is five. I must wait two weeks before my next submission. The instructor has two weeks in which to provide feedback.

While I wait, I start looking at the next modules. I can always read ahead and take the exams at the end of each module as long as I do not submit the module questions ahead of time.