Bodhi Health Education

Bodhi Health’s MedSim: Nursing Simulation Platform

Bodhi Health Education — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 07:39:53 +0000

Case-based simulation is a great way to equip nursing students as well as in-service professionals with the most important skill of critical thinking while caring for their patients.

Bodhi Health is excited to announce the completion of Phase 1 of its Nursing Simulation platform with over 80 real-life simulated cases developed in collaboration with K.J Somaiya College of Nursing, Mumbai under the leadership and guidance of the Principal, Prof. Dr. Avani Oke.

What can be expected in the nursing simulation product?

Focus on the critical-thinking skills while performing practical procedures on patients
Focus on the common & critical nursing errors while performing procedures and their impact
Multi-branching scenarios which can occur due to certain complications that can arise for the patient due to errors, patient condition or response to medication
Checklist of the evidence-based protocol for performing the procedures
Personalized learning paths with 360-degree feedback for each learner

Which areas will be covered?

Medical-Surgical
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Pediatrics
Diabetes management

For whom?

Nursing students
In-service professionals working in public & private healthcare
Faculty/Educator

Phase 2, will commence with peer-review and technology implementation of the product on Bodhi’s simulation platform.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Principal of K.J. Somaiya College, Prof. Dr. Avani Oke, H.O.D of Medical-Surgical department, Prof. Dr. Sushma Pandey, H.O.D of Pediatrics department, Prof. Ranitha Kurien, H.O.D of Obs & Gynae department, Prof. Shweta Naik along with all the other faculty members for their sincere efforts in completing Phase 1.

For academic partnerships, pedagogical research or any inquiries about the simulation product please write to us shrutika@bodhihealthedu.org

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Our mailing address is:

Bodhi Health Education

418, ILD Trade Center, Gurugram 122018, India

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Life as a Diabetes Nurse

Bodhi Health Education — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 07:46:11 +0000

Introduction

Diabetes nurse mainly take care of the patients diagnosed with Diabetes, a disease that inhibits the production and absorption of insulin in the body. Diabetes nurse usually are involved in the monitoring and education of the patients and the nursing staffs looking after them. Adjustment with the type and dosage of medication, planning and providing nutritional therapy, exercise, behavioural and psychosocial counselling are added responsibilities of the diabetes nurse. Moreover, their foremost responsibility is prevention, that can only be achieved by educating patients and their families about diabetes and the self-care management skills.

Expected characteristics of a Diabetes Nurse:

The diabetes nurse should possess

Upto date knowledge on diabetes and its management
Self-management skills
Teaching and Counselling skills
Utilization of evidence-based nursing for developing practices and improvement in results
Leadership skills
Provide and facilitate clinical supervision
Participation in research
Possess good communication skills and be a bridge between primary and secondary care providers.

Roles of Diabetes Nurses includes: –

The priority work of a diabetes nurse is:

Monitoring blood glucose levels.
Working closely with physicians, Nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Restore fluid and electrolyte imbalances
Correction of metabolic functions
Management of underlying cause of diabetes and its process
Prevention of complications associated with Diabetes
Educating patients about diabetes and the disease process-medication, diet and nutritional monitoring; foot care, prevention and care of complications; blood glucose monitoring and the techniques of self-monitoring, self-administration of insulin injection
Development of an educational programs for diabetic patients, staff and families.
Assisting patients in monitoring blood glucose for the purpose of medication control and adjustment for both insulin and non-insulin dependent diabetics
Encourage healthy life style that includes diet control, exercise, weight control.
Providing continuous assessment and recommendations for further treatment of patient/family and adjustments in the plan of care.
Creating awareness of how mental health like stress, anxiety or depression can affect diabetes
Assessment of documents and planning interventions for patients

Barriers encountered by Diabetes nurse

There are multiple factors that causes a barrier to diabetes education and implementation in their lifestyle. Patient education is a cornerstone in diabetes management. Patients, themselves may cause barriers to learning and nurse might find it challenging on their part. They are usually classified into factors associated with patients and factors associated with diabetes nurse.

Nurse measuring blood sugar

Factors associated with patients includes

Patient’s characteristics

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Education
4. Life style
5. Perception of illness
6. Well being
7. Baseline knowledge of the disease condition
8. Family support

Psychological factors

1. Anxiety, stress and depression
2. Lack of self-efficacy
3. Lack of expectations from diabetes education

Economical factors

Factors associated with diabetes nurse:

The factors associated with the diabetes nurse are basically related to their skills and attributes. They are:

1. Personal traits
2. Communication skills
3. Competency
4. Knowledge
5. Empathy
6. Interpersonal skills

Diabetes nurse skill and knowledge development faces challenges. Lack of long-term job security can also result in recruitment and retainment difficulties.

Outcomes of a diabetes nurse

The Diabetes nursing workforce is important in diabetes care. They help in improving patient experience and outcomes. The outcomes of their actions includes:

Reduction in average length of patient stay in hospital
Prevention of hospital admissions
Increase both patient and staff self-efficacy
Reduced inpatient problems and complications
Improved patient satisfaction
Improved cost-effectiveness.

Career Opportunity for Diabetic Nurses

A diabetic nurse is not only limited to a hospital setting but their role is widespread. They can render their services in the community or other institutes. They can perform further specialization in diabetic courses i.e. Certificate in diabetes, advanced certificate in diabetes and fellowship in diabetes which would help them excel further in their careers. These are sequence of graded courses which would lead to better understanding about diabetes and its management. These are self-paced courses that definitely helps to enhance practical skills and makes one clinically sound.

Conclusion

A diabetes nurse role is essential for understanding and refining diabetes patient care. They have a varied and growing role that is critical to diabetes care. Diabetes nurses impact diabetes patients’ experiences in hospital. Education of patients and healthcare professionals, direct patient care and reducing inpatient harms, reducing length of stay and hospital admissions, and an increase in patient satisfaction are few of the outcomes of having a diabetes nurse in a facility.

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Life as a Geriatric Nurse

Bodhi Health Education — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 08:31:59 +0000

A geriatric nurse, or gerontological nurse, is a nurse who assists in caring of aging and elderly individuals. Geriatric nurses are some of the most essential health care professionals required in the hospitals. They are basically trained to perform need based nursing tasks. Geriatric nurses can also pursue special training which eventually helps them better understand the distinct needs of elderly people.

Being employed as a geriatric nurse is often very gratifying and rewarding. While you choose to become a geriatric nurse, you need to assess yourself personally. Geriatric nurses requires to be of an upbeat and a cheerful personality. Being patient, understanding, empathetic, and compassionate, with a true desire to work with ageing patients are some of the attributes of a geriatric nurse. However, the work can also be frustrating or disheartening at times as well but geriatric nurses should also be able to handle stress and bounce back from depressing events, such as the death of a patient.

Geriartic nurse is caring old patient.

In-depth knowledge and skills are needed for the nurses to take care of the elderly patients. Nurses should enquire about the present and past illness of the patients as they are likely to have one or more chronic health conditions. Elder patients need more health care services in comparison to younger ones. Therefore, it is essential for all the nurses to have dedicated knowledge about older adults.

Attributes required of a geriatric nurse

The geriatric nurses should possess these attributes that are listed below:

Patience
Compassion
Empathetic
Strong Attention to Detail
Creative
Consistent
Cheerful

Roles and responsibilities of a geriatrics nurse

Geriatric nurses are required to keep patient records and coordinate with the physician’s recommendations. They are not only accountable for patients physical well-being, but for their mental and emotional well-being. There may be times when these elderly patients will appear to be depressed or angry, due to their deteriorating health, lack of freedom, and isolation from their loved ones. As a geriatric nurse, you need to be watchful for patients and try to remain cheerful and compassionate, even during these challenging times.

Geriatric nurses should usually be encouraged to connect with patients’ family members. There’s always a need to explain about patient’s care routine or medications or act as a link between the family members, the patient, and the doctor.

The following are the responsibilities of a geriatric nurse:

Assessment of vital signs
Administration of medications and injections
Helping patients with their activities of living such as bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom
Assist in range of motion exercises and massaging
Observing for signs of abuse
Assisting physicians during exams and procedures
Transporting patients to doctor’s visits and other appointments
Making a nursing care plan for the patients based on the assessment
Educating family members about a patient’s condition
Promoting self-care skills
Assess patient’s mental health and cognitive skills
Provide a safe environment such as prevention from falls or accidents
Oversee the nutritional needs of the patient
Maintain accurate and complete healthcare records

Challenges and overcoming complexities

Geriatric patients often require more physical assistance as their bodies become more complex and complicated with their growing age. Patients in their end-of-life care can be stressful and exhausting which can drain nurses emotionally. Management of chronic illnesses, comorbidities, and medications needs a strong knowledge base and varied range of skills. Geriatric nurses needs to think critically and listen to the needs, wants, and feelings of the patient.

Nurse helping an elderly patient for walk

Loss of independence could also be a struggle with the elderly patients. Some elderly patients might practice high level of independence, while others would completely rely on their family for activities of daily living. Thus, there are chances that they might fall into feelings of resentment, embarrassment, or grief.

All ageing people are distinct in their pattern of thoughts, capabilities, and world views. The physical strength, memory and senses keep declining with the growing age. It’s imperative to keep an open mind and avoid assuming regarding anything related to the patients. Every patient has their own individual experiences and the lives they’ve lived so far.

Rewards of being a geriatric nurse

Nurses are in contact with patients than any other healthcare worker. Since you work as

a patient advocate, it is essential to understand the need of building a positive relationship with elderly patient and his or her family. It requires high levels of patience, empathy, and compassion. Valuing and forming relationship with elderly patients gives you so much joy and satisfaction in the work. Overall, it is a rewarding and a pleasant experience.

Also, it gives a platform to learn diverse perspective of life and experiences and can lead to better understanding. Patients will be comfortable, feel more supported, will be honest and more cooperative over time, if you respect your patients and express gratitude. If you’re planning to become a geriatric nurse, you must keep in mind that the aging process affects everyone differently.

Career overview for geriatric nurses:

Geriatric nurse work in hospitals, clinics or residential facilities for the elderly. Some may also work as home healthcare nurses. They usually complete their basic nursing education. Some may opt for an additional gerontological nursing degree. There will always be a high demand for geriatric nurse professionals as the ageing population, continues to grow .This would require specialized nurses and thereby would help in expanding their career opportunities. Growing individuals also possess multiple ailments and requires patient focused care. Specialized nursing care can only help improve their quality of life of the vulnerable population.

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A day in the life of Operation Theatre Nurse

Bodhi Health Education — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 04:43:02 +0000

An operation theatre (OT) nurse assists the surgeons during surgeries. These may be small ones or minor surgeries or big ones also known as major surgeries. Working in OT all day can be very intense, but if you are in a team that’s cooperative and work closely it can be fun too. This is especially true for those who enjoy being part of a surgical team and of course have a lot of stamina. This stamina is needed not just because they are on their feet the entire day, but are also concentrating on one single task the entire time while they are assisting for surgery.

What are the responsibilites of an OT Nurse?

A nurse in the OT is expected to have all the skills of a regular nurse and also some specialized skills. She should have a thorough knowledge of the aseptic & sterile techniques, understanding of patient safety and precautions and upto date knowledge of surgical procedures. She should be thorough with the instruments that are used for different surgeries and how they are set on the tray/trolley

The OT nurse will have to shoulder varied responsibilities. She may either be a circulating nurse or a scrub nurse. As a circulatory nurse she will

Monitor the patient before and after surgery
Be an advocate for patient and family
Manage the personnel, equipment, supplies and environment during the surgical procedures
Ensure that all documentation whether related to patient or the surgery is compete

As a scrub nurse she will

Work directly with the surgeon in the sterile field handing instruments and other items needed for the surgery
Ensure that the sterile field is maintained throughout the surgery
Responsible for the counts of instruments, blades, swabs and other items used throughout the surgery
Show quick reaction at times of an emergent situation

What qualities make a great Operation Theatre Nurse?

If you are contemplating taking up OT as your area of clinical practice then these are some of the qualities that you need to possess.

Well organized –It is very important for an OT nurse to be well organized and systematic. You should be aware of the surgeries that you will be assisting for either as a scrub or a circulatory nurse so that you are well prepared. During any surgery every swab, instrument, and sharp have to be counted for. All items on your tray must be counted before, during, and after surgery, to ensure nothing is retained inside the patient.
Good observation-While this is a quality that needs to be present in every nurse, it’s very important for the OT nurse to be able to pay attention to every detail that is happening in the OT. This would include listening carefully to what the surgeon is saying, the availability of supplies on the sterile table, monitoring the patient etc. Good observation and attention to details goes hand in hand with being organized.
Team player-The environment in the OT is complex and dynamic with health care workers from different teams working together. These include the surgeons, the anesthetists, the nurses, the technicians, the physician assistants etc. You should have the ability to maintain a harmonious relationship with the team and work together for a successful surgery.
Calm & composed-During surgery, at times things may not go as expected. For e.g the surgery may take a longer time than expected or the patient may develop complications. You must be prepared for all such situations and be able to react in a timely and calm manner. However emergent the situation you should be able to maintain your composure.
Physical and mental strength-As an OT nurse you will be on your feet for hours at a time especially if you have scrubbed for a surgery. You should not be overtaken by fatigue and poor concentration thereby tendency to cause errors. You also need to be mentally strong to endure the distressing situations that you may have to visualize at times e.g., amputation of a limb, uncontrolled bleeding or removal of an internal organ. Thus, good physical health and mental fortitude is very pertinent for an OT nurse.
Developing skills and being updated-You need to keep yourself updated on the changes that are taking place in different surgical procedures. Spend time in learning the set of instruments that would be required for different surgeries. Improve your skills by taking on responsibilities and volunteering to scrub for different surgeries. The more you practice, the better skilled you would be

To be an OT nurse you should have completed your basic education in nursing and cleared the state licensure examination. Some hospitals may require you to take on additional certifications. The role of the OT nurses is both unique and challenging and requires diverse set of skills. A good OT nurse is one who knows what needs to be done next and acts accordingly rather than waiting for the request. If you feel you have these set of skills in you and the required physical and mental strength then this is definitely an area that you can look to join

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A day in the life of Nurse in Emergency Room

Bodhi Health Education — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 10:20:23 +0000

Visualize this..a nurse is working in the hospital on a morning shift and as soon as she begins her shift she already has three patients in there-a 42 year old male with abdominal pain, a 72 year old female with severe respiratory distress, an 18 month old baby who has swallowed a part of his toy. By the time she plans out how she will proceed to managing these three patients she receives a call of a head on collision of a school bus with a minivan. She now has to start prepping to receive the injured patients. By now you would have guessed which unit this nurse is working in. Yes- it’s the Emergency room or the ER.

Emergency room (ER) or the emergency department as may be known in some hospitals is that unit of the hospital where patients come in times of an urgent health related situation such as severe illnesses or injuries. This unit functions round the clock and there will be many patients who may need to be managed at one time. There may not be a fixed schedule of activities as each day is going to be different, with different types of patients and varied challenging situations. Almost all the time it is the ER nurse who will be the first person to come in contact with the sick patient and family. The environment in the ER can be chaotic at times hectic and very fast paced

Emergency Nurses work with a team of healthcare professionals that include the doctors, nurses, technicians etc. The ER nurses are specialized in carrying out rapid assessment and management of patients keeping in mind that every second is crucial to a patient’s survival. The emergency room nurses remain calm, efficient, and empathetic while working incredibly long shifts with few breaks.

Roles and responsibilities of an ER nurse

Patients of all ages come to the ER and so it is important that the nurse has adequate knowledge and skills about different disease conditions as well as managing patients of different age groups.

The tasks that an ER nurse performs are similar to that performed by any nurse in a different unit, the difference being the time taken to perform the procedure. The time is shortened as patient’s survival is at stake. An ER nurse is expected to be swift in her actions so that she can handle the sick patient aptly. If you happen to take up a job in the ER these are some of the activities that you will be expected to perform

Quick and accurate assessment of patients
Triage patients based on the severity of illness/injury. Some institutes may have a triage nurse specifically carrying out this responsibility
Continuous monitoring of patients
Work in coordination with the health team members to provide quality and timely care to the patient
Getting relevant diagnostic tests done
Manage the critically ill/injured patients during the initial phase by timely administration of medications, intravenous infusions or as directed by the physician
Provide psychological support to the patient and family members
Report any suspected abuse
Provide follow up care instructions to patients and make necessary referrals
Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient charts

Skills required of an ER nurse

Most of the hospitals may require that the ER nurse have some additional certifications such BLS and ACLS or emergency nursing or trauma care. In addition, you should possess the following skills

Ability to work under pressure
Critical thinking
Close observation
Organization and prioritization skills
Multitasking and time management
Good communication and interpersonal relationship
Compassionate towards the patients & family members

Challenges faced by an ER nurse

As mentioned earlier, working in an ER can be hectic and very unpredictable. Nothing is structured and you will have to manage patients of all ages with varied health related issues. This can be stressful and emotionally draining at times. Though there may be lean moments in the ER, most of the time the unit tends to be quite busy with continuous inflow of patients and long shift hours. This can be physically taxing too. The ER nurse is also exposed to violence from patients or family members. These may be patients under the influence of alcohol or drugs or may be experiencing psychiatric symptoms. The family members may also be hysterical and have anger outbursts putting the nurses and other team members at risk for violence.

Do you have it in you to become an ER nurse?

Considering the fast paced and unpredictable environment that an ER has, you need to possess good coping skills. There should be the ability to remain calm and efficient even though working through a tiring shift. You also need to have a good control over your emotions as at times the scene in the ER may not be too encouraging. In addition, you need to possess good decision-making skills and have passion for continual learning. So, if you feel you have the above skills in you and working in a fast moving environment with different kinds of patient’s excites you then this is the right career option for you after you finish your basic program in nursing.

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Bodhi Health modules accredited for CNE

Bodhi Health Education — Sat, 29 May 2021 05:20:43 +0000

Stakeholder Information Release

Bodhi Health Education (Bodhi) is happy to share that 25 online modules on MEDLEARN eLearning platform have been vetted and approved for Continuing Nursing Education by the Tamil Nadu Nurses and Midwives Council (TNNMC). The MoU between TNNMC and Bodhi has been signed on March 9, 2021. Nurses will be awarded credit hours to help them to fulfill their CNE requirements for license renewal

These 25 modules are in the areas of:

Basic & Advanced nursing procedures
Critical Care
Infection Control
Medication Management
Patient Safety under International Patient Safety Goals (IPSG) developed by Joint Commission International (JCI)

The modules have been evaluated by the Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Committee at TNNMC after extensive reviews with Bodhi Nursing Education Team led by Mrs. Shoba Geoge. Under the MoU the modules will be available as CNE resource for 3 years from March 2021 to March 2024. The MEDLEARN platform is expected to benefit approximately 80,000 – 100,000 active nurses serving across the healthcare system in Tamil Nadu.

Further to support the CNE during the difficult Covid-19 period nurses would be able to avail the benefit of free access till September 2021.

In 2020 B.Sc. (Nursing) and GNM students in Tamil Nadu extensively used Nursing SMARTCLASS Platform.

We are thankful to Prof. Dr. (Mrs.) S. Ani Grace Kalaimathi, Registrar, TNNMC and her team to facilitate this process and look forward to a fruitful association going forward.

Bodhi Health Education has been working with leading nursing councils/associations and State Department of Health including:

Assam Nurses and Midwives Council
Delhi Nursing Council
Departments of Health, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra
Department of Health, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, UT of Ladakh
National Nursing Association Indonesia (AIPNI)

About Bodhi Health Education

Bodhi Health Education is an innovative technology-based medical education venture founded in 2013. Bodhi’s digital training and education solutions including artificial intelligence-based games, demonstrative eLearning modules, technical & psychometric assessments. Bodhi has been working with Nursing Councils, Academic Institutions, Public and Private Healthcare Providers in India and South East Asia. The venture has been supported by International Finance Corporation under the TechEmerge Program, IIM Ahmedabad’s Center for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, Village Capital USA, Innovations in Healthcare Network and SEAD Accelerator at Duke University, USA.

If you represent a nursing council, nursing association, leading university or academic institution offering nursing programs please write to us at abhinav@bodhihealthedu.org or call at +919999590443 to learn how our product portfolio can help in better classroom nursing education & CNE.

Our mailing address is:

Bodhi Health Education

418, ILD Trade Center, Gurugram 122018, India

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A day in the life of NICU Nurse

Bodhi Health Education — Thu, 20 May 2021 06:23:42 +0000

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU is a unit that specializes solely in the treatment of newborns. The NICU combines advanced technology with trained health care professionals such as the neonatologists, pediatricians, nurses, therapists etc. to provide specialized care to these little ones.

A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse as the name suggests takes care of sick babies. These may either be premature babies, babies with some defects or severe illness. Most NICUs may have different levels that will admit babies either for observation, specialized care or have very critically ill babies and working here as in any other intensive care units can be stressful and emotionally draining at times especially if the little one does not make it

Life inside the NICU

In the NICU success comes in small size and measurements such as grams of weight gain or milliliter of feed increased. The schedule in the NICU is quite structured. Each nurse may be assigned 2-3 babies depending on the severity of the condition.

A typical day in the NICU begins with taking over from the previous shift nurse, gathering complete information about the baby and checking if the IV or NG tubing’s and other connections are in place. The babies may be attached to a monitor and a ventilator so the nurse needs to check the placement and the settings. The nurse then proceeds with the planned care. Usually cluster activities are done such as giving the feed, checking vital signs, changing the diapers, administering medications etc. to avoid frequent touching as it may make the baby uncomfortable. The nurses usually do not cuddle the baby as it is reserved for the parents. Some babies may be so sick that they cannot be cuddled, in this case they are gently stroked by the fingers.

Assessment and monitoring of the baby is a continuous process. The nurse also spends time with the parents providing them information on the progress of their little one, teaching them how to touch the baby and of course the much-needed psychological support. The NICU nurse not just takes care of the baby but the parents too as they are going through a challenging phase. She spends time listening to the concerns of the parents and lending a shoulder at times as they cry their heart out. The NICU nurse shares the joy of the parents as their little one makes small improvements and the sorrow too when the condition does not seem to be improving. Depending on the condition of the baby, some routines may vary for each baby for e.g. some may need frequent monitoring of the carbon dioxide levels, some may need frequent blood checks and some may need an x-ray. It is the responsibility of the nurse to ensure that all required investigations and care for the baby assigned to her is carried out by the end of her shift. She clearly documents all the care given and the condition of the baby as per the hospital protocols.

To sum up the responsibilities of a NICU nurse includes

Continuous monitoring of the baby
Blood draws (heel stick, arterial)
IV cannulation and infusion
Medication administration
Blood product administration
Feeding-Naso, orogastric or bottle feeding
Oral or endotracheal suctioning
Assisting in intubation, resuscitation or other procedures
Attending and admitting high risk deliveries
Provide psychological support to the families

Challenges of being a NICU nurse

Caring for a sick neonate can be emotionally draining, because at one time the baby may look fine and the next moment they may slip into coma. Sometimes we may do all that is in the best of the capacity but still find no improvement in the babies’ condition. And after all the efforts if the baby does not survive the grief experienced by the nurse can be significant. This becomes even more difficult when the baby has been in the NICU for months and she has developed a close relationship with the family. The nurse may experience a burnout. The nurse needs to practice care and compassion while maintaining distance.

At the intensive care unit. Nurse standing near hospital bed with a baby preparing it for treatment.

Being an NICU nurse also requires that a nurse be alert and observant all the times and in all the care that is being provided e.g dosage calculation, IV administration, feeding the baby. A wrong step may worsen the condition of the already sick baby. This can lead to overwhelming pressure as the nurse needs to be really alert and focused at all the times.

At times the nurse may also be face with ethical dilemmas when decision to continue care of a very sick baby is taken by the team.

Do you have in you to be a NICU nurse?

To be a NICU nurse you would require specialized skill sets such as being quick and alert in your care and observations throughout the shift. The condition of the babies may deteriorate suddenly and the team may rely on your critical thinking skills and judgement. You should be able to practice compassion especially with the parents of the babies you are caring for. You would need a lot of patience in not just caring for the baby but handling the stresses, scared and worried parents. You also need to have updated knowledge on the developmental milestones as well as caring for premature babies, babies with congenital defects and the various disorders seen in new born. Above all you should have the gentleness in handling a tiny fragile baby. The physical stress that is experienced while taking care of babies is less as compared with caring for an adult but the emotional stress can be high and you should know how to have a control over your emotions.

Additional certifications such as BLS and NALS will be an added benefit.

So, If you enjoy being near babies and you have the above skill sets then working in an NICU can be a good option for you.

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A day in the life of a Mental Health Nurse

Bodhi Health Education — Wed, 12 May 2021 08:18:55 +0000

A mental health nurse works in a field of nursing which specializes in caring for individuals with psychiatric illness, helping in their recovery and contributing towards their quality of life.

Mental health nurses possess advanced knowledge of the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric disorders and providing specialized care. They usually work alongside other healthcare professionals with an objective to provide the optimal clinical outcomes for the client. Individuals of any age can get affected by mental illness. Therefore, a mental health nurse may need to work with various diverse personalities from different backgrounds.

Nurse visits senior man home who is suffering with depression

You may get an opportunity to work with clients in diverse settings including:

Home settings
Healthcare centres
Hospital outpatient’s departments (OPD)
Community.
Clinics

Key skills required for mental health nurses

Good understanding of mental health and illness theories
Excellent observational skills to assess clients and watch for signs of stress and anxiety, change in behaviour or mood
Excellent communication skills for dealing with clients and their families
Ability to work in a team
A lot of patience
Good listening skills
Ability to think quickly in challenging circumstances
Emotional resilience
A non-judgemental approach
Decision making skills
Time management
Ability to empathize with clients
Ability to understand the social stigma related to mental illness.

Role of a Mental health nurse:

The primary role of a mental health nurse is to deliver care to clients with a psychiatric disorder, mental health illness, or behavioural problems.

A mental health nurse is responsible for the

Holistic assessment and evaluation of the client’s mental health
Assessing and planning nursing care requirements
Encourage trust and interpersonal relationship with clients
Development of treatment care plan
Building relationships with, reassuring and listening to and talking to clients
Administering of medications and monitoring the result of treatment
Agreeing and reviewing care plans and monitoring progress
Maintenance of medical records
Help in developing social skills
Encouraging clients to take part in therapeutic activities such as art and craft, games etc.
Combating stigma and helping clients and their families manage it
Consultation with other healthcare professionals about treatment plan
Support and education to the clients and their family
Provide awareness regarding mental health
Visiting clients at home
Organise social events intended to develop clients’ social interactions and skills to reduce their feelings of isolation and anxiety

Challenges faced by mental health nurse

A mental health nurse may face many challenging situations while she is at work. She will be responsible for taking care of clients with a range of conditions ranging from schizophrenia to mood disorders, dementia and addictions. The client most of the time may deny the presence of mental illness. They may suddenly turn aggressive and violent causing a risk of injury to themselves or the others. The nurse is quite often exposed to unpredictable behaviour of the client. They may also refuse to cooperate in the treatment regimen and refuse to take medicines. All these can lead to emotional fatigue, burnout and frustration. There may also be challenges owing to staff shortage wherein the nurse may be required to work for longer shifts.

Nurse treating patient suffering with depression

Career opportunities

As a mental health nurse, you have plentiful opportunities that can be opted for a progressive career. You can become a nurse specialist who work with either some specific clients (such as children, young individuals) or in a specific area such as alcohol or substance abuse, forensic psychology or psychotherapeutic interventions.

A mental health nurse can further climb up the ladder to positions such as an advanced nurse practitioner, nurse manager or nurse consultant, which may provide openings towards more specialized roles. For acquiring such job roles, you would require additional qualifications such as Master’s level with related experience. You may also move into other roles, such as lecturer, practitioners, mentors, therapist, preceptor and researcher.

Being a psychiatric nurse is not just a normal nursing job rather a specialization within the nursing community that requires kindness, compassion and extra care. Mental illness can be chronic and difficult to treat however, with the right treatment and care many patients are able to resume normal lives. And that’s where a mental health nurse can play a major role irrespective of whether she is working in the hospital, clinic or community.

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A day in the life of an ICU Nurse

Bodhi Health Education — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 04:14:25 +0000

So imagine! caring for a patient who is a 68-year-old woman with history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and was rushed to emergency department by the family members with complaints of profuse sweating and altered level of consciousness. On examination, found to have raised blood sugar levels of 527mg/dl, positive for urine ketones and altered arterial blood gas report. Patient was stabilized and later shifted for further observation. Now since patient already lies in a high risk category and is vulnerable…………. Where do you think patient would have been shifted?? Exactly, an Intensive Care Unit(ICU).

Nurse using monitor in operating room

An ICU is a specialised unit of the hospital that provides comprehensive and continuous care for critically ill patients. ICU consists of patients who are either acutely or chronically ill and would require specialized treatment and care. Patients admitting to ICU can be critically ill patients, planned admissions but sudden deterioration of health, following a surgery or unexpected admissions after a road traffic accident. The main purpose of providing intensive care is health restoration. Some patients stay in for longer duration, until they recover or until they pass on.

Critical care nurses working in ICU are given patient assignment based on their competency levels and the acuity of patients. It means that a nurse who is more competent would get a critical patient as an assignment. Working in an ICU can be challenging and stressful at the same time.

ICU teams are multidisciplinary, consisting of critical care nurses, doctors and specialists (Dietician, physiotherapist, pharmacist, technicians) trained to provide care to the patients. The whole team works in coordination with each other.

Specialities in ICU

There are many specialities within ICU that you should be knowing. These include:

Cardiac ICU
Neurology ICU
Trauma ICU
Burn ICU
Paediatric ICU
Neonatal ICU
Medical ICU
Transplant ICU (Kidney, Liver, Heart)
CoVID ICU
Surgical ICU

Roles and responsibilities of an ICU nurse

Critical care nurses need to be well equipped with proper training to handle patients more appropriately. ICU is a battle ground for life and death, so the nurses are expected to come prepared. A lot depends upon the choices they make and the decisions they take. Therefore, Nurses needs to be accountable regarding their patients. In case you make up your mind to work in an ICU, these are some of the responsibilities you will be expected to perform

Monitoring, recording and reporting of the vital signs of critically ill patients
Routine head to toe assessment and documentation
Administering of medications and fluids as per doctor’s instructions
Monitoring of patient’s intake and output
Sample collection and sending routine investigations
Monitoring diet and nutritional needs of the patients
Prevention of pressure ulcers and proper care of wounds
Proper storage and utilization of ICU equipment and devices
Assisting in bed-side procedures with the doctors
Identifying patients at risk for complications
Following patient treatment plan
Consultation and coordination with other healthcare team members
Handling and managing code blue status
Caring of pre and post-operative patients
Performing and providing BLS and ACLS protocols
Assessment of patient and family needs
Education and counselling to the family

Qualities of an ICU nurse

Critical care nurses are specially trained to care for the patients admitted in an ICU. They usually require higher level of competency in comparison to nurses working in other areas of the hospital.

Nurse making comfortable to mother in ICU

ICU nurses needs to be proficient in a wide variety of procedures especially advanced nursing skills. Intensive monitoring and closed observations are the prerequisites of ICU patients. Even though the nurse patient ratio is usually 1:1 or 1:2, still it can be stressful being an ICU nurse. ICU nurses needs to be specialized in the following skills

Strategic planning in delivery of routine care
Organization of work
Time management
Close observation and monitoring
Ability to identify complications in the early stage itself
Dedication to acquire new advanced skills
Critical thinking
Excellent communication skills
Coordination with other members of the team
Quick decision making skills
Compassionate and empathize with patients and family
Certifications such as BLS/ACLS/critical care nursing

Challenges of an ICU nurse

As discussed earlier, working in an ICU can be challenging and stressful at the same time. The nursing care provided to the patients contributes a lot towards the improvement or deterioration of the patient’s condition. ICU nurses are required to remain completely focused throughout their shift and thus ensure patient safety. Since the nature of work in the ICUs can be complex and demanding it may leave the nurse fatigued most often.

Nurses putting in so much physical efforts at work, can experience burnouts as well. Exhaustion, irritability and loss of job interests are some symptoms of nurses’ burnout.

Rewards of Being an ICU Nurse

Although, there may be a significant number of challenges faced by the critical care nurses, it’s always a rewarding experience to see to your patient improve and being moved out of the ICU. Critical care nurses are considered to be highly competent when compared to other nurses of the hospital. Constant learning, developing interpersonal relationships with patients, impressive levels of patient’s accountability and career growth opportunities are some of the advantages of being an ICU nurse.

There is no doubt about the fact that ICU nurses are always high in demand. One of the vital element when looking out for career growth and opportunity is your level of experience. Critical care nurses need to set a bench mark of minimum of 5 years. Once you smash that 5-year mark, you will have the experience desired to be a viable contender for other positions and you’ll be considered seasoned. Meanwhile, you may also continue to resume your education and certification programs. In-service sessions, continue nursing education and certification programs helps in building up competence, self-confidence and upgradation of knowledge.

With experience, good performance, and continuous education, you can move to other settings or may uphold more responsible positions.

The post A day in the life of an ICU Nurse appeared first on Bodhi Health Education.

What should the COVID-19 pandemic remind Nurses about Healthcare Associated Infections?

Bodhi Health Education — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 05:19:08 +0000

Healthcare-associated infections i.e. HAIs only usually receive public attention when there are epidemics. The situation is no different with rising hospitalizations due to COVID-19.

Although often hidden from public attention, the very real endemic, the ongoing problem is one that no institution or country can claim to have solved, despite many efforts.   Hundreds of millions of patients are affected by healthcare-associated infections worldwide each year, leading to significant mortality and financial losses for health systems.

As per the World Health Organisation,

Of every 100 hospitalized patients at any given time, 7 in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection.
While urinary tract infection is the most frequent healthcare-associated infection in high-income countries, surgical site infection is the leading infection in settings with limited resources, affecting up to one-third of operated patients; this is up to nine times higher than in developed countries.
Newborns are at higher risk of acquiring healthcare-associated infection in developing countries, with infection rates three to 20 times higher than in high-income countries.

The main solutions and perspectives for improvement identified by WHO are:

Identifying local determinants of the HAI burden.
Improving reporting and surveillance systems at the national level.
Ensuring minimum requirements in terms of facilities and dedicated resources available for HAI surveillance at the institutional level, including microbiology laboratories’ capacity.
Ensuring that core components for infection control are in place at the national and healthcare setting levels.
Implementing standard precautions, particularly best hand hygiene practices at the bedside.
Improving staff education and accountability.
Conducting research to adapt and validate surveillance protocols based on the reality of developing countries.
Conducting research on the potential involvement of patients and their families in HAI reporting and control

Keeping this in mind, our nurse educator Ms. Manisha Saklani attempts to throw some spotlight on Healthcare-Associated Infections in this extensive module from the point of view of a Nurse and her pivotal role & responsibility in its prevention.

Note: The video is just a 3 minute peek into the full module on HAIs where Manisha talks about the definition, factors that increase the risk of HAIs and it’s various types. To get access to the full module on HAIs write to us at: info@bodhihealthedu.org

The post What should the COVID-19 pandemic remind Nurses about Healthcare Associated Infections? appeared first on Bodhi Health Education.