Nana Spjute & Company

Nana Spjute & Company

WEll, I survived this week. Lets see, I went to school on monday, did a presentation with demonstration and class participation on use of imagination in nursing education... while being RECORDED ON DVD!!!! the only good part of this experience was that after i introduced the activity-- which was genious if I do say so myself---- the camera was on all the participants, and not my FAT ______!!!! (use the body part of your preference to fill in the blank ;o). I have successfully put off reviewing the recording because I do not wish to be tormented in my dreams about just what a failure i am at wt loss UGGH!!! Age sucks!! and so does Menopause....

Ok, OK... ill let you know what the whole thing was about. I prepared a power point for the introduction, I prepared large post it notes... (we're talkin ginormous like 36 inches by 30 inches) with the outline of a torso.... then i broke the class into groups and made them collaborate with each other and draw the "innards" to proportion inside the torso with markers... now realize these are nurses with anywhere from 1 year to 30 years experience... It was hysterical... When they were done, I put a PP up with a torso and the correct placement of insides up. I then related it to colaboration in teaching, working together, compromize, listening, communication. I took it one step further and then drew a full term uterus on top of all the organs that they had drawn.... and asked the question-- how do you feel about the complaints this patient tells you about now?? The class got so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I reminded them that when she is pregnant, all these organs get pushed around, no wonder she is misserable... and encouraged empathy and understanding and realization that some of the "complaints" are valid. Then I composed a survey, which I put up in my PP with questions regarding the activity, and had the students text in the corresponding number of the answer they most agreed with. The results immediately showed up on the pp as they answered the questions with their cell phones. At this point, the teacher of the class was asking me how this works, how she can do it, how great an idea this was, ....etc... we spent the next 20 min with me expalining the technology behind it and teaching them how they to can do this with no cost or real tech savyiness.. (is that a real word??). And that was just the start of the week...

On Thrusday I created the power point(PP) for the introduction of the Simulation lab presentation (to be done on Fri), and on Thrus night i created the APA power point to be done at the same presentation... changed clothes, and went directly to the presentation. by 4pm I had completed both presentations, a tour of the simulaiton lab, critiqued my presentation as well as the directors presentation. Fri night, I wrote my next reflective essay regarding nursing research and education, then on Sat went to a seminar put on by an ABC personality regarding healthcare and change.. now i get to study for an impossible pharmacology test.... AHHHH... life is so boring......

Tampa Florida... simulation adventures

Florida was not quite what was expected. People were in wool coats and parkas. It was 50 degrees and the sun was hiding behind clouds most of the week. I had a wonderful time learing about simulation in nursing education and was really excited to see MPC college theree with a presentation on simulation.





Simulation in nursing education and learning and patient care in general is really gaining momentum. I can really see how much easier it is to learn when you are actually doing and interacting with a patient. Experiential learning is the way of the future. When you can make learing fun... now thats the trick. Sesame street all over again. Keep it moving, let them make mistakes and then discover the mistakes that they made. Allow the learners to self critique/correct and let the learing flow.... this is the stuff that really sticks with you.



Well I am back now, and drowing in homework for the masters program. It was a great fun filled week, but alas, I am now paying dearly for it. I have a make up test in advanced pharmacology, a 7 page reflective paper for CNS, and 3 chapters to write for my research project, my reflective journals for both the education and the cns class, and last but not least the presentation on "Imagination in learning" to be presented next mon. Now, add to that meeting with and organizing Simulations for Pediatrics and Med Surge for National U. and you can see what my answer is to my question posted above....hmmmmm..... sleep???