Hi! I'm Cindy. Here's a little bit of info about me... This is my first ever blog page, and I admit that I cheated a bit and had my husband help me set it up! So needless to say it will be a work in progress :)
I'm in the MSN Nursing Ed program, the accelerated track, so I'm taking four courses this semester. I'm looking forward to this semester as the practicum will help me see what it's really like to teach in the real world! I come from a family of educators, and am even married to an English Professor, so teaching (and learning) are pretty much second nature to me :)
At the moment I am a Nurse Liaison for a Rehab in Arlington. I'm only working part time so that I can devote my time to school. My nursing background is in Critical Care. Although some days can be chaotic and exhausting, I love working in the ICU. I feel that teaching in a Critical Care Unit takes special caution, whether the learner is your patient, a family member, or another nurse. You are constantly having to adjust what you are teaching to the needs and level of the learner, keeping in mind that this is a highly stressful situation for them. I especially enjoyed precepting "new" nurses in the ICU, which is what lead me to pursue this degree.
I posted some information about my personal life in the section that says View My Complete Profile. Feel free to look it over if you have the time. Thanks for checking out my blog page. Hope you have a great day!
~Cindy
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Welcome to Cindy's Blog Page
Hi and thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy learning a little bit about me and how my semester is going. Have a great day!
RN, BSN
- Cynthia
- Arlington (but El Paso is my home), Texas, United States
- Critical Care is my passion in nursing. The best part of working in the ICU is that there is something new to learn every day. I'm in the middle of the MSN Nurse Educator program and will graduate this summer! :)
Practicum Hours Log
Classroom Time at UTA: 48.5 hours through 4/27
Blog Time: 39 hours through 5/7
Clinical Time: 50 hours through 4/18
1/24: Blog creation & set-up. Post: Intro. total hours: 3
2/15: Blog posts: Chugging along & Teaching Project plans. total hours: 2
2/18: First Meeting with Diane- exchange paperwork, discuss expectations of preceptee & preceptor. Met for 1 hr. have had multiple email and phone call communications with Diane.
2/19: Blog post: Update on Teaching Project Plans. total hours: 1
2/22: Read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
2/23: First day of class at UTA. Lecture on Cardiac rehabilitation. Schedule: class prep at 8:30; class from 9-12; faculty meeting from 12:40-3:00; post class discussion until 15:50 total hours: 7.5
3/2: Second day of class at UTA. Exam Review before class. Lecture on Shock (cardiogenic, neurogenic, septic, hypovolemic and anaphylactic shock). Schedule: Exam review at 8:00; class from 9-12; student counseling 12:30; meeting for learn group faculty 1-2:30; student counseling meetings at 3 and 3:30; end of day discussion with preceptor and plan for the upcoming week until 4:30 total hours: 8.5
3/4: Blog post: And so it begins (class week 1). total hours: 1.5
3/9: Third day of class at UTA. Lectures on Liver and Organ Transplantation. Class from 9-12; faculty meeting from 12:30-14:00 total hours: 53/10: Pre-clinical preparation at Harris Methodist in Ft. Worth. Paperwork due, computer training, ID tags issued. (9:30am-?) total hours: 3
3/10: Read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
3/15: Read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
3/16: Spring Break—No class
3/23: Teaching Project Day! Course lecture on Strokes, Myesthenia Gravis, & Guillain-Barre. Second lecture on Bariatric patients and surgery. Arrived early to prepare for lecture recording. Provided evaluation forms to students and instructor, class from 9-12:00. total hours: 3.5
3/24: Pre-clinical lab day: lectures on info needed for ICU clinicals: Hemodynamics etc. lectures from 8:30-16:00 Total hours: 8.5
3/25: Pre-clinical lab day in the SMART Hospital 8:30-1600. This was considered a clinical day for the students. Math test at 9 and then participation in five learning stations at the hospital including: Airway (vent and airway equipment), Chest tubes, EKG’s, Hemodynamics, and simulation scenario. Students also had a scenario debriefing session where they reviewed their actions which were recorded on videotape during the simulation scenario. Total hours: 7.5
3/26: Blog post: Day 2 in the Trenches (class week 2). total hours: 1.5
3/30: Mental Health Day… Preceptor gave me the day off from class to catch up on other work.
3/30: Blog comment posting & responses. total hours: 2
4/4: First Clinical Day at Harris Methodist in Fort Worth.6:30-19:00. Monitored & Assisted 10 students spread out over five intensive care units (Trauma, Neuro, Cardiovascular, Med/Surg, & CCU). Total hours: 12.5
4/6: Exam 2. Proctored individual exam for student from 8:30-11:00. Class time from 11:00-11:50. Lectures on Death & Dying, DNR, palliative care, psychosocial care. Total hours: 3.5
4/6: blog postings to instructor and other students. Total hours: 2
4/9: blog postings of spring break, 3rd & 4th class days, and updated blog profile. Total hours: 4
4/12: read blog postings of peer’s Total hours: 2
4/16: blog postings to other students. Total hours: 1
4/18: Second Clinical Day at HMFW 06:45-19:00. Monitored & Assisted 10 students in all critical care units. Observed mid-clinical evaluation process. Assisted in content review for upcoming exam during post-conference. Total hours: 12.25
4/20: Lab Exam 7:45-9:15; Class Lectures on Trauma and Head Injuries 9:15-11:50; Faculty Meetings until 15:15. Total Hours: 7.5
4/21: wrote blog posting for teaching project and read through peers blogs. Total hours:3.5
4/25: read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
4/27: Lab Exam Review 8:30-9:00. Last Quiz. Final Course Lecture: Head & Spinal cord injuries. Course evaluations, class time from 9:00-11:50. Total hours: 3.5
4/29: read peer’s blogs and posted responses. Total hours: 2.5
5/2: read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
5/7: read & responded to peer’s postings Total hours: 3
Blog Time: 39 hours through 5/7
Clinical Time: 50 hours through 4/18
1/24: Blog creation & set-up. Post: Intro. total hours: 3
2/15: Blog posts: Chugging along & Teaching Project plans. total hours: 2
2/18: First Meeting with Diane- exchange paperwork, discuss expectations of preceptee & preceptor. Met for 1 hr. have had multiple email and phone call communications with Diane.
2/19: Blog post: Update on Teaching Project Plans. total hours: 1
2/22: Read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
2/23: First day of class at UTA. Lecture on Cardiac rehabilitation. Schedule: class prep at 8:30; class from 9-12; faculty meeting from 12:40-3:00; post class discussion until 15:50 total hours: 7.5
3/2: Second day of class at UTA. Exam Review before class. Lecture on Shock (cardiogenic, neurogenic, septic, hypovolemic and anaphylactic shock). Schedule: Exam review at 8:00; class from 9-12; student counseling 12:30; meeting for learn group faculty 1-2:30; student counseling meetings at 3 and 3:30; end of day discussion with preceptor and plan for the upcoming week until 4:30 total hours: 8.5
3/4: Blog post: And so it begins (class week 1). total hours: 1.5
3/9: Third day of class at UTA. Lectures on Liver and Organ Transplantation. Class from 9-12; faculty meeting from 12:30-14:00 total hours: 53/10: Pre-clinical preparation at Harris Methodist in Ft. Worth. Paperwork due, computer training, ID tags issued. (9:30am-?) total hours: 3
3/10: Read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
3/15: Read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
3/16: Spring Break—No class
3/23: Teaching Project Day! Course lecture on Strokes, Myesthenia Gravis, & Guillain-Barre. Second lecture on Bariatric patients and surgery. Arrived early to prepare for lecture recording. Provided evaluation forms to students and instructor, class from 9-12:00. total hours: 3.5
3/24: Pre-clinical lab day: lectures on info needed for ICU clinicals: Hemodynamics etc. lectures from 8:30-16:00 Total hours: 8.5
3/25: Pre-clinical lab day in the SMART Hospital 8:30-1600. This was considered a clinical day for the students. Math test at 9 and then participation in five learning stations at the hospital including: Airway (vent and airway equipment), Chest tubes, EKG’s, Hemodynamics, and simulation scenario. Students also had a scenario debriefing session where they reviewed their actions which were recorded on videotape during the simulation scenario. Total hours: 7.5
3/26: Blog post: Day 2 in the Trenches (class week 2). total hours: 1.5
3/30: Mental Health Day… Preceptor gave me the day off from class to catch up on other work.
3/30: Blog comment posting & responses. total hours: 2
4/4: First Clinical Day at Harris Methodist in Fort Worth.6:30-19:00. Monitored & Assisted 10 students spread out over five intensive care units (Trauma, Neuro, Cardiovascular, Med/Surg, & CCU). Total hours: 12.5
4/6: Exam 2. Proctored individual exam for student from 8:30-11:00. Class time from 11:00-11:50. Lectures on Death & Dying, DNR, palliative care, psychosocial care. Total hours: 3.5
4/6: blog postings to instructor and other students. Total hours: 2
4/9: blog postings of spring break, 3rd & 4th class days, and updated blog profile. Total hours: 4
4/12: read blog postings of peer’s Total hours: 2
4/16: blog postings to other students. Total hours: 1
4/18: Second Clinical Day at HMFW 06:45-19:00. Monitored & Assisted 10 students in all critical care units. Observed mid-clinical evaluation process. Assisted in content review for upcoming exam during post-conference. Total hours: 12.25
4/20: Lab Exam 7:45-9:15; Class Lectures on Trauma and Head Injuries 9:15-11:50; Faculty Meetings until 15:15. Total Hours: 7.5
4/21: wrote blog posting for teaching project and read through peers blogs. Total hours:3.5
4/25: read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
4/27: Lab Exam Review 8:30-9:00. Last Quiz. Final Course Lecture: Head & Spinal cord injuries. Course evaluations, class time from 9:00-11:50. Total hours: 3.5
4/29: read peer’s blogs and posted responses. Total hours: 2.5
5/2: read peer’s blog postings Total hours: 2
5/7: read & responded to peer’s postings Total hours: 3
Followers
Practicum Personal Objectives
- 1. Work closely with a University Faculty member and observe the various roles the Nurse Educator plays in a Critical Care Course in the classroom and clinical settings.
- 2. Assist the University Faculty member with their role in teaching lessons in the classroom, and be an additional resource for students in both the classroom and clinical settings.
- 3. Observe and assist the instructor in creating an effective exam and exam blueprint.
- 4. Learn how to effectively teach students with various learning styles in the classroom and clinical setting.
- 5. Learn how to effectively encourage students to build priority and critical thinking skills.
- 6. Learn how to effectively evaluate students in a classroom and clinical setting.