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JANUARY 2016

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IN

CNSA - SACRAMENTO STATE CHAPTER

VOLUME 26, ISSUE 1

SO YOU GOT INTO NURSING SCHOOL NOW WHAT?

By Rachelle Mojado
CNSA Secretary,
MIN Vice President,
4th semester

Congratulations, you did it!

All those hours spent studying,
passing up all sorts of fun events
Educating future nurses, with friends and family, and nagging your professors for any and
Educating patients
every point you can get has finalPage 2
ly paid off!
Youre excited and nervous
about
this upcoming journey
5 tips for first semester
known
as nursing school. Here
nursing students
are some tips that may help you
Page 3
along the way!
1. Get a planner! Nursing
school
is not the place to be unTo care for others, you
prepared.
Your schedule will
must care for yourself;
change constantly. Learn how to
Caring for patients with be adaptable and definitely keep
mental illness
a handy dandy planner. Check
your SacCT everyday!
Page 4
2. TESTS: Exams are no
longer a memorization game.
Ask a Nurse!
They require critical thinking and
situational approach. Try sorting
Page 5
your ideas with a concept map.
(Google: nursing concept map)
Orientation photos
3. CLINICALS: Come with
the
attitude that anything can
Page 6
happen if youre open to it. By
anything, I mean be prepared for
Important Upcoming
the grunt work but its not unDates
heard of for 1st semester students to place catheters, NG
Page 7
tubes, give IM injections, and
more super cool stuff.
Sidenote: It is very important you know what skills/
actions you are NOT allowed to

New students utilize help from 3rd semester Leah Martin at orientation

perform in clinical. Patient

safety is king.
4. CHECKOFFS: Ah, the
epitome of first semester.
PRACTICE PRACTICE
PRACTICE. Make Roberta and
Mr. Pat Edwards your best
friends.
5. CLUBS: Join CNSA or
Men in Nursing or BOTH! You
may not feel like joining because
your schedule will be jam packed
with all the joys nursing school
offers BUT TRUST ME ON
THIS. JOIN.
6. VOLUNTEER: How will
you set yourself apart? How will
your resume shine?
7. Best study places: Folsom
Hall and the upstairs cafeteria.
Also, the Union, AIRC (24
hours), and 4th floor of the library at main campus.
8. You are at the mecca of
opportunity at Sac State! Sac

State offers two very sought after

summer internships for nursing
students: VALOR and Kaiser.
Youre available to apply after
your second/third summer. How
does this apply to you? Build up
your relationship with your clinical faculty and staff for those letters of rec!
9. Utilize your resources:
Your mentor is a great resource.
If he/she is not available for any
reason, heres a well known secret
in the SON at Sac State: LOTS of
people in the program will literally
throw themselves at you to help
you. All you need to do my friend,
is ask. Ask any 2nd, 3rd, 4th semester student and I guarantee you,
theyll be happy to help.
10. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. You wouldnt be here if
you werent capable. Youre
smart. Youre kind. Youre going
to be a great nurse!

THE MONTHLY SHOT

PAGE 2

High school nursing panel education

By Leah Martin
CNSA BTN-Pre entry Director,
3rd Semester

One of the main jobs of being a

nurse is an educator. We not only educate patients in the hospital setting, we
provide education to the community on
health issues as well as the roles of a
Nurse. One of my jobs as Breakthrough to Nursing Director is that I
get to inspire people and help them
develop an interest in the nursing profession.
Last semester I was able to organize a nursing school panel at one of our
local high schools. This school is a
health professions high school. The
entire school works on preparing students for careers in the health field. We
were able to hold a panel for 30 students, where they asked us questions
about school. Questions included how
to get into nursing school, and what it is

Sarah Zepeda teaching vitals

like to be a student nurse. We were able

to talk about the kinds of careers that
nurses can have. We also elaborated
more on specialties like labor and delivery, cardiac, ER, and other things that a
nurse can do with a degree and a license.

After the initial presentation, we

broke out into groups and the students
got hands on experience with skills like
wound care, oxygenation, hands only
CPR, and vital signs. The ages of the
students ranged from 14 to 17. They
were all very excited to get to do skills.
The director of the program emailed me
the next day to thank me and the other
students who came to the panel. She
said, Your students (and you) were
amazing! Great panel and discussion,
and the interaction with the students
was fantastic. Maybe next semester we
can visit your school or even set up a
mentoring program. The kids were so
interested in talking to all of you.
This was a great opportunity to not
only promote Sacramento State Nursing, but the image of nursing as a whole.
These students already are on the path
to a career in the health field, and this
activity was another positive reinforcement to keep them moving on that journey.

A healthier community through education

By Seyda Dunham
4th Semester

Throughout my clinical rotations I

have worked with patients afflicted by
multiple health issues. Working with
these patients, getting to know their
history and what brought them to the
hospital confirms what I have heard in
lecture patients are growing in complexity. Many come in with multiple
health issues. Some of the most common disease problems I've seen so far
are diabetes type 2, hypertension, kidney disease, and heart disease. All of
these issues have one thing in common,
and that is that most of them are caused
by a combination of modifiable risk
factors: sedentary lifestyle; high calorie,
high-fat, high-empty calorie diets; high
BMI; and smoking. Some of these diseases are preventable. With simple
knowledge of disease process and guid-

ance, patients affected by these diseases

could prevent worsening conditions, or
could even prevent acquiring a new
problem. That's where we come in!
When I think about educating the
patient and how empowering this can be,
one patient in particular comes to
mind. For years this patient had been
overweight. At a doctor's appointment
she was told she had hypertension and
was subsequently placed on a blood pressure medication. The news did not make
much of an impression, and because she
didn't feel sick, she didn't take her medication as instructed. A couple years later
she was diagnosed with diabetes. Sadly,
even after this diagnosis she did not
modify her diet, did not regularly check
her blood glucose, and would sometimes
loosely decide how much insulin she
needed based on a hunch.
The second day I worked with her,
we talked about the complications diabe-

tes could bring to other body systems. I'm not sure that I made an impact in her understanding and willingness to care for herself, but I left there
thinking how hard it must be to change
habits that got her to where she was at
that point, and hoped that I gave her
enough information to think twice before making wrong food choices and
then not covering herself appropriately.
As bedside nurses it is our duty to
begin teaching the patients about selfcare from the moment they arrive at the
hospital. We have to find the right
teachable moment with patients, of
course, and include the patient's support
system whenever possible. The information has to be delivered in a manner
that the patient is able to understand, so
it is important that we know our hospital's resources. Do they have on-site
interpreters, or the service by
EDUCATION: Continued on page 3

THE MONTHLY SHOT

EDUCATION: Continued from page 2

phone? Are written materials at a level

that the patients can understand? Don't
just hand them the paperwork, find a

PAGE 3

moment to sit-down and go through it

with them and/or their caregiver. Do
they have the resources to continue their
medication or other therapies at
home? Maybe you can utilize Social Ser-

vices and Home Health to close this

gap.
The more time we spend with patients, helping them learn how to care
for themselves, the less likely it is that

Five tips for first semester nursing students

By Kelly Cronin
3rd Semester

ests you and spend some time each day

NOT thinking about school. It is amazing how concentrating on trying to find
the right angle for a shot would allow me
to completely forget about nursing. Even
20 minutes can give the refreshing mental
break needed. Think of it as a reset button for your brain.
#3: Be prepared to study a lot, using
many different types of resources. Practice NCLEX style questions, utilize the
online EVOLVE resources, flip through

First of all, congratulations on being

accepted into the Sac State Bachelor of
Science, Nursing Program! You have a
tough but rewarding road ahead of you.
The following are some tips to try to
maintain your sanity for the next two
years as you pursue your BSN.
#1: Do yourself
a favor and buy or
access a calendar to
write down your
schedule! Although
your classmates will
become useful for
reminders of certain
tasks, it is essential
that you stay on top
of your game by
knowing what is due
and when. Furthermore it will ward off
any potential embarrassment of forgetting you need your
scrubs and stethoscope An outdoor adventure at American River Canyon
for lab.
#2: Aim to do at least one fun
some QUIZLET cards, etc. You may
thing a day, preferably outside. I enjoy
have aced every anatomy and physiology
running but after a long day of sitting in
exam, but nursing school exams are a
class and studying sometimes have troudifferent breed all together. Questions
ble finding the motivation to lace up the
will be based on critical-thinking skills
shoes. Instead, I grab my camera and
and the more practice you get, the more
head outdoors. Find a hobby that intercomfortable and confident you will feel

on exam day.
#4: This is a difficult one as if you
are in Sac State BSN program you have
already proven that you are driven and
intelligent and have possibly never failed
ever in your school career. So take a deep
breath and read on: check-offs and SIM
are very important but if you happen to
fail one it is not the end of the world!
Talk to any upperclassmen and they can
tell you at least one horror story about
check-off stress. Yes, learning the skills is
an important step in your nursing school
education but if you forget the third
medication check or miss that SIM mans
BP dropped through the floor, RELAX.
This is where you are supposed to make
the mistakes so you wont ever do it
again! And if you do (or when you do) it
will be engrained in your memory forever. Believe me, I should have tested SIM
mans glucose level. I will never forget
that again!
#5: Get involved in CNSA. You
heard it in orientation and if you are like
me you thought there is no way you are
going to add another task to your busy
schedule. Think again-it is worth it. After
two semesters I can honestly say I have
gained many amazing experiences that I
wouldnt have without CNSA. And as
much as I enjoyed those experiences, I
am pretty excited about how they will
look on my resume too!
So take a deep breath, get excited for
this new adventure in your life and welcome to Sac State BSN program!

Are you man enough

to be a nurse?
Join us for our first meeting of the Spring
2016 semester on Friday, February 26th
at 4:30pm in Folsom Hall, room 1050.

THE MONTHLY SHOT

PAGE 4

To care for others, you must care for yourself

By Puukani Tiwanak
3rd Semester

When going through nursing

school, you have to remember one very
important tenet: to care for others you
must first care for yourself. When we
are so dedicated to our learning and experiences, we tend to put ourselves on
the back burner. Unfortunately, this not
only exhausts our bodies but it can also
put us at higher risk for errors toward
our patients. Make sure to take a moment to indulge in some self-care by
utilizing these simple tips:
1. Dont forget to eat. Long hours
in lab or in the hospital mean we need
to utilize our time to actually eat fulfilling meals. Sometimes our patients

arent the only ones who get a little hypoglycemic so dont forget to have some
snacks handy.
2. Take a stroll outside. Much of your
time in school will be spent indoors
whether youre in the classroom, lab, or
hospital setting. It can help to take a step
in the open air or, if youre crunched for
time, simply take your breaks or lunches
under the sun. Its amazing what a little
fresh air can do
3. Keep up with loved ones. Its easy
to get wrapped up in the busy schedule
we endure as nursing students so take a
second to ground yourself and talk to
someone you care about. Sometimes a
little outside perspective can aid in both
venting and providing inspiration to keep
going.

4. Put down that book. A difficult

adaptation to nursing is figuring out
when to rest. Staying up all night before
a clinical is never a good idea and neither is neglecting sleep in general. Try
napping or setting yourself a bedtime
alarm so you can get a few zs in before
you get back to work.
5. Treat yourself. You are a hard
working student and you spend nearly
all of your time devoted toward caring
for others. You deserve a little treat for
yourself, whether its going on that hike
or eating out with a friend to destress.
All in all, you know your body and
mind best. Take care of yourself in
whichever way you need but remember
that you are deserving of care.

A Change of Perspective -- Caring for Patients with Mental Illness

By Kristina Lee
CNSA Activities Director,
3rd Semester

I could never forget my first encounter with a person with a mental

illness. I was walking alone on a nature
trail one morning to meet some friends
when he suddenly appeared from the
under the bridge. He was a homeless
man with blood on his hands and face,
scraggly hair, and a possessed look in
his eyes. He began to stagger toward
me shouting nonsensical things. My
heart was pounding and I began to run
the other way when he threw a piece of
lumber hitting me hard on the stomach.
I ran as fast as I could back to my car
and called the cops. They arrived on
scene minutes later and one officer tried
to put him in cuffs as the man began to
scream, do jumping jacks, and salute the
officer all at the same time. The other
officer said she he was addicted to drugs
and alcohol and had been diagnosed
with numerous mental illnesses, and
that she had dealt with this man many
times before. And just like before, he
would go to jail for the night, then they
would let him go.

All I knew in that moment was that I

was scared. This homeless, crazy person
tried to hurt me. I did not think of him
as anything more than the man that
frightened me. I started to think that
anyone sleeping rough was probably addicted, too, and a threat to my safety.
When I was first assigned to work
with a client with psychiatric illness, I did
not want to be there. At the medical hospital, I happily tended to the needs of the
client who fell off a ladder, the client with
heart problems, and the other clients with
the usual diagnoses found in the acute
care setting. Could I give the same care
to someone who was homeless and suffering from a psychiatric illness when I
was still afraid of what had happened that
day on the trail? In the initial stages of
the nurse-client relationship we are supposed to check our personal beliefs and
stereotypes at the door so we can give the
best care to our patient before meeting
them. This was a step I was not sure I
could do. But eventually, I did.
When I encountered my first clients
with severe psychiatric disorders, I was
shocked to see men and women who
looked and acted almost completely normal. They were really not too different
from myself apart from their circum-

stance. As we talked, I found that many

people had lost their jobs, became addicted to drugs and alcohol, were
abused by people they trusted, and
many were homeless. These people
were in crisis and many were in situations beyond their control, but they
were actively working to get better.
They were not inherently bad or out to
hurt others. This was a revelation for
me. Where I once saw someone hopeless and scary, I now saw a grandmother, a veteran, and someone with a career
in public safety. They just endured circumstances that resulted in them having
a psychotic episode requiring intervention. I could care for these people too.
These men and women changed my
perception of mental illness dramatically. What happened to me on the nature
trail that day was scary, but that mans
singular act of aggression against me did
not represent who he was as a person,
his circumstance, or the characteristics
of homeless individuals as a whole. My
new understanding allows me to interact
with compassion rather than fear,
providing the best, unbiased care to my
patients possible regardless of who they
are or where they come from.

THE MONTHLY SHOT

PAGE 5

Ask a Nurse!
This is a column where we reach out to Sac
State Alumni and learn about their journeys as
Registered Nurses. In this months edition,
Mary Ann Wood (Fall 96), tells us about her
path into Nursing!
When did you first discover an interest in nursing?
I had attended college 10 years before as an undeclared major. Our second
child [was] born with Spina Bifida. Hospitals, physical therapy, and nursing care
shaped many of our days. My son had
multiple surgeries by the time he was
five. He contracted meningitis after his
shunt revision so we went home with a
Broviac catheter and IV antibiotics. He
recovered well and continues to be a miracle today. These experiences influenced
my decision to return to school as a nursing major.

Where do you currently work and in

what department/unit?

I work at Mercy General in the Outpatient Surgery Center now, but I hadn't
planned on landing there. I hoped to
work in pediatrics but my first job opening was in an ortho-surgery unit; then I
moved to a neuro step-down unit with a
great stroke program and spine center. It
seemed quite natural to move to the
SICU within a few years. We worked
next door to CSICU, often caring for
their cardiac cath lab patients which were

my favorite next to the neurological

ones. I loved the opportunity.

What specifically about your current

position interests you (patient care,
management, etc)? Can you tell us a
little about the opportunities for
nurses in your field?

I use my critical care skills both in

the recovery room and in assessing patients for surgery. It's fast-paced, caring
for up to 50+ patients a day on our
unit, so red flags need quick follow-up
for the safety of our patients. It's rewarding to meet so many different people and to be a part of their healing during admission and recovery. Education
is a huge piece of the job. Patients are
discharged out of the hospital more
quickly now and need adequate preparation to be cared for at home. I have
the opportunity to administer conscious
sedation and monitor patients in the
OR for local anesthesia cases. We are
utilizing CNRA's more so I see this as
an increasing opportunity for nurses. I
work with really great nurses - mostly
from ICU and ER so it's always interesting. I've taken medical missions to

Mary Ann Wood, RN, PHN, BSN

Honduras and Kenya which were incredibly fulfilling. I hope to work more with
the homeless and hospice population in
the future, continue to further my education and take more mission trips.

Do you feel like Sac State prepared

you for your position? What
class/professor do you especially remember as helping you?

I believe Dr. Katie Bowles (now Osborn) was influential in preparing me for
cardiac patients and Dr. Cheryl Osborne
made caring for the geriatric population a
mission as they make up a huge part of
our population. Having my path move
away from pediatrics, their influence was
fortuitous.
Thanks for letting me share my nursing path.

Thank you Mary Ann! We wish you

luck in all your endeavors!!

Hornet Heartsaver Event!

Write articles for the Monthly Shot!
Each article is one CNSA event and is great
for your resume! Articles should be at least
250 words, and can be about anything nursing
- or school-related. We want to hear from all
semesters!

Help educate the community on

heart health, do BP screenings, and
more! Sign up here!
When: Tuesday, Feb. 2nd from
9:30am2pm
Where: University Union Ballroom
on main campus

THE MONTHLY SHOT

PAGE 6

Photos from New Student Orientation!

Welcome,
Class of
Fall
2017!

THE MONTHLY SHOT

PAGE 7

Important Upcoming
Dates
February 5 (Friday):
CNSA member meeting
4:30pm room 1050;
National Wear RED day
for Womens Cardiac Health
February 26 (Friday):
Men In Nursing Meeting
4:30pm room 1050
March 12 (Saturday):
CNSA Membership North meeting
8:00am-5:00pm, Samuel Merritt Oakland
March 21-27(Monday-Sunday):
Spring Recess
March 30-April 3 (Wednesday-Sunday):
NSNA Annual Convention
Orlando, Florida
March 31 (Thursday)
Cesar Chavez Birthday
(No school)
May 19 (Thursday):
Pinning for 4th semester students

Second semester students at the foot care clinic

NSNA National Convention

Where imaginations and
journeys meet
March 30-April 3
Register here

Submit pictures for the

Monthly Shot!
For each issue, it is nice to see pictures of
you and/or your nursing school buddies
doing awesome nursing-related activities!
Become a celebrity and submit pictures for
the February issue! Send pictures today to:
csus.cnsa.monthlyshot@gmail.com

CNSA 2016
Membership
Meeting North
Saturday, 3/12
For information, click
here!

May 20-21 (Friday & Saturday):

Graduation Commencement

Contact Info
California State University, Sacramento
School of Nursing
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6096
http://www.hhs.csus.edu/nrs
Phone: (916) 278-6525
Fax: (916) 278-6311
Monthly Shot Editor: Michelle Wooten
Email: csus.cnsa.monthlyshot@gmail.com
Faculty Co-Advisors:
Dr. Denise Wall Parilo & Dr. Bridget Parsh
CSUS CNSA chapter:
cnsaatcsusacramento.weebly.com

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