Hospital Emergency Department Assignment | Homework For You
Case study:
Shannon Doe is a third year undergraduate nurse on clinical placement at Charles Darwin University Hospital Emergency Department (ED).
Day 1. Mon 25/09/2017. Shannon’s preceptor, Morgan Lane, says “Hi. You are with me. We are short staffed and there is a poor skill mix on today. I will get you to orientate yourself to ED today by doing this ‘search and find’. Once you have done that, if you sit in the tea room here and log into this computer with these generic log in details (hands you piece of paper with log on and password), you can work through the self-directed learning modules on WHS, infection control, mandatory reporting and aggression management. That should fill in your first shift”. Shannon replies “OK then.” Shannon’s preceptor then walks away. She did not approach Shannon for the rest of the shift.
Day 2. Tues 26/09/2017. At morning handover the team leader asks “Who is working with the student today?” Shannon’s preceptor, Morgan, says “I’m stuck with her” then laughs and says “Nah… Joking!” Shannon smiles and giggles, but inwardly she feels embarrassed.
After handover Morgan advises Shannon that she will be looking after two patients. Bed 1 has an 11 year old girl with Leukemia. Morgan asks Shannon “Where should you look for bleeding?” Wanting to demonstrate her knowledge Shannon advises “Platelets release thromboplastin, which converts prothrombin to thrombin in the first step of the coagulation process; if the girl has low platelets she may bleed and one of the first places to look for signs of bleeding is the gums and mucous membranes”. Morgan replies “What are you, a walking text book?” and smiles. “Well done” she adds. Shannon gives an awkward smile back but does not respond verbally. Inwardly she are questioning whether she just received a compliment or a criticism.
Bed 2 has a two year old boy with croup. Shannon can hear his barky cough and inspiratory stridor. Morgan says “Can you recite what you know about croup?” Just as Shannon was about to respond, Morgan says “Nah, don’t worry about that, just go in and make sure the parents have some breakfast. Hear that? (pauses to listen) We need to get the family up to Paeds as soon as possible”. Shannon feels a bit dismissed but understands that the clinical need is a priority over her clinical education at that time.
Day 3. Wed 27/09/2017. Shannon and Morgan are allocated to cubicles 1 to 4. After handover Shannon walks into cubicle 1 to do a set of vital signs on a male patient admitted with pneumonia. He is non-responsive. Shannon pushes the emergency call bell, checks his airway for blockage, checks his breathing using ‘look, listen, feel’. He is not breathing. Shannon commences CPR. Morgan arrives at the same time as Dr Trent Michael and RN Anna Roberts. Morgan exclaims “OMG!” then asks ” What have you done?” Just as Shannon is about to respond Morgan says “Finish that cycle of compressions then step back, we’ll handle this”. Shannon completes the cycle of compressions and stands back and observes the resuscitation. Later in the day Morgan goes to the clinical debrief. Shannon notes that Morgan did not invite her.
Task
• Complete the incident report in the template provided as the worker (Shannon) in the case study provided.
• Discuss procedures for dealing with incidents as described in the case study above.
• Critically analyse what has occurred in the case study provided.
• Draw on the literature to provide recommendations to foster the student’s personal and professional development.
