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Pearls of wisdom for graduate school
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Pearls of wisdom for graduate school Author: T Smith, RN, MS, CEN, Naperville, Illinois
n t h e fall of 1996 I w a s a s k e d to t e a c h a g r a d u a t e n u r s i n g c o u r s e in b e h a v i o r a l c o n c e p t s of s e l e c t e d p a t h o p h y s i o l o g i c d i s e a s e s . I w a s e c s t a t i c . Finally, after w o r k i n g m a n y y e a r s to o b t a i n a m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e in n u r s i n g , I w o u l d b e a b l e to u s e all t h a t I h a d learned. To m y g r e a t s u r p r i s e t h e m o s t difficult p a r t of t e a c h i n g w a s n o t t h e c o n t e n t , b u t t h e c h a l l e n g e of helping students broaden their thinking. Each assignment and each class discussion was designed to h e l p t h e s t u d e n t s shift from their c u r r e n t p a r a d i g m of n u r s i n g to a b r o a d e r focus of n u r s i n g a s a profession a n d a s a c h a n g e a g e n t in society. T h e a s s i g n m e n t s also w e r e d e s i g n e d to e n c o u r a g e i n d e p e n d e n t a n d i n t e r d e p e n d e n t t h i n k i n g a n d a c t i o n s b y allowing t h e s t u d e n t s to s e e k o u t a n d s h a r e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d current research. T h r o u g h o u t t h e first s e m e s t e r , I b e g a n to jot d o w n w h a t I called "pearls of w i s d o m , " little t h o u g h t s w i t h large i m p l i c a t i o n s for g r a d u a t e school. H e r e is t h e c o m p l e t i o n of t h e t h o u g h t s from t h e first s e m e s ter. I h o p e t h e s e f e w p e a r l s c a n help o t h e r s t u d e n t s in their q u e s t for k n o w l e d g e . I d e d i c a t e t h e s e to t h e first g r a d u a t e class I t a u g h t in t h e fall of 1996. • A l w a y s p a s s on to t h o s e w h o follow your w i s d o m a n d l e s s o n s learned. • Share t h e b u r d e n of a s s i g n m e n t s b y s h a r i n g t h e b u r d e n of o b t a i n i n g r e s o u r c e s a n d articles, t h e n p a s s on t h e a r t i c l e s for t h e n e x t class to use. • B r a i n s t o r m w i t h c o l l e a g u e s in your class a b o u t i d e a s for p a p e r s a n d p r e s e n t a t i o n s . T h e n s h a r e t h e s e i d e a s w i t h c o l l e a g u e s at work. If no one else is i n t e r e s t e d in t h e topic, it m a y n o t b e t h e one to select.
I
T Smith is a full-time student in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, and a Per Diem Emergency Nurse at West Suburban Hospital, Oak Park, Illinois. For reprints, write T Smith, RN, MS, CEN, 421 Tupelo Dr., Naperville, IL 60540. J Emerg Nurs 1998;24:79-80. Copyright © 1998 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/98 $5,00 + 0 1819186405
® L i s t e n closely to w h a t t h e p r o f e s s o r or i n s t r u c t o r s a y s d u r i n g t h e first t w o c l a s s e s a n d a s k q u e s tions a b o u t t h e a s s i g n m e n t s . M i d t e r m is too late to a s k q u e s t i o n s . • If you h a v e p r o b l e m s , m a k e a n a p p o i n t m e n t a n d talk w i t h t h e i n s t r u c t o r right away. Do n o t wait. • Turn in a s s i g n m e n t s on time. • G r a d u a t e school e n c o u r a g e s free t h i n k e r s a n d t h o s e w h o c a n c o n n e c t t h e d o t s on their own. • You will g e t out of g r a d u a t e school w h a t y o u p u t into it. In other words, do n o t e x p e c t to b e g i v e n e x p l i c i t i n s t r u c t i o n s , t e s t s e v e r y w e e k , or e x a c t d i r e c t i o n s to r e f e r e n c e s . You are e x p e c t e d to find out on your own. T h e i n s t r u c t o r ' s job is to g i v e you clarification. • K n o w h o w to u s e a library a n d all t h e r e s o u r c e s offered. It is i m p e r a t i v e to learn h o w to u s e a c o m p u t e r . K n o w h o w to u s e t h e m a n u a l b a c k u p s y s t e m , too. • A t t h e b e g i n n i n g of e a c h m o n t h , b r o w s e t h e n e w p e r i o d i c a l s for articles you m a y b e i n t e r e s t e d in n o w or for future classes. • Plan your s c h e d u l e a n d k n o w w h a t c l a s s e s you h a v e y e t to take. • K e e p a n e y e out for articles a n d r e s o u r c e s t h a t overlap classes. • S e l e c t a very b r o a d topic, w h i c h c a n b e v i e w e d from m u l t i p l e p e r s p e c t i v e s , to s t u d y t h r o u g h o u t g r a d u a t e school. • Do n o t t h r o w out your s t a t i s t i c s b o o k or you u n d e r g r a d u a t e n u r s i n g r e s e a r c h books. T h e s e will b e v e r y v a l u a b l e to you. • R e m e m b e r , you c h o s e to a t t e n d g r a d u a t e school a n d it is your c h o i c e to a c c e p t t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t h a t go along w i t h this choice. • Do n o t argue, belittle, ridicule, a b u s e , t h r e a t e n , or a c c u s e your instructors. F a c u l t y m e m b e r s a r e h u m a n ; t h e y w i s h to b e t r e a t e d kindly, a n d are t r y i n g to do their best. Do tell t h e m e x a c t l y h o w t h e y are b e i n g unfair or e x a c t l y h o w t h i n g s could b e d o n e better.
February 1998 79
JOURNAL OF EMERGENCYNURSING/Smith
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your beliefs. J u s t r e m e m b e r , t h e s t r e n g t h of your d e f e n s e is only as solid as t h e s o u r c e s y o u s e l e c t for your d e f e n s e . G r a d u a t e s c h o o l is m e a n t to b e w o r k a n d fun. E x p e c t to h a v e a n e w world o p e n e d to y o u or at l east to h a v e o n e major p a r a d i g m shift p er year. Finally, no o n e fails g r a d u a t e school u n l e s s h e or s h e w o r k s at it.
If t h e faculty p r o v i d e s an e x t e n s i v e bibliography, s e l e c t t h e articles t h a t are of i n t e r e s t to you, r e a d t h e m , b r i n g t h e m to class, a n d d i s c u s s t h e m . U s e p r i m a r y s o u r c e s for p a p e r s as often as possible. This s h o w s y o u h a v e r e a d t h e material, u n d e r s t a n d it, a n d c a n relate t h e article to t h e t o p i c y o u are d i s c u s s i n g . Do n o t b e afraid to s a y w h a t y o u t h i n k a n d d e f e n d
QUERY FORM
Journal of Emergency Nursing 216 Higgins Rd. Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 698-9400 (847) 698-9407 (fax) If you have an idea for an article, please let us know on this form. We will call you to discuss the format and focus and to ensure that there is no similar manuscript in process. Subject I w o u l d l i k e to c o n t r i b u t e to o n e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g c o l u m n s :
[B U] [] []
Guest Editorial EMS Case Review Sexual Assault: Clinical Issues
[] [] [] []
Drug Update Managers Ask and Answer Nurse Educator The Research Column
[] [] [] []
Pediatric Update Flight Nursing Triage Decisions Forensic Nursing
[] [] [] []
Innovative Informatics Profiles Impressions Trauma Notebook
More information about my column submission: Name Title Employer Home Address Home Phone P l e a s e s e n d m e a list o f article titles a n d c o l u m n ideas. P l e a s e s e n d m e Case R e v i e w g u i d e l i n e s . P l e a s e s e n d m e g u i d e l i n e s for w r i t i n g r e s e a r c h articles. [] P l e a s e s e n d m e r e f e r e n c e style s h e e t .
See Information for Authors in the beginning of every issue for details on submissions, the peer review process, and preparation specifications.
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Volume 24, Number 1
,i~:¸:
i~ ~.
ii~! : i ¸ ~ ~ ~
~;i;~
~)(~
-,,
/i~:~!~ii~ :i~(1)[i!iT/ii!iii~!
Pearls of wisdom for graduate school Author: T Smith, RN, MS, CEN, Naperville, Illinois
n t h e fall of 1996 I w a s a s k e d to t e a c h a g r a d u a t e n u r s i n g c o u r s e in b e h a v i o r a l c o n c e p t s of s e l e c t e d p a t h o p h y s i o l o g i c d i s e a s e s . I w a s e c s t a t i c . Finally, after w o r k i n g m a n y y e a r s to o b t a i n a m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e in n u r s i n g , I w o u l d b e a b l e to u s e all t h a t I h a d learned. To m y g r e a t s u r p r i s e t h e m o s t difficult p a r t of t e a c h i n g w a s n o t t h e c o n t e n t , b u t t h e c h a l l e n g e of helping students broaden their thinking. Each assignment and each class discussion was designed to h e l p t h e s t u d e n t s shift from their c u r r e n t p a r a d i g m of n u r s i n g to a b r o a d e r focus of n u r s i n g a s a profession a n d a s a c h a n g e a g e n t in society. T h e a s s i g n m e n t s also w e r e d e s i g n e d to e n c o u r a g e i n d e p e n d e n t a n d i n t e r d e p e n d e n t t h i n k i n g a n d a c t i o n s b y allowing t h e s t u d e n t s to s e e k o u t a n d s h a r e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d current research. T h r o u g h o u t t h e first s e m e s t e r , I b e g a n to jot d o w n w h a t I called "pearls of w i s d o m , " little t h o u g h t s w i t h large i m p l i c a t i o n s for g r a d u a t e school. H e r e is t h e c o m p l e t i o n of t h e t h o u g h t s from t h e first s e m e s ter. I h o p e t h e s e f e w p e a r l s c a n help o t h e r s t u d e n t s in their q u e s t for k n o w l e d g e . I d e d i c a t e t h e s e to t h e first g r a d u a t e class I t a u g h t in t h e fall of 1996. • A l w a y s p a s s on to t h o s e w h o follow your w i s d o m a n d l e s s o n s learned. • Share t h e b u r d e n of a s s i g n m e n t s b y s h a r i n g t h e b u r d e n of o b t a i n i n g r e s o u r c e s a n d articles, t h e n p a s s on t h e a r t i c l e s for t h e n e x t class to use. • B r a i n s t o r m w i t h c o l l e a g u e s in your class a b o u t i d e a s for p a p e r s a n d p r e s e n t a t i o n s . T h e n s h a r e t h e s e i d e a s w i t h c o l l e a g u e s at work. If no one else is i n t e r e s t e d in t h e topic, it m a y n o t b e t h e one to select.
I
T Smith is a full-time student in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, and a Per Diem Emergency Nurse at West Suburban Hospital, Oak Park, Illinois. For reprints, write T Smith, RN, MS, CEN, 421 Tupelo Dr., Naperville, IL 60540. J Emerg Nurs 1998;24:79-80. Copyright © 1998 by the Emergency Nurses Association. 0099-1767/98 $5,00 + 0 1819186405
® L i s t e n closely to w h a t t h e p r o f e s s o r or i n s t r u c t o r s a y s d u r i n g t h e first t w o c l a s s e s a n d a s k q u e s tions a b o u t t h e a s s i g n m e n t s . M i d t e r m is too late to a s k q u e s t i o n s . • If you h a v e p r o b l e m s , m a k e a n a p p o i n t m e n t a n d talk w i t h t h e i n s t r u c t o r right away. Do n o t wait. • Turn in a s s i g n m e n t s on time. • G r a d u a t e school e n c o u r a g e s free t h i n k e r s a n d t h o s e w h o c a n c o n n e c t t h e d o t s on their own. • You will g e t out of g r a d u a t e school w h a t y o u p u t into it. In other words, do n o t e x p e c t to b e g i v e n e x p l i c i t i n s t r u c t i o n s , t e s t s e v e r y w e e k , or e x a c t d i r e c t i o n s to r e f e r e n c e s . You are e x p e c t e d to find out on your own. T h e i n s t r u c t o r ' s job is to g i v e you clarification. • K n o w h o w to u s e a library a n d all t h e r e s o u r c e s offered. It is i m p e r a t i v e to learn h o w to u s e a c o m p u t e r . K n o w h o w to u s e t h e m a n u a l b a c k u p s y s t e m , too. • A t t h e b e g i n n i n g of e a c h m o n t h , b r o w s e t h e n e w p e r i o d i c a l s for articles you m a y b e i n t e r e s t e d in n o w or for future classes. • Plan your s c h e d u l e a n d k n o w w h a t c l a s s e s you h a v e y e t to take. • K e e p a n e y e out for articles a n d r e s o u r c e s t h a t overlap classes. • S e l e c t a very b r o a d topic, w h i c h c a n b e v i e w e d from m u l t i p l e p e r s p e c t i v e s , to s t u d y t h r o u g h o u t g r a d u a t e school. • Do n o t t h r o w out your s t a t i s t i c s b o o k or you u n d e r g r a d u a t e n u r s i n g r e s e a r c h books. T h e s e will b e v e r y v a l u a b l e to you. • R e m e m b e r , you c h o s e to a t t e n d g r a d u a t e school a n d it is your c h o i c e to a c c e p t t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t h a t go along w i t h this choice. • Do n o t argue, belittle, ridicule, a b u s e , t h r e a t e n , or a c c u s e your instructors. F a c u l t y m e m b e r s a r e h u m a n ; t h e y w i s h to b e t r e a t e d kindly, a n d are t r y i n g to do their best. Do tell t h e m e x a c t l y h o w t h e y are b e i n g unfair or e x a c t l y h o w t h i n g s could b e d o n e better.
February 1998 79
JOURNAL OF EMERGENCYNURSING/Smith
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your beliefs. J u s t r e m e m b e r , t h e s t r e n g t h of your d e f e n s e is only as solid as t h e s o u r c e s y o u s e l e c t for your d e f e n s e . G r a d u a t e s c h o o l is m e a n t to b e w o r k a n d fun. E x p e c t to h a v e a n e w world o p e n e d to y o u or at l east to h a v e o n e major p a r a d i g m shift p er year. Finally, no o n e fails g r a d u a t e school u n l e s s h e or s h e w o r k s at it.
If t h e faculty p r o v i d e s an e x t e n s i v e bibliography, s e l e c t t h e articles t h a t are of i n t e r e s t to you, r e a d t h e m , b r i n g t h e m to class, a n d d i s c u s s t h e m . U s e p r i m a r y s o u r c e s for p a p e r s as often as possible. This s h o w s y o u h a v e r e a d t h e material, u n d e r s t a n d it, a n d c a n relate t h e article to t h e t o p i c y o u are d i s c u s s i n g . Do n o t b e afraid to s a y w h a t y o u t h i n k a n d d e f e n d
QUERY FORM
Journal of Emergency Nursing 216 Higgins Rd. Park Ridge, IL 60068 (847) 698-9400 (847) 698-9407 (fax) If you have an idea for an article, please let us know on this form. We will call you to discuss the format and focus and to ensure that there is no similar manuscript in process. Subject I w o u l d l i k e to c o n t r i b u t e to o n e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g c o l u m n s :
[B U] [] []
Guest Editorial EMS Case Review Sexual Assault: Clinical Issues
[] [] [] []
Drug Update Managers Ask and Answer Nurse Educator The Research Column
[] [] [] []
Pediatric Update Flight Nursing Triage Decisions Forensic Nursing
[] [] [] []
Innovative Informatics Profiles Impressions Trauma Notebook
More information about my column submission: Name Title Employer Home Address Home Phone P l e a s e s e n d m e a list o f article titles a n d c o l u m n ideas. P l e a s e s e n d m e Case R e v i e w g u i d e l i n e s . P l e a s e s e n d m e g u i d e l i n e s for w r i t i n g r e s e a r c h articles. [] P l e a s e s e n d m e r e f e r e n c e style s h e e t .
See Information for Authors in the beginning of every issue for details on submissions, the peer review process, and preparation specifications.
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Volume 24, Number 1