Hello, My name Is Renee and I am 38 years old and back in college. I have a writing project due and need to interview somebody in the nursing field on the writing skills needed in the workplace for nurses. I am going back to school to become a nurse. If I could get you all to help me by answering these questions I would certainly appreciate your assistance. Thank-you in advance for your help. When you answer the questions could you leave a little bit of information about yourself such as your specialty, years in nursing, current degree, etc. Please help by answering one or all of the questions.

1.) What kinds of writing did you have to do to get the job you have?

2.) What kinds of of writing do you do routinely on the job?

3.) How important are writing skills and communication skills to your profession?

4.) Which skills are the most crucial?

5.) How prepared were you for the writing tasks demanded of your job?

6.) What do you wish you had known in terms of writing before you started work?

7.) Do you write for personal reasons outside the job. Letters, blogs, journals?

Okay, Renee, I'm game.

I've been a nurse for nine months now. I'm an ED nurse, and a flight paramedic. I have a BSc in Health Sciences and a BSN from the US, and a Master Teacher cert from Israel. I started as a combat medical specialist during my army service in the IDF over 20 years ago.

1. To get my present two jobs I did very little writing. I filled out the job applications, and had to write some short biographical info.

2. Nearly all the writing I do at work is charting. Short, succinct, rarely in full sentences.

3. Writing skills are fairly important. Despite my answer to #2, the information has to be correct, clear, and useful. Doctors, other nurses, and other staff read that chart and are influenced by it. Oral communication skills are critical in this job. The ability to communicate on the fly, but clearly, is important with the doctors and other nurses and techs. The ability to explain clearly to patients and family, to reassure them, and to convey empathy are all critical. Patient education at discharge requires good oral communication skills. In an emergency, quick and clear communication are needed.

4. Efficient, clear oral communication is key in my job.

5. Not much problem, though I don't think school contributed much.

6.

7. I don't write a journal much anymore, though I participate on several internet forums and blogs. I still write a bit for use in Jewish education.

__________________
Mordechai Y. Scher
ER nurse, SVRMC, Santa Fe, NM USA
Flight Paramedic, MedFlight Air Ambulance, ABQ, NM USA

1) Filling out my job application was the only writing that I was required to do. Oh yeah, and a kick butt resume. Those are very important.

2) Charting is really important. If you don't chart something, it wasn't done, even if you really did it. That's the law. You must chart everything that you do.

3) It very important, although many of my coworkers can't write well. Good writing skills will help you advance in the nursing profession.

4) Explicit oral and written communication is essential in my line of work.

5)I was very well prepared, however I've noticed that kids coming out of nursing schools today lack good writing skills. Their spelling is terrible, and they have difficulty putting together a concise sentence. This issue is not a reflection on their intelligence, but on our public school system. The "No Child Left Behind Act" is a joke.

6) I can't think of a thing. I received an excellent education.

7) I'm a huge blogger. It helps keep me sane.





MJ

__________________
Sanity is madness put to good use. George Santayana.

http://nurse-ratcheds.blogspot.com

Hi.
Male Nurse in Australia. I have a B.Applied Sci (Food Science and Technology), I will finish my B.Nursing Sci in October 2008. I work as a Div2 nurse (LPN in the USA). I returned to study nursing after finishing my first degree and working for four years.

1.) Applications, Applications, Applications. Also cover letters (1pg describing myself and why I wanted the job) as well as a resume. Before this; assignments, presentations, case studies, letters, research papers.

2.) A few pages (the doctors and physio carry pagers). But mainly charting and clinical notes for each patient.

3.) Very. Not always written but also verbal. Being able to get your point across quickly, accurately and concisely.

4.) Spelling!! I always have to look up at least one word each day. If you can't spell, you have quickly lost everyone's respect, esp if they are easy words to spell.

5.) Mostly. Spelling has never been my strong point, but I am able to get a point over quickly.

6.) What you need to note, and what you don't need to note down in patient notes. Each facility is different, so you keep having to learn over again.

7.) Emails, and forums. I do have a blog, but don't write very often.

__________________
'Think not of yourself as the architect of your career but as the sculptor. Expect to have to do a lot of hard hammering and chiselingand scraping and polishing. - BC Forbes'