UNIT DOs and DON’Ts
DO:
1. Introduce yourself to the Unit RN, Treatment Team and unit staff.
2. Wear your name badge at all times.
3. ASK QUESTIONS. How will you know if you don’t ask? Give us an opportunity to help alleviate any concerns which you have.
4. Attend scheduled activities, classes, or groups of your assigned patient when possible. Gain permission from the therapist and the patient prior to the session to attend the individual or group therapy. (Need to meet with the group leader/therapist 15 minutes before the session.)
5. Review the patient’s chart. While on the unit, you may have access to any of the charts. In each Nursing Station there is a sign-out sheet to use if you need to remove the chart from the nurses’ station. If you are unable to locate this sheet, please ask one of the unit staff. There is a treatment room available to review the chart.
6. Ask the RN about attending Treatment Team meetings.
7. Keep communication open between yourself and the RN. Discuss with the RN which topic you will discuss with the patient prior to your interview since some topics may not be appropriate for this particular patient.
8. Staff will assist with choosing a patient and give you any other assistance needed. Tell them what you need.
9. Report any significant information concerning your patient to staff members.
10. If you observe something you are unsure of, discuss with your instructor, or the RN.
11. At anytime, if you feel the need to select another patient, please make contact with the nurse whom we have assigned to assist you, or feel free to contact one of the administrative RNs.
12. All doors which are locked should be re-locked if you open them.
13. Some of our patients may become aggressive; therefore you need to be aware of their presence and your surroundings at all times.
14. Maintain confidentiality; please limit discussion of the patient to post conference and classroom setting.
DON’T:
1. Remove the patient’s chart from the Nursing Station without notifying the RN or Unit Clerk
2. Enter the patient’s dormitory area unless unit staff is with you.
3. Allow a patient to leave the unit without consulting with unit staff.
4. Interact with a patient you have been asked not to interact with.
5. Discuss confidential patient information with anyone other than your instructor or staff members.
NAME TAGS: Students must always be identified with the picture name tag stating displaying the TVCC student information but TSH does not allow lanyards that do not break away or that are attached to a retractable string for safety reasons.
J: Level IV Concepts/Syllabus 2017 Revised 11/16
Nursing Student Information
Revised May 2003