Medical Training

I am one of the clinical instructors for LVN or Licensed Vocational Nurse of Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts. I am currently handling Module IV and we’re having our clinical at Stonebrook Health and Rehab. Stonebrook is located at Concord Blvd in Concord, CA and it is both a short term rehab and long term facility that has 120 bed capacity. I’ve been working at Stonebrook for more than five years and I can say that Stonebrook is one of the best place for clinical site or training ground for SVNs or Student Vocational Nurses.

Module IV students are one step closer in a becoming Licensed Vocational Nurses. That’s why they are practicing or doing actual LVN works or duties. They are doing the actual med pass with 18 to 22 patients. They are the one preparing and giving the medicines to patients but of course with supervision of a licensed staff, either an LVN or RN. They are doing wound care or treatments not only the simple or common wounds but even the complicated ones. They are given the chance not only to observe but to do actual wound vacs themselves. Each student is given their chance to do common bedside procedures like catheterization, suture and staple removal, different types of enemas (fleet and retention enemas), colostomy, G-tube and NG tube care and feeding. They also do actual documentations like nurse’s notes, weekly summaries and care plans. And they also carry out actual doctor’s orders.

This is only the 3rd module that I handled and so far I can say that I really enjoy teaching or handling module IV because this is the last module they need to become Licensed Vocational Nurses. And it gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing that I was able to enrich their knowledge and help them gain the self confidence they need to be effective and efficient nurses in the future.

Have you heard the latest and the most exciting news and Gurnick Academy? Our newest LVN Program graduates, who just finished the post-program review course, completed their first attempt to pass the exit HESI exam last Saturday. The results were unbelievable! 82% passed it the first time! This is the first time in the history of our school, when we have such high passing rates from the first HESI attempt! Thanks to the hard work of all our instructors, staff, administration, and, of course, the students themselves, we are achieving such astonishing results!

An important aspect of LPN training is maternal-child education.  Although many acute hospital units that care for pregnant women i.e. prenatal units do not employ the LPN the understanding of the origin of human life is an essential component of LPN education.  The curriculum generally includes the following:  basic biological principals of the symphony of hormones necessary for conception to take place, the conditions of embryo and fetal gestational growth, complications of pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum, the newborn as well as contraceptives.

The role of the LPN during the perinatal period in various health care settings depends mostly on the nursing scope of practice for that state.  Maternal-child health presents many risk factors that require specific assessment skills that are not included in LPN didactic education or skill set training.  In view of that fact the LPN can provide some basic nutritional guidelines, recommended weight gain  education as well as contraceptive alternatives to the expectant families, family planning clinics, physician offices and public health agencies many welcome the LPN as a valued staff member.  Sexually transmitted disease education is often a role for the LPN and some LPN’s have completed certification programs that allow the classification of specialist to be designated following their license initials.