Developing personal standards and a culture of continuous improvement

One thing I always tell my students is that they are at their very best when they are studying. As students, they are learning and practicing the highest standards. They are exploring and investigating the evidence and they are open to change. They are building knowledge, and discovering new ways to become the best nurse they can be. While they might not yet have the benefit of years of experience, they most certainly have a wide outlook on the latest knowledge.

It isn't easy being a student though. Lack of experience makes it difficult to contextualise learning, and the very nature of medicine as an ever-evolving field means that there are rarely definitive guidelines to follow. Students must test and explore ways to implement evidence-based practice, while also ensuring that their nursing is individualised to their patients, clients, and practices. It is not uncommon to have students saying that their workplace is doing things differently to the way they have been taught. When they question their workplaces about it, the answer they receive often reveals a reluctance to change, or perceived challenges with finding the time to learn a new way. This is often the most frustrating thing for students who want to practice what they are learning, but it is the first lesson in teamwork, and challenges in implementing evidence-based practice.