Day 320

When it comes to tools available to me on the computer, it will come as no surprise that I adore Excel. The ability to make spreadsheets, graphs, and tables just makes me....complete.

But there is a program that takes a very close second place in my heart....Power Point.

In my job, preparing and giving presentations is relatively common. Luckily, speaking in front of others has always been a strong suit of mine- I can thank my years of choir and Showchoir for that I think.

Power Point has allowed me to turn what could be a boring lecture on things like cardiac anatomy into a fun, interactive experience for everyone involved. I intentionally put movement and funny pictures up on the screen, helping to keep things light and hopefully trigger nurses' memory about my topic in the future.

My love for making Power Points got heightened when I discovered Google Images. Wow. Game changer for sure. One of my first times using Google Images I was doing a presentation on the process nurses use when they need to call a physician about a patient condition: SBAR

Situation
Backround
Assessment
Recommendations

When I went to Google Images and typed in "Situation", I (very) unexpectedly got hundreds of pictures of some half-naked guy who calls himself "The Situation" on a popular reality TV show. I promptly placed his picture on the slide talking about the first "S" in the process- bet they won't forget that!

This weekend I spent hours preparing for a series of cardiovascular lecture I will give tomorrow. And although the work wasn't easy, I have to admit I had a bit of fun making the Power Point come to life. I usually start by just getting all of the facts that I want on there, then add all the animations, backrounds, and yes- pictures.

One of my mantras at work that I use with my staff is "Know Your Patient". This can mean many things, but the core of it is to understand what is really going on with your patient so that you can better plan for their recovery and be aware of pitfalls that may come along the way. Did your patient have lung surgery? Well, that's nice, but what KIND of lung surgery did they have? A lobectomy? A wedge resection? Were there adhesions or did they do a decortication? Which side did they operate on and why did they operate? Do they have a new lung cancer diagnosis or are waiting for the results of the biopsy done in the OR? All of these things paint a clearer picture and are so important for us to know and understand each and every shift to ensure the best nursing care possible.

So tonight's picture represents using today's tools to help get your point across in a memorable way. As you can hopefully see, I have taken a picture of a Hindu goddess and "pasted" a picture of myself on the head. I use this picture over and over and over again in all of my lectures, to drill the importance of it into their spongy minds. If just one nurse stops and asks the question of their peer, "Yes but what KIND of lung surgery did they have?" I will have done my job!