In this article, you will read about the highlights of Clinical Departments To Be Covered During a nursing internship.
HIGHLIGHT OF CLINICAL DEPARTMENTS TO BE COVERED DURING NURSING INTERNSHIP
The Nursing Internship programme is basically meant to last for just a year. It is in this regards that the nursing and midwifery council of Nigeria (NMCN) scheduled and released the clinical departments to be covered by intern nurses particularly. The departments are categorized into seven and they include medical department (9 weeks), surgical department (9 weeks), obstetrics and gynaecology department (9 weeks), paediatrics department (9 weeks), outpatient/emergency department (4 weeks), community health department (4 weeks), and the mental health/psychiatric department (4 weeks).
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT
The medical department is majorly a department that is consistent with managing medical conditions. Intern nurses are exposed to different medical cases e.g. diabetes, hypertension, sickle cell anaemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), nephritis, Nephropathy, urinary tract infection, immunosuppressive conditions such as HIV/AIDS patients, hepatitis, unconscious patient cases, dermatological cases like skin rashes, persistent eczema etc. this department is categorized into five minor units which are intensive care unit, nephrology/dialysis unit, male medical ward, female medical ward, and medical outpatient department (MOPD). Intern nurses are expected to rotate these units during their medical department posting. It captures most of the things you need to know in medical abnormalities and treatment rationale as interns.
SURGICAL DEPARTMENT
The surgical department is one of the toughest posting departments during the internship experience. It entails all relevant departments that have to do with surgical procedures and care. The units include operating theatre, male surgical ward, female surgical ward, and surgical outpatient department (SOPD). Every related surgical procedure either pre or post operative care is done in this department. The intern gets to be exposed elaborately to different surgical conditions such as orthopaedic diseases which includes amputation, skin and skeletal traction, general surgeries post operative care like hieniorraphy, appendectomy, biopsy, caesarean section (C/S), plastic/cosmetics surgeries etc. it is divided into male surgical ward, female surgical ward, and theatre.
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The fundamental procedure that every intern needs to be informed and trained in is wound dressing, amongst vital signs, fluid monitoring, medication, etc. some people choose to say this department I.e. obstetrics/gynaecology is mostly for midwives but I disagree with that because a qualified intern has equally been trained theoretically in this aspect. This department has to do with commonly reproductive issues and conditions. Patients with known inability to conceive, pregnant women, post natal patients, patients with medical or surgical conditions after birth and pregnant women for abortions due to medical anomaly are considered in this department. The intern nurse will pass through all these patients in order t6o acquire proper skills for efficient and effective management. This department is divided into labour ward, antenatal clinic, and manual vacuum aspiration (MVA).
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PAEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT
Paediatric department has to deal with children care. It deals with children related cases which could be surgical as well as medical. It is often times the most beautiful department in the hospital because of its beautiful colour decoration. The subunits of this department are neonatal unit (NNU), Emergency paediatric unit (EPU), Paediatric ward (PW) and paediatric out patient department (POPD).
OUTPATIENT/EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Outpatient/emergency department basically comprise of accident & emergency unit popularly known as A&E and general outpatient department (GOPD). Community health department covers immununisation (NPI) and family planning and finally psychiatric department predisposes the intern nurse to cases consistent with mental and behavioural defect such as schizophrenia, delirium, psychosis, epilepsy, antisocial disorder etc. by the time one passes through this departments he or she is indeed fit for the national youth service corps and fully ascertained and certified practically a nurse.
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