Learning never ends. This is inevitable for all medical professionals due to the uncertainty of science and the abyss of information in medicine. Thinking back, immediately after receiving my license, I was foolishly and briefly elated by the thought that all my studying and researching every minute detail would cease.
Then... I saw my first patient and found myself needing to research Zithromax ad nauseum before finally discharging the patient with their script.
In the beginning, like the Zithromax example, much of my continuing education was independent of certification and licensure. As I gained more experience and confidence, CEUs became more burdensome and I began to slack on reading new information from journals and medical sites. Do not misunderstand, I still research drugs and treatments as I go. But I am talking about dedicated time to research.
I do believe I owe that to my patients and myself.
I think this realization really hit home when I was speaking to a patient about his medications and he asked me about a recall on a drug he had been taking for years. I was embarrassed that I did not know about this before my patient did. That is literally what he pays me to do. In that instance, it was very new information and only required a recall on certain lot numbers. His was not included in the recall. However, instances like this can diminish trust and fracture the patient-practitioner relationship.
It is easy to become complacent in nursing and medicine. Since treatments are often algorithmic and therefore repetitive, one may come to believe they know all there is to know about a particular subject. Alas, in this profession, that cannot be further from the truth. The medical industry is a complex, diverse, and fluid entity. Therefore, a medical professional that idles too long may miss key research, changed recommendations, and updated algorithms.
As in all things, knowing and doing are quite different. I, like most practitioners, know the value of research and staying up to date on evidence-based practice. However, making this a priority can be taxing. My pledge is to devote more time to reading medical or nursing articles, writing about relevant topics that interest me, and listen to podcasts on the commute to and from work or while I am exercising. And I may even attend more conferences. Once the pandemic restrictions are lifted, of course.
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