Adult nursing clinical practice
Adult nursing cares for people with acute illness (sudden), surgery, and long-term conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Student tasks: measure vital signs, give pain care, look after wounds and drips with a nurse, help with moving and hygiene, prepare patients before surgery and watch after, and teach about medicines, diet and exercise. The nurse watches for danger signs such as breathlessness, bleeding or confusion and reports them at once.
Gerontological nursing clinical practice (older people)
Older people may have several illnesses, weak muscles, poor hearing or sight, or memory problems. Key care: prevent falls (clear floors, good light, helping to stand slowly), nutrition and drinks, skin care to prevent pressure sores, safe medicines (many pills mean more side effects), gentle activity, communication (slow speech, eye contact) and dignity and choice. Involve the family and plan for discharge or long-term care.
Paediatric nursing clinical practice (children)
Children are not small adults. Their bodies change with age, so medicine doses depend on weight and must be double-checked. Care uses play and simple words matched to age, keeps parents involved, and prevents fear. Watch for dehydration (dry mouth, few wet nappies), fever and fast breathing. Safety matters: cot sides up, no small objects, hand hygiene. Protect children from harm and report any concern for safety.
Maternity nursing clinical practice (mother and baby)
Maternity nursing covers pregnancy (checks of blood pressure, weight, baby's growth, nutrition and rest), labour and birth (comfort, monitoring, support), and the after-birth period (mother's bleeding and healing, breastfeeding help, baby's warmth, cord and weight, vaccines, bonding). Watch for danger signs: heavy bleeding, high blood pressure, fever, baby not feeding. Also look at the mother's mood and give family planning information with respect.
Psychiatric nursing clinical practice (mental health)
Mental health nursing supports people with illnesses such as depression, anxiety or psychosis. Main ideas: therapeutic communication (listen, stay calm, never mock), safety of the person and others, medicine support and side-effect watching, daily routine (sleep, meals, activity), recovery goals that the person chooses, and family teaching. Fight stigma: mental illness is an illness, not weakness. If someone talks of harming himself, stay with him and call help at once.
Student rules in every field
Always: work under a supervisor, get consent, protect privacy (never share patient details on social media), wash hands, ask when unsure and reflect after each day.
Key formulas and definitions
- Five fields: adult, older people, child, maternity, mental health
- Child dose is based on weight
- Older people: prevent falls, keep dignity and choice
- Student rules: supervisor, consent, privacy, reflection
Worked examples
1. Why must a nurse double-check a child's medicine dose?
Child doses depend on weight and are small, so a small mistake is large for the body. A second check protects safety.
2. An older man gets up at night and nearly falls. What can a student nurse suggest?
Put a night light, keep the call bell and walking aid close, remove loose items, teach him to sit before standing and tell the supervisor about dizziness.
3. A young woman after childbirth seems very sad for weeks. What should the student do?
Listen kindly, do not judge, report the mood to the supervisor, because she may have postnatal depression, and encourage her to accept help and rest.
Common mistakes
- Treating children as small adults and ignoring weight-based doses.
- Talking to older people as if they cannot decide anything.
- Thinking mental illness is weakness or laziness.
- Sharing a patient's details outside the team.