The old saying of “See one, do one, teach one” has been told over and over again to me, in nursing school and in practice. The idea is that after seeing a procedure done correctly (as in starting an I.V.) you will then be able to do it correctly. Then, by teaching another person, you solidify your understanding of the procedure.
I think this motto is an absolutely accurate one, but what happens when you see things done incorrectly?
Nurses sometimes get into the bad habit of cutting corners, or maybe not doing things “by the book.” An example of this would be starting an I.V. with the finger of the glove cut off in order to feel the vein better. While this absolutely helps in starting I.V.s, it poses an infection hazard to the patient. I remember learning this technique from an experienced nurse, and it was very difficult to “unlearn” and have to keep correcting myself. It would have been much easier if I started off doing IVs correctly.
Having a good foundation in your nursing skills will help to make you a great nurse. If you feel as though your preceptor or educator has cut corners, or maybe showed you incorrectly how to perform a skill, I would strongly recommend correcting the problem before it gets worse. First, I would consult your textbook for the precise steps in completing the procedure. Then, have someone show you how to perform the task. Seek someone out if your preceptor or educators haven’t followed the right steps.
You might even find a DVD included in your textbook showing the correct way to complete the procedure, or a video on the textbook’s companion site.
Next, teach another person to do this procedure correctly. Whether it is your nursing school classmate, coworker, friend, family member, it doesn’t matter. Just go through the steps with them so that you are able to really develop a solid framework in your brain, so that you will be able to easily recollect the steps and make it an easy part of your nursing practice.
Have you experienced “See one, do one, teach one?” How do you feel this has helped you in your education? Was it a positive experience or a negative one?
