Brain is constantly changing by forming and even growing new
neural connections. This inherent malleability
is called neuroplasticity. Training, experience
and environmental factors can help rearrange the brain. So we necessarily don’t die with the brain we
are born with.
‘Practice makes a man perfect’, and similar other sayings
were in fact alluding to Neuroplasticity.
We know this when we practice an instrument, a language or any skill for
that matter.
These days since I breathe Neuro plasticity, its conscious application
is the obvious next step. I’ve had the perfect
opportunity to practice this when we get poorly trained and poorly trainable
nurses.
Some of these nurses amaze me with their limited knowledge
of nursing. From ignorance about a
Trach tube or a PEG feed, they are clueless about basic care giving like
changing diaper, giving bath and changing sheets for a person confined to
bed. Makes you wonder why are they then
considered nurses? Well, that calls for
another blog post.
On top of my head I can think of more than handful of nurses
to whom I’ve given all the training that a school should ideally provide. There was a time when I trained three
different nurses on three consecutive nights.
Sleep deprivation, repetition of basics for which common sense should
suffice and nervousness of the nurses sent me to the bathroom to wail, weep and
compose and get back to the routine.
Its incredible how repetition and constant monitoring would
dramatically change some of these girls.
That’s neuroplasticity at work right there! By the end of the month I can
almost trust them enough to leave them alone with our father. They would pick up speed, precision and if I
am lucky, show good judgment and keen observation.
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