Well, I finally got to a full-sized computer (thanks, Daddy!) so I can type about my experiences thus far..instead of relying on a blackberry!
So..what can I tell ya about clinicals... As you can probably guess..it's a whole different world being on the floor than being in the class and practicing your skills. Taking a person's blood pressure as well as their radial pulse and respirations (how many breaths they take in a minute) is EASY when you're doing it in a class room. Giving a bedbath and changing a bed..occupied and unoccupied..no problem. Get into a patient's room..a patient who weighs 300 lbs..and is attached to an IV..a heart monitor AND a foley catheter..yeah..it aint so easy Dorothy!
Our first day was a piece of cake. We didn't go into any patients rooms because one of the girls in my clinical group was not cleared medically. She was totally fine but of course..the hospital wants you all cleared for every disease imaginable! And that was totally fine with us..it was our first day. And most of the girls (in my clinical group. There are guys in the program as well..just my clinical group only consisted of 7 other girls) had never worked in a hospital. I've worked as a unit secretary before..but that was years ago. So, the first day consisted of learning where the cafeteria was (that was our first stop!)..taking our security pictures..going over our skills. No problem.
Day 2 was totally different. My first patient ever was sooo sweet! We washed her up in her bed and changed her linen..really catered to her. Before doing so though, she had to go to the bathroom. Thought she had to just do #1..and ended up doing #1 and #2. Since she had recently had surgery (we're on a surgical floor..more about that later), she needed some help with some..areas. So, on my first day, I officially wiped a poopy bottom! Luckily, she said she had the front as long as I had the back! lol She was pretty easy and she totally loved us :)
My second patient though...lol. I'll call her Ms. Smith. Ms. Smith was a bariatric (obese) patient who whined and moaned the whole time we were there helping her. She insisted that she was already clean..so we didn't do much bathing. But, the funniest part was when we started to wash her in bed. She was having a respiratory treatment so she had the mask on receiving the medicine. Apparently, the perfume in the soap we were using irritated her and she started gasping and moaning and saying she couldn't breathe. So of course we (my partner and I) start panicking. I tell my partner to go get the nurse and I proceed to help Ms. Smith. She insists she needs oxygen so I take the mask off and get a nasal cannula and proceed to attach it to her..so she can breathe. She starts to calm down just as the nurse is coming in. Ms. Smith proceeds to tell her what happened and the nurse ever so calmly walks over to the oxygen outlet and unplugs the respiratory treatment. She plugs the nasal cannula in and states (while laughing) "Now you have oxygen!" The whole time..there I am thinking I'm helping poor Ms. Smith breath..and she wasn't even plugged in..*sigh*. I couldn't touch the oxygen outlet anyway because while I have been introduced to it..in this pre-nursing course..I can't touch it. But, it was funny to still think I was helping. And even funnier when Ms. Smith started calming down..thinking she was getting oxygen..and she wasn't. Hmm..a little dramatic?
I've had some other cool patients..but it's hot now..so I must go..lol. Next week..I'm on my own..no partners!! I'm sure I'll have PLENTY to tell then! :)
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