So, my clinical experience has been so much different from last semester. First off, I love love love my clinical instructor. Ms. Clinical Instructor (AKA Ms. CI) also interviewed me for school and ever since then, it's been all love! She's smart, hilarious and really knows her stuff. You can tell she really wants us to be great nurses, but she's not looking over our shoulders all the time. Last semester's instructor was good as well, but there's something about Ms. CI.
These past few weeks in clinical have definitely been interesting. The first week was really light. We were just trying to figure out the lay of the land...figure out the electronic MAR (Medical Administration Record) system...where the bathroom/kitchen/lounge were. The second week, we actually picked up our patients. As is with most hospital stays, when I got to the floor, my patient had already been discharged. So, I ended up with one of the "hardest" patients known to the floor. My instructor didn't want to give me this patient but because I had heard so much about her, I was up to the challenge. I'm not going to give any background information since she's identifiable but she is known as a "frequent flyer"..someone who can almost always be found at this particular hospital. The thing about her, she was young and had a pretty bad medical history. So, it was understandable that she would be depressed..but she was also rude and manipulative. But, I am not the type to let anyone..sick or not..be rude to me. Because knowing me, I'll be rude back. And not in a way that I would get in trouble with my instructor..but to let her know that I'm not intimidated and that you bite..I bite back. But, with a smile of course. I know that every patient is not going to be sweet as pie..and that's fine. But, I don't plan on being an abused nurse!
The next week, I had pretty cool patients. A sweet old lady and another woman that was 70..and did NOT look it at all. I also came across a patient that had pica, which is basically a disorder that has you persistently and compulsively eating nonfood items. Among many crazy things, this chick digested an engagement ring. AN ENGAGEMENT RING! Now, as hard as I'm trying to get one of those..aint no way I'm swallowing it! I want one too much! Lol! But, seriously..the things you see. Working as a nursing assistant has also gotten me to see some crazy things too.
But, I'm also developing my skills. I can give insulin like the pros. I also gave my first IV push (with my instructor standing right beside me), meaning that a syringe is connected to the IV access device and the medication is injected directly. I am also certain no one in my class has done one yet so I'm pretty psyched.
I'm looking forward to what else I'll learn this semester! Now, it's off to studying for my Pharm quiz tomorrow..can't give those drugs if I don't know what they are or what they are for! The exams never end! :-/
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
And we're off!
Ok..so we've been back in school for about 2 weeks and I'm already ready for it to be May. So much to do! Well, let me first report that I started the semester off right..got my first A of the semester! Yay! It was on our first unit exam (there are 5 that will equal 75% of our final grade. The final will be 25%). The topics were Fluid & Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, etc.) as well as the Renal System (hello, Acute/Chronic Renal failure!) and Male GU system. Nice. I would have gotten a 100 but I changed 2 of the answers..darnnit! But, oh well..as a fellow classmate said..an A is still an A! "Candace" also got an A and "Morgan" was right behind us so I'm happy about that too!
I also started clinicals last week. I'm at a bigger hospital and I love it! I also love my clinical instructor. She's so smart and witty..just a joy to be around (I sound old..lol). Well, we'll see how I feel once I really get into clinicals. The first week we didn't do much. We got the lay of the land and we also paired up with another classmate. On last Thursday, we met up with our instructor late because we had an orientation for the Operating Room. This semester, 3 of our clinical days will be spent off the floor - 1 day in Cardiac Cath, 1 day in the Operating Room and 1 day in Endoscopy. For the OR we had to watch a video and then we got a tour of the OR department. It was pretty standard. I'm not interested in working in the OR but it will be cool to see something like a liver resection. I am definitely interested in the cardiac cath lab day since I'm interested in working in cardiac. The only thing is we have to be there at 7am but atleast we don't have clinical that night since that will take the place of it. "Candace" lives near the hospital where our clinical rotation is so I have already warned her to get the couch ready for me the night before. We're also doing our cardiac cath and OR days on the same day. It's so cool because "Candace", "Morgan" and I ended up in the same clinical rotation again! "Morgan" and I have been in the same clinical group since we started school! The names are drawn out of a hat (after they make sure you're not with the same clinical instructor again). How cool is that!
We started cardiac tonight (I had to miss the first night due to a church obligation) but I'm looking forward to this section, even though I heard it's the hardest section! Ms. Clinical Instructor is also the instructor of cardiac. So, while I know that the material may be hard (even though she said it's not - yeah right), she's a great teacher so I'm hoping that the material will be understood a little better since she'll be able to break it down better. We'll see.
On a somewhat different note, a week ago today, a devasting earthquake rocked the country of Haiti. I'm hearing reports now that 70,000 people (and counting) have died. Every time I see reports of the devastation, my heart breaks. I don't think I've watched any reports of the earthquake without my eyes misting. I know that there is a dire need of doctors and nurses to go down there. And while things are really crazy, I believe that if I was a nurse with experience..and had the approval of my husband (who is non-existent right now but that is a whole 'nother blog!)..I would definitely make my way down there to help. I feel like one of the reasons why I'm studying to be a nurse is to help people. And while that sounds so cliche'-ish, I feel drawn to help the neediest. And yes, there are needy people right here in my backyard..but I dunno. I know what I want work in the ICU or cardiac or neuro...hopefully, one day becoming a nurse practitioner. But, I know, without a doubt, I definitely will be making an international trip somewhere to help those that need my help the most. Otherwise, what else would be the purpose of getting all of this education and experience, if I don't give back?
I also started clinicals last week. I'm at a bigger hospital and I love it! I also love my clinical instructor. She's so smart and witty..just a joy to be around (I sound old..lol). Well, we'll see how I feel once I really get into clinicals. The first week we didn't do much. We got the lay of the land and we also paired up with another classmate. On last Thursday, we met up with our instructor late because we had an orientation for the Operating Room. This semester, 3 of our clinical days will be spent off the floor - 1 day in Cardiac Cath, 1 day in the Operating Room and 1 day in Endoscopy. For the OR we had to watch a video and then we got a tour of the OR department. It was pretty standard. I'm not interested in working in the OR but it will be cool to see something like a liver resection. I am definitely interested in the cardiac cath lab day since I'm interested in working in cardiac. The only thing is we have to be there at 7am but atleast we don't have clinical that night since that will take the place of it. "Candace" lives near the hospital where our clinical rotation is so I have already warned her to get the couch ready for me the night before. We're also doing our cardiac cath and OR days on the same day. It's so cool because "Candace", "Morgan" and I ended up in the same clinical rotation again! "Morgan" and I have been in the same clinical group since we started school! The names are drawn out of a hat (after they make sure you're not with the same clinical instructor again). How cool is that!
We started cardiac tonight (I had to miss the first night due to a church obligation) but I'm looking forward to this section, even though I heard it's the hardest section! Ms. Clinical Instructor is also the instructor of cardiac. So, while I know that the material may be hard (even though she said it's not - yeah right), she's a great teacher so I'm hoping that the material will be understood a little better since she'll be able to break it down better. We'll see.
On a somewhat different note, a week ago today, a devasting earthquake rocked the country of Haiti. I'm hearing reports now that 70,000 people (and counting) have died. Every time I see reports of the devastation, my heart breaks. I don't think I've watched any reports of the earthquake without my eyes misting. I know that there is a dire need of doctors and nurses to go down there. And while things are really crazy, I believe that if I was a nurse with experience..and had the approval of my husband (who is non-existent right now but that is a whole 'nother blog!)..I would definitely make my way down there to help. I feel like one of the reasons why I'm studying to be a nurse is to help people. And while that sounds so cliche'-ish, I feel drawn to help the neediest. And yes, there are needy people right here in my backyard..but I dunno. I know what I want work in the ICU or cardiac or neuro...hopefully, one day becoming a nurse practitioner. But, I know, without a doubt, I definitely will be making an international trip somewhere to help those that need my help the most. Otherwise, what else would be the purpose of getting all of this education and experience, if I don't give back?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
And so we start again..
Ugh! Well, I have officially started the much-dreaded 2nd semester. I have heard much about this semester AKA the do-or-die semester! Even my advisor has said that this semester is really hard. And why wouldn't it be with topics such as Fluid & Electrolytes (BORING!), Cardiac (HARD!), Metabolism (BORING!), GI (HARD!) and Respiratory (HARD!). Ok..I'm not sure how boring or hard each section is (even though we started F&E last night and it has lived up to it's boring status already..even my instructor stated she hates teaching F&E.
Our first exam is 2 weeks from tonight..what in the world! I am so overwhelmed already and it's just the 2nd day. My strategy is to do what I did last semester -- start off and try to do as well as possible on the first couple of tests so that I don't have to stress at the end of the semester. Let's see how well that goes!
We also have a paper due and a poster project! The paper is Pass/Fail and the poster project is only 2% of our final grade..but still..busy work that takes up time!
One good thing is that we got our clinical rotation schedule and "Morgan", "Candace" and I are again in the same group..which is awesome! And we're not at the same hospital we were last semester, which is the same hospital I work at. Finally..new scenery.
Well, I'm off to learn more about sodium, potassium, ABGs and all that other fun stuff..NOT!!
Our first exam is 2 weeks from tonight..what in the world! I am so overwhelmed already and it's just the 2nd day. My strategy is to do what I did last semester -- start off and try to do as well as possible on the first couple of tests so that I don't have to stress at the end of the semester. Let's see how well that goes!
We also have a paper due and a poster project! The paper is Pass/Fail and the poster project is only 2% of our final grade..but still..busy work that takes up time!
One good thing is that we got our clinical rotation schedule and "Morgan", "Candace" and I are again in the same group..which is awesome! And we're not at the same hospital we were last semester, which is the same hospital I work at. Finally..new scenery.
Well, I'm off to learn more about sodium, potassium, ABGs and all that other fun stuff..NOT!!
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