As some of you will see, I have gotten a bit pissy with a few of my friends on Facebook. Not mature of me and very much a knee jerk reaction brought on by lack of sleep, hunger, and the fact that it is the end of September and still over a hundred degrees outside and my damn school scrubs don't breath. But I would like to clarify, if I may. My first BS is in Healthcare Administration...that does not mean "doctor's office paperwork bitch" it means ADMINISTRATOR, like board of directors. I had to thoroughly study the ins and outs of ALL forms of healthcare...socialized healthcare included. After much contemplation, study, and debate, I do not believe government run healthcare is in the best interest of the American people...and by American people, I mean those of us legal citizens that actually contribute to society and pay taxes. It is NOT benefical for the economy, medical progression, nor for the people. The bill that is being proposed is crap. And YES I have read it and understand what it means...thank you very much. Yes healthcare needs to be reformed and regulations need to be put in place, but not at the tax payer expense nor the expense of capitalism. There is no easy answer.
I take great offense to people who accuse me of sitting on a high horse and looking down at the "have nots" as my dear friend Chris calls them. What you all don't know is, my family hovered around the poverty line for a good portion of my life. While my dad was able to obtain a few nice things for us, it was because he saved. As a kid I lived off of hamburger helper and whatever veggies we grew in the garden. We didn't have health insurance for MANY years. My father payed for two broken arms, various childhood illnesses, and an ER visit for a kidney infection, OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET. He did not bitch. My mother paid for both the births of my half sisters and did not bitch. So do not tell me I look down on the "have nots," family members I love dearly are what you would consider "have nots." Do I think its fair that they work so hard and don't get coverage, of course! If you think government healthcare insurance is so great, why don't you go talk to a Vet? They'll tell you all about the wonders of government health insurance. I have government health insurance!!! So don't bloody argue with me about it because you will lose.
I am off my soapbox now. :-)
Day 24: Clinicals are going by sooooo slllllooooowwwwwllllllyyyyy. I had the same patient from last week who freaked out about everything, except this time she appeared to be feeling better. She was going to be discharged around the time I was suppose to be done for the day, so there wasn't much to do with her. She wouldn't let me get two sets of vitals on her and she was really rude about it. I tried to help Indy with her patient, but she had a sitter and really didn't need anything...apparently a lot of people try to commit suicide in this city, sometimes I have to look out the window and make sure I don't live in Seattle.
So Indy and I sat and did our paperwork. The charge nurse got pissy about that because she doesn't like it when we sit and look like we aren't doing anything (what are we suppose to do?) and we clump together. Come to find out she was pissy because some students who came in the week before did nothing and didn't even chart vitals...well those students were from the community college...not our college, so we have to make up for their mistakes. Its was a useless day.
Day 25: Since my patient from Thursday had been discharged I was given a new patient. He was an old EMT from the East Coast. You would think that he would be cool, but there is something about people from the East Coast that make them come off as pushy, demanding, and in your face. I can't stand that. He was nice enough. He talked a lot. He refused to take his diabetic meds, but I did get to see some of the late signs of congestive heart failure on him. I love heart patients...I love cardiology. You could say I heart the heart (ha! so cheezy I know!). Indy's patient was in the same room and in the same boat except worse off. He was suppose to go for surgery, but his kidneys weren't working right, so the doc said no. We got to follow the nurse around, really cool chick that actually graduated from our school!! She showed us how to administer some meds and pretty much just let us do our thing with our patients...change linen...bed bath. I really hope I get to follow her around again!
Day 26: Ahhh...Wasted Mondays...although I did actually have something to do this morning!! We are learning to pass off on oral medications. We have six patients we have to present to an instructor, then a final pass off, then I can give oral medication. The pain in the ass is, each fake patient has a million drugs and weird lab values, so we have to go back and forth...is this contraindicated...no,no...wait lab value...fuck do I call the doctor?.....Its a serious pain, but once you get it down it goes quickly. The problem is due to lack of regard to the Seven P's there are not enough people in lab to pass us off during class time! So I have to come in on my time off (saturdays...the bloody piss ants) so I can check off on time. So no golfing for me this weekend and no hiking. I know what you are thinking...there are sundays! Nope, I have my second Well Older Adult interview this weekend.
Health assessment lab starts here pretty soon...pretty sure it will be another wasted afternoon, plus my partner will probably keep me in lab until 5pm because she is VERY thorough...I haven't decided whether that is a good thing or a bad thing yet.
Heads up!!! Examinations Round Two is next week!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Days 19,20,21, 22,23: Round 1 PASSED
Hi all...I am so sorry for being a slacker, but as you will read I have exams for a week! Ugh...last night was my first brain break. I was a blob in front of the TV and watch the premiers of some of my shows and read a book and snuggled with the hubby. Can't wait until he is done with mids...mids suck.
Day 19: My patient for the day was a new admit. So there wasn't much I could do since she was being prepped for surgery and loved her pain meds. I did give her a partial bed bath though. When I was checking her vitals she complained that she sounded like she was wheezing...so testing my newly acquired skills from what I will now call "Wasted Mondays," I listened to her breath sounds with my stethoscope (very professional) and guess what!?! I HEARD THE WHEEZE!!! Not like the nurse cared anyway. And not like I can do anything officially, but tell the nurse...so the skill seemed wasted. Its not like the nurses at my hospital are taking a vested interest in our education anyway...which makes me glad that we are switching hospitals next semester.
For the rest of the day I ended up helping Indy with her patient, colon cancer. The woman was a year younger than my dad and looked 30 years older. It was strange that I didn't feel the lest bit of sympathy for her...that makes me sound uncaring, but getting emotional involved with patients at this stage in my "career" is not the best idea. All she wanted done was her teeth brushed and to be left alone to sleep in a HEAVLEY drug induced haze. The meds this poor lady was on would put down a horse.
Day 20: I spent the night making little gifts for everyone in my clinical group. It was an attempt to relax all of us before the math test we were going to take that afternoon. The math test would determine whether we could calculate the correct dosages for medication administration. We had to pass the test with a 90% or we would be put on remediation and take the test again. If we didn't pass the second time we were kicked out of the program. So no pressure.
I once again had a new admit patient. This lady freaked out about EVERYTHING. Just looking at her was apparently painful to her. She moaned and groaned when I took her vitals. She jumped both times I took her temp. She screamed bloody murder when the ultrasound techs came to look at her pancreas, and screamed even more when her blood was drawn. She didn't want anything from me, so once again I helped Indy with her patient...same patient from the day before and we helped the CNA with one of her patients.
Indy's patient wanted her linens changed and demanded more meds. So we changed the linens with her in the bed. Every move we made caused her pain. It was a painful process for the two of us. We spent a good portion of the morning chasing down her nurse because the second her meds got remotely close to low her husband would be on us like white on rice. We got a lecture from the patient advocate about the little pink rose on the lady's door. Apparently someone along the line pissed the lady off during her treatment so the advocate had to get involved and now everyone has to go above and beyond for this patient. Indy and I just stood there like "what the hell do you expect from us? This is our second week of clinicals in first semester!" We told Prof. Papa about it and she told us to come to her next time. So we just did the minimum with her and helped the CNA.
We helped the CNA with, what we guessed was, a patient who had let his diabetes get away from him. The CNA gave him a FULL bed bath (with our help), changed linens, and cleaned his teeth and mouth. I now have a new found respect for CNAs. I have always respected them, but after looking in this man's mouth...oh dear god...look up what happens when you are a mouth breather, on antibiotics, have diabetes, and haven't gotten a good tooth brushing in awhile...it still makes me gag!!
The math test was easier than I expected, but I didn't pass it...88% ONE BLOODY QUESTION!!!! I bawled, I soaked Jeremy's shirt, I called Prof Papa...freaking out. I had to stew in my own juices over the weekend while trying to study for my Fundamentals quiz on Monday and my Patho/Pharm test on Tuesday. Not to mention I had to start and finish the first part of my Well Older Adult project. Let me tell you how awkward it is to walk in to some random 93 year olds house and interview her about her health. She did make me miss my Great Grandma...so I called and talked to Great Grandma for a half hour after my interview. I would have much prefered to do the interview on Great Grandma, but it couldn't be anyone in my family.
Day 21: I found out I had to stew in my own juices about the math test for one more day...through a Wasted Monday. At least I made $21 and spent it all in gass. We went over what we are going to need to do to pass off on medications in lab and what our shift assessment is going to be like. If felt sort of useless to me. What is the point of going through all of this if I wasn't going to pass the math test anyway? I took the quiz in lab...ridiculous quiz that come to find out hardly anyone passed. So dejected, exhausted, and bogged down in clinical paperwork, WOA, and test studying, I went home.
Day 22: Lecture all day!! Fundamentals lecture was useless. We went over nursing theory in a two hour session when I originally went over theory in a semester long class at UCCS. I was a little peeved about the whole thing because theory is what we will be tested on in class and what we found our papers and clinical work on and to devote two hours to something so basic is ridiculous. So I am planning on making a proposal to the school about adopting UCCS's Theory class format. I was kind of cute that Prof Plant dress-up in an old school uniform.
Health Assessment went by quickly...she went over my favorite system...cardio...very lightly which was so lame and frustrating. We spent the rest of the class doing something called "seminar" where we sit in groups and talk about the little sceniro we read in our books and what we would do in that situation. Needless to say it started a pretty heated argument between Texas and Vanilla Bear after class. Prof Stick (cause she is tall and skinny), had to jump in and break it up. Vanilla Bear had made a snide comment that was pretty funny, but Texas took it personally...and well, words went a flying. It was pretty awkward because I am friends with both of them. I checked on Texas after to make sure he was doing alright, he was pretty upset. (I give an explaination of the whole thing later).
After analyzing the whole fight with the people who were waiting for the path/pharm test to start, the test started. There were answers I knew and some I didn't. The point was I passed the test. I waited around until class ended to get my math test back. Indy had to review hers too. She missed by one question too. After about ten minutes of reviewing we realized they made a mistake on the test and guess what!!??? I FREAKING PASSED!!! Indy and I were ssssssooooooooo relieved!!!! We don't have to take the test again until next semester like everyone else! That was a big load off my chest. I called Jeremy and woke him up to tell him the news!
Day 23: Still going but all the test results are in and more lecture this afternoon. Tomorrow clinicals. So follows round 1 one test scores:
Fundamentals (lecture): 80%
Fundamentals (lab): 76% (barely passed, but I am still counting it as a win since so few passed)
Math Test: 90% (after correction...THANK YOU LORD!!)
Health Assessment (lecture): 92.5 %
Patho/Pharm: 84%
Now I know what to expect and how I need to study for Round 2.
Day 19: My patient for the day was a new admit. So there wasn't much I could do since she was being prepped for surgery and loved her pain meds. I did give her a partial bed bath though. When I was checking her vitals she complained that she sounded like she was wheezing...so testing my newly acquired skills from what I will now call "Wasted Mondays," I listened to her breath sounds with my stethoscope (very professional) and guess what!?! I HEARD THE WHEEZE!!! Not like the nurse cared anyway. And not like I can do anything officially, but tell the nurse...so the skill seemed wasted. Its not like the nurses at my hospital are taking a vested interest in our education anyway...which makes me glad that we are switching hospitals next semester.
For the rest of the day I ended up helping Indy with her patient, colon cancer. The woman was a year younger than my dad and looked 30 years older. It was strange that I didn't feel the lest bit of sympathy for her...that makes me sound uncaring, but getting emotional involved with patients at this stage in my "career" is not the best idea. All she wanted done was her teeth brushed and to be left alone to sleep in a HEAVLEY drug induced haze. The meds this poor lady was on would put down a horse.
Day 20: I spent the night making little gifts for everyone in my clinical group. It was an attempt to relax all of us before the math test we were going to take that afternoon. The math test would determine whether we could calculate the correct dosages for medication administration. We had to pass the test with a 90% or we would be put on remediation and take the test again. If we didn't pass the second time we were kicked out of the program. So no pressure.
I once again had a new admit patient. This lady freaked out about EVERYTHING. Just looking at her was apparently painful to her. She moaned and groaned when I took her vitals. She jumped both times I took her temp. She screamed bloody murder when the ultrasound techs came to look at her pancreas, and screamed even more when her blood was drawn. She didn't want anything from me, so once again I helped Indy with her patient...same patient from the day before and we helped the CNA with one of her patients.
Indy's patient wanted her linens changed and demanded more meds. So we changed the linens with her in the bed. Every move we made caused her pain. It was a painful process for the two of us. We spent a good portion of the morning chasing down her nurse because the second her meds got remotely close to low her husband would be on us like white on rice. We got a lecture from the patient advocate about the little pink rose on the lady's door. Apparently someone along the line pissed the lady off during her treatment so the advocate had to get involved and now everyone has to go above and beyond for this patient. Indy and I just stood there like "what the hell do you expect from us? This is our second week of clinicals in first semester!" We told Prof. Papa about it and she told us to come to her next time. So we just did the minimum with her and helped the CNA.
We helped the CNA with, what we guessed was, a patient who had let his diabetes get away from him. The CNA gave him a FULL bed bath (with our help), changed linens, and cleaned his teeth and mouth. I now have a new found respect for CNAs. I have always respected them, but after looking in this man's mouth...oh dear god...look up what happens when you are a mouth breather, on antibiotics, have diabetes, and haven't gotten a good tooth brushing in awhile...it still makes me gag!!
The math test was easier than I expected, but I didn't pass it...88% ONE BLOODY QUESTION!!!! I bawled, I soaked Jeremy's shirt, I called Prof Papa...freaking out. I had to stew in my own juices over the weekend while trying to study for my Fundamentals quiz on Monday and my Patho/Pharm test on Tuesday. Not to mention I had to start and finish the first part of my Well Older Adult project. Let me tell you how awkward it is to walk in to some random 93 year olds house and interview her about her health. She did make me miss my Great Grandma...so I called and talked to Great Grandma for a half hour after my interview. I would have much prefered to do the interview on Great Grandma, but it couldn't be anyone in my family.
Day 21: I found out I had to stew in my own juices about the math test for one more day...through a Wasted Monday. At least I made $21 and spent it all in gass. We went over what we are going to need to do to pass off on medications in lab and what our shift assessment is going to be like. If felt sort of useless to me. What is the point of going through all of this if I wasn't going to pass the math test anyway? I took the quiz in lab...ridiculous quiz that come to find out hardly anyone passed. So dejected, exhausted, and bogged down in clinical paperwork, WOA, and test studying, I went home.
Day 22: Lecture all day!! Fundamentals lecture was useless. We went over nursing theory in a two hour session when I originally went over theory in a semester long class at UCCS. I was a little peeved about the whole thing because theory is what we will be tested on in class and what we found our papers and clinical work on and to devote two hours to something so basic is ridiculous. So I am planning on making a proposal to the school about adopting UCCS's Theory class format. I was kind of cute that Prof Plant dress-up in an old school uniform.
Health Assessment went by quickly...she went over my favorite system...cardio...very lightly which was so lame and frustrating. We spent the rest of the class doing something called "seminar" where we sit in groups and talk about the little sceniro we read in our books and what we would do in that situation. Needless to say it started a pretty heated argument between Texas and Vanilla Bear after class. Prof Stick (cause she is tall and skinny), had to jump in and break it up. Vanilla Bear had made a snide comment that was pretty funny, but Texas took it personally...and well, words went a flying. It was pretty awkward because I am friends with both of them. I checked on Texas after to make sure he was doing alright, he was pretty upset. (I give an explaination of the whole thing later).
After analyzing the whole fight with the people who were waiting for the path/pharm test to start, the test started. There were answers I knew and some I didn't. The point was I passed the test. I waited around until class ended to get my math test back. Indy had to review hers too. She missed by one question too. After about ten minutes of reviewing we realized they made a mistake on the test and guess what!!??? I FREAKING PASSED!!! Indy and I were ssssssooooooooo relieved!!!! We don't have to take the test again until next semester like everyone else! That was a big load off my chest. I called Jeremy and woke him up to tell him the news!
Day 23: Still going but all the test results are in and more lecture this afternoon. Tomorrow clinicals. So follows round 1 one test scores:
Fundamentals (lecture): 80%
Fundamentals (lab): 76% (barely passed, but I am still counting it as a win since so few passed)
Math Test: 90% (after correction...THANK YOU LORD!!)
Health Assessment (lecture): 92.5 %
Patho/Pharm: 84%
Now I know what to expect and how I need to study for Round 2.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Days 16, 17, and 18: The First Test
So Monday was a useless day. I have lab classes all day with a four hour break in between during which I studied until my eyeballs fell out, which is what I did all FREAKING weekend. No shit, all day Saturday and all day Sunday.
To continue with my lab classes...the staff here have a strict philosophy about this being a "self directed" program, but you cannot expect us to watch an online video an automatically KNOW how to a perform a skill. There are those of us who need to SEE it performed and then be directed through our first demonstration of the skill. Is this how they are going to "teach" us to do IVs? So basically I know very little about range of motion excercises, patient transfers, and moving a patient in bed. Although I think I can teach a patient to walk with crutches, a cane, and a walker...so look out nursing homes here I come!
My health assessment class is even MORE useless that Fundamentals. We were suppose to be learning to assess the skin and thorax, but I learned nothing...I only know what the book taught me, and what very little i gleaned from assessing my partner and the people around me in lab. Monday's are useless. Fortunately Vanilla Bear came up with a solution. We all meet before lab and go over the skills together, them maybe we might get something out of it. Unfortunately, when he wants to do it, I have to work...so I am going to have to give up an hour and half of work to be able to study, occasionally.
Day 17 was my first test. The day started out just fantastic (eye roll). For some dumb reason the 95 southbound was a parking lot from the north 215 till just past the Spaghetti Bowl, for no bloody reason. So I was stuck in traffic for an hour and was a half hour late to class. I hate Vegas. I had Fundamentals before my test and I tried to study during class. Then listened to lectures in between class. Then it was time for the TEST. Fifty questions of mulitple choice most of which had a firm right answer, but for shits and giggles appearently they like to throw in questions where technically all of the answers are right, just one answer is more right than the rest of them. I HATE GREY AREAS. These are the ones I usually do not so well on. I either read too much into the question or misread it. I have perfectly sound and logical explainations for the choices I do choose, but they are apparently not right enough. Or I missed something in the meaning behind the question.
All in all I ended up getting a 92% on the test, not bad, but not good enough for my standards. So last night I was so tired of studying I said "Screw it!" and went to book club, had a great time and came home and went to sleep. I also managed to go to the gym...still can't find my freaking stapler.
Day 18, today, well its still going. I managed to get out of the house this morning early enough to feed my caffiene addiction and make it to class on time for my test. Once again same type of test as yesterday, only more of the stupid grey area questions...therefore more challenging to the point where I almost stood up and yelled "Fuck it!" started crying, and ran from the room. Afterward, we did a "group test". Right off the bat I believe I missed the first question, that was not a good sign for the rest of the test. The grades haven't been posted yet, but I did just talk to Prof Mom and she said I didn't do too bad. I don't know what that means. Anyway, my last class is having a test next week...boo...but! Pro Makay is going to go over the structure of her test and what she expects...awesome.
I feel so awful (on the verge of tears) after fundamentals test, that I decided I needed retail therapy. So I left the school and went to the nearest mall, texting Jeremy and my step-mom the whole time. It turns out getting a pretty new shirt from GAP makes me feel better, not to mention walking through a halloween store. It made me think about that dumb chick who wrote Julie and Julia. In her blog she ended up asking her readers if they wanted to donate to her cause. I think my cause is more worthwhile: Please Help An Average Nursing Student Heal Her Stress By Supporting Her Shopping Habit and Caffiene Addiction. I am sure PHAANS (Ha! thats the acronym) will get a lot of fans!
To continue with my lab classes...the staff here have a strict philosophy about this being a "self directed" program, but you cannot expect us to watch an online video an automatically KNOW how to a perform a skill. There are those of us who need to SEE it performed and then be directed through our first demonstration of the skill. Is this how they are going to "teach" us to do IVs? So basically I know very little about range of motion excercises, patient transfers, and moving a patient in bed. Although I think I can teach a patient to walk with crutches, a cane, and a walker...so look out nursing homes here I come!
My health assessment class is even MORE useless that Fundamentals. We were suppose to be learning to assess the skin and thorax, but I learned nothing...I only know what the book taught me, and what very little i gleaned from assessing my partner and the people around me in lab. Monday's are useless. Fortunately Vanilla Bear came up with a solution. We all meet before lab and go over the skills together, them maybe we might get something out of it. Unfortunately, when he wants to do it, I have to work...so I am going to have to give up an hour and half of work to be able to study, occasionally.
Day 17 was my first test. The day started out just fantastic (eye roll). For some dumb reason the 95 southbound was a parking lot from the north 215 till just past the Spaghetti Bowl, for no bloody reason. So I was stuck in traffic for an hour and was a half hour late to class. I hate Vegas. I had Fundamentals before my test and I tried to study during class. Then listened to lectures in between class. Then it was time for the TEST. Fifty questions of mulitple choice most of which had a firm right answer, but for shits and giggles appearently they like to throw in questions where technically all of the answers are right, just one answer is more right than the rest of them. I HATE GREY AREAS. These are the ones I usually do not so well on. I either read too much into the question or misread it. I have perfectly sound and logical explainations for the choices I do choose, but they are apparently not right enough. Or I missed something in the meaning behind the question.
All in all I ended up getting a 92% on the test, not bad, but not good enough for my standards. So last night I was so tired of studying I said "Screw it!" and went to book club, had a great time and came home and went to sleep. I also managed to go to the gym...still can't find my freaking stapler.
Day 18, today, well its still going. I managed to get out of the house this morning early enough to feed my caffiene addiction and make it to class on time for my test. Once again same type of test as yesterday, only more of the stupid grey area questions...therefore more challenging to the point where I almost stood up and yelled "Fuck it!" started crying, and ran from the room. Afterward, we did a "group test". Right off the bat I believe I missed the first question, that was not a good sign for the rest of the test. The grades haven't been posted yet, but I did just talk to Prof Mom and she said I didn't do too bad. I don't know what that means. Anyway, my last class is having a test next week...boo...but! Pro Makay is going to go over the structure of her test and what she expects...awesome.
I feel so awful (on the verge of tears) after fundamentals test, that I decided I needed retail therapy. So I left the school and went to the nearest mall, texting Jeremy and my step-mom the whole time. It turns out getting a pretty new shirt from GAP makes me feel better, not to mention walking through a halloween store. It made me think about that dumb chick who wrote Julie and Julia. In her blog she ended up asking her readers if they wanted to donate to her cause. I think my cause is more worthwhile: Please Help An Average Nursing Student Heal Her Stress By Supporting Her Shopping Habit and Caffiene Addiction. I am sure PHAANS (Ha! thats the acronym) will get a lot of fans!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Day 14 and 15 (skipping day 13 cause it was boring): FIRST CLINICAL DAYS
Day 14: So Thursday was my first day in the hospital actually working with patients. Technically I had one patient assigned to me, but I was suppose to help out where ever I could and when ever my clinical instructor told me too. My first patient (and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to use her as my first patient) was so sweet and so easy!! I cannot give out too much information about her because it would violate HIPAA, but she was a little older than me and had a chronic condition that occasionaly caused her problems, which was why she was in the hospital. I was so scared when I walked into her room that morning. Indy was my back-up and I was hers. I think I was shaking a little and all I was doing was vitals!! I introduced myself and told her I was a student. She asked me if I really wanted to talk her vitals since the nurse just did it, but I told her I had to. So she stuck out her arm and opened her mouth. She was so compliant I was shocked. So I just dove right in and got her vitals. She said thank you and asked if I needed anything else. I told her no and asked her if she needed anything. She said later she would want a change in linens and maybe some help cleaning up.
When I left the room I realized I didn't breathe through the whole thing. I realized I made it through the first big hurdle...just walking into a patients room! We walked into Indy's patient's room and it was a bit different. The woman was in some serious pain and the nurse was late getting her pain medicine. We helped her get a cool cloth for her head, took her vitals, and she thought if maybe she got up out of bed and brushed her teeth and had a change of linen she might feel better. So while Indy was helping her brush her teeth I got everything we needed to change the bed linens. When we got everything done, we helped her back to bed, she said she felt a bit better...brushing your teeth does amazing things to your pain tolerance.
After we did our intial duties with our patients (I let mine sleep a bit longer) we spent some time trying to figure out the ridiculous computer system. This is where we have to get all of the information for the ridiculous amount of paperwork we had to do. We also did a lot of standing around and doing nothing...because we really couldn't do anything. We were surrounded by some pretty unpleasant nurses. One in particular Indy and I had a run in with, and it turned out the next day she had bitched about us and the work we did for her to the charge nurse (BIG woman from the East Coast and had an EAST COAST attitude.) Well she in turn bit the head off our clinical instructor Prof Papa, and the next day she told us about it. We explained the situation to her. The Mean Nurse had asked us to take vitals for her entire row of patients because she didn't have time to do it. Well we figured there was no problem there since we knew how to take vitals and it was the end of our shift...so we did it. Well we missed doing resps...everyone had blankets on so we just didn't think about doing it, and two of her patients where NPO (which means they cannot take anything orally) so we assumed (since this is what we were taught in lab) since they were NPO we couldn't take their temperature orally and we had no idea where a different thermomater was, so we just wrote NPO and assumed the nurse would take care of it. Well apparently not. Prof Papa told us not to do anything any of the nurses ask us to do unless they go through her first. I don't think she was really mad at us (I was angry and disappointed with myself), but she just wanted to give us a heads up.
After I let my patient sleep a bit longer, and the nurse had to change her IV site...it was leaking, the nurse showed us a neat trick to monitor a leaking IV, I got to practice more of my skills! I gave my patient a complete bed bath!! She told me how the CNA did it the day before and I told her that I learned to do it a different way if she didn't mind if I did it the way I learned. She told me by all means do it the way I learned. She was excited to help me learn! It was great! I washed her hair, helped her to the bathroom so she could do "other" things. I changed her bed linen. Indy helped me with everything. I was so greatful she was there to help me. It was a GREAT first day...with the execption of the mean nurse. I was tired when I came home I slept for five hours and then studied my buns off.
So no one threw up on me on the first day and I did not have to change a bed pan, but Prof Papa spilled a whole cup of hot coffee down the right side of me before we started work...so I had to wear a lab coat all day since I didn't have an extra pair of scrubs in the car. And I walked into a room that required droplet protection (mask, gloves, gown) didn't even notice the sign posted on the side of the door...so I freaked out, but I found out it wasn't that serious. I need to pay more attention.
Day 15
Started off weird...my patient from the day before had been discharged so I had to wait for a new patient. That is when Indy and I found out about our little mishap. That kind of put a damper on my day. My new patient turned out to be considered something called a "legal 2000." I guess in the state of NV that means a mental health patient. I also found out that patients wearing a certain color gown are suicide risks. That was a bit disturbing for me. When I went to take my patient's vitals there was a mean little man in the room that was his "sitter" and he was there for my patient's roomate too. He gave me dirty looks every time I entered the room and told me there was nothing I needed to do for my patient. So I took his vitals anyway...it was then that I realized that feelings I thought I had for people like my patient were not really gone...just burried. If anyone knows the history of my mother, they will know what I am talking about. I had no sympathy for the man...maybe the tiniest drop of pity. As a nurse I know I am suppose to set biases like that aside and do my job. My feelings didn't prevent me from doing my job the way I would do it with anyone else, but at the end of the day I felt a bit broken. How do you overcome a bias that is so deeply ingrained into your brain and soul and so very personal? I tried to built a repore with the man, but I just wasn't feeling like he was being receptive, maybe it was my own reflection. Maybe his mean "sitter" was preventing him from being social or maybe he just gave up on life and didn't care that someone was there trying to learn and reach out.
Since there wasn't much I could do with my patient, we focused on Indy's patient. Same lady...we helped her clean up and provided her with some conversation until she had to go for some tests. We offered our services to my nurse and Indy's nurse (we asked if that was ok). But nothing. So we worked on our paperwork until noon vitals and that was the end of day two.
I worked an afternoon shift at the school and studied some more. My tests are next week and I feel slightly unprepared for them, but Jeremy keeps telling me I will do great. I wish I had the faith in myself that he has in me. He's been so great the past few weeks. He's let me cry on his shoulder, given me space and quiet to study, cooked dinner, he even hired a housekeeper for me. On my first day of clinical he got me a sweet card about how much he loves me. I am tearing up right now just thinking about how supportive he has been! Thanks honey!! Keep up the good work! Its really helping me! :)
When I left the room I realized I didn't breathe through the whole thing. I realized I made it through the first big hurdle...just walking into a patients room! We walked into Indy's patient's room and it was a bit different. The woman was in some serious pain and the nurse was late getting her pain medicine. We helped her get a cool cloth for her head, took her vitals, and she thought if maybe she got up out of bed and brushed her teeth and had a change of linen she might feel better. So while Indy was helping her brush her teeth I got everything we needed to change the bed linens. When we got everything done, we helped her back to bed, she said she felt a bit better...brushing your teeth does amazing things to your pain tolerance.
After we did our intial duties with our patients (I let mine sleep a bit longer) we spent some time trying to figure out the ridiculous computer system. This is where we have to get all of the information for the ridiculous amount of paperwork we had to do. We also did a lot of standing around and doing nothing...because we really couldn't do anything. We were surrounded by some pretty unpleasant nurses. One in particular Indy and I had a run in with, and it turned out the next day she had bitched about us and the work we did for her to the charge nurse (BIG woman from the East Coast and had an EAST COAST attitude.) Well she in turn bit the head off our clinical instructor Prof Papa, and the next day she told us about it. We explained the situation to her. The Mean Nurse had asked us to take vitals for her entire row of patients because she didn't have time to do it. Well we figured there was no problem there since we knew how to take vitals and it was the end of our shift...so we did it. Well we missed doing resps...everyone had blankets on so we just didn't think about doing it, and two of her patients where NPO (which means they cannot take anything orally) so we assumed (since this is what we were taught in lab) since they were NPO we couldn't take their temperature orally and we had no idea where a different thermomater was, so we just wrote NPO and assumed the nurse would take care of it. Well apparently not. Prof Papa told us not to do anything any of the nurses ask us to do unless they go through her first. I don't think she was really mad at us (I was angry and disappointed with myself), but she just wanted to give us a heads up.
After I let my patient sleep a bit longer, and the nurse had to change her IV site...it was leaking, the nurse showed us a neat trick to monitor a leaking IV, I got to practice more of my skills! I gave my patient a complete bed bath!! She told me how the CNA did it the day before and I told her that I learned to do it a different way if she didn't mind if I did it the way I learned. She told me by all means do it the way I learned. She was excited to help me learn! It was great! I washed her hair, helped her to the bathroom so she could do "other" things. I changed her bed linen. Indy helped me with everything. I was so greatful she was there to help me. It was a GREAT first day...with the execption of the mean nurse. I was tired when I came home I slept for five hours and then studied my buns off.
So no one threw up on me on the first day and I did not have to change a bed pan, but Prof Papa spilled a whole cup of hot coffee down the right side of me before we started work...so I had to wear a lab coat all day since I didn't have an extra pair of scrubs in the car. And I walked into a room that required droplet protection (mask, gloves, gown) didn't even notice the sign posted on the side of the door...so I freaked out, but I found out it wasn't that serious. I need to pay more attention.
Day 15
Started off weird...my patient from the day before had been discharged so I had to wait for a new patient. That is when Indy and I found out about our little mishap. That kind of put a damper on my day. My new patient turned out to be considered something called a "legal 2000." I guess in the state of NV that means a mental health patient. I also found out that patients wearing a certain color gown are suicide risks. That was a bit disturbing for me. When I went to take my patient's vitals there was a mean little man in the room that was his "sitter" and he was there for my patient's roomate too. He gave me dirty looks every time I entered the room and told me there was nothing I needed to do for my patient. So I took his vitals anyway...it was then that I realized that feelings I thought I had for people like my patient were not really gone...just burried. If anyone knows the history of my mother, they will know what I am talking about. I had no sympathy for the man...maybe the tiniest drop of pity. As a nurse I know I am suppose to set biases like that aside and do my job. My feelings didn't prevent me from doing my job the way I would do it with anyone else, but at the end of the day I felt a bit broken. How do you overcome a bias that is so deeply ingrained into your brain and soul and so very personal? I tried to built a repore with the man, but I just wasn't feeling like he was being receptive, maybe it was my own reflection. Maybe his mean "sitter" was preventing him from being social or maybe he just gave up on life and didn't care that someone was there trying to learn and reach out.
Since there wasn't much I could do with my patient, we focused on Indy's patient. Same lady...we helped her clean up and provided her with some conversation until she had to go for some tests. We offered our services to my nurse and Indy's nurse (we asked if that was ok). But nothing. So we worked on our paperwork until noon vitals and that was the end of day two.
I worked an afternoon shift at the school and studied some more. My tests are next week and I feel slightly unprepared for them, but Jeremy keeps telling me I will do great. I wish I had the faith in myself that he has in me. He's been so great the past few weeks. He's let me cry on his shoulder, given me space and quiet to study, cooked dinner, he even hired a housekeeper for me. On my first day of clinical he got me a sweet card about how much he loves me. I am tearing up right now just thinking about how supportive he has been! Thanks honey!! Keep up the good work! Its really helping me! :)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Day 10, 11, and 12: In the Swing
Sorry I haven't had a chance to blog. Its been crazy...school work, half marathon, in-law family reunion...sigh...three weeks down (almost) and I need a vacation!
Well lets see....On Friday the 4th I "checked" off on vitals!! So I can now officially take your temperature in more ways than one...wink, wink! And I can take your blood pressure too and whatnot. Then we did something called "call light scenerios". Where we all take turns being the pt and pretend to need something from the nurse...apparently my pt just needed the phone to make some international calls...anyways, I am not feeling very secure in my ability to answer a call light, but we will see what happens. I did learn something interesting though. Did you know that you can be served alcohol in the hospital as a pt?!! I did not know that. You have to have a doctor's order, but you can sit there with your IV and stitches and swing a beer while the person next to you is being recessitated. Also if alcoholics are admitted to the ER or ICU they can be given an IV drip with vodka! Its so they don't go into withdrawl while being treated. The ER nurse that works with us says that some days she feels more like a bar tender than a nurse. For some reason I found all of this extremely hilarious. There is something wrong with me.
After a wonderful, but very short long weekend, it was back to lecture. It was hard for me to focus since I was sooooo exhausted still from the weekend. We are being prepped for our first tests, which are next week. I am oddly calm about the whole thing, which is kind of freaky...usually it means I am missing something and I am going to do bad. But all the same, I am still going to study my pants off...for whatever is coming.
Today, well, more lecture! We had a guest speaker in Fundamentals, who talked about old people. I learned NOTHING, and left depressed from the ridiculous video they showed us. It was a military montage and then it turned into this montage of some strange old man's life set to some horrid song. They were trying to convince us to go into gerntology...um....they sucked at it. I think my Great Grandma should have came and talked to us. If everyone knew how cool some old people can be they would get a lot of people wanting to work in long term care facilities.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow.....if anyone can name where that is from you get 20 points. Anyways, tomorrow is my first day in the hospital!! Keep your fingers crossed that no one throws up on me!
Well lets see....On Friday the 4th I "checked" off on vitals!! So I can now officially take your temperature in more ways than one...wink, wink! And I can take your blood pressure too and whatnot. Then we did something called "call light scenerios". Where we all take turns being the pt and pretend to need something from the nurse...apparently my pt just needed the phone to make some international calls...anyways, I am not feeling very secure in my ability to answer a call light, but we will see what happens. I did learn something interesting though. Did you know that you can be served alcohol in the hospital as a pt?!! I did not know that. You have to have a doctor's order, but you can sit there with your IV and stitches and swing a beer while the person next to you is being recessitated. Also if alcoholics are admitted to the ER or ICU they can be given an IV drip with vodka! Its so they don't go into withdrawl while being treated. The ER nurse that works with us says that some days she feels more like a bar tender than a nurse. For some reason I found all of this extremely hilarious. There is something wrong with me.
After a wonderful, but very short long weekend, it was back to lecture. It was hard for me to focus since I was sooooo exhausted still from the weekend. We are being prepped for our first tests, which are next week. I am oddly calm about the whole thing, which is kind of freaky...usually it means I am missing something and I am going to do bad. But all the same, I am still going to study my pants off...for whatever is coming.
Today, well, more lecture! We had a guest speaker in Fundamentals, who talked about old people. I learned NOTHING, and left depressed from the ridiculous video they showed us. It was a military montage and then it turned into this montage of some strange old man's life set to some horrid song. They were trying to convince us to go into gerntology...um....they sucked at it. I think my Great Grandma should have came and talked to us. If everyone knew how cool some old people can be they would get a lot of people wanting to work in long term care facilities.
Tomorrow, tomorrow, and tomorrow.....if anyone can name where that is from you get 20 points. Anyways, tomorrow is my first day in the hospital!! Keep your fingers crossed that no one throws up on me!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Day 8 and 9: Clinical Prep
Ah, lecture. Its so boring, especially when your prof teaches right out of the book and clicks through her slides at lightening speed. I take notes simply to stay awake. Its impossible to keep up with Prof Makey so I just record her lectures and take what notes I can. Its hard to concentrate in her class since the air conditioning is busted and its still over a hundred degrees outside here. Stupid Vegas. And what is worse they still crammed 60 people plus instructors in the tiny little no air classroom to teach us about the MASSIVE pile of clinical paperwork we have to do! Ugh...paperwork. What is this? The military? The most frustrating thing of the day was Prof Makey got my name confused with another girl in the class and told my clinical instructor I dropped the program. In her defense the girl's name is the same as mine and the last names sound oddly the same. However, I corrected the problem and all is well.
Today was clinical orientation! I am going to be doing my first semester clinicals at St Rose de Lima. At first they had me at the hospital in Boulder City (hour and half away from my house). Now I am two blocks from the school and my partner is Indy! I LOVE my clinical instructor! She is organized, informed, and SO nice! She is so excited to help us learn. When I first saw her in the Nursing office, I figured she was disorganized and always late...her hair is wavy and sticks up everywhere. She has a sleepy look about her. She is from the Phillipines, like Prof Makey. She reminds me of some polynesian goddess. I am going to call her Papa...after the Hawiian goddess, you can look it up on wikipedia. First day of clinicals was orientation. They sell Starbucks coffee in the caffeteria...awesome. We did a little scavenger hunt threw the "pod" we are going to be in. Next week is when we get in there and get our hands dirty. I can't wait! Now I am really looking forward to this semester!!
Today was clinical orientation! I am going to be doing my first semester clinicals at St Rose de Lima. At first they had me at the hospital in Boulder City (hour and half away from my house). Now I am two blocks from the school and my partner is Indy! I LOVE my clinical instructor! She is organized, informed, and SO nice! She is so excited to help us learn. When I first saw her in the Nursing office, I figured she was disorganized and always late...her hair is wavy and sticks up everywhere. She has a sleepy look about her. She is from the Phillipines, like Prof Makey. She reminds me of some polynesian goddess. I am going to call her Papa...after the Hawiian goddess, you can look it up on wikipedia. First day of clinicals was orientation. They sell Starbucks coffee in the caffeteria...awesome. We did a little scavenger hunt threw the "pod" we are going to be in. Next week is when we get in there and get our hands dirty. I can't wait! Now I am really looking forward to this semester!!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Day 6 and 7: The Seven P's
A few people have asked me what the Seven P's are. Well here is your answer:
Proper Pre Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
This is clearly something my nursing instructors did not take into account when planning the semester. They seem to have forgotten this weekend was a FEDERAL holiday. All of us were suppose to "pass-off" on vital signs in lab on Monday, but do to time constraints (poor planning and time management on the instructors' part) very few of us were able to complete this vital part of our check list. They would not allow us to "check- off" during open lab (a study period where we can practice hands on skills). The leader of this operation, Prof Mom, demanded we come in on Saturday since there is no class on Monday to "pass-off". Um....problem....half of us were going out of town for the holiday weekend and I believe by school manadate they cannot make us or other staff come in on a Federal holiday. So now I have to take time out of my paperwork schedule on Friday to accomadate their lack of appropriate planning. Once again the part of me that is my father's daughter is kicking in. ARRGGHH!!! Learn the Seven P's people!!! This is not hard! Leadership 101!!
So Monday was a bust and felt unproductive. I feel like lecture is the same way on Tuesdays. Everything is repetitive and they teach directly from the book, maybe add their own stories for spice, but I feel like lecture is a waste if I can just read the same thing in three different books. I find myself mimicking the panic my classmates are feeling. Its like saturation. If I am surrounded by water I am going to soak it up. I am having a hard time telling myself, that I know the information, that I am organized, and I am not forgetting anything. Its hard to remain calm and confident about your knowledge and skills when everyone around you is falling apart on the second week of school. I have been out of the intensity of school and high pressure situations for too long. I hate that I am being affected by their moods. They are all perfectly nice people by the way. I should strike a blow for my independence before I become dependent!! BE A LEADER JENNIFER!!! KNOW YOUR SHIT!!!
Proper Pre Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
This is clearly something my nursing instructors did not take into account when planning the semester. They seem to have forgotten this weekend was a FEDERAL holiday. All of us were suppose to "pass-off" on vital signs in lab on Monday, but do to time constraints (poor planning and time management on the instructors' part) very few of us were able to complete this vital part of our check list. They would not allow us to "check- off" during open lab (a study period where we can practice hands on skills). The leader of this operation, Prof Mom, demanded we come in on Saturday since there is no class on Monday to "pass-off". Um....problem....half of us were going out of town for the holiday weekend and I believe by school manadate they cannot make us or other staff come in on a Federal holiday. So now I have to take time out of my paperwork schedule on Friday to accomadate their lack of appropriate planning. Once again the part of me that is my father's daughter is kicking in. ARRGGHH!!! Learn the Seven P's people!!! This is not hard! Leadership 101!!
So Monday was a bust and felt unproductive. I feel like lecture is the same way on Tuesdays. Everything is repetitive and they teach directly from the book, maybe add their own stories for spice, but I feel like lecture is a waste if I can just read the same thing in three different books. I find myself mimicking the panic my classmates are feeling. Its like saturation. If I am surrounded by water I am going to soak it up. I am having a hard time telling myself, that I know the information, that I am organized, and I am not forgetting anything. Its hard to remain calm and confident about your knowledge and skills when everyone around you is falling apart on the second week of school. I have been out of the intensity of school and high pressure situations for too long. I hate that I am being affected by their moods. They are all perfectly nice people by the way. I should strike a blow for my independence before I become dependent!! BE A LEADER JENNIFER!!! KNOW YOUR SHIT!!!
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