What a Day at the Hospital

I am overwhelmed. Since I last posted almost two weeks ago, I have bathed patients, comforted them, given them shots of all kinds and medication of all kinds, changed bed linen, observed invasive radiological procedures, changed a "wafer" and fed a patient via J tube. (Note: if you don't know these last two, don't ask now...too close to dinner time.) But today I felt like I made a difference. I was assigned a patient who has been the difficult one on the floor - someone whose emotional state is not allowing them to press on and therefore go home. Now, this person has endured some tough surgery and recovery isn't for wimps, but at some point it's time to just get on with it. She wouldn't get out of bed to bathe, wouldn't walk around, and was just miserable to all around them. So that was my project today. And when I left for the weekend she was smiling, had showered, and had done 6 "laps" around the floor - first exercise in a couple days. WOW. I now KNOW that I can do this! Cheers! Ima

It is Saturday morning, and I've just survived the first full week of clinicals, which also included my first day of patient care. I have learned so much this week that I can't hardly recall any of it! Not a real encouraging sign for the poor man or woman who gets me as a nursing student next week, huh! No, seriously, the instructors have been amazing. Their role this semester is to simply get us exposed to a lot of things, and to supervise and guide us as we get the opportunity to use what we have learned. Fortunately my very first patient was a nice man who had a superb attitute about his health status (which is not good) and life in general. He was patient with me as I fumbled through taking his vital signs, and he allowed me to accompany him for his CT scan and thoracic procedure so that I could talk with him. I pray for his full recovery. But on a more light-hearted note...I had no idea how many different tubes, catheters and devices exist to remove bodily fluids, or get nutrition into the body! Pumps, suction devices, catheters of all style, size and shape...my oh my! And you all should have been there the morning that I gave an injection to my first bratwurst and tangerine! It was stellar. Yes, the fun has now begun. But you'll be along for the ride, I promise. Cheers! Ima

Day one in the hospital completed. Met my one patient and he is a very nice man. But I feel so incompetent! Just have to be patient. Cheers! Ima