My patient this weekend had his left kidney removed due to a mass. I really felt more of a connection with he and his wife after going through Steven's kidney failure. They were a great couple and he was EVER so patient as I took a ton of time changing his dressing. They had really taped him up in the OR and I wanted to cause as little pain as possible. I used the adhesive remover as I slowly pulled the three layers of tape off of his body. I also was able to dc his int (the IV catheter) so he was able to go home.
Bed bath number two was today. It was a 50 something aged woman that had just had a hysterectomy.
I've been struggling with the concept of bedside nursing. I think part of it is that we are not really doing the skills we have studied, we are doing more of the unskilled jobs. Not that I think I am above it at all - and as I mentioned in my first experience giving a bedbath, it can be rewarding - but I just haven't been satisfied with what I've seen. Nursing is definitely what I want to do and feel called to do - but it might not be bedside. We will see. I must stay open.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
OR Experience - Hip nailing
Today’s experience brought about a whole new thought process for me. I truly feel like to be a nurse is a calling. I had thought that that sense of serving and compassion could only be achieved through bedside nursing. I struggled with the thoughts that I really did enjoy my OR experience and would seriously consider learning more about the OR environment. The struggle came because I wondered if I could serve the patient and show compassion in that position. I believe that the operation is certainly a service that the patient requires and I believe that an OR nurse can still advocate for the patient (i.e.: positioning of patient in OR, making sure they are comfortable). What interests me in the OR is the challenge it seems to present. I have always enjoyed watching the “surgery shows” on television and it was even better live! I certainly know that bedside nurses are intellectually challenged every day, but I can see that OR nurses are intellectually challenged in a different way. I have a lot of thinking to do, but I still have plenty of time. I might change my mind several times before graduation. I am going to keep myself open.
One option is to do critical care nursing. It seems like it might be a combination of the two roles of perioperative type thinking and bedside nursing. My husband went into renal failure August 20 of this year and was in the ICU for three days. Spending so much time there peeked my interest as well. I hope I will get the opportunity to shadow a ICU nurse to experience what they experience.
One option is to do critical care nursing. It seems like it might be a combination of the two roles of perioperative type thinking and bedside nursing. My husband went into renal failure August 20 of this year and was in the ICU for three days. Spending so much time there peeked my interest as well. I hope I will get the opportunity to shadow a ICU nurse to experience what they experience.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
First patient interaction
Yesterday, I experienced my first patient interaction clinical. Wow was I crazy nervous and it didn't help things when during my assignment, my clinical instructor said, "oh, and I'm going to give you a patient that is best described as a little quirky." Not exactly what I was hoping to hear!
My patient was in the hospital due to many complications from diabetes. His medical diagnosis was amputation of his left toe and a popliteal/femoral graft. My rounds started at 6:30am and I was to enter the room at 7:00am to take vitals. Of course, I was totally uncomfortable waking someone to take their vitals. I've always secretly detested those perky morning nurses that come in and wake you. They have just had 8 uninterupted hours of sleep, while as a patient, you've been woken up every half hour for medicine, vitals, noises in the hall, etc. But there I was - THAT NURSE. I walked in a quietly said, "Good morning, Mr. ___." Nothing. Then I said it a tad louder, "Good morning, Mr. ___." Immediately he opened his eyes, looked at me and huffed - "you're late! your instructor told me yesterday you would arrive at 6:30am. " I responded with, "I was here at 6:30am, I've just spent the last 30 minutes hearing all the wonderful things about you!" "brownie points," he responded. Then he said, "what in the H$%ll did you do to your instructor for her to assign you to me?" "Lucky, I guess," was my response with a smile. From that point on, things went great. He was a hoot and we had some interesting conversations. Although it took me 4 attempts to use the Dynamap to take his temperature, he was very pleasant with me and we seemed to get along well. We've never been trained on the Dynamap (that is the thing that wheels around to the rooms with bp, temp, pulse ox, etc. We had to do everything manual however to keep our skills sharp.
One interesting experience was to give an elderly woman a bed bath. One of my nursing classmates was anxious about giving her patient a bed bath. I too have a fear of that. I have an issue with intimacy with people I really don't know. How much more intimate could one get than giving someone a bath! The patient was such a sweet lady. She was in her late 70s. She had just recently had her colon removed because of cancer. She actually reminded me a lot of my grandmother that just recently passed away. Same build, same temperament, same sweetness. As I began to work with my classmate, I realized how uncomfortable the patient was with exposing herself. I tried to make her comfortable talking about how I would make sure she stayed modest. As I cleaned her back and her feet - I was almost moved that this woman would entrust me with such a personal thing. She was so appreciative and kind. That is why I want to be a nurse!
The day ran long and my legs were tired, but I felt like a made a difference! A true difference. I prayed for those patients last night. I am blessed.
Next week is OR observation.
My patient was in the hospital due to many complications from diabetes. His medical diagnosis was amputation of his left toe and a popliteal/femoral graft. My rounds started at 6:30am and I was to enter the room at 7:00am to take vitals. Of course, I was totally uncomfortable waking someone to take their vitals. I've always secretly detested those perky morning nurses that come in and wake you. They have just had 8 uninterupted hours of sleep, while as a patient, you've been woken up every half hour for medicine, vitals, noises in the hall, etc. But there I was - THAT NURSE. I walked in a quietly said, "Good morning, Mr. ___." Nothing. Then I said it a tad louder, "Good morning, Mr. ___." Immediately he opened his eyes, looked at me and huffed - "you're late! your instructor told me yesterday you would arrive at 6:30am. " I responded with, "I was here at 6:30am, I've just spent the last 30 minutes hearing all the wonderful things about you!" "brownie points," he responded. Then he said, "what in the H$%ll did you do to your instructor for her to assign you to me?" "Lucky, I guess," was my response with a smile. From that point on, things went great. He was a hoot and we had some interesting conversations. Although it took me 4 attempts to use the Dynamap to take his temperature, he was very pleasant with me and we seemed to get along well. We've never been trained on the Dynamap (that is the thing that wheels around to the rooms with bp, temp, pulse ox, etc. We had to do everything manual however to keep our skills sharp.
One interesting experience was to give an elderly woman a bed bath. One of my nursing classmates was anxious about giving her patient a bed bath. I too have a fear of that. I have an issue with intimacy with people I really don't know. How much more intimate could one get than giving someone a bath! The patient was such a sweet lady. She was in her late 70s. She had just recently had her colon removed because of cancer. She actually reminded me a lot of my grandmother that just recently passed away. Same build, same temperament, same sweetness. As I began to work with my classmate, I realized how uncomfortable the patient was with exposing herself. I tried to make her comfortable talking about how I would make sure she stayed modest. As I cleaned her back and her feet - I was almost moved that this woman would entrust me with such a personal thing. She was so appreciative and kind. That is why I want to be a nurse!
The day ran long and my legs were tired, but I felt like a made a difference! A true difference. I prayed for those patients last night. I am blessed.
Next week is OR observation.
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