TWO WEEKS IN ONE

I've been meaning to update but time has so easily gotten away. With the new semester under way and clinical in full swing (and still training for the 3-day for the cure) there is not a lot of 'down time' to update. So I'll try and bring you up to date from the past two weeks.

Our first real clinical day with a patient was September 9th. We were partnered up with a classmate for this afternoon and the next day as we were still acclimating to the setting and finding things. Our patient this week had something called 'hemoglobin c'; this is something neither myself, my classmate nor our instructor had heard of. In addition to this, our patient was very anemic, so we were able to observe a blood transfusion.  But the blood needed to be heated first. The nurse administering this was using this device for only the second time so there was confusion on how it actually worked. It was good to know that nurses are always still learning. We were able to have this same patient again the next evening after this patient returned from surgery. We were glad to be of some comfort to our patient as they became aware of the surroundings and their family was not close by. Our patient recognized us from the previous night and I believe relieved to 'know' someone since they woke up in recovery and all these faces were new.  It was a pretty uneventful first two clinical nights but that is ok.

The hospital we are doing this clinical rotation in has been undergoing a major renovation. The unit we are assigned to was moved this past week. We were in the unit on Monday and had our own patient. I had a very interesting patient who happened to go unresponsive in the middle of an episode of throwing up. I could not awaken my patient and immediately asked (a little loudly) for assistance. One of the RN's that was right outside my patients room entered (along with a half dozen others) and perform a sternal rub and my patient was alerted.  My patient at that point had no idea where they were (which hospital) or even which year it was. The entire rapid response team and physician entered the room and performed various tests. Before I left for the evening my patient was sent for a CT scan. 

The next evening due to our unit moving we were assigned to another unit (just for this day). I was a bit disappointed as I wanted to know how my patient was but they were no longer my responsibility and I would have to wait until we return to our brand new unit to see if I can get an update. So this evening we were again partnered up (since we didn't know where things were and were only going to be here the one night). My partner and I were able to provide care for our patient and during our 'down time' we were able to work on our assignment from the previous night. I did learn to use a bladder scan on my patient this evening and I also had to straight cath my patient (place a catheter to drain their bladder)! I was so nervous as I had not done this since lab last semester (I did get to assist an RN with one but I mostly observed), so with the guidance of the RN assigned to my patient, I was able to do this.  I always wonder how I will do when I do a new task that I've not done before and I still amaze myself that I did fine! I handled the situation providing dignity and as little discomfort as possible to my patient.  I DID IT!!! 

In the meantime my job is quickly coming to a close. This coming week will be my last week there. I have been offered a 'part time/temporary' position in the hospital. I am jumping at the chance to get my foot in the door and hoping that bigger and better things will come from this.

This coming week will be the end of this rotation and then we are on to maternity! I am really looking forward to that! I will truly try and update at the end of next week.

OH WAIT!!! We had our first exam this week and I got a B!!! I was so relieved as I always stress myself out! I had so much going on this past week. Our son, Tyler had a seizure last weekend (out of the blue) and there has been a lot of doctors appointments and getting him to and from his job and school since he is unable to drive right now. Praying that he is given a clean bill of health when he sees the neurologist next month.