Thursday, June 19, 2014

For the times when I love being a nurse!



Last weekend or was it the one before - it all blurs together these days! I was taking care of a young gentleman with cognitive delay. He was sooo adorable. I found JUST the right way to deal with his "behaviors" so much so that he came to recognize me and would instantly be happy I was there (I bribed him with coffee! - Hahahaha). The last evening I had him he was watching a movie and told the care worker that was sitting beside him that she had to move so that I could sit beside him!!!

Awwwww. It was adorable. Those are the day when you love being a nurse!


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

I got a placement!!!

Since November or December I have been in communication with my teachers (and even their bosses) for assistance in trying to procure a clinical placement for the fall semester (starting September).... and it's only this past week that it's finally worked out. And even then, it wasn't because of their assistance, it was because of a fellow classmate and friend (Yay Leslie!) helping me out.

When I was in communication with the teacher for the upcoming course we were talking about how she had placed other students in the ER and so when I was talking to the placement coordinator for the hospital, I mentioned that I would be allowed med/surg and ER..... then to find out that she accepted me for the ER TOTALLY excited me!

Then I go to find out that this hospital is a level ONE trauma center - holy hell am I stoked! I LOVE the fact that I get to experience ER because in my university it's considered a "specialty" area and so it's generally only reserved for pre-grad consolidation placement - but it's one area that I wanted to experience but for the pre-grad consolidation placement I want to go into the NICU which means I wouldn't be able to experience the ER and find out whether it's an area I would enjoy working in.... and now I do!!!! I couldn't BE happier! The other cool thing about this hospital is that they have SIX helicopters at their disposal and a ginormous treating area and so I'm sure that they get a LOT of different things come through their ER. I just hope I get to experience some of them! The third and last awesome part of this placement is that ANYTHING my preceptor nurse can do (and the agency will LET me do) I can do as well!!!!  YAY!!!! I was really worried that I would only be allowed to stand by and watch but it turns out that if she's allowed and the hospital will allow students to - I can push meds, initiate IV's, give a blood transfusion,phlebotomy, etc. This is the sort of stuff I can do currently in my job. It would be strange if I couldn't do these anymore. I'm not sure I would like being stifled.