Is It All Just....
Wiping a**???!!!
I had a split clinical today: OR and ICU. These are really two areas I am interested in after graduation, so I was very excited about the experience.
Surgery was wonderful! Everyone friendly, saw a Colectomy and a hernia repair. The surgeon was even accommodating....I had some other type of student there (not SN) observing, and he started quizzing us. I apparently had a moment of deer in headlights.
Doc: "So, what are the major vessels off of the aorta (hand reaches into abdomen)"?
Kim: "(der duh der...why is he asking me this when he is in the abdomen? Why can't I remember?Der...) Hmmm...arteries (oh. Good Kim)"
(everyone in the room pointing upward-doctor says, "well, yes, that IS correct, but I am looking for something a bit more specific."
Kim: "der, duh, der...silence"
MD: "How about off to the heart?"
Kim: "(oh, stupid, I KNOW this....der duh der) uuuuh"
(look to other student. He says "I have only had biology". Oh, he's a help)
MD: "The right coronary artery....and..."
Well, this is the way it went on for a few more hours. NO, it only seemed like this. Again, everyone was very friendly, but I didn't expect to sweat in such a cold room. I must've looked like an idiot (note in notebook to self, "go over CV anatomy!!!! FOOL!!!!)
Then, afternoon: onto ICU, YAAY!
Me and another student for 7/8 beds rolling along. It is an observation day, so we don't expect to do much but learn all types of interesting ICU-ey stuff...cool machines, case studies, check out meds and what the pts' are on, etc. First 15 minutes, first bed bath. ("wait. Aren't these supposed be done in the a.m.? Maybe ICU is different") As the afternoon progresses, we end up giving all six patients bed baths. They knew we were both paramedics. This was conveniently lost in the first five minutes. "Have you done a blood sugar?" (ooh. how exciting. "Well, yes, as a paramedic who works in the ED, I do them all the time, but I CAN do that for you.")
Cut now to post conference. Explaining to everyone our day of bedbaths, linen bag emptying, etc. was almost embarrassing. Well, until everyone else started with their day: which seemed a lot like us. We had students at hospice, medsurg, pcu, OR. I think the only place I escaped the bedbath was OR.
I understand patient care encompasses the bedbath, but why is it that at the moment it is the only thing the staff allows of us (med/surg and PCA can admin meds, though, with our instructor?) This is even after we tell them we have medical experience. We are not first years! One nurse even said, "well, at least you get an opportunity to get over being nervous going into a patient room." (wwaaah?!) We attempt to organize a positive spin on our day, but Spring Break is here now, and any thoughts of school are drifting temporarily out of my head....
I had a split clinical today: OR and ICU. These are really two areas I am interested in after graduation, so I was very excited about the experience.
Surgery was wonderful! Everyone friendly, saw a Colectomy and a hernia repair. The surgeon was even accommodating....I had some other type of student there (not SN) observing, and he started quizzing us. I apparently had a moment of deer in headlights.
Doc: "So, what are the major vessels off of the aorta (hand reaches into abdomen)"?
Kim: "(der duh der...why is he asking me this when he is in the abdomen? Why can't I remember?Der...) Hmmm...arteries (oh. Good Kim)"
(everyone in the room pointing upward-doctor says, "well, yes, that IS correct, but I am looking for something a bit more specific."
Kim: "der, duh, der...silence"
MD: "How about off to the heart?"
Kim: "(oh, stupid, I KNOW this....der duh der) uuuuh"
(look to other student. He says "I have only had biology". Oh, he's a help)
MD: "The right coronary artery....and..."
Well, this is the way it went on for a few more hours. NO, it only seemed like this. Again, everyone was very friendly, but I didn't expect to sweat in such a cold room. I must've looked like an idiot (note in notebook to self, "go over CV anatomy!!!! FOOL!!!!)
Then, afternoon: onto ICU, YAAY!
Me and another student for 7/8 beds rolling along. It is an observation day, so we don't expect to do much but learn all types of interesting ICU-ey stuff...cool machines, case studies, check out meds and what the pts' are on, etc. First 15 minutes, first bed bath. ("wait. Aren't these supposed be done in the a.m.? Maybe ICU is different") As the afternoon progresses, we end up giving all six patients bed baths. They knew we were both paramedics. This was conveniently lost in the first five minutes. "Have you done a blood sugar?" (ooh. how exciting. "Well, yes, as a paramedic who works in the ED, I do them all the time, but I CAN do that for you.")
Cut now to post conference. Explaining to everyone our day of bedbaths, linen bag emptying, etc. was almost embarrassing. Well, until everyone else started with their day: which seemed a lot like us. We had students at hospice, medsurg, pcu, OR. I think the only place I escaped the bedbath was OR.
I understand patient care encompasses the bedbath, but why is it that at the moment it is the only thing the staff allows of us (med/surg and PCA can admin meds, though, with our instructor?) This is even after we tell them we have medical experience. We are not first years! One nurse even said, "well, at least you get an opportunity to get over being nervous going into a patient room." (wwaaah?!) We attempt to organize a positive spin on our day, but Spring Break is here now, and any thoughts of school are drifting temporarily out of my head....
posted by kimberly at 7:42 AM
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