Almost there!

I was assigned to my 1st female patient this last week.  I was nervous but did much better than I thought.  The patient had a dry dressing that needed to be changed.  Removing the tape was a bit tricky because the person that did the bandage before put about 8 short strips across instead of taping 4 long strips at the edges of the bandage.  Valuable lesson on why we were taught to tape long strips on the edges. 

Good luck to all on the final this week. 

Home again!

Just got back into town around 8 something PM.  Will not know the biopsy or scan results until Tuesday so it is more waiting...yea?  Ready to pop some champagne though if all is positive!

I am very excited to go back this Friday to TMH.  We should get more patient time because it is an evening shift and the physical therapy sessions will be getting over.  The bedtime rituals will be interesting to learn to handle.  I have been on the other side of it and I look forward to see it from this perspective. 

Thoughts are with Brittany.  Hope she is feeling better.

Updates...

Hi all! 
Totally Random Thought:  You should really use a waterproof bandage if it is placed under a diaper, especially if it is after a Flex. Sig. and covering the wounds of 2 bone marrow biopsies of the iliac.

Clinical was fun.  I saw a few things that go against what we are learning in lab...sigh.

Midterms...sigh

Well it is over and too late to change.  Looking forward to next week..sorta.  Sophia's last day for chemo is on the 23rd, and I have to drive to Shands directly after clinical Friday.  Going to be a long day.  I need to get into a weekly review session with some of you to try and keep the knowledge fresh. 

FMLA, HIPAA

Can too much privacy be harmful in some cases??  My wife's boss and friend committed suicide Saturday afternoon.  He was just released from a care facility for depression and had a few too many drinks.  He had been away from work for a few weeks for FMLA and that was all anyone knew.  Had some people would have known, maybe a few signs could have been easier to see?  Just a thought.  He might have had stronger support from friends and co-workers.  When nobody is aware of a problem, how can it be addressed and fixed or at least managed? 

HIPAA and FMLA are there for good reasons.  I am just a little frustrated and angry that he did not tell more people.  We get so wrapped up in our own lives and have little time for anything else it seems.  A lousy excuse but I am guilty.

On a more happy note...   I do NOT really want to go into geriatric nursing.  The Alzheimer's patients hit a bit to close to home for me in an unsettling way.  I was glad to see that our interaction together brightened his day up tremendously.  He invited me back anytime and I could see that he really meant it.  The look is more thanks than I deserved but I'll take it.

2nd week down

A bit less stressed after this week.  I cannot wait for the clinical Friday.  Need to get a BP cuff and annoy the family this week, lets see if the little one will hold still for daddy.  The Shands nurses couldn't do it, but can daddy??

In the beginning...

Nursing to me is more than simply caring for a patients needs and medication.  The patient of a nurse can extend to the parents or children of the actual patient.  In my experience with my daughter the nurse kept the sanity of both me and my wife intact.  They took the time to explain what was happening and what kind of things to expect from treatment that went well beyond that of the required simple warning.  The nurse helps enforce the privacy, concerns and requests of the patient and family.  When we did not want any med students (who were mostly ignorant of my daughter's disease) to bother us the nurses made sure to stop them at the door.  Even when we had to get out of the room for a while they stayed to watch over my daughter to give a few hours of essential relief.  Babysitter is not in the job description but was essential for our survival.  Nurses care for the patents physical and mental health.  They perform at a level well beyond a doctor as an advocate for every one of their patients.  With few exceptions (Dr.S, and Dr. H), I have never seen a doctor care for a patient more than a nurse.

My desire to become a nurse was in many parts.  We moved from NC to FL and getting a job in my field of education was difficult due to a lack of jobs.  I did secure a position but my spouse is attempting to gain employment in a field that would require frequent moving.  I needed a job that was in need anywhere we might end up.  The new job would have to be one of a decent wage commensurate of my education.  I am thinking possibly a teacher or nurse.  Not an abundance of choices.  Then my daughter is diagnosed and we spend months inpatient with her to care for her as she gets treated.  My preconceptions of what a nurse is and does were completely wrong.  I interact well with people and always have a strong desire to help as they did.  Thinking that I would have the chance to do so much good for others in a repayment for the help we were given by our daughter's nurses.  I may not be able to completely live up to them but I will always try.

I want to become a Pediatric Oncology Nurse.  My experiences to date have given me a better understanding and I can truly empathize with the parents of the children I would be treating.  This would help the parents cope with the treatment, numerous side-effects, absorb the unexpected emotions associated with the daily roller-coaster status of the child.  My only apprehension is that as a male people may not see me as having a more nurturing side towards caring for a younger patient.