New favorite

Everyone has a favorite. Whether it was in elementary or high school, or in college, we all have a favorite teacher that meant something to us. I've only had one up until now. It was Mrs. Hughes, my highschool Computer lab/debate/economics teacher. I adored her, and still do. I found her on Facebook recently and we talk.

So now I have another. Mrs. C., so far she has been and will continue to be my clinical instructor, she is currently teaching us for Med-Surg and will in the future be teaching our Nutrition class. She is a little quirky sometimes, but I think that is one thing I love about her. She is stern to a point. She expects nothing but professionalism and our best efforts. She won't even let you test unless your uniform is school policy/professional.

She's only been teaching this class to us for 4 days. I feel like I've learned more in these 4 days from her than I have in the first few months of this course, with all other instructors combined. her teaching style is thought provoking and entertaining. She challenges me like no other and I love that. I'm sure I'll have my days with her when I wish she would just stop talking....but for now, I can't get enough. I find myself excited and can't wait to get to her class the next day. It's the last class of the day, and that sure makes the first class drag out.

So this may seem like a pointless post. I just wanted to document my feelings towards my favorite Instructor so that when I'm cursing her between my teeth in an upcoming course, i can look back at this and say....."you asked for it, you damn suck up!".

Short Update

Nursing myself through recovery after a minor surgery. Still managed to make it to school the very next day, I refuse to miss.
Got our GPA today for first semester. 3.44. Not great, not my best, but I'll take it. Perfect attendance and completed first semester meant we got two shiny pins for our lanyards/badges.

These next two weeks are going to be crazy. A test almost every day between Pharmacology and Med-Surg...so not sure if I'll get to post too often. i'll try to keep up. If i don't make an 85% or better on my dosage calc test tomorrow.....I'll have plenty of time to blog since that will be my ticket out of nursing school.

I got this. :)

Nursing Home Clinical - Day 5

So today was very hard on most of us. Some of us saw noticeable depression in our patients, due to the fact that we had to say goodbye today. They wre spoiled all week compared to the attention they normally get, which isn't much. Granted, for the most part, it's not the CNA's or Nurses fault. Often times it just boils down to economics. Too may residents per nurse, means that one on one interaction is not always fulfilling enough for the pt.

I did my head to toe assessment on Ms. B. today. It was a great day for it becuase she was so alert. Granted, not A&O x 4, only by 2, but enough to where I had a good time with her during and after the assessment.

Me and one other student got to PERFORM a straight line cath today! That is something we are not to start learning until Med-Surge which starts this coming Friday. I have never been so excited to see pee in my lfie...lmao! It was so cool the way the proceedure is done, so fast and simple. Ms. C. said we are one step ahead of the rest of the class now, and can be marked off for this skill already. Score!

So not much else to my day. Now I have to work on finishing my care plan and nurses notes to turn in on Monday, as well as study for the PN 103 final on Monday. ONce I pass this I'm pretty much certified to work as a CNA until I graduate to LPN in Feb. I doubt I'll work anytime soon though. My husband got a new job, so that should pay the bills for a while and i can concentrate on school and family.

Nursing Home Clinical - Day 4

A great day today at the nursing home. I got my patient up and changed, fed and then went to the main dining hall to feed the other residents. Coming back later, my pt was sleeping in her chair again, so I went to help with other classmate's pts.

A wonderful LPN there, I'll call him Ed. He showed us how to clean around a GI tube and the pt was Mr. D, the quadriplegic. This man is wonderful, such a sense of humor. He has mobility of two fingers and he used them today, to extent in playing a joke on us while we cleaned his GI tube. He kept hitting the call light over and over. About 6 different times. He got a kick out doing that to us. Then at one point, he was trying to cough while LPN Ed still had the GI tube uncapped. Ed told him, "Oh no, Mr!" and quickly capped it...lol. Mr. D was having so much fun with us today!

Later, I worked on my pt chart and care plan, then went to another dining room to help do feedings. I've never been to this dining area, the residents there are much more complicated and such a challenge to feed. We got it done though.

Not much after that, we were let out early today because the instructors had meetings to get to, back at the campus.

So tomorrow is my last day. I'm all mixed with emotions about it. :(

A link to share

http://blog.soliant.com/travel-nursing/top-10-traits-every-nurse-should-have/

Nursing Home Clinical - Day 3

This morning we had a good start. Assisted residents with breakfast in the green room. Then I went to see my patient and help her with her breakfast. After that, there wasn't much to do except take vitals on all residents on that wing.
One patient in particular was wailing non stop and begging for someone to come see her. So while my classmate took the vitals of the resident in the next bed, I sat and let this upset patient talk it out. It wasn't long before she was much calmer, no more crying and I assured her I would inform the nurses of her request. All she wanted was to be put back into her bed so she could stop the shaking. I felt so bad for her.

As we were going to the next room, we were stopped in the hallways by a few classmates and told to get our stuff and get back to the conference room stat. Turns out, State Officials were on their way in about 10 minutes and the staff wanted us gone. Student nurses are allowed to be in the units when state is there to do their reviews. However, the DON preferred us not to be, in case State decided to ask us something and we didn't know the answer, they didn't want the facility to get written up for that. Understandable.

So we gathered our things and went back to campus. Once at school, the senior class had a guest lecturer and we were invited to sit and learn as well. He was from SETA, and t here to discuss the importance and legalitites of tissue and organ donations.

So after that, it was lunch time and the instructors let us come home early. Thank goodness, because I am tired!

Nursing Home Clinical - Day 2

This morning started with me and a few others volunteering to feed some of the residents in one of the main dining areas. I got to feed Mr. D, who is a Quadriplegic. He can verbalize and shake his head yes or no, so communicating with him was not entirely impossible. I enjoyed his company, he is a delightful man.

By the time I was done with that, I went to say good morning to my patient that I've been assigned to; Ms. B.
The CNA had already had her out of the bed, dressed and did her morning care. She was just finishing her breakfast when I got there, so I just took her tray, and charted her intake. Then spent a little time talking to her until she fell asleep on me. Am I that boring? LOL, I know...the elder residents tend to sleep...a lot. No biggie.

While she slept, I went to help a fellow student ambulate her patient to the bathroom and then remade his bed while she was in there assisting him. I ended up helping her a few times today with that patient. We both worked on our care plans inbetween tasks.

An LPN demonstrated for us putting in a feeding tube and pusing meds through a GI tube. Very cool stuff. Also got to participate in a Hoyle Lift.

So all in all, today was a better day than yesterday. Tomorrow I'm doing glucose testing on residents, and whatever else comes my way. Bring it on.