Second week of nursing school behind me as of today. I've been insanely busy as Oda Momma and Oda Mae can tell you. I am averaging around 7 hrs a day studying (outside of class time), and I'm only slightly behind. I've been playing gigs as well these two weeks. I'm out of town now until late Saturday evening. The good thing is that I don't have any rehearsals until 7 tomorrow night. That gives me the entire day to try and get caught up. After two weeks of somewhat intense study I can say now that I am really enjoying what I am doing. The new information that I am learning is incredibly refreshing and is truly fascinating to me. With all that said, I'm 99.9% sure that I have made a good decision with my career change. However, there are some things I'll have to work on....
For example: Foley Catheters.
I show up to clinical at 7am this morning. Today we began the day watching some skills videos. Last week we watched videos on safe patient handling and infection control. Today, we ended the week with "Elimination Needs". Yes, it is exactly what you think it is. Now, if you know me, you know that I really like to watch all of those surgery shows when they show the inside of the skull, autopsy's, guts...you get the idea. I'm generally not too squeamish. You have to imagine though a fairly small computer lab (about 25 stations) filled with 40 nursing students and 2-5 faculty members. It's pretty cozy. Of course the heat is on because it's winter. Things get kind of warm. So I'm setting in the back surrounded by my peers when we get to the video, "Removing Indwelling Catheters". A 3 minute video that lasted about 2 1/2 minutes too long for me. These videos are produced for nursing students using real nurses and "patients" who apparently are REALLY desperate actors. Yep they do it for real, people. I was doing okay until they actually removed the tubing from the male patient. The next thing I remember are 39 student nurses and 5 faculty nurses fanning me and asking me if I hurt my head when I fell out of my chair onto the floor. Fainting. Blackout. Syncope. Unconsciousness. What ever you want to call it. I am pleased to announce to the readers of The Famfare that I will forever be known as "that guy who fainted during the elimination videos".
Yes, I'm fine.
On a more lively note. Oda Mae had the opportunity to go to school today in her PJ's for Pajama/Pancake day. She ate 4 pancakes, 2 slices of ham, lots of grapes and some apple slices. Oh, to be four years old again.
Time to go desensitize myself to various issues concerning "Elimination Needs".
-OD (Student Nurse)
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3 comments:
Omagosh! I had to giggle just a bit. Seriously, how are things going? You are going to be an amazing nurse! I have NO doubt.
During my surgical rotation, a traumatic rotation for me, we observed various surgeries and now am horrified to have to have surgery b/c of the things they do to those poor patients before and after surgery. Anyway scrubbed in for one surgery. I can't even remember what the surgery was for...just remember it was a male patient. So after I scrubbed up and gowned and all that jazz, they had me stand on a stool beside the patient and hold the retractor in place to keep the incision open for the surgeon. Well, I held that retractor for about 2 seconds and started feeling really warm. I told them such and the doctor yelled, "Getter outta here." in a rather gruff, irritated voice. I had to go sit on a chair with my head between my knees. I can watch surgeries with no problems, but could NEVER be an OR nurse! Take care and stay safe this weekend!
That seemed like a perfectly appropriate response to me. I would have done the same.
Yep. For Ev Er.
I am still "the guy who passed out in the middle of the Student Union while donating blood" from back in 1992. Luckily I was only there with about 100 dorm-mates...
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