Caroline RN

   Yesterday was my first day actually on my floor. MY floor! Overall, it went really well. I pretty much followed a nurse around all day and tried to learn my way around the floor. However, there were a couple of highlights.

1. I got to put in a foley catheter, draw some labs, and change dressings on a stage 4 pressure ulcer. I've been trained in all of these things in nursing school, but I didn't have a lot of chances to try out my skills.

2. I made an observation early in the day during an assessment. I mentioned it to my nurse and made a suggestion. At first, nothing came of it, but later in the day, it turns out that I was right! This might not be a big deal, but it boosted my confidence in my own skills.

3. I officially and professionally signed my name Caroline RN on multiple occasions and it actually counted for something. A nurse would ask for someone to come double check blood orders and instead of sitting there feeling useless, I was able to say, "Oh yeah! I'm a nurse! I can do that!" So that was fun.

4. I have once again entered the world of holding hands, calming patients, calming families, critically thinking through situations, smiling as I enter an isolation room even though I just walked out, rubbing someone's back for two minutes, washing my hands until they are raw, and caring for patients in a holistic way. There is nothing better.

See ya soon!

-C-