With great power comes great responsibility- Uncle Ben in Spiderman
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
Once again, I'm going to apologize for being very vague. Over the last week, I've had some incredible experiences.
-I spent a day making arrangements for someone with a terminal illness to go and die in the comfort of their own home.
-I was in the room when someone's vital signs dropped rapidly and eventually the heart stopped beating. They ended up living through it, but I don't know the extent of the damage.
-I prayed with someone while both of us thought that their loved one was dying in front of our eyes.
-I listened to patients tell me about losing their son in Afghanistan.
-I've learned so much about the heart. Take care of your heart people! It's kind of important!
-I encountered about one of the scariest drugs a nurse can encounter. Flolan is a medication for pulmonary hypertension (very dangerous) that has a half life of about 4 minutes (How long it lasts in the body). It is a continuous infusion (people take it constantly through an IV) and nurses hate it because if something goes wrong, you have about 4 minutes to fix it.
Overall, this past week has been pretty exhausting emotionally and physically. There have been multiple times when I get back to my house, cry, and then take a nap. I don't think this will ever stop. And I hope that it doesn't.
I have been given much. With that, much is expected of me. I get to be with people during the most vulnerable points in their lives. I have the opportunity to listen, encourage, pray with, pray for, empathize, cry with, and give hope to people on a daily basis.
I hope that I never lose sight of the magnitude of this privilege. I hope that in 20 or 30 years that I can still cry. I hope that in 20 or 30 years, I will still recognize that I have a responsibility. The responsibility part doesn't just come from being a nurse. My responsibility to care for people comes from loving God. Nursing is just an excellent way to make it a career.
I thought that having a real job would be so much easier than being in school. When you're in school, you have to study and do homework even after a long day in class or in clinicals. I thought that in the real world, you'd go to work, come home, then be done. I was wrong. I'm taking it home with me too.
And in a weird, distorted way, I love it.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
The Nurse's Walk
I'll have some stories to share with you all soon, but I have something to give you. I have composed a song.
This song was born out of inspiration that I received from watching nurses that I aspire to be like. One thing that they had in common was that they all had mastered the Nurse's Walk. Apparently, this is something that you gain once you have experience because I know for sure that not all nursing students can accomplish this.
In order to give you all an idea of what this concept it, I wrote this song. I'm proud of it.
To the tune of "Walk like an Egyptian" (Here's the link to the original song if you don't know it http://youtu.be/gzeOWnnSNjg and this is the link to the karaoke version so you can sing along http://youtu.be/VJ-9J-mejkk)
Call lights flashing everywhere
They need to go now, don't you know
If they move too quick oh whey oh
They're falling down like a domino
Got to give all the meds by nine
or they'll be late oh no whey oh
Need to educate them on time
So they can be ready to go
Shoulders back and head held high say
Make way oh, ay oh whey ohhhhhh
Walk like a busy nurse
Dance break!
The PCAs take the trays
They make the bed and they cross the floor
They've got the moves oh whey oh
You can tell they've done this before
All the patients so sick of this
They feel like a pincushion
Then the Code Bell Rings oh whey oh
You're running fast as you can
Stride like you're on a mission
Make way oh, ay oh whey ohhhhhhh
Walk like a busy nurse
Dance break #2!
Slide them onto the bed bend your back
Shift the sheets then you pull them back
Life is hard you know oh whey oh
So find a good chiroprac
If you want to have some fun
You make sure your charting is done
You sing and dance oh whey oh
You've made a difference to someone
Walk with pride cause you made someone's day
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like a busy nurse
Walk like a busy nurse
Note: I left out one verse. I got lazy. Also, I know that chiroprac isn't a word, but it just worked so well I decided to keep it.
This song was born out of inspiration that I received from watching nurses that I aspire to be like. One thing that they had in common was that they all had mastered the Nurse's Walk. Apparently, this is something that you gain once you have experience because I know for sure that not all nursing students can accomplish this.
In order to give you all an idea of what this concept it, I wrote this song. I'm proud of it.
To the tune of "Walk like an Egyptian" (Here's the link to the original song if you don't know it http://youtu.be/gzeOWnnSNjg and this is the link to the karaoke version so you can sing along http://youtu.be/VJ-9J-mejkk)
Call lights flashing everywhere
They need to go now, don't you know
If they move too quick oh whey oh
They're falling down like a domino
Got to give all the meds by nine
or they'll be late oh no whey oh
Need to educate them on time
So they can be ready to go
Shoulders back and head held high say
Make way oh, ay oh whey ohhhhhh
Walk like a busy nurse
Dance break!
The PCAs take the trays
They make the bed and they cross the floor
They've got the moves oh whey oh
You can tell they've done this before
All the patients so sick of this
They feel like a pincushion
Then the Code Bell Rings oh whey oh
You're running fast as you can
Stride like you're on a mission
Make way oh, ay oh whey ohhhhhhh
Walk like a busy nurse
Dance break #2!
Slide them onto the bed bend your back
Shift the sheets then you pull them back
Life is hard you know oh whey oh
So find a good chiroprac
If you want to have some fun
You make sure your charting is done
You sing and dance oh whey oh
You've made a difference to someone
Walk with pride cause you made someone's day
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like a busy nurse
Walk like a busy nurse
Note: I left out one verse. I got lazy. Also, I know that chiroprac isn't a word, but it just worked so well I decided to keep it.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
When left to my own devices...
One great thing about this summer is that I get to see how I live on my own.
Do I make good food or just eat whatever I can find?
Do I ever exercise?
How do I spend my time when I'm bored and there are no siblings to annoy?
Well, this weekend, I've found out a few answers.
I eat whatever I can find. I have good intentions, but....
Yes, I do exercise. However, it's on my own terms. Example: I took a nice little jog/walk that was interrupted by a short stop to McDonalds to buy a hot fudge sundae. I also biked to the grocery store and thrift store. Alas, what I had been told but had forgotten was that at Aldi, you need to bring your own bags or take their boxes. I ended up buying one of those really oversized bags for 10 cents. Not that bad. Until I got to my bike. It's kind of hard to balance one heavy bag on a bike. It took a while to figure it out, but eventually I managed to even things out with a bag from the thrift store. Then it started raining. No worries, I got home in one piece, but boy I can make a comical sight.
How do I spend my time without annoying siblings? I end up annoying cats instead. There is a family of cats on Crossroads campus. There are two adults (I'm assuming it's the mommy and daddy, but you never know) and four kittens. Don't worry, I haven't touched them, but we've spent some time staring into each others eyes. I blame it on them. I was just trying to read a book, but they couldn't keep their eyes off of me. Naturally, I named them. Mom and Dad are Amy and Rory while the kiddos are Annabeth, Nico, Percy, and Hazel. (It was between this, the Pevensie children, or the Ninja Turtles)
FSOTD (Funny story of the day): I biked to church this morning. It's about 2 1/2 miles and a very pretty route. When I reached about two miles, I was on this section of sidewalk where there is a section of grass between the road and the path. There I was, moseying along when I was suddenly assaulted by a red-winged black bird! Apparently, I got too close to it's nest or something, but it was very unhappy. It flew at the back of my head and started squawking. It never got a good grip thanks to my handy dandy bun, but it tried its best. I was honestly so startled that I never screamed or anything. I kind of just calmly started to swat it away. Unfortunately, this interfered with my steering skills My bike started swerving while I tried to get the bird out of my hair. Like I mentioned earlier, I can really make a comical sight. I would have loved to be someone driving by who saw this happening. The most important thing is that I want you all to know that I did not scream. However, my trip back through that area was much quicker than the first time.
Do I make good food or just eat whatever I can find?
Do I ever exercise?
How do I spend my time when I'm bored and there are no siblings to annoy?
Well, this weekend, I've found out a few answers.
I eat whatever I can find. I have good intentions, but....
Yes, I do exercise. However, it's on my own terms. Example: I took a nice little jog/walk that was interrupted by a short stop to McDonalds to buy a hot fudge sundae. I also biked to the grocery store and thrift store. Alas, what I had been told but had forgotten was that at Aldi, you need to bring your own bags or take their boxes. I ended up buying one of those really oversized bags for 10 cents. Not that bad. Until I got to my bike. It's kind of hard to balance one heavy bag on a bike. It took a while to figure it out, but eventually I managed to even things out with a bag from the thrift store. Then it started raining. No worries, I got home in one piece, but boy I can make a comical sight.
How do I spend my time without annoying siblings? I end up annoying cats instead. There is a family of cats on Crossroads campus. There are two adults (I'm assuming it's the mommy and daddy, but you never know) and four kittens. Don't worry, I haven't touched them, but we've spent some time staring into each others eyes. I blame it on them. I was just trying to read a book, but they couldn't keep their eyes off of me. Naturally, I named them. Mom and Dad are Amy and Rory while the kiddos are Annabeth, Nico, Percy, and Hazel. (It was between this, the Pevensie children, or the Ninja Turtles)
FSOTD (Funny story of the day): I biked to church this morning. It's about 2 1/2 miles and a very pretty route. When I reached about two miles, I was on this section of sidewalk where there is a section of grass between the road and the path. There I was, moseying along when I was suddenly assaulted by a red-winged black bird! Apparently, I got too close to it's nest or something, but it was very unhappy. It flew at the back of my head and started squawking. It never got a good grip thanks to my handy dandy bun, but it tried its best. I was honestly so startled that I never screamed or anything. I kind of just calmly started to swat it away. Unfortunately, this interfered with my steering skills My bike started swerving while I tried to get the bird out of my hair. Like I mentioned earlier, I can really make a comical sight. I would have loved to be someone driving by who saw this happening. The most important thing is that I want you all to know that I did not scream. However, my trip back through that area was much quicker than the first time.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Rah Rah Nursing!
Today was our last day of orientation. It was kind of wonderful because they basically paid us to sit there and be treated well. We were treated to a hand massage to 'show' us how nice it is when you get one so that we can give them to patients. Believe me. It was nice.
We ate some good food and talked about our experiences on the units so far. Then we got a tour of Rochester. Finally, we were taken to the Foundation House which was the home of one of the original Mayo brothers. (I can't remember if it was Charles or Will). Apparently, being taken there is a huge honor. This place was Bea-u-ti-ful. A lot of famous people have been there. They served us the best meal that I will eat this whole summer. After stuffing our faces, they had two speakers come up and talk about their experiences at Mayo with nurses.
The message of both speakers was basically- "nurses matter" "nurses make a difference" "what you do is important" "you are the future of nursing". I am a sucker for inspirational speeches, so naturally I loved it. Quite honestly, I think that I picked the best profession there is. I haven't had a lot of experience on the patients side of things (Thank you God!), but I can already see how much of an impact I have the opportunity to make.
Quick story of the week: I had a patient who caused a lot of problems for some of the nurses on the floor. She refused medications and treatments from some of the nurses, but we couldn't let her go until we had done some tests. I had the opportunity to sit with her for a while and try to win her over. It actually kind of worked! She held my hand very tightly while they drew some blood and allowed my nurse and I to give her the medications. It was a small win, but I think that it made a difference.
This is a quick video that they showed to us on Monday. I liked it a lot. :) http://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8
We ate some good food and talked about our experiences on the units so far. Then we got a tour of Rochester. Finally, we were taken to the Foundation House which was the home of one of the original Mayo brothers. (I can't remember if it was Charles or Will). Apparently, being taken there is a huge honor. This place was Bea-u-ti-ful. A lot of famous people have been there. They served us the best meal that I will eat this whole summer. After stuffing our faces, they had two speakers come up and talk about their experiences at Mayo with nurses.The message of both speakers was basically- "nurses matter" "nurses make a difference" "what you do is important" "you are the future of nursing". I am a sucker for inspirational speeches, so naturally I loved it. Quite honestly, I think that I picked the best profession there is. I haven't had a lot of experience on the patients side of things (Thank you God!), but I can already see how much of an impact I have the opportunity to make.
Quick story of the week: I had a patient who caused a lot of problems for some of the nurses on the floor. She refused medications and treatments from some of the nurses, but we couldn't let her go until we had done some tests. I had the opportunity to sit with her for a while and try to win her over. It actually kind of worked! She held my hand very tightly while they drew some blood and allowed my nurse and I to give her the medications. It was a small win, but I think that it made a difference.
This is a quick video that they showed to us on Monday. I liked it a lot. :) http://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Gettin the hang of it
I am knocking on wood as I type this, but I think I might be getting the hang of this whole 'life' thing.
1. I can grocery shop.
2. I can get to the grocery shop without getting lost.
3. I can prepare adequate semi/close to balanced meals for myself.
4. I have a normal bedtime. (Ten-ten thirty. I'm officially old.)
5. My body has gotten used to waking up at 5:30.
6. I know how to use the bus system. Not only getting on the bus, but what times they come and where.
Today I even figured out that I can put my bike on the bus! (This is especially convenient because I get off
of work at around 3:10 and the bus comes at 3:15. The next one doesn't come until 4:15. I've gotten lucky
the last two days, but I don't want to push it.)
7. When I get on my unit, I actually have an idea of what I need to do. When people give me and my nurse report, I can ask intelligent questions.
8. I have learned so much about the heart in the past two weeks. It is an amazing and beautiful organ. I'm glad mine works.
9. I was able to start doing some education for my patients today. This means that I have enough knowledge and confidence to be able to teach someone else something. I'm 'supposed' to do this in clinicals back at school, but I've never felt confident enough in my abilities to do an effective job.
10. The past two days, they tried to put me with the same patients to ensure continuity of care. This was wonderful because I was able to be with the same people for their admission, after their procedure, and through the discharge. I knew their story and could be an advocate for them. Once again, we're supposed to do this in clinicals, but it's really hard to actually accomplish.
11. I've been trying to learn Spanish this summer. Today I walked into a room where the family spoke Spanish, and I actually understood some of it. Not much, but some.
12. I feel relaxed. I don't feel like I'm constantly worried about something going wrong.
I'm doing great! I miss you all back home. Peace out!
1. I can grocery shop.
2. I can get to the grocery shop without getting lost.
3. I can prepare adequate semi/close to balanced meals for myself.
4. I have a normal bedtime. (Ten-ten thirty. I'm officially old.)
5. My body has gotten used to waking up at 5:30.
6. I know how to use the bus system. Not only getting on the bus, but what times they come and where.
Today I even figured out that I can put my bike on the bus! (This is especially convenient because I get off
of work at around 3:10 and the bus comes at 3:15. The next one doesn't come until 4:15. I've gotten lucky
the last two days, but I don't want to push it.)
7. When I get on my unit, I actually have an idea of what I need to do. When people give me and my nurse report, I can ask intelligent questions.
8. I have learned so much about the heart in the past two weeks. It is an amazing and beautiful organ. I'm glad mine works.
9. I was able to start doing some education for my patients today. This means that I have enough knowledge and confidence to be able to teach someone else something. I'm 'supposed' to do this in clinicals back at school, but I've never felt confident enough in my abilities to do an effective job.
10. The past two days, they tried to put me with the same patients to ensure continuity of care. This was wonderful because I was able to be with the same people for their admission, after their procedure, and through the discharge. I knew their story and could be an advocate for them. Once again, we're supposed to do this in clinicals, but it's really hard to actually accomplish.
11. I've been trying to learn Spanish this summer. Today I walked into a room where the family spoke Spanish, and I actually understood some of it. Not much, but some.
12. I feel relaxed. I don't feel like I'm constantly worried about something going wrong.
I'm doing great! I miss you all back home. Peace out!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Lessons Learned
Disclaimer: I apologize if this blog ever seems very vague. I know that when I read blogs, I want details! However, it's extremely important that patient confidentiality is kept. I might tell stories days after they happen because even time is a sensitive thing.
Disclaimer 2.0: If I'm not blogging, it means I'm busy. If I'm blogging everyday, yell at me because I need to get a life.
Lesson 1: Even Mayo isn't perfect. Yes, people still get nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections. Yes, the workers still complain. Yes, they don't always know everything.
Lesson 2: Even after learning Lesson 1, it's okay. Thank goodness that Mayo isn't perfect or nobody would ever go anywhere else. Where would that leave us?
Lesson 3: Nurses are almost always in a hurry. They have places to go and people to see. Unfortunately, a lot of patients have nowhere to go and no one to see. Also, patients don't always understand that nurses can be ahead of schedule for an hour, but then suddenly have 6 things to do in 10 minutes. The lesson that I learned today is that a little bit of time and patience can go a long way. Note to self: before you enter a room, take a deep breath, slow down, and don't make the patient feel like they're hurried- even if you are.
Lesson 4: Ultimate frisbee is one of the best ways to bond.
Lesson 5: Even if you make a few embarrassing mistakes in the first few days, you can still get the hang of it pretty quickly. :)
Disclaimer 2.0: If I'm not blogging, it means I'm busy. If I'm blogging everyday, yell at me because I need to get a life.
Lesson 1: Even Mayo isn't perfect. Yes, people still get nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections. Yes, the workers still complain. Yes, they don't always know everything.
Lesson 2: Even after learning Lesson 1, it's okay. Thank goodness that Mayo isn't perfect or nobody would ever go anywhere else. Where would that leave us?
Lesson 3: Nurses are almost always in a hurry. They have places to go and people to see. Unfortunately, a lot of patients have nowhere to go and no one to see. Also, patients don't always understand that nurses can be ahead of schedule for an hour, but then suddenly have 6 things to do in 10 minutes. The lesson that I learned today is that a little bit of time and patience can go a long way. Note to self: before you enter a room, take a deep breath, slow down, and don't make the patient feel like they're hurried- even if you are.
Lesson 4: Ultimate frisbee is one of the best ways to bond.
Lesson 5: Even if you make a few embarrassing mistakes in the first few days, you can still get the hang of it pretty quickly. :)
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Nurses Log: Stardate 692013-0700
(Read in official captain's voice)
Two days ago I returned to the hospital for my second day of training. After meeting my clinical coach, we formed a plan of action to get through the day most efficiently. There was lots of work to be done, so we were deliberate and did as much as we could proactively. There were charts to be reviewed, assessments to be done, and tests to prepare for. It was important to balance the three different patients on our list so that no one would be neglected or forgotten.
An important aspect of my training is the interpretation of EKG monitoring strips. While it will never be solely my responsibility to interpret them, I believe that this is an important aspect of nursing that will come in handy. Another subject that I am focusing on is that of critical thinking. Knowing that I may never know what is ahead of me pushes me to do what I can, when I can. After a long, educational day, I returned to base.
(Read in normal voice)
After that, my dear friend Lauren came to visit for the night. For maybe the first time since I've known her, I fell asleep before her. The next morning we went out for breakfast and hung out for a while. It was really good to see a familiar face, and I had a great time.
(Back to captain's voice)
After the departure of my comrade, there were no signs of life anywhere. This place was as barren as the Sahara Desert. With no mode of transportation, I made tremendous efforts to bemuse myself and pass the time. Note for further review: There is a great need for some sort of involvement in the activities of the area, or I might be inclined to go stir crazy.
(Normal voice)
Highlight of the day: I really liked the church I went to this morning. It has been a struggle for me to find a good church at school, but I loved today's message and worship. I'm definitely going back and am hopefully getting involved in a small group.
Log over.
Two days ago I returned to the hospital for my second day of training. After meeting my clinical coach, we formed a plan of action to get through the day most efficiently. There was lots of work to be done, so we were deliberate and did as much as we could proactively. There were charts to be reviewed, assessments to be done, and tests to prepare for. It was important to balance the three different patients on our list so that no one would be neglected or forgotten.
An important aspect of my training is the interpretation of EKG monitoring strips. While it will never be solely my responsibility to interpret them, I believe that this is an important aspect of nursing that will come in handy. Another subject that I am focusing on is that of critical thinking. Knowing that I may never know what is ahead of me pushes me to do what I can, when I can. After a long, educational day, I returned to base.
(Read in normal voice)
After that, my dear friend Lauren came to visit for the night. For maybe the first time since I've known her, I fell asleep before her. The next morning we went out for breakfast and hung out for a while. It was really good to see a familiar face, and I had a great time.
(Back to captain's voice)
After the departure of my comrade, there were no signs of life anywhere. This place was as barren as the Sahara Desert. With no mode of transportation, I made tremendous efforts to bemuse myself and pass the time. Note for further review: There is a great need for some sort of involvement in the activities of the area, or I might be inclined to go stir crazy.
(Normal voice)
Highlight of the day: I really liked the church I went to this morning. It has been a struggle for me to find a good church at school, but I loved today's message and worship. I'm definitely going back and am hopefully getting involved in a small group.
Log over.
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