So Wednesday was my last clinical for GIGU. It was a light day, starting at 8am for pre-conference and 8:30am on the floor and then leaving the floor at about 1pm for post-conference and our final evaluations. I was given two patients. One was older, having gastrointestinal issues and getting ready to have some tests done. My other patient was younger, nearly 60, in with an infection in her leg. About sometime late morning, I stopped in the latter patient's room to check on her. After talking to her for several minutes, she started to cry. She was tired of being sick- this was the seventh surgery and she's kept getting recurrent infections in her leg. She was just worn down from it all because its affected her physically and understandably so. I spoke to her with comforting words, or what I thought might be comforting because I really didn't know what to say exactly. Whatever I said worked, and she pulled herself together and I was glad because I felt like for the first time I could see the fruits of my labor. I could see that what I am doing IS helping and IS somehow making a difference, even if only for a few minutes.
I didn't realize that last part until one of my instructors brought up something else I did that day in our post conference. Another patient, not mine but another classmate's, was getting a chest tube put in (more about that in a minute). Both the doctor and the patient allowed us to watch, and so next the bedside we stood. As the doctor was finally putting the chest tube in, I started rubbing the patient's arm to give him some sort of comfort. It wasn't much, but as my instructor put it, it shows the patient that we are there, and that we are giving them support and are comforting them.
When we were getting off the floor, I spoke with my nurse and then went and told the patients I was leaving. My second patient stood up and gave me a hug and thanked me for being there when she needed someone to talk to. It was the first real time that I was with a patient and started to tear up. It felt good to know she felt better. It was definitely a good day.
Now about the chest tube- there was a patient on the floor who had a lot of fluid accumulating in his chest, so the doctor decided to put in a chest tube. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was to watch one of these for the first time in real life. Aside from that, I actually got to hold the tube for the doctor, open it for him and give it to him. I know its not much, but it was something, and a lot of doctors aren't nice enough to even do that. But man, was it cool.
So now its Spring Break and Peds begins in a week. I am really excited and can't wait for it to begin. Until then.........
I didn't realize that last part until one of my instructors brought up something else I did that day in our post conference. Another patient, not mine but another classmate's, was getting a chest tube put in (more about that in a minute). Both the doctor and the patient allowed us to watch, and so next the bedside we stood. As the doctor was finally putting the chest tube in, I started rubbing the patient's arm to give him some sort of comfort. It wasn't much, but as my instructor put it, it shows the patient that we are there, and that we are giving them support and are comforting them.
When we were getting off the floor, I spoke with my nurse and then went and told the patients I was leaving. My second patient stood up and gave me a hug and thanked me for being there when she needed someone to talk to. It was the first real time that I was with a patient and started to tear up. It felt good to know she felt better. It was definitely a good day.
Now about the chest tube- there was a patient on the floor who had a lot of fluid accumulating in his chest, so the doctor decided to put in a chest tube. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I was to watch one of these for the first time in real life. Aside from that, I actually got to hold the tube for the doctor, open it for him and give it to him. I know its not much, but it was something, and a lot of doctors aren't nice enough to even do that. But man, was it cool.
So now its Spring Break and Peds begins in a week. I am really excited and can't wait for it to begin. Until then.........
1 comments:
Just read your blog-I admit I don't check it everyday-because you don't post that often!! It really is great reading how you are not only learning your stuff and actually getting to use that-but that you are seeing the reponse the patient's have to your compassion. It must be terribly hard not to get emotionally involved-especially when they open up with their feelings, etc. But I think that line of being able to be supportive and encouraging while not letting it get to you will definitely be one that you can handle and you will really enjoy being a nurse and seing how much you are helping people feel better:)
love ya!
mom k
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