Student Nurse Extern Extraordinaire!

So tonight was my third night on the pulmonary floor and so far it's been a blast/dirty job/learning experience.

I've taken care of a whole array of patients. You name it, I've probably cleaned their poop.

So far, it's been a pleasant orientation and I know for certain that I won't ever want to work on a GI disorder floor (No offense GI ailers). I had the pleasure of having more than a whiff of GI bleed bowel movements and geez LOO-EEEEEZE is it unlike anything I've ever encountered before. Anyways, let me stop myself before I am in breach of any privacy policies out there.

Most everyone on the unit has been gracious and generous with their knowledge and I am grateful to be on a floor full of a fairly younger crowd (meaning early to late 20s). I am still three shifts from being on my own but I'm pretty much getting the hang of things. The job is really not difficult at all and it's a matter of being able to prioritize your tasks. Pretty much like every other job out there.

I feel so welcomed!!!!

The best part of the job has to be the patient interactions. It's great to meet people that appreciate and need your help because it really makes me feel as if I'm doing some good in the world. Yes I'm getting paid to scrub your back but I also am wholeheartedly hoping to assist you in your recovery. It's probably the best feeling in the world knowing that you're brightening up someone's day just by offering to brush their bed matted hair or help them put on some makeup, etc. It's amazing to see how much the little things mean to patients, especially the ones that are admitted on the floor long-term. It's no wonder that the majority of hospitalized patients have comorbid depression and anxiety. I would HATE to have to be cooped up in a bed with sickly, dying patients all around me. Sometimes it's depressing just working there!

Since I'm still in training and paired up with another extern, it's easy for me to catch some extra social time with the patients. I'm sure this won't be the case once I'm on my own and having to take care of double the patients, but while I'm orienting, I will take full advantage of the extra time on my hands and work on the humane aspects of care such as engaging in genuine casual conversations with people. This seems to make almost any patient happy. Most people just want to know that you're really LISTENING to them and not just another item on a to-do list. I don't want to call any nurses out but I am 100% sure that I never want to be hospitalized EVER and if I ever am, I want a friend or family member to be with me at ALL TIMES. I'm talking like, NEVER LEAVE MY BEDSIDE. I understand nurses are busy and have a ton on their plate but honestly, a lot of the nurses I've watched seem to be a bit... too nonchalant. They've seen it all so nothing ever phases them, nothing ever incites them to immediate action, which is good sometimes but other times it just means that these nurses are going to take their sweet ol' time doing anything. Which sucks when you're a 90 year old man that just wants assistance getting to the toilet because he's going to crap his pants. I swear the average wait time between you pressing the call bell for assistance and you actually getting someone to step into your room is like.... 10 minutes! Yeah. Painful!

Anyways, that's enough of that rant. There are some really good nurses out there and I'm going to strive to be one of them. And that's all I got to say about that.

Gifts from a dear patient. I was so touched!

Anyways, I get a day of rest tomorrow and will spend it doing glorious NOTHINGNESS.


I love life. And am thankful for my health.