The elevator ride up to the Med-Surg floor was silent and held looks of paranoia and wonder about what would unfold in the moments before us. My mind was full of emotions of excitement and fear. On the elevator ride down, smiles and laughter were exchanged amongst my clinical group. WE DID IT, OUR FIRST OF MANY CLINICAL DAYS WAS FINALLY COMPLETED!
S/S: To this moment, I still do not know whom I was the most afraid to ask questions; the nurse I was shadowing or the patient I was assigned. After meeting the nurse I was shadowing and hearing the shift-change reports I was face to face with my assigned patient. I was not sure what to ask first, I came to a loss of words as I stood outside the door of my patient's room. I was trying to remember how I talked to Tina Jones in the Shadow Health assignments while thinking about every little detail in the Physical Assessment textbook and trying to push out the thought of wanting to pass the Dosage Calculations exam once I returned back to school.
Tx: I took a deep breath and on exhalation I opened the door and greeted my patient.
If there is one thing I learned about patients at hospitals, is that they will generally tell you what exactly they want and what they do not like. My patient expressed that she wanted to brush her teeth more than anything since she had not been granted the opportunity in the previous two days of being in the hospital. She also wanted to freshen up and get a bath.
After assisting my patient with the tasks she prioritized, we were able to have a wonderful conversation. She was gracious and understanding knowing that I was a first semester student. Just assisting her with a bath and conversing helped me gain the confidence and conquer my fear of being alone with a patient. She opened my eyes to see how just a small conversation can really brighten someone's day. Once we started talking about her dog, she immediately began to smile and laugh. Seeing my patient's mood change dramatically from frustration to joyfulness made me feel like my small efforts of assisting her with hygiene actually helped in her healing process. Her positive emotions reflected my mood for the rest of the day!
VS as of 10/17/2014:
T: Find joy in the smallest of things.
HR: Breath, Breath, Breath.
RR: Ask questions.
BP: Exchange a smile with a stranger.
Pain: Turn to Him not only in desperation but in joy.
PO2: Times flies when you are working hard.
S/S: To this moment, I still do not know whom I was the most afraid to ask questions; the nurse I was shadowing or the patient I was assigned. After meeting the nurse I was shadowing and hearing the shift-change reports I was face to face with my assigned patient. I was not sure what to ask first, I came to a loss of words as I stood outside the door of my patient's room. I was trying to remember how I talked to Tina Jones in the Shadow Health assignments while thinking about every little detail in the Physical Assessment textbook and trying to push out the thought of wanting to pass the Dosage Calculations exam once I returned back to school.
Tx: I took a deep breath and on exhalation I opened the door and greeted my patient.
If there is one thing I learned about patients at hospitals, is that they will generally tell you what exactly they want and what they do not like. My patient expressed that she wanted to brush her teeth more than anything since she had not been granted the opportunity in the previous two days of being in the hospital. She also wanted to freshen up and get a bath.
After assisting my patient with the tasks she prioritized, we were able to have a wonderful conversation. She was gracious and understanding knowing that I was a first semester student. Just assisting her with a bath and conversing helped me gain the confidence and conquer my fear of being alone with a patient. She opened my eyes to see how just a small conversation can really brighten someone's day. Once we started talking about her dog, she immediately began to smile and laugh. Seeing my patient's mood change dramatically from frustration to joyfulness made me feel like my small efforts of assisting her with hygiene actually helped in her healing process. Her positive emotions reflected my mood for the rest of the day!
VS as of 10/17/2014:
T: Find joy in the smallest of things.
HR: Breath, Breath, Breath.
RR: Ask questions.
BP: Exchange a smile with a stranger.
Pain: Turn to Him not only in desperation but in joy.
PO2: Times flies when you are working hard.