One more week down...

Things are flying by. Got my (not very) cute nursing school picture back and look like Jabba the Hutt.

Had a midterm yesterday in my fluff class and it wasn't so fluffy. I'm not real keen on the management side of nursing. But delegation is definitely something I need to learn more about. Like working with techs on the floor (CNA's, PCT's). Yeah, you kinda have to tell them what to do in a nice way. And they definitely dont like to be directed by nursing students. Um. We are supposed to "use the techs" for baths, vitals, etc. I always help out and do baths/vitals/adls with the techs.

Had a tech completely mutiny on me this wk. She *evaporated* and didnt do any of the things she said she would do, and I found her in the break room 4 times in the 6 hrs I was on the floor (had to track her down 'cuz she was emptying urinals and hats, removing trays and cups, but not charting the strict I/O). I almost felt like she was sabotaging me.

The point is, ultimately I am responsible for my patients. So while techs are usually a godsend and very hardworking, I am finding that I need to have my own sets of vitals and a back up plan for when my patients are getting ambulated, bathed, etc. Techs can make your day much easier OR make your day hell. (Thank you to all the amazing techs out there who I know work their butts off for the patients!)

Lets see, clinical went very well other than that...but there is a student in my group having massive problems. He tried to cover his patient up with a draw sheet instead of a warm blanket, didnt know what SCD's were and couldnt figure out how to put them on (we are seniors!), and this poor patient he took care of, who had just fallen off of a ladder and was in excruitiating pain, had to endure this student DIGGING for femoral pulses and timing them for a minute each?

I was in the room trying to help the train wreck when the doc walked in, looked at me and said, "What exactly is he going for" as she watched this student dig his hands into the patients groin. "Um, ask him?" I said. Then the doc asked where the MAR was. The student told her he hadnt seen it all day. "I'll find it, " I said. Went hunting through the nurses station, the med room, the nurse server...no MAR. Doc and residents waiting for me...

WEnt back in the room, and in front of all the docs, found the MAR UNDER A DIRTY PILE OF LINENS IN A CORNER CHAIR. The student had left it there since 0900 meds. It was 1PM. Had the patient even gotten his PRN pain meds yet? I handed the MAR off and bolted from the room. Then, in post conference, the student fell asleep, and was YELLED at, 4 times. He also showed up at clinical with NO PAPERWORK. I dont know how he is even in the program. I mean, I only spent 10 minutes helping the guy and I was freaked out. At this point, we are IV pushing meds (ie we can KILL people if we screw up) and this guy cant find a blanket or the MAR? What in the world????????????

Otherwise, I had a great couple of days--found that liver abscesses smell REALLY bad when they are drained and that perineal flap surgery is akin to FRankenstien. Hung some more piggybacks, gave lots of injections (including Heparin)and actually interacted quite a bit with Docs and such giving my opinion on things which was a first.

Must go study-another exam approaches. Wish I could have a casual weekend. Have to work tomorrow night as well. Ugh!