Home Health Clinicals

So I just finished a 5 week rotation in home health. If you don't want to read this entry you can go below and click on the link to watch my video talking about this clinical rotation :). Home health falls under the bigger umbrella of community nursing. We worked out of an office with a clinic and mostly did things such as dressing changes, VAC dressings, IV therapy, palliative visits, ostomy care, staple/stitches removal, drain care etc. If patients are well enough they come into the clinic and if they are unable to come into the clinic the home health nurses go out to do home visits. I was paired with one RN and her and I worked together for the whole 5 weeks. I really enjoyed my time in home health. I have become extremely comfortable working with dressing changes and more confident in my choices of dressings due to the exposure I've had here. Palliative exposure was very minimal but it still makes me uncomfortable and sad and I don't think I'll ever be good at it but who knows. Something important I learned in home health is how important it is to know all your patho, bio, and pharm so thoroughly and really understand the disease processes and ask WHY something is happening so you can begin to see the "bigger" picture instead of just the one task that you are doing. In my job as an ESN we are very task focused and complete all our tasks and its job well done but how many of us stop to ask WHY did this person end up in hospital, HOW can we prevent it, are they okay to go home for discharge? What is delaying their discharge? Maybe this is the part where I begin to think like a real RN...for my next 5 week rotation (Neurology) I want to focus on seeing the "bigger" picture and linking everything together...thats all for now...Hope you guys are having a great semester!

Home Health Clinicals Video

Community Nursing Clinicals

Hello all!!

So this past summer I did a clinical rotation in community nursing. I made a video about this then decided to not upload it because I really did not provide any actual information to you and would rather write this in a blog post. So basically let me just say it. I did NOT like my community rotation. It was really boring. I was placed in a long term care facility. Basically with a group of 3 other students we had to "Assess" our community and based on this assessment address a concern or do something that our community needed. We ended up setting up a meditation program. I felt more like an event planner than I did a nursing student. It wasn't anything like what you think nursing would be like. It was more population and community centered. Don't get me wrong, this kind of nursing is important but personally it's not my thing and I can't ever see myself doing it. That's really all I have to say about it...if you have questions shoot and I shall answer! Sorry for the crappy overview of community nursing. It just sucked for me and I was so happy when I was done LOL.  Ack.

Summer is over

So, for those of you following my twitter (@mandeepg88) you know that I had a very fun filled summer ( 3 weeks count as summer?) so hence the no blog posts but as with school I am back and I shall soon talk about my experience in community nursing last semester and also posts thoughts on this semesters current placement which is home health. Soon..right now I need to go and fall into my bed after a super boring day of orientation. Seriously...orientation for 8 hours? FML FML FML. ugh.

I can see the light

Alright....so there is about 1 week of school left. I'm amazed that I have made it this far. Ugh. If I can survive this week then.....I can survive anything. Then I shall make the videos I have been promising this entire semester to make. My journey as a nursing student is almost coming to an end!! 3 more semesters left...This seems unreal. Also, I've gotten sick an unnatural amount of times this semester. Stress is wreaking havoc upon my immune system. Wah.

Ugh

Hello fellow Nursies...

Halfway through the semester from actual hell and I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. Some quick updates:
- I've started my ESN job
- I've worked some day and night shifts! (will make a video about this soon)
- I am questioning whether or not I still want to work in emerg after graduation
- I hate writing papers. Wah.

More detailed posts/videos to follow. Are you guys suffering through this summer like I am?
Sucks.  Ugh

I'm a nurse?

You always think about how you would react in an emergency situation. Will you remember all of your training and spring into action? Will you cry in a corner and realize you're not cut out for nursing? Will you freeze and then regain control and handle that situation? I like to think that I'll freak out for about 15-20 seconds that hopefully my nursing training kicks in and directs me in the right path.

The other day I was at a family function. Suddenly my dad comes up to my and states that one of my nephews is having chest pain and I need to come look at him. Instantly my heart is pounding. Oh MY GOD. They are putting the care of the child into my hands and expecting an expert opinion. My cousin is looking at me asking what is wrong with her son. PRESSURE PRESSURE. My nephew is 6 years old and has diabetes. He is very good at managing his illness but like with all kids mistakes are made. So I walk over to him. He's lying on a couch clutching his stomach/chest area. He's wincing. This kid is in visible pain. Think Think!! What do you do. I ask him what's wrong. He informs me is chest is hurting.
" Where is it hurting?"
"Right here" He points to an area right underneath his sternum at the base of his ribcage.
"Hmmmmmm, has this happened before?"
"No...it's really hurting"
After some more conversation I determine that this is not chest pain, this seems to be more stomach/intestinal pain. When I palpated I really felt nothing. Pain was described as 6/10 and just started as he was running around with his cousins. After asking him if he hurt himself that he day he mentions that he fell down in the bouncy castle and fell on his stomach. Ah, we are getting somewhere now. My next question...when was the last time you went poop? or farted? he giggles. He went poo this morning. Excellent. I have a nagging suspicion he just needs to burp/fart. I hand him a fizzy drink being mindful of his diabetes. He drinks up....5-10 minutes later. BURP. Suddenly he feels much better and away he goes. I did it!!!!!

In my family I also have a cousin who is a family doctor and he was unavailable when my nephew was feeling sick but showed up halfway through my assessment and told me I did a great job. The only thing he did differently was asking questions about his breathing. DUH ribcage..base of ribcage..lung expansion...can't believe I missed that one.
It felt so good to be looked at as a professional and to help assess and "cure" my nephew of his gas. :) I'm realizing that when I feel like I learn nothing in nursing school it's not true. I'm learning many things.
That's the story for today nursies!! Until next time!

Failure to thrive r/t lack of sleep, social life and mental status decline....

The further along I progress into nursing school...the more and more I realize that I need to start having wine with every meal.

A good buzz oughta help me deal with this shizzzz.

School sucks.  That's the only thought of the day today kids.

Scheduling, scheduling and more scheduling.

So it's Thursday, in one more day I will officially be done my first week of semester 6.  (Just in case anyone is wondering I have 3 semesters left until graduation:) ) All I have heard is that semester 6 is the semester from HELL and will make me want to stab myself in the eye. It's true. Today my clinical instructor even told me that this is the HARDEST semester in the program. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. FML. GNJKGAK;GHOWBIJgijwi[bi[

Seriously. It's week 1 and let me tell you what I'll be doing this weekend aside from working 16 hours.

1. Contact clinical placement area to set up a meeting time to work on community project
2. Prep for all 3 classes (2-3 hours)
3. Make 4 resumes to be handed in to placement facilitator to be used to place me in my 3/4 and final preceptorship.
4. Health presentation about social determinants of health
5. Begin thinking about my research proposal

I think another FML is in order.

This semester scheduling shall be crucial as well maintaining my mental status so I don't lose my MIND.  You guys should follow me on twitter if you're fond of hearing me whine and complain hehehe ( @mandeepg88) But seriously, this semester is going to test me I can already feel my stress level getting high. My goal is to take this one week at a time and attempt to get through and book a vacation for August so I have something to look forward to. That always helps...*SIGH*

Clinical placements this semester were not in a hospital or acute care instead we are placed at various locations in the community. I am placed at a rehab facility and have to schedule a meeting with my contact to figure out what project I'll be working on this semester...what project you ask? Good question. I have no idea. Not much direction is given other than go and show up and it will come to you. Great. I looooovvvvveeeeee doing things with no direction...note my heavy sarcasm. Ugh. This paired with my insane working out schedule and commitment to eating healthy is enough to make anyone crazy.

Fortunately, I'm not just anyone...I'm nursemanda!!! :D Until next time nursies...
 Toodles. xoxoxoxoxo

I am having trouble waiting

So, there are exactly 20 days left until my orientation for my job as ESN (Employed Student Nurse) on an orthopedic floor. After that I can start work immediately. I am able to book shifts now. OMG. I AM SO EXCITED. I am MORE excited for my very first night shift. I wonder how it will go and if I'll be able to stay awake all night. That's really all that is running through my mind at the moment.

First day of summer classes was today. I'm already crying about it. Jeez. Who came up with the idea of summer school............

:(

Excuse me, you have pertussis, I think....

So, I have a story for you people today!

I live in a big city. Currently in this city we are dealing with a pertussis (whopping cough) outbreak. This is mostly fatal to young children. Hopefully you guys know what this is, and if not then head over to your handy dandy med surg book and look it up ;) Or google....cause when in doubt google what its about. Anywhooo, I was riding public transit to work and was just sitting there minding my own business when I noticed a man pushing a stroller walk onto the train with a woman who was yapping away on a cell phone. In the stroller was an incredibly cute little child. As chubby as could be. They were fairly close to me, The child smiled at me and I smiled back. Then I heard it, the ever so distinct noise made by one who may have whooping cough. The smile slowly vanished from my face as I watched this child attempt to take a breath in between spurts of coughing. I couldn't bear it anymore. I turned in my chair. "Excuse me, hi, um I'm a nursing student and I was wondering if you knew that currently there is a whopping cough outbreak here and your child sounds like they might have it! Were you aware" I was speaking to the gentleman behind the stroller as the mother was too busy talking on a telephone to notice what was happening. Grrrr. The man displayed a look of geniuine concern and took a look at his child then claims "No, I didn't know that....you think he has it?" "Well, I'm not sure but it sounds like it...Can I ask how long he has had the cough for?"  "I think a couple of weeks..I'm not sure thought" Then he glances over at the woman who now is interested in the conversation I'm having with her boyfriend or husband..whatever. I smiled and filled her in on what I was saying and concluded with "Maybe it would be a good idea to take your baby into a doctor to get them checked out, pertussis is treatable but dangerous without treatment and can lead to respiratory issues when the child is older." Here I am thinking I found the perfect teachable moment to help a child and educate a mother and father about the dangers of pertussis, but no. Not even a little bit.
"Who do you think you are?? YOU think I don't KNOW when MY child is SICK??" The woman is infuriated by my innocent advice. Dumbfounded I stare at her face wondering how seriously stupid she could be. I want to ignore her and tell the father to take the child to a physician. I look at her and claim that I was simply trying to be of assistance and if she doesn't want to hear it then fine but for her child's sake she should consider my advice. Then I turn around and go back to my world of silence while waiting for the train to get to my stop. I hope that child was taken in to a physician. And I hope that mother isn't as crazy as she came off.

I suppose my helpful ways aren't always well received. Jeez.....