1 Semester Down 3 to Go

So I finished my first semester at WSU online last night. I actually didn't have to finish at midnight, more like 10pm. This gives me about a week till I have to start again. Guess I better get packing to move. I will still have work at Riverview, but this next week I will be starting my actual shift of 10pm-6:30am. Guess we'll see if I can do those weird hours. Apartment pictures to come if I can get my keys on Monday and get started.

Clinical- stroke and dementia

So today I had clinical again at Holy Family. I was up on the ACU floor. My patient had a stroke the previous day. She also had dementia. It made for a very tiring day. She was in restraints because she kept trying to get up being that she didn't recall she had a stroke. It was very tiring to keep her in bed especially when she had to go to the bathroom. She insisted she could get up to go since she did not remember she had suffered a stroke. The stroke had small symptoms so I think she was lucky in that respect, but she of course already had the dementia. Her family was really good though. The patient also ripped her IV out. We were lucky she had another one except it was anticubital and kept making the IV pump think there was a distal occlusion when she bent her arm. Anyways it would have been an easy day if I/we didn't have to "wrestle" the patient. I definitely give kudos to her family for still taking care of her. It must be hard at times.

Clinical in Holy Family's ER

So today I was in Holy Family Hospital's ER for my clinical day. It was somewhat uneventful for most of the day. I gave some IV pushes, took vitals, and tried to start one IV. The most exciting part of the day was when a motor vehicle crash victim came in and I got to do the chest compressions for the code. I was going to stand in the corner out of the way like a good student, but one of the nurses said I could do the compressions since I hadn't done any before on a real person. Unfortunately, we could not save the man. He had suffered quite a heart attack before which was the cause of the car accident. He did not live. I am glad however, that I did ge the chance to see how it felt to do the chest compressions. You do it faster than you did while practicing in CPR class and I did break some ribs. I heard them break.

For a lighter change, it is flu season and that includes the swine flu this year. One of my other patients had caught the swine flu.........



He caught it from Miss Piggy of course. :)

I couldn't help but get a picture with him.