Nursing Dx: Anxiety r/t A REALLY BAD DAY!!!

I think I could also state my nursing Dx as Impaired Verbal Communication r/t lack of information.

Today was our second of two days at the nursing home.
My day actually went pretty well until the last 15 minutes of clinical. HIPAA prevents me from telling you exactly what happened, but in general, I was finished charting (which should be our very last thing) and was then given another task. I didn't mind doing that task in the slightest, in fact, I'm glad I was give the opportunity to provide that care for my pt. But it made me late to post conference and then a task that I had been reminding my instructor about had not gotten done and she blamed me for it.
I'm not trying to escape blame. There are things for which I am to blame, but I dont believe this is one of them. I specifically remember them telling us that if we had trouble carrying out this specific part of our assessment due to our pt's condition, let them know and they would find a pt with whom we could interact to get this assessment done. I hadn't been on the floor at the nursing home 10 minutes before I let her know. She told me to remind her later. So I did remind her--FIVE OR SIX TIMES OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS I reminded her. So then when we finished post conference (which I was late to b/c she gave me another task) I reminded her that I hadn't gotten it done and then she snapped on me!! She told me that it was my responsibility to have found another pt that I had better find one quick! My question is: If it was my responsibility to take care of this issue, why did I have to keep reminding her about it over the past two days. Why couldn't she have just told me that I needed to find someone?
I am totally willing to admit that there are times when I don't know what to do and I also have stupid moments, but I didn't think today was one of them.
The crazy thing is--I really like this instructor--even after today's incident. Overall, she's been fabulous. I would venture to say 99% of the time she is fussing, we did something wrong. And I have no problem with her making a big deal out of some (most) things. This is nursing--it's serious stuff! These are people's lives that we are dealing with--she has every right to push as as hard as she can. I'm cool with that. We change lab/clinical instructors after midterm, which is Monday, and I'm really sad to lose this instructor.
I know that there were probably several things I could have done differently on my part to have prevented this situation, but this was my second assessment EVER and only my 2nd and 3rd time to do clincial EVER. There were so many things to think about--everything is very deliberate and takes conscious thought right now. Nothing is second nature to me. Considering all this, I thought I did okay--not great, but okay. I learned A LOT!!!!!! which was the point of the clinical experience anyway.
I came home today and got in the shower b/c I could smell my pt on me still and cried the whole time I was in the shower. Then trying to tell Dave about my day I squalled all over again. It's amazing how lack of sleep can affect your mood. I think I could've handled this situation better had I been going on more sleep.

Nursing school is definitely a rite of passage!

What's a little contamination between friends?

Today we covered nursing process. I think we could've had 2 more class periods on it and still not completely understand everything it entails. I tried to read last night and just got bogged down in the 4 chapters of stuff about nursing process. Today in class I got a better understanding--I hope. At least when we did the exercise at the end of class I knew what to do. That's what matters, right?

So, after class we got 2 tests back. I made a 100 on my math test from yesterday. Hip, hip, hooray. And I made a 90 on my unit test from Monday. I was thrilled about that. I started really getting worried about it during the week. These nursing tests...it seems like I never really know how I did. Some of the questions I'm just sure I got right, I miss (and vice versa). But some of the questions I know I get wrong--I do. For example, when she was going over tests, she commented that she was disappointed in how many of us messed up the question about sterile technique and what to do if we see a classmate contaminate her gloves. She was upset that so many people answered that they would do nothing. After class, someone was commenting that they couldn't belive anyone would put that. WELL, I PUT THAT ANSWER!! I have to laugh now, somehow it just strikes me as funny. Technically, my classmate (in the question) hadn't done anything wrong except waste a pair of sterile gloves. She hadn't tried to perform a sterile procedure in them yet, she was just cleaning a wound in sterile gloves. I wouldn't have let her start the sterile procedure. Oh well...sometimes I have stupid moments. David H. - If you see someone contaminate something--tell them (don't tell the instructor and don't do nothing)!
Now for the weekend! Hooray!!! I'm so excited to be at the weekend! I'm glad this week is over! One more week of lab and then we're back to the nursing home for a 2 day assessment. (If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!)

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment any time!

Is it really an off day if I still have to go to school?

Emily reminded me that my off days are being compromised. The last 3 Thursdays I have had to be at school for one reason or another. Today I had to be there for a math test. It was pretty simple. They prepared us for it well. After the test I came home and CRASHED!! Oh my goodness I was so tired. I slept for hours. I felt so good after I woke up. I just wish I felt that way first thing in the morning!

Yesterday I overslept. I knew it would happen some time, just hoped I didn't oversleep too badly. I woke up at some point and tried to hit the snooze on my alarm clock, but instead I hit the off button. I woke up at some point thinking, "Hmm...it sure seems like longer than 9 minutes." Sure enough, I had slept for 30 more minutes. I didn't have time to get a shower, but I still got out of the house on time. Whew. I know that God woke me up, because Lad isn't going to wake herself up at 5:15am.
Then on the way out of town I came inches from hitting a deer. It darted out from my left and ran across the road. Everything in the front seat ended up in the floorboard and my backpack behind the seat slammed against the back of my seat. I didn't hit the deer, but it sure did scare me good. GO HUNTERS!!!

Things are going good. Tomorrow we cover the nursing process. Fun times...

Patient at risk for falls from wheelchair!!!

I can't even type the title of this post without laughing!
Some of you (other nurses) may find this funny, and others of you may never think this is funny--that's okay. On my worst nursing school days, I'll think back to today's lab class and laugh! Leslie, now that you're reading my blog--I'll look at you and say, "Patient at risk for falls from wheelchair!" and suddenly, everything will be better.

Today in lab we covered charting! Some members of the other lab group said that it was boring and they had trouble staying awake--but not our group! Oh my goodness, I've never laughed so hard! Our instructor seemed to be in a really good mood today too, so that helped encourage our good day. She gave us some charting practice exercises to do. We each got one sentence and had to chart it. (baby steps) My sentence was, "The patient's catheter is draining clear, yellow urine." Simple enough. I didn't chart it perfectly, but hey, this was really my first stab at this. I got the high points. In the end, we decided on "Catheter patent. Clear, yellow urine." No big deal.
We went around the room telling what we charted. Some people got their's dead on, others got tweaked a little. Then we got to one of our lab members whose sentence read, "You put a vest jacket and arm restraints on your patient." Her way of charting this sentence...wait for it..."Patient at risk for falls from wheelchair." It was all I could do not to laugh out loud. She totally missed the point of charting. I think she was trying to come up with a nursing diagnosis instead. Another lab member (you know who you are) says (outloud), "Where did the wheelchair come from?" I'm still laughing about it. I think because all of us were so shocked by her off the wall answer, our instructor didn't really say much. At least when my answers are wrong, they aren't THAT wrong (so far). I was proud of myself for not laughing directly at her. I was so shocked, I'm surprised I didn't say something.
**For all those doubters out there, I do know how to keep my mouth shut!**
I think we have the coolest lab group EVER! Work hard, play hard.

Tomorrow we have a math test. So I'm driving back up to school (on my day off) to take a test. I hate that I'll probably finish the test in less time than it took me to drive to school--one way. Oh well, no pain, no gain. I've learned my equivalents and how to write the problems their way. I'm sure I'll do pretty well on this one. They've been giving us math problems on each quiz and on the tests. Those are pretty good indicators of how we'll do, I think.

Still no test back, they way it'll come back Friday. I hate not knowing what I made.

Thanks for "listening" to my story that I thought was hilarious!

I think my brain has reached capacity!

So much information, so little space left in my brain! I have never felt this information-logged before! Wound care, charting, assessments, pain, and many more things that I have to retain! I don't mind that I have to keep up with it. It's just that there is so much, it is more difficult than normal to keep it all straight. I have been applying my knowledge of one thing to another. We're definitely building on our skills and having to incorporate them in the new things we learn, so that helps a little (that we're constantly reviewing).
I've had my first patient now. We went to the nursing home and just did a general assessment. I walked into my pt's room and went totally blank. All I could remember was that I had to take his VS. I had to leave and review my sheet, catch my breath and go back in. Everything went fine. My pt was cooperative and I made it through. Next time will be WAY easier though. I turned in my clinical paper today and won't know how I do until much later.

Good news: I made another 100 on a quiz. I love 100's. They make me feel a whole lot more encouraged! Also, my class also voted me class president (which really doesn't mean much!), so that was kinda cool.

Next week, we go back to the nursing home and do bed baths and bed making as well as an assessment. So, another patient--here I come!

Overall, things are going well--just busy!

It's been a hard day's night--and day!

Wow, so much has happened in so little time.
School is going fine. We did our mobility lab which included moving patients, range of motion exercises, etc. Kinda fun. I really enjoy my lab group--what a blessing!
I got my pop quiz back--made a 90. Here that translates to a B, but that's okay, its still a good grade.
Yesterday (which was supposed to be our day off) we had to come to school to take our hospital safety test. We are required to pass it before we are eligible to do clinicals at the hospital. I did well on it. Don't have the grade back yet, but I was sure about almost all my answers and looked up the 2 or 3 that I was unsure about and got most, if not all, of those correct! Hooray!
I had another test today (just got done with it). There were 2 questions that I was unsure about. I could narrow them each down to 2 possibilities, but it was going from 2 to 1 that I had trouble with. I'm pleased with the answer that I chose, but I'm not sure that they are correct. They were both pick the BEST answer--not the right answer--questions. We should get that score back on Monday. I'll be eager to see how I did.
I finally got all my clinical requirements turned in. All my shots are current and documentation correct, so I have no barriers to doing clinicals.

School is going really well overall. I'm able to keep up and hope to work on getting ahead over the weekend. Today we're discussing Nursing Laws and Ethics. It's a little bland, but has some interesting topics too.

The drama in my life right now is coming from family. Daddy was hospitalized Sunday evening having tightness in his chest. They tried to put another stint in, but couldn't get it positioned. One doctor said regulate his cardiac system with medication, diet and exercise, another said triple bypass. They have now decided on 3 bypasses and an aortic valve replacement. I was on the phone with momma or daddy last night way more than I was studying, but hey, priorities, priorities...
Pray for daddy as they're considering surgery and the best route to take care of his heart.

This weekend, my plan is to sleep!!!! I'm so exhausted. I've been waking up at 4am in a panic that I might have overslept. Then I look at the clock and realize that I still have 45 minutes to 2 hours more of sleep. After that I have very fitful sleep. I had nightmares all last night too, so I'm about dead on my feet today. I may have just thought I did okay on my test.... :)

Talk to yall soon!!!
Lad

I wore an adult diaper...

I am SOOOOOOOOOO tired! I was up this morning at 4:45AM...did you get that....AM! The sun wasn't even awake yet! Oh well. I did get up and out the door in time to drive to school and be there by 7am.
Today's lab covered urinary and bowel elimination. We covered catheters, briefs, and some care plan stuff. Then we watched a video on the HIPAA laws and another on elder abuse. I'm appalled that we even had to watch a video on elder abuse--it is just unthinkable what some people will do to our elderly--what a shame!
Overall, today was a good day. I left school and got part 2 of my TB skin test. I'm happy to report that I do not have TB. I go back on Thursday and will be finished with all my clinical requirements (and can't wait until that's done!).
Tomorrow's lab is Mobility which includes feeding and moving patients and range of motion exercises. Kinda cool.
I'm liking my lab instructor more and more. She's tough, but she's thorough and she's convinced me that she really does have our best interest at heart and is out to teach us every little thing she can. After I'm out of Nursing 1, I hope I can get to know her better and can see a different side of her.
David H. - I wish you the best day tomorrow as you begin this journey I began a few weeks ago. Life as you know it will not be the same--but this is do-able. We are going to do this! When we're on the other side, our families will have to get together to celebrate!!
Going to bed now so I can get another early start tomorrow. 4:45AM comes early!
Good night, sweet dreams!

Pop Quiz, The Count and Jane

Had a busy several days!
Friday at school we had a pop quiz (kinda expected it). I think I made a 100 (as long as good perineal hygiene is a nursing intervention for a pt with an indwelling catheter). We'll get those back tomorrow. The fifth instructor taught on Friday and I really like her. 4 out of 5 isn't bad.

I finished The Count of Monte Cristo this weekend. It ends nothing like the movie! I was kinda bummed about that. I actually like the end of the movie better than the book. It was way more happily ever after! Oh well...at least I can say I read it.

Last night after church, the "youth group" (of 18-27 yr olds) went to Hattiesburg to the movie. Most of them went to Rush Hour III, but 4 of us girls went to see Becoming Jane. It is the story of Jane Austen. I've read most of her books and loved them, and that movie was great! I loved it. You really have to listen to the dialogue to keep up though. Wholeheartedly recommend that movie.

Tomorrow is lab. I'm leaving from the house and will see how I do having to be there at 7am. I have a safety test on Thursday and then a lecture test on Friday.

I'll keep you informed.