Clinical Reflection.. days 3 & 4

We are required to write reflections after each week of clinical.  I thought i’d just post here what I wrote for that. 

___________

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
JA
X-NONE

<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 1″/>

<w:LsdException Locked=”false” Priority=”72″ SemiHidden=”false”
UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 5″/>

June 20 & 21, 2013

 

            There was a vast difference in the way that I felt this week at clinical as opposed to last week.  When I walked onto the floor on the first day, it felt almost unreal that anyone would expect me to be caring for a patient, after all, what did I know?  It turns out, while I still lack more knowledge than I possess, I am starting to know a little bit about this nursing thing.

 

            Last week, I was basically afraid to touch a patient.  I felt like I would hurt them and had no business touching them when I had zero experience with anything.  Two weeks ago the prospect of giving a bed bath or even turning the patient  was frightening.  Now I have at least six bed baths under my belt and I couldn’t begin to figure out how many times I repositioned patients.

 

            I even felt confident enough to go and help other patients that weren’t “mine.”   If something like a bed or chair alarm went off, I felt as if I would be help to them, and not someone fumbling around them.  That is a huge increase in my confidence. 

 

            This week I was also able to advocate for my patient.   I could assess when a no-responsive man seemed to be in pain.  He was grimacing and just seemed overly uncomfortable.  I was able to notify the nurses taking care of him and get him a prn dose of morphine.  After I was able to reassess that he was feeling more comfortable.    It is an amazing feeling to see that you have the ability to help someone in that capacity.

 

I did see some new interventions and medical devices this time around, a peg tube, a tracheotomy, and a subcutaneous port. Although I did not have the opportunity to really perform any care regarding these. 

The nurses on the floor were very helpful this time and explained just some little “tricks of the trade” as we went along.  I feel that my clinical experiences have been amazing overall.  I have learned so much more than I would sitting in a classroom.

 

            The difference in my confidence level between the first day of my clinical experience and the last is staggering, considering it was only 4 days in the hospital.  I am really looking forward to the rest of my schooling and becoming more confident and capable in the coming months.  I actually feel now as if I may be becoming a nurse.