Clinicals

So last night I had my first ever hospital clinical, not really what I expected. I guess I was expecting more hand holding from my instructor and nurse, but I was much more alone and on my own. My initial patient was not in his room and my nurse (finally) figured out where he was, surgery. She had no idea when he would be back. So my instructor told me to have her give me another patient, but she didn't claim to have another good patient, so I got a man she didn't really want to give me. I started working that one up and then the nurse got a call from the doctor saying he was getting discharged in an hour. Back to no patient. Then my nurse ditched me and I was alone, again. The first patient I had came back from surgery and I had him again, for about 5 minutes, then his family decided that they didn't want a student. My instructor found me reading and assigned me a third patient. This one was actually super. Great person and great family members.

Throughout the evening  I had a couple of chances to do other things with random patients. I put a straight catheter in a female patient!! Woo hoo...on the first try, nice and smooth. This patient was also anatomically a challenge, with a prolapsed bladder. Very awesome.

I was pretty nervous last night, because I was not exactly sure of what I can and can not do. It was also tough because my nurse(s) didn't really want to take the time to show me what I could do. They would rush and do it themselves, a little frustrating. I am glad I do not go back for 2 weeks, but I am kind of excited to see what else I can get to do. I want to be doing IV's SOOOOO bad!! We shall see.

This weekend I am running a 5k that Carrie had planned on doing and talked me into ;). It will hopefully not be storming, light rain is ok, just no lightning please. It is right up the street. I sorta have a goal in mind on my time, even though I kinda feel like I should just run it the best I can and be happy with that. I mean I haven't exactly been training to improve my 5K time, this was a spur of the moment sign up. Anyways, I am hoping for 38:00, but realistically I think I will be happy with 40:00 and under. I think my best time is 43:52 and that was the Get Your Rear in Gear race that sucked for me....so fingers crossed. Carrie said she is going to group run and doing her 4.5 miles first and then the race (saturday is our long run day), I told her she was crazy!! But probably smarter than me...I have a feeling she will get all her miles in on Saturday where as I will probably put my long run off til Sunday, when I will be in GB.

Off to AA and Al-anon meetings for school.....getting ahead of this game!