A new possible calling
First and foremost, I apologize for not updating sooner, but I think that this is the way it's going to be. Tuesdays I'm up at 4:00 (AM) and don't finish my day until 8:00 pm, then I'm doing readings or homework. Thursdays I'm up at 5:00 and sometimes don't finish until 10:00, so blogging will have to start on Fridays. I will mention what has been going on in both sites I am currently at so that way you all will still be informed. Ok, that's enough housekeeping. On to this week in a clinical setting...or two.
Tuesday I was up on the rapid response team. What is that exactly? It's exactly what it sounds like. The nurse I followed was normally a CCU nurse (coronary care unit) but once a week rotated off and did the rapid response team. The rapid response team is called before a code situation occurs (ex: code blue.) One instance was that a patient in the Hospice unit needed an IV started, so the rapid response team (RRT for short) was called to get it started. That's actually what I saw a lot of...starting IV's. Oh goodness gracious, then there's the first lady we saw. Stuck over 10 TIMES trying to start an IV. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I told the nurse when we left the room "that should not happen." She agreed. The day actually went by pretty fast and it's not that I enjoyed it, I just didn't really feel like I accomplished anything; just did a lot of observing. Not that I mind observing, but I at least wanted to do something. That is...until yesterday happened.
Thursdays are my psych rotations, and as most of you remember I'm on the Adult Addictive unit, which is adults who have suffered chemical dependency/substance abuse. Yesterday we pretty much started from scratch; there were all new different patients compared to last week, which is pretty typical, because patients admitted to this unit only stay a maximum of 7-10 days. Most patients leave in a few days; the average is about 4 days. The other student who's in my group and I got to see an REBT meeting. REBT stands for rational emotive behavioral therapy. Basically, every week there's a new topic each week and the group differentiates what is rational and irrational. The topic yesterday was grief, and the 5 stages were mentioned and discussed (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). Again, completely blew my mind how open the group was. I was astounded, but that wasn't even the most astounding part.
After the group, my clinical instructor and us two students had the opportunity to talk to one of the patients who was just admitted. His story....just blew me away. He and his wife had the same problem, but she was out of state getting treated somewhere else. Instantly, I could hear what I'm sure many people who have a problem go through, the classic "oh, after this day I'll stop, or oh when I turn 40 or whatever other age, I'll stop, or oh I'll stop after Christmas." But what really got me is that after we talked I could see that it helped him mentally. And I barely said one word. And then it hit me; maybe this is what I was meant to do. Maybe this is the field I am supposed to be in. Out of the 2 weeks I've been doing this rotation I feel that I have done the most good; I feel I have been fulfilled the most. And I didn't have to pass medications or take vital signs or give an injection. I just...stood there...and listened. And when I walked away, I just thought to myself...this is where I can do the most good.
So yes, the rotation I was so terrified to start I now feel I might do the best in for a career. Now nothing is set in stone yet, but it's a start. Ever since I started nursing school I've been struggling to find somewhere that fits for me. Long-term care; doesn't fit at all. Med/Surg; maybe, but not quite. Psych; definitely a possibility. But like I said, I still have such a long way to go in my career, however, there's a possible fit for the future. Quite exciting actually!
Tuesday I was up on the rapid response team. What is that exactly? It's exactly what it sounds like. The nurse I followed was normally a CCU nurse (coronary care unit) but once a week rotated off and did the rapid response team. The rapid response team is called before a code situation occurs (ex: code blue.) One instance was that a patient in the Hospice unit needed an IV started, so the rapid response team (RRT for short) was called to get it started. That's actually what I saw a lot of...starting IV's. Oh goodness gracious, then there's the first lady we saw. Stuck over 10 TIMES trying to start an IV. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I told the nurse when we left the room "that should not happen." She agreed. The day actually went by pretty fast and it's not that I enjoyed it, I just didn't really feel like I accomplished anything; just did a lot of observing. Not that I mind observing, but I at least wanted to do something. That is...until yesterday happened.
Thursdays are my psych rotations, and as most of you remember I'm on the Adult Addictive unit, which is adults who have suffered chemical dependency/substance abuse. Yesterday we pretty much started from scratch; there were all new different patients compared to last week, which is pretty typical, because patients admitted to this unit only stay a maximum of 7-10 days. Most patients leave in a few days; the average is about 4 days. The other student who's in my group and I got to see an REBT meeting. REBT stands for rational emotive behavioral therapy. Basically, every week there's a new topic each week and the group differentiates what is rational and irrational. The topic yesterday was grief, and the 5 stages were mentioned and discussed (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance). Again, completely blew my mind how open the group was. I was astounded, but that wasn't even the most astounding part.
After the group, my clinical instructor and us two students had the opportunity to talk to one of the patients who was just admitted. His story....just blew me away. He and his wife had the same problem, but she was out of state getting treated somewhere else. Instantly, I could hear what I'm sure many people who have a problem go through, the classic "oh, after this day I'll stop, or oh when I turn 40 or whatever other age, I'll stop, or oh I'll stop after Christmas." But what really got me is that after we talked I could see that it helped him mentally. And I barely said one word. And then it hit me; maybe this is what I was meant to do. Maybe this is the field I am supposed to be in. Out of the 2 weeks I've been doing this rotation I feel that I have done the most good; I feel I have been fulfilled the most. And I didn't have to pass medications or take vital signs or give an injection. I just...stood there...and listened. And when I walked away, I just thought to myself...this is where I can do the most good.
So yes, the rotation I was so terrified to start I now feel I might do the best in for a career. Now nothing is set in stone yet, but it's a start. Ever since I started nursing school I've been struggling to find somewhere that fits for me. Long-term care; doesn't fit at all. Med/Surg; maybe, but not quite. Psych; definitely a possibility. But like I said, I still have such a long way to go in my career, however, there's a possible fit for the future. Quite exciting actually!
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