Nursing Stress

My take on nursing one day at a time

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

~Ob clinical~

Today I had another OB clinical. I was working in the nursery with about 15 babies. It was so much chaos at times when they would all cry at once. I really like working with the babies. I got to observe a circumcision (spelling?). That look very painful even with the block, strapping them down like that I kinda hurt a little after that lol
I got to observe a delivery today!!! It took all of two minutes at the most. The baby popped out with only one push. Maybe that birth was different but it wasn't what I thought it would be again. I'm starting to wonder if anything will be how I thought it would. I had fun in the nursery watching over the babies. There were only a few really sick babies. One was having respiratory problems that prevented it from being able to eat so that baby was very irritable and crying most of the day. It surprized me how the nurses there would be charting and totally ignore the babies cry. I think that is just as bad as someone ignoring an adults pain. Everytime the baby with the IV that couldn't eat would cry either me or the other student would have to go comfort it because they seemed to not care whether they were crying. One nurse even said they have gotten used to the crys and has gotten used to looking over the cries. I couldn't work with someone like that. I understand the babies crying at times could just be them needing a little comfort and in my opinion it is just the same as an adult having issues, we try to help the adults what is so different about a baby, why would they not feel the need to comfort them or even check to see why they would be crying. I guess you can see that really got under my nerves. Anytime a baby would cry most of the time it only took TWO minutes of holding them to soothe them and they were back to sleep and not crying for so long.
I think I would like to work in a nursery. I think I would really enjoy it. The only thing I would be afraid of is losing all of my other skills. Most of the babies were rather healthy and didn't need much invasive care, and I would be scared to work in a nursery for a long period of time and then feeling uncomfortable if I ever wanted to change areas because I may not feel comfortable with my skills. I think my decision about what area I want to work in will come down to whether or not I want to be truly happy or make a decision I may not necessarily like.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

~hi there~

I haven't posted in a long time. I have meant to many times, but for some reason I don't ever get around to it. I have been very busy. Today was a big day I came so very close to having a nervous breakdown...I was at work when someone said something that got under my nerves and bothered me so much. On the way home I was thinking about all the things I have to get done and how bad I just want to be free of thinking about anything to do with nursing just for a little while. I have a hard time letting it go and just relaxing it is always on my mind ALWAYS. Well I got home and there was a big mess waiting on me that once again just set me off. I remember crashing onto my bed and just crying my eyes out. I was thinking in my head how frustrated I was and just wanting to give it all up. I'm not getting all religious but I put it on the Christian radio station because there was nothing good on the radio and if I was going to be crying my eyes out I wanted some good music. So this song came on that I guess flipped a switch because I stopped crying....jumped out of bed....cleaned the mess that set me off....surfed the internet for a little bit until I was motivated and relaxed enough to do my work....and then I worked for four hours to finish my paper....I don't know what happened BUT I went from in the middle of a breakdown crying my eyes out not being able to function wanting to give up EVERYthing to a point I don't remember that good. I know I got up and did those things BUT I don't remember thinking about getting up and doing them I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't know when or how I calmed down and got myself together in a split second. I'm glad I did get it together because I did get a lot done this afternoon and I feel a lot better about it now. After I finished my work I haven't thought about anything with nursing until now. I have to learn how to let it go if only for a few hours at night or I. am. going. to. go. crazy!
Other than my break down today I have been doing very good. I was sick with a terrible flu for TWO weeks and mind you it was ofcourse the two weeks I had test. I made a 96 on my first OB test and an 84 on my first medsurg test. I wasn't happy with the 84 I know it is a good grade, but I knew the material a lot better than an 84. I have gotten my psyc clinical and clinical work out of the way. I have completed two medsurg clinicals. The first medsurg was an orientation which was great because I'm working at a new hospital. That day I only got to speak with a patient for about an hour ofcourse so I could do the 15 page assessment, meds, lab, and careplans for the week. I hated doing the paperwork, but I did get some good experience communicating with a patient with a trach. The second day I observed in the ICU. It wasn't as intense as I thought it would be, but it was a pretty calm day noone coded and everyone was basically stable all day. I did like the atmosphere there. I think I would like working in an ICU one day.
I finished two of my four OB clinicals, and I got the graded work for it completed my first day so I could get it out of the way. My first day I was supposed to have a laboring patient, but my patient was waiting for a repeat c-section. I didn't get to see the birth because she went back right when we were leaving :( I did get to do a shave prep AND start a catheter for the first time. I really hope I get to see a birth. Labor and delivery is what I have ALWAYS wanted to do since I was little so I really want to see a delivery SO BAD. I don't know if I will be able to see a birth but I am hoping in the next two times I go I will get to see one. The two days my clinical group has been on the OB floor they have only had two laboring patients each day and they were always both in the early stages. Our first day two of the students in my clinical group got to see a delivery so I'm jealous!