Home
nurseynursey
07 June 2009 @ 11:28 am
(no subject)  
Much has happened since I last wrote a decent post....
I've learnt cannulation and am now the cannulating queen! I love doing it. Not sure why, but I do enjoy it when I get to practice it. Which currently is fairly often.

My theatre rotation is coming to a close.... I am in theatre for another month and a half then move onto my next big rotation a couple of weeks after I get back, which is emergency. I think that will be interesting... but very chaotic at times.

I'm getting over everyone trying to teach you how to skin a cat 90 different ways and every way that you get shown is the right way. I'm starting to get sick of being picked up for everything and being told that "it's not right" but to the person before me it was.... and that no matter WTF I do, it's always going to be wrong for someone..... All I want is to be left alone to do my damned job and do it well!

Otherwise I am enjoying nursing... that and the fact that patients in theatre are unconcious 90% of the time, which I seem to really like.... Not sure why.... ;)

Although I do have some funny stories to share.... oh the things people say when they are under makes me laugh......and sometimes makes my day!

I understand that nursing is a steep learning curve. No matter if you are a graduate entry like me (got into nursing after already having done one degree) or straight from high school, it was good to talk to one of the grads from last year and ask her how her grad year was - was it all smooth sailing or were there a few obstacles in the way. She said that there were a few issues, so it's nice to know that you aren't seemingly the only one where things always seem to happen to you - others have had hiccups in their grad year, it's just that no one ever talks about it.

My nursing grad year co-ordinator asked me if I was ok at our study day the other day and a few things sort of spilled out. I get the feeling that she spoke to my theatre nursing grad co-ordinator and that they are just keeping an eye on me.....I don't mind, I understand why, but at the same time, I feel like I am being put on watch or something. At any rate, I am going to miss theatre when I have to leave.... just when everything is starting to click, you get wrenched out and put somewhere else again. I can understand why people stay in the same area for 20 years - it gets comforting to know where things are and what not.

I've seen all sorts of surgeries, one of the most interesting so far was a pinna reconstruction.... They take a part of the rib out to make the 'cartilage' for the ear - they shape it and mould it to how they want and move skin via dermal grafts and all sorts of stuff... It's quite interesting and the surgeon that did it was very good and the pt will be very happy I think = it looked really really good. It's nice to know that surgery isn't all about bad things, that there are some good things and good outcomes with surgery.
Tags:
 
4 comments | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
24 May 2009 @ 01:30 am
(no subject)  
I'm doing night shift at a cancer hospital tonight and I've just had a patient pass away.

I don't like cancer nursing. Not one bit. I'll be glad to get home tomorrow. No amount of money covers that sort of stuff.
Tags: ,
 
 
Current Location: Cancer Hospital
 
2 comments | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
18 May 2009 @ 01:41 pm
Anaesthetics is sposed to be a non contact sport...  
Isoflurane + eyes does not = a good thing.

In fact it's a Very. Bad. Thing.

Spent the morning in my emergency department. My eyes are ok, and I need some panadol for the roaring headache.

It was my fault totally, but why would you have every other anaesthetic agent that is produced use direct connections of various locks and have only one with some sort of stupid tubing?

Anyway, I can see, no major damage done, but there's a lesson there peoples: 

WEAR YOUR EYE PROTECTION FOR EVERYTHING!

Trust me, stinging eyes, subsequent washing of eyes, stinging stuffs put in eyes and then drops for eyes is not fun.
 
1 comment | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
22 March 2009 @ 08:52 pm
Dirty, dirty, hit me.  
So, things have been a little busy and I haven't had the energy to really blog lately.

Currently I'm babysitting and so I have tons of time! (kids are all in bed)

Anyway, I saw the lancing of a chalazion the other day. Fancy name for an inflammed meibomian (sp?) cyst. It's a little freaky what they do to lance it. I still stand by having a GA for anything regarding my eyes. You come at me with sharp stabby things, and there will be a fight. A fight I can gua-ran-tee you that I will win. I will win. It's my eye!

At any rate, they had to inject local into the eyelid after marking where the chalazion was (there was a massive big one and a smaller one) and then they get this instrument that looks like a pair of tweezers, but with circles at the end like O. They slid these up under the eyelid then flipped it so that the inside was now on the outside (did anyone ever do that "flipping the eyelids" trick in school to freak everyone out? If so, that's basically the same thing, but not using your fingers) and apparently some are so big that with the pressure (as the forcepy things are clamped shut) they pop. However, this one didn't so it needed lancing and boy, did some crap come out. Not infected, but sebum and what not. Dirtiest thing I've seen so far and it was fascinating! There was nothing in the second one, which made the Dr think that it must have been linked with the original.

Poor pt looked like someone had socked them one, coz the Dr had hit a small vein when injecting the LA, but otherwise the pt was just relieved that it had been done. Having seen a few weeks of theatre lists since then, they probably comprise 70% of the Treatment room procedures that get done.

The next thing that was on that I got to help in was a Temporal Artery Biopsy which was great. The Dr was lovely and the supervising nurse was great as well. That was awesome, and I always seem to think that arteries should be bigger and more muscly than what they actually are. It was bigger than what I thought it would be, but smaller than my expectation, which probably doesn't really make sense. At any rate, 2.5 cm was just snipped out of this pt's temple. It's to check the blood flow to the eye, but still. The funniest thing was that the pt fell asleep! All that was given was a LA, but he apparently was so comfortable the pt fell asleep. We then got told that it took longer than expected.

Well, of course it did, considering you just slept through most of the procedure. But hey, we aim to please.

Recovery isn't too bad. In fact I like it when it's constant but that's rare. It's either really busy or really quiet. I got to check the resus trolley the other day. It was a good chance to really have a proper look at all the different drugs and equipment. Some of it is so specialised that unless you work in trauma or emerg everyday you wouldn't really know what they were or what they were used for.

I also get to wear scrubs each day. That's one of the best bits, although I had only just gotten used to bloody well wearing a uniform! They are so comfy though. I could totally wear them everyday all day, all night, you name it. Wouldn't make a good look going out though, I don't think.

I start anaesthesia in a week (there was the choice between scrub/scout and recovery/anaesthetics) coz I have Thurs/Fri off due to attending my grad ceremony. Seemed fairly pointless to start, only to forget it over a couple of days. So am sticking with recovery for a couple more days then hitting anaesthetics. 

Looking forward to it. Did a lot of pharmacology and what not in my first degree. Also chose not to do scrub/scout as where I work is fairly specialised and I don't think I would get such a broad range of experience in scrub/scout as I would like. Recovery/anaesthetics I think is fairly standard no matter where you are. 

Then I get 2 weeks holidays at the end of July, start of August. That I am looking forward to as I am heading interstate. Should be fun.. 

Otherwise, I don't think I've signed off on so much paperwork in my life! 
Tags: ,
 
 
Current Location: Babysitting
Current Music: SYTYCD Australia is on Telly
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
20 March 2009 @ 06:15 pm
Secrets aren't secrets in Anaesthesia....  
At least not when you aren't aware of what you are saying:

Pt last week was coming out of a GA. First question?:

Where are the hookers? 

He then proceeded to get a bit worked up at the fact that there were no hookers, but he had an expense account for them.

Lesson:
Don't go blabbing things that your mother shouldn't hear.
Tags:
 
 
Current Location: Home
 
3 comments | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
08 March 2009 @ 12:23 pm
(no subject)  
I've just finished my ward rotations. I just had 4 weeks on the 'normal' ward - that is the one where you have regular meds, regular shifts, and that lovely thing called routine. I loves routine. Makes my day go just that little bit smoother.

I then moved to the day surgery ward, which, on first inspection, is the complete opposite to the overnight/longer stay ward that I was just on. Completely nuts. After a day or two it is actually ordered chaos, but still, chaos nonetheless.

I no liked day surgery ward. I did get to know a couple of the anaethetists that I will be working in theatre with, and if they are as crazy as what I am, I think I may just never want to leave theatre. Ever.
Apparently the golden triange of anaethestic is the following. If one f(cks up, then your life for that day turns to shit.

Egos go in and out,
Blood goes round and round,
Oxygen is good.

Now, that may just save my life in theatre methinks. I like how it's nice and simple and if that's the crux of being an anaethetist, tell me where to sign up for med school!

Anyway, I managed to get through the rest of the ward rotation without making any more medication mistakes. Made on in the first week and nearly died as it was such a stupid, stupid mistake.
The second time was a near miss, although that wasn't actually my fault as a more senoir nurse thought the indication for bd (which it was) did look like TDS. How, I have no idea, but I honestly think some doctors need to go back to school. I also picked up on one med order that people had given, but the Dr hadn't signed. I was very pleasant, but told my NIC that I wasn't prepared to give the pt their meds, even though everyone else had.
I've also picked up more times than what I can count, Dr's not signing off on med charts before I took pt's to the ward. Most of them were very pleasant about it, as it means time doesn't get wasted later, but some of them got a little narky. 

That was interesting, but I think it was pointed out that I was only doing my job and anyway, at least they didn't get a phonecall/page at 2am in the morning needing a signature!

I did leave early though, as I thought that that's what the NIC said. Mind you, it took them an hour and a half to ring my mobile (I would have rung it first, but that's me) and all in all everything worked out ok. Except for the bit where it went to the Director of Nursing. She was very pleasant about the whole thing and I got docked for the 3 hours that I wasn't there, but I'm getting ribbed by the ward nurses. Thing is, I do understand it was serious (due to pt ratios etc) but I honestly was told to go home. Or so I thought. Next time I'll double check I think.

I go to theatre on Tuesday, and I can't wait. The drugs. Oh the drugs..... Actually, I'm interested in the pharmacology and their action, rather then taking them... although self experimentation DID win a couple of Aussies the Nobel Prize in Medicine, so you never know.

I don't want to do scrub/scout as the hospital that I am at is very specialised and so in that area, I don't think I would get as much a rounded experience as what I would like. Anaesthetics and recovery however, is generally the same everywhere, both drugs wise and what you do in first stage recovery, so that's one reason why I chose it. That and I am more interested in it at the moment than the other, and 2 of the other grads definitely wanted to do it, so I was happy for them to do so.

I get to wear scrubs all day (pj's to work. Score!) although I do need to wear a shirt under the top or I will freeze my arse off. Not to mention my pt's will be how I like them best. Sleepy, unconcious or drowsy. What more could you want as a nurse? Interaction is overrated and pt's really don't appreciate anaesthetic drugs as much as they should. Then again, some do, and they more than make up for the rest of the population, that's for sure!

I don't work nights, weekends or later than 7pm in theatre as well. I'm starting to get a social life, which, after 8 years is a little... weird. I mean, do people really randomly go out on a Sat night? Maybe they do, might be something I need to look into... and do some practical research on! *laughs*

Anyway, more interesting stories in theatre...

I wonder if people remember some of the stuff that they say when they are going under. Probably not. Must make a community that is "Overheard in theatre"
Tags: , , ,
 
 
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: bouncy
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
12 February 2009 @ 09:23 pm
Please, don't tell me how to do my job, when you CAN'T FREAKING DO YOURS!  
Dear Dr *,

The reason I am such a nitpicker is not only because that's part of my personality, especially in my professional life, but also because I hate wasting time.

You see, if I check the med chart while I am down in recovery, and find that you haven't signed off on 4 meds that you were sposed to, then I can get you to do that then and there. I don't need to call/page you later, and waste 1/2 hr minimum that I don't have, chasing your arse to get med orders signed, coz you were too lazy/in a rush to make sure you had done it the first time.

So please, don't get all narky on my arse. Also, I am a grad, and thus, more than a little paranoid about the responsibility that I have for my patients. I actually quite enjoy nursing and refuse to lose my licence because I didn't be more than a little anal about my patients and their care.

No love,
Grad Year nurse.


Dear Dr F8ckface,

I appreciate that you are the smarts. You have a medical degree, and have done more training that what people spend years in high school. Contrary to what you seem to think, I too have done school. While I am not a med dr I do have a biomed degree, as well as a nursing degree.... I just chose not to be a dr.

Next time though, can you PLEASE write in English? Not Egyptian hieroglyphics, or your own brand of abbreviations TM, but english. Contrary to what you seem to be reading, your perception of 1 bd BE (i.e 1 eye drop, both eyes, twice daily) is not the same as what not only I, but another, more experienced nurse saw. What we saw was tds (three times a day).

I am smart, but I can't read minds and codebreaking was not a subject that I took at uni, for many reasons. Also, don't get narky and pissy at me or the other nurse because we rang to clarify and due to it being a near miss, will be doing a risk man (please refer to letter above as to why I am a little anally paranoid) so that it doesn't happen again.

Then again, you can always learn to write in English, clearly and legibly and avoid all of teh dramas above in the first place. But that couldn't come from me, coz what the f8ck would I know?

Go get narky at someone else,
Grad Year Nurse.
Tags: ,
 
 
Current Location: Friends House
Current Mood: cynical
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
08 February 2009 @ 09:52 pm
(no subject)  
I did a night shift at one of the trauma hospitals last night that is dealing with the bushfires in Australia. First night duty shift ever, I got called in at 1945 for the burns unit.

I was happy to do it (penalty rates etc for the weekend are nuts in a good way) and I thought it being a Sat night, and most of what walks through Emergency on a Sat night here is stabbings, alcohol poisoning etc, I thought I was relatively safe.

Was I wrong.

The world as of yesterday afternoon, unknown to the rest of us, went arse over bits. In that regard, all sense and sensibility was lost and it went and caught was is known as the crazee. There is no other word for it. It's amazing how insulated you can be when information cannot be gotten out because everything is cut off from the outside world.

I started the shift ok, things were generally alright til about midnight. There was word of a couple of admits, and then from 2am onwards, it hit. 5 admissions to the ward. 3 still in emergency when I left at 7.30am this morning. ICU was full (which is no mean feat when you are one of the top 2 Level 1 trauma centres in the state and one of the best in the country) Emergency overall was packed. The NUM's were rearranging bed allocations to other wards so that burns patients could be admitted to the burns unit. Being a new grad and not having any expertise let alone knowledge in burns patients I was allocated the medical patients who weren't really there for burns, but needed a bed.

That was fine with me. Not only did it mean that I was able to do things without stressing too much, it freed up the other nurses who were specialised to deal with burns to be allocated to patients that really needed them. The teamwork was awesome.

There was a patient who was in emerg, and thought that her husband was dead, only to have him roll over at some stage and say "Hey darlin". They are now on the burns unit in a shared room together.
There was another lady who was admitted who found out afterwards that members of her family didn't make it. Someone's daughter was admitted - she was the only one in the danger area at the time, the rest of the family were elsewhere.

Most patients that were admitted to start with were suffering from radiation burns - in that regard, not nuclear but heat radiation.

There are 3 patients in the ICU for whom grave fears are held.

 

The hospital was on bypass for all patients needing admission to wards bar emergency admissions (eg chest pain, burns etc). All emergencies, where possible were diverted to another trauma hospital in the cbd, if coming in by ambulance. If people walked through the door they were still treated, but it was pretty much Cat 1 and 2 triages only. Otherwise, you were better off waiting to see the GP on Monday.

So last night, I got hammered. I did discover that I quite like night shift, as long as it is (10 hours) and I don't mind PM shift either. AM can still kiss my butt. But I coped well, I did make a mistake, but nothing too serious, and discovered that I don't think I could cope with working in the specialty of burns.

But it was certainly a learning experience of when the world goes to teh crazee, of just what people when they work together are capable of.

Arsonists should be strung up by their thumbs then made to work for 24 hours straight in a burns/ICU/Emerg. Just so they have to face those that were caught in the stupidity of their actions and the consequences of what they have done. Because hearing a burns patient having a bath, or seeing them having to be sedated because of the pain, is not something I would gladly want to see. And neither do the people going through it.

 


Tags: , , , ,
 
 
Current Location: Home
 
2 comments | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
01 February 2009 @ 06:34 pm
A week has been completed.  
So. I managed to get through a whole week of my grad year without crashing and burning. Just a lot of sleeping.

The grad year co-ordinator, who was a little weird in the interview is actually lovely. In fact, everyone is really, really nice, very helpful and incredibly supportive. And only having to remember 4 other peoples names is actually a relief.

I'm on a ward for the first month or so and then have a periop rotation, which I am really looking forward to. So in other words, I have no weekend work for the next 7 months! Score! SCORE I TELLS YOU!
I also have a week in pre-admin clinic, a month in emergency and then a couple of months on the ward again. Which I don't mind, I'm actually rapt that I get to do areas that are considered specialties that I am interested in.
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
22 January 2009 @ 11:16 pm
(no subject)  
I did my first ever nursing shift tonight. It was at an Oncology hospital and everyone was really nice. I managed 4 patients by myself (where I live in we have ratio's that are dependent on patient acuity) and while I was busy the entire time, the time flew. It's cash that I badly need and I have already been rung and asked to do (and will be) a evening shift tomorrow. I have to go and look after the lady I helped last year at 9.30pm, but the hospital I am working at has said that it's fine if I leave at 9.00pm - which I will really need to.

They also know I am a new grad and I start my grad year on Tues and are fine with that. I can't believe that literally within 24 hours of showing my registration to the agency, that I have been swamped with work. It's insane! At least I will never be short of a job though. Thank god.

Otherwise I had a ball. I was looking after 4 guys, who were really nice, very polite and lovely to look after. The Dr's that I dealt with seemed a bit surprised that I was well organised (don't know why, but it also makes my job a lot easier) but seemed happy about it.

I'm at a private hospital tomorrow, then god knows what's happening Sat & Sun but Mon is a public holiday in Australia, and I am having that day off - BBQ here we come! Also, I have to get up early and start my Grad Year the day afer - I has mai uniforms! - so no workies for me on Monday - it's relaxin' time!!

I so love this job already.

Really. I do.
Tags: , ,
 
 
Current Location: Uni work
Current Mood: happy
 
1 comment | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
16 January 2009 @ 10:06 pm
(no subject)  
I is now officially registered in the state that I reside in... Australia doesn't have a national registry although there are moves afoot. I am considering registering in other states as well, but for now, it's just the one that I live in.

It's going to be weird for a little while to have to sign things off as "Nurseynursey, DIV 1 RN" on patient files etc.

I feel like I am starting to accumulate the alphabet behind my name: 

Nurseynursey, B. Sc (Biomedical Sciences) B. Nursing, Div 1 RN

Well, maybe not, but a few more degrees and I probably will!

I start my grad year in under 2 weeks. A little scary as it's ENT and Eyes, but it's different and I like learning new stuff.

I am currently on holidays at the moment and loving it. I couldn't do this permanently though as I would probably go nuts being a 'lady of leisure". Lucky I am someone who doesn't mind working.

Ask me that in a year and see if my response is the same!
Tags: , ,
 
 
Current Location: Sydney
Current Music: Tele
 
2 comments | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
12 December 2008 @ 01:02 pm
(no subject)  
So.

I passed my final subjects. Not as well as I hoped (I got my second ever Pass in this degree) but considering what's happened this semester (my nan passing away just after semester started being top of the list) I'm surprised I passed anything at all really.

Got into Hospital R and have to complete paperwork etc, which I must send in. Since I am going to run around lots on Monday, I think I will do it then.

I start the day after Australia Day - a week of orientation (translating into sitting on my butt for 8 hours a day basically) then a week of being buddied and then off I go.

It's kinda weird - I'll be a lot older than most of the others and I am used to being pretty independed in terms of work and how I do things. Not to mention I never did like being coddled at work. I guess I am just going to have to get used to extra close supervision compared to what I am used to normally.

I am looking forward to it. Only thing is I can't listen to my iRiver while I am working! Ah, that can't be bad for my ears at least.

So now I am waiting to be registered, so that I can actually have a job :D

And I don't even feel guilty about not handing in assignments or not doing study. Consequently I am voraciously reading my way through numerous books (NON TEXT!) all at once and enjoying the rest from technical, complicated need-to-understand stuffs.

Won't be saying that next year though I bet.
Tags: , , ,
 
 
Current Location: Uni Work
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: NIN - Capital G
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
27 October 2008 @ 12:52 pm
Graduate Years - As if we don't have enough stress already  
Ok, so to sum the entire waiting experience of Grad year Applications.

It sucks hairy dog's balls.

Essentially I apparently didn't get into either the A hospitals because I want to do 8 shifts a fortnight rather than 10 (which is the full time equivalent) even though it was listed as an option on the application sheets. Why the hell would you say "yes you can choose part time" when you won't even consider the applicant if they tick that box!

ITS FALSE ADVERTISING! Well, maybe not, but still, it's not entirely true to the application process and how they say that they consider each application equally..

So anyway, I ended up applying to B hospital and R hospital and both accepted me - but I am going with R hospital to deal with eyes, ears, noses and throats. I am guaranteed 2/3 specialities that I am interested in, and there is no night duty (I hate mornings, but it'll only be for a year!) and when I am on theartre rotation, no weekends!! Plus it's not as far from home as B hospital is and there are no other campuses that I could be sent out woop woop to. Which is nice. It also means I start getting paid full time again from the end of January!
Hooray!

I hope I get paid weekly or fortnightly. Being paid monthly is a royal pain in the arse. Really.
Tags:
 
 
Current Location: A Hospital
Current Mood: happy
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
12 October 2008 @ 08:45 pm
" I can just taste it, Taste it"  
Ok, so I have officially finished all clinical placements as of 98.30 pm tonight and have passed all the hurdle requirements (yay me!).

I've even been asked by the staff on the ward whether or not I will be coming back because they would love to have me. And that I have requested the ward, as they would love to have me come back.

I would like to come back, if only because they were enthusiastic about me working at A hospital. Which didn't show through at the interviews.

The Medical Assessment and Planning Unit would have been great if it was that, a medical and assessment unit. Unfortuneately (or fortuneately if you are into gerontology and geriatric care) it was pretty much anything but. Which isn't a dig at anyone but the healthcare system in general. And believe me, the more I work in the medical field, the more I am even more convinced that people should be able to say when enough is enough and chose to go when they feel ready to and that I don't want any CPR, Met calls, lifesaving measures, the lot. I DON'T want to come back twice as bad as what I was before I did.

Most of the people I have been caring for aren't just old - as in young or middle aged old. They are old old meaning that they are generally 80+ years and the only reason most of them are still plodding along is due to modern pharmacy. They are people that technically would have been dead 10 - 20 years ago due to a heart attack, CVA, Hypertension, PE or DVT, Diabetes or whatever. But they aren't. And I can't help but think that they must be more miserable that they have lost their independence more than anything.

Which influences my thoughts about how I practice as a nurse both now and in the future. I will always ask people what they would like to do. I don't like having people do things for me if I can do them myself, and I know that they must feel the same way. So even when I am insanely busy, I will still do my best to encourage and promote people doing their own thing as much as possible when in hospital. Even if it does make me a mean spirited bitch.

I've gotten lots more practice at various things, blood taking being one of them and being able to spot how patients are going and in particular the effect of deconditioning. That is applicable to one patient in particular who over the course of the 3 weeks I have been on the ward has gone from being cheeky and a sort of Casanova to someone who now barely speaks, eats and sleeps in bed all day. I find that really sad to be honest, and yes, everyone has been encouraging him to get up and move about, but he doesn't want a bar of it.

So I have learnt a lot of things on this placement and many things in terms of how I feel and think about things have also been solidified. That doesn't mean that they won't change or that I can't change how I think, but at the moment, I am happy where I stand on a multitude of things.

I will also be proactive in helping students rather than doing things for them. Which is something that I have noticed many nurses do - because it takes us a little longer than most as we are unsure of what we are doing. The only way that we are going to learn is if you let us do it in the first place!

I now have 3 assignments and an online exam to do. I also need to get up early and go to my second job tomorrow, but I get to sleep in on Tuesday, which is always a bonus!

At any rate, I find out in 8 days where I will be doing  my grad year, and I promise to let you all know!!
Tags: , , , , ,
 
 
Current Location: A Hospital
Current Mood: tired
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
26 September 2008 @ 07:36 pm
(no subject)  

Things have finally become a little more organised. Which makes for a very happy Nurseynursey as you can all imagine.

I however am not happy about having to work my birthday. On the contrary though, I have managed to either make sure I had annual leave or it landed on a weekend. This time round, no can do. I spose I should be happy that for once, the AFL Grand Final (aerial ping pong) is NOT on my birthday. Therefore there are no conflicting issues with the engineer about what takes priority. The gf or the footy. Obviously, a very hard choice, but one that does not need to be made this year. Lucky.

Attempted to take blood today. I was successful somewhat. By that I mean that I actually (on the second attempt) managed to get the vein and blood was very nicely going into the syringe.....until the blood decided to clot. I for once, wished that the patient was still warfranised, but we can't always get what we want. I was more successful than my preceptor who couldn't get the vein, let alone the blood at all. So we cheated and pulled it from the IVC.

Now, normally this is NOT standard practice as the bloods can be affected by whatever you are forcing into the pt. However, it was just NSaline going in and IVT had not being going for a couple of hours. So you can understand why we cheated. That and the bloods had been ordered about 2 hours ago and our excuse was that the pt had only just gotten back from a transthoracic echo. But I digress. So I was pretty proud of myself as I wasn't shaking and I managed to get it on the second go. Yay me.

I must say, I'm wondering when the shit will hit as I've had it pretty easy so far.... Having said that, I can just see that tomorrow is going to be insane. However, I can't help but wonder is it because I have finally managed to time prioritise or time manage or what. Who knows, but while I am only managing 2 pt's at the moment (due to one having a psych special and the other there is massive family issues and the staff are documenting their arses off consequently) I am actually wanting more.

I'm helping out as much as possible due to having a lighter load though, and I think that it's making things a little easier for a few grad nurses. I don't mind, gives me something to do.

Speaking of grads, today was the deadlin (5pm actually) to change any preferences for computer match. I changed from A Hospital to A Hospital as seemed that they actually were quite keen for me to work there. I'm not worried about whether I will get in or anything, as I have a back up plan if I don't, but I also would like to know NOW dammit! Ah well, 10th of Oct here we come.

Anyway, it's near the end of my shift (about an hour and a half) and while its not the best placement I have ever had so far, it's not the worst either.

 

Tags: , , ,
 
 
Current Location: A Hospital
Current Mood: calm
 
1 comment | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
25 September 2008 @ 06:18 pm
Missonary's in a foreign field  
i'm on the medical assessment and planning unit of the hospital that I am doing rotation at, and lets say its interesting. In the "I need to know all the drama/goss/bitching" kinda way.

Death really does bring out people's characters I must say.

Apart from that, I have 2.5 weeks and I cannot wait. While I have multiple assessments due, I at least have no more clinical. Well, slave labour unpaid type anyway.

Will need to update later. Meal break over, back to the unpaid work!
Tags: , ,
 
 
Current Location: A hospital
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
02 September 2008 @ 08:26 pm
Wishing, waiting, wanting  
I'm currently in the student accomodation computer lab in Mt Isa, which is joined to the laundry (and I am waiting for my washing to let the washing machine do its thing) and finally got off my butt to update this little corner of the world (or interwebz rather).

I've been in Mt Isa for just over a week, with just over a week to go. I have no freaking idea WHY subject co-ordinators see fit to make sure that all our assignments are due right when we have clinicals. I mean, if you wish for us to have time management, don't worry, that's what being on the ward is for!!!

At any rate, I'm enjoying the placement here, although I am itching to get back home. Not getting paid for it and not being able to do my day how I want to plan and do my day (which I am used to) is really starting to irk the crap out of me. 6 weeks to go nurseynursey, 6 weeks to go.

Well, that's what I keep telling myself.

Highlight of the placement so far was being able to do 2 days with the Royal Flying Doctor Service. 12 hour shifts 4 days a week, and you only go out if you get called out. However, you don't get paid for overtime and some shifts can be crazee central. But that's ok. Only thing is that you need to be more qualified than a taxi driver who has an overseas medical licence but that's ok. We all know what I am like with getting my grubby fingers on degrees and certificates and all the rest.

Had a cultural awareness day today which dragged on for a bit, but otherwise was actually quite interesting. Yesterday went out and did a presentation (which I later found out was part of another assignment - So no work on that for me!) and basic health checks - BSL, BP, weight etc, dragged along some other student nurses who are also up here on placement who wanted to come out as well, and boy did we have a ball. It all went down swimmingly apparently, so that made everyone happy all round.

I think I could handle coming up here for 6 week blocks and whatnot, but I am not too sure that I could live here permanently, or for longer than a year or so. I don't think I could cope, and I would probably go quietly insane. Having said that though, there are lots of perks and bonuses and whatnot, so who knows. Need to get through next year (grad year) first.

Speaking of which, both interviews went well. Changed preferences, simply because it felt like one hospital was more interested in me working for them and wanting to employ me than what the other one was. But at any rate, I find out in a month, so I'm not worried about it. Have too many other assignments to be stressed about that!!!
Tags: ,
 
 
Current Location: Mt Isa, QLD
Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Get Off: The Dandy Warhols
 
1 comment | Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
21 August 2008 @ 08:04 pm
Graduate Interviews  

Well, I applied for two hospitals and got two interviews. 

I honestly think that Hospital A1 is starting to look better than Hospital A2. Why? Because they were a lot more enthusiastic about me working there and how I would fit in. 
I got told that I did well for both interviews and interviewed well, but Hospital A1 didn't seem that enthused. The interview styles were very different as well, so I don't know if that has something to do with it. 

Anyway, community placement in 2 days, up to Mt Isa. Middle of nowhere, but boy am I looking forward to being away from Melbourne. Something different for a while. 

Although I am frantically trying to type up an assignment, and I have another one due 2 days after I finish, meaning I have to get it done while I am up there! 


8 weeks of crazee central. Here goes!

Tags: ,
 
 
Current Location: Home
Current Mood: busy
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
12 August 2008 @ 01:35 pm
*bounce bounce bounce*  
I found out today that I have an interview for the other hospital that I applied at. YIPPEEE!!!! Very happy vegemite here. I have them 24 hours apart - one after the other, but I am excited. 

I wasn't overly worried that the other hospital A hadn't replied up until now as I did hand in my CV on the last day and I found out that they had 720 applications for 120 positions. Whoa. 

Still, I can't stop grinning and I will be bouncing along in the car in the drivers seat on the way home, listening to some inanely happy bouncing driving song. 


In other news, I bail out to bumble fuck in 2 weeks for 2 weeks. I also have a stint with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and am really looking forward to this placement. Being in the middle of nowhere is going to be challenging, but I like a challenge (slap me stupid when I say that in future as it invariably gets me into trouble) and I think I will be learning a lot from it. I also have 2 assignments due when I am up in nowhere land, which is going to be interesting. 

The first I can get done before I fly out. The second I am going to have to do while I am up there and that will be a little harder methinks. 

But hey, that's life, and I'd be whinging that life was boring if I had nothing to do right?
Tags: , ,
 
 
Current Location: A Hospital
Current Mood: excited
 
Leave a comment
 
nurseynursey
06 August 2008 @ 01:03 pm
Made of Awesome  
 I got a Grad Interview! Its at one of the two top hospitals that I applied for (then again I only applied for two!) but I don't know what ward/dept wants me. 

See the rotation is on the one ward the entire year (as opposed to the other hospital that I applied for that has mulitple) and if I don't get Emergency I am going to be pissed. I DO NO WANT to be stuck in respiratory or spinal for the entire freakin' year. I might just go more insane that what I am now, and that wouldn't be good for anybody, let alone me. 

Anyway, booked in for the 20th of August in the middle of the day, a couple of days before I piss off to bumblefuck. I should be awake by lunchtime I thinks, so I hopefully will make the impression that I am alert, awake and orientated. Which is always a good start if you are a patient or a worker. 

Well I think so.
Tags:
 
 
Current Location: Work
Current Mood: excited
 
8 comments | Leave a comment