Nursing areas….
ER Nurses: Let’s code everybody, but Jesus H. Christ, can we get these patients out of the hallway?!?
ICU nurses: Let me give you a complete H&P on this patient and his biography. Also, his current lab values are Mag 1.9, K 3.7, Ca…. and hey, can we get some more lines/tubes in this guy?? The greater the plastic to patient ratio, the happier we are!
Floor nurses: OH MY GOD I CANNOT DEAL WITH ANOTHER PATIENT. I CANT EVEN REMEMBER THE DUDE IN 65’S NAME. IM NEVER GOING TO GET ALL OF THESE 5 PATIENTS MEDICATED
Peds nurses: I loved kids until I tried to get a 4 year old to take a pill, but at least I don’t have to a work with huge, smelly adults.
L&D: I just want to deliver this baby quick, without pitocin, and preferably and without having to get all up in her vay jay jay.
How many orthopedic surgeons does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Just one. He or she holds it up and the world turns around it.
I finally get a minute to go to the bathroom and I have to give myself a pep talk before I return to the floor…
(via fit-nurse-life)
The Other Side in Nursing
What the nursing student sees:
A clinical that is going to be very stressful. A demanding patient with a very demanding family, fellow students who know the answers to everything, an educator, who only seems to call on favorite students - and sticks the quiet reserved people with the know it alls. I don’t see how I’m going to be able to do this. I don’t see how patients will trust me. I’ll never pass NCLEX. Maybe I picked the wrong profession.
What the nursing educator sees:
A nursing student, quiet, who will one day be an exceptional caregiver, but for now, isn’t comfortable speaking up. One day she will be. A group of vocal students who may take the pressure and fear off the introverted students - for now. Student pairings on patient care that not only allow the extroverts to assist their fellow student introverts with the overwhelming stress of direct patient care and questions, but also the quiet ones to broaden the vocal ones to situations where silence and pause is sometimes the best skill in nursing. Patients & families who will challenge the students, but it would be remiss to assign only sweet and respectful ones, for they will encounter a broad spectrum of patients, and here they have the unrelenting support of their instructor, even if they don’t always see it. They are not alone, we believe in them.
What the graduate nurse thinks;
I’ll never be able to do this. What was I thinking, this is too much. I can’t take care of all these patients. Why did we only have one patient each clinical in nursing school? What do I do if someone crashes? What’s the policy of IVP for lasix? How am I ever going to remember all the meds I can push and what I can’t? How am I ever going to be ok with sticking people for blood or IV’s? I suck at this. I need to pee. But I’ll never get all this shit done in time. There isn’t enough hours in the shift. I really suck at documentation. I’m scared to transfuse a patient. Where’s the lab again? Where’s the ABG kits? Why are there no spoons? I can’t find anything here. What’s the stupid code to the med room again? Why are there so many confusing combo codes? What’s the bleeping sound? I just came out of the room! When will I get my own flow? When will this all make sense? Why do I have this patient? He’s so very sick and doesn’t deserve to have someone so inexperienced. What if he codes? What if no one helps me? Can I have more orientation without them thinking I’m an idiot? I think my preceptor hates me. How does she do this every day? How is she so calm? How does she get everything done on time?
I suck at giving report. I suck at being a nurse.
Why did I choose nursing?What the preceptor thinks:
I remember this feeling. She will be ok. She’s new and she’s learning, I don’t give a crap if Nursing Education wants to push her to take more patients too fast. She isn’t ready yet. It’s not because she isn’t going to be a good nurse, but because she needs time to take it in, and more support. She will be an exceptional nurse, but she doesn’t believe me yet. I remember what it feels like to be new, to be anxious, to be so overwhelmed, to want to quit. I believe in her, I hope she one day believes in herself.
