First Shot

Yesterday I gave a patient my first shot. I noticed I was kind of just lightly pressing the needle against her skin, which probably didn't feel great, and then I just jabbed it straight in. It did not feel the same as the material we practiced on in the lab, I wish they just let us practice on each other. My mom said that's how they did it when she was in school. Anyway, it seemed like it was really hard to push the meds in too. But success, and she didn't act like it hurt too much. Later my patient's doctor conferenced with me in the hallway, I felt like a real nurse!

I really liked my patient. She was 95 and hard of hearing so I kept having to yell all day long. She kept saying things like she was sure she was going to die and she wanted me to call her nephew to plan her funeral. Everytime I'd leave the room I'd think of the Dumb & Dumber quote, 'doncha go dying on me!' but figured she'd have no idea what I was talking about, and not sure the joke would be as funny when you have to shout it... and when your patient seriously could die...

Anyway, that is one thing I don't like about nursing already. At least with my law job I see a case start to finish. Nursing it's like, 'ooop, time to go home, guess I'll never know if you actually did die or not'.

Also I just feel so useless. My patient said she was having a hard time breathing and all I could really do was sit her up and listen to her lungs. Which also my lung listening skills need some serious work. My instructor asked me to describe it and I just said it sounded like air going in and out. Huh. You don't say. How descriptive. The videos we listened to in class had like 16 different lung sounds, and I can only hear one: air. So anyway, after clinical I went to do some studying at the library and what did I read but several options for breathing exercises you can do when your patients are having trouble breathing!! I wanted to drive right back to the hospital.

Anyway, I guess I'm still learning. Just feels like there is so much to know. Today my boss told me he's going to give me extra money each week for gas. Then he said he 'wants me to quit this nursing nonsense' and work full-time for him. Nope! I'm not sure I want to be a hospital nurse, but I really do like the health field and want to be back in it.

And my patient was so cute yesterday. I asked her if she could maybe blow her nose and she proceeds to start picking it, to get the 'crust' out. She was really going to town and told me she was 'making a path'. It was hilarious.