Three 12 hour shifts this week and each day I had 4 patients. I think I did pretty good. My preceptor thinks I did pretty good. We both agree that I really need to work on time management.
Day one with four patients went just okay. I used my preceptor a ton and asked a lot of questions. I felt like I just wasn't fast enough to get everything done and I kept forgetting to do small things, like call the cardiac monitor office when my patient was taken off the cardiac monitor or look up all my labs. I was able to hang medications and give medications on my own, which seemed really weird because I still feel like I am in school sometimes. I make sure to go slow and pay close attention when I am taking all my meds out of the medication machine and I look up each medication {well if I don't already know what the med is}.
Day two with four patients started off a little rough. I thought I would do great and I had a nice system down but I somehow got behind on my assessments which made me get my meds a little late and then I had to chart way later in the day. I literally was running my feet from the time I got there until lunch and then I still felt way behind on time. I really need to get into a better system and manage my time way better. I also need to learn to not let patients talk my ear off because it keeps me in the room way too long, even if I am truly interested in their stories. In the end I did an okay job. My preceptor helped less which means I did way more. I am improving.
Day three with four patients started out really great because I had two patients I had the day before which made getting a report way easier since I already knew all about them. I had a plan to jump in right away and get my assessments done, get my meds done, get my insulin done, and then chart. I was on point and it felt great. I still need to work on time management, checking labs and MD orders more frequently, talking to doctors, piecing all the consults together, and remembering the special things that happen with patients, as in taking care of CBIs {continuous bladder irrigation}, foleys, PICC lines, feeding tubes.......... all the extra tubes and meds and special situations that any patient could have. I feel like I did really well all the way to lunch, I had all my assessments and meds complete, I kept up on any pain meds or PRN meds. I had all my charting done. I was actually able to grab a snack and a drink during the morning. Then I went to lunch and I just played catchup the rest of the day. I don't know what it is about coming back from lunch and not being able to jump right in and keep my groove going. There are assessments and charting and discharges and admits that need to be done and I just can't seem to make it all flow nicely like I do during the day. In the end I think I did pretty good. I mean I have worked 5 complete shifts on the floor and I am already taking care of 4 patients plus discharging and admitting as needed.
My preceptor is AMAZING!! She checks my charting throughout the day, she keeps a checklist of what needs to get done and crosses it off as I do it, she helps with hanging meds {I need to take a class on how to work the IV pump machine}, she checks on the patients periodically throughout the day, she helps talk to doctors with me, and the best thing about her is that she is so super laid back and does NOT get excited when things aren't going exactly to plan. I am totally one to feed off people and I desperately need people surrounding me that are capable of staying completely calm even if they are hitting the panic button on the inside. I am super amazing at staying calm, cool, and collective when my brain is freaking out and wondering how to finish the million of things I need to do or when a patient or family member is going crazy in the room about whatever.
So three weeks into my new career and so far I think it is going pretty great. Although I do feel like my life is one giant run on sentence that is missing all the punctuation and read with one single breath until I run out of breath and fall to the ground HAHA
Okay so getting used to waking up in the middle of the night to get to work on time is a little stressful and requires some {A LOT} caffeine. Getting used to working 12 full hours again is super tough, especially since I am still waking up with my boy in the middle of the night. Learning that I may not leave the hospital until 730 each night is taking a lot of getting used to. Coming home to an already asleep little boy is super tough. Hearing my baby ask me to come home during lunch to snuggle him is heart breaking. Keeping up with already planned activities with friends and family after working two 12 hour shifts in a row is super TOUGH!! Figuring out how to conserve my energy and plan to get my house chores done has been difficult since I am super exhausted and don't feel like walking at all after working.
But I am super happy to be working. I am super happy to finally get to do what I have wanted to do for a long time. Being able to say "I am a nurse" is AMAZING!! It makes me smile to know my chosen career is helping people, I may not save a life every single day but what I do makes a difference and getting winked at by a patient each and every time I come into the room just puts icing on the cake. And I would have to say that the hubby is a little relieved knowing we are both putting money in the bank account.
I should also mention that this would not be possible without my wonderful mommy!! She is AMAZING for coming down and staying a few nights to help with Micah so that he doesn't have to go to a daycare and I don't have to wake him up so early. She also cleans up my house a little, folds my laundry, and does some of my dishes.
I also have to thank my wonderful friend, Rachel, for being so amazing and watching Micah when he isn't staying home with my mom. Between the two of them I think we have an amazing setup for child care. Micah absolutely loves Rachel's kids and animals and he is super excited when he gets to go over there. She is super laid back and extra loving so he just has a blast over there.
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