Now THAT's a relief

I do like nursing after all!

I'll be honest, I was a little apprehensive about returning to clinicals after our much needed 2 week break. I had SO MANY concerns. I think they were a lot of the same concerns that I had at the beginning of this clinical experience. Like...

What if I couldn’t remember how to give a subcutaneous injection?
What if my hands started to shake again during my patient assessments and medication administration?
What if the nurses groaned when they saw more students enter the report room?
And, oh God, what if after my restful and relaxing hiatus, I discovered that I didn’t like nursing after all?

I was relieved when I got to the unit on Thursday. If the nurses groaned at the sight of our PLU uniforms, it was only on the inside. Despite all my worrying, I was actually HAPPY to be back on the unit. It even felt kind of normal to be there. I gave two subcutaneous injections, had the opportunity to hang IV antibiotics, and learned more about the importance of timing of certain medications. It was all very nursey and exciting.

This week was special, too, because I spent the majority of my time giving patient care. I realize that as a ‘real’ nurse I won’t have the luxury of focusing all of my attention and energy on one patient. And, I'll be honest, I was a little bit disappointed when I didn’t take on two patients on Friday – but, ultimately, I valued that extra time I was able to spend with my patient.

My patient was a sweet, dear woman. It was obvious that the time she'd spent in the hospital was starting to take a toll on her emotionally, so we spent a lot of time talking. There was also lots of time for patient teaching. It was during those moments that I was reminded how I do indeed love nursing.

I've also learned that patients who have endearing accents can make talking about anything (including poop and emesis) that much more enjoyable.