Friday, November 28, 2008

Last 3 days was tough!

Nov. 26 Vital Sign practical test
Nov.27 & today The first clinical session at a hospital
27th was rather easy because our team had orientation and the hospital tour.
But today was the first visit to an ward so everyone of us was a bit nervous.
Our team visited internal medicine ward (respitatory)and 95% of the patient were elderly( over age 70).
This is reality of Japan now, yes that's aging society.
In the ward, many suffers from deglutition pneumonia, some has lung cancer, carsinostatic treatment, palliative treatment, pulmonary emphysema, and average stay is around 17-19 days which is shorter than it used to be in Japan. (Due to the government policy change, many have to vacate the bed earler than it used to be)
We had chances to see nearly 10 patients closely today.
First 3 patients had bed bath and one had bed bath and pudic bath as well. Thanks to our mentor, she gave us a lot of chance to help and assist her with our maximum knowledge and practical skills we learned so far.
In the afternoon, every one of us had chance to take Blood Pressure.
In my turn, it was my first time to use a mercury manometor because
I always used aneroid manometor at school.
Anyway...
when I heared the systolic BP it was 220mmHg, it was far too high.
The mentor heared the pop through the dual scope at the same time and
she told me to remove the manchette immedietly.
The patient eyes were spacing and obviously the patient looked not well.
He is in the 70s and able to hear but has problem expressing himself verbally.
I sensed that he was not very well because he spitted out phlegm by himself and
coughed a bit just before I started measuring BP.
I was so carried away and just looking at the manometer but I should be more watchful to the patient condition anytime. That's more important than taking a vital signs.
Wow, I learned a lot more than I expected. One of my friend really got shocked to see elderly's pubic region and she even starts to rethinking her career. I believe we will have opportunities to feel satisfactions, or joys or even peaceful happiness through out clinical experience in next 4 years. I hope not she quits the school because she has a quality to be a nurse.

2 comments:

Nursapalooza said...

I remember first semester, and my big goal was to wash a male crotch (you know pubic area) because I was sooo nervous about it, that I wanted to get over my fear. It wasn't until the SECOND semester of school that I finally got one. I was sooo embaressed. But after that it got easy.

maggie said...

Oh, how kind you are. Funny things, including myself some of the classmates in the 40's and late 30's have fear more than the freshly graduated from high school.
Maybe...it's a matter of time or experience. I should be brave! Thank you for your encouragement!