Every nurse has a patient that shapes the nurse they will become. This experience in the Emergency Department shaped my career.
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"Please, help my son! He is dying!" - a middle aged man screamed as he entered the emergency room.
I looked up and saw one little boy age of nine in his arm with so much blood on his body. The blood is whooshing from the boy's body ... at this point, I'm not sure where it's coming from. Oh, God!
I guided the father to the resuscitation room or red zone. Alerted the doctor and got help from ward's staff. Gave patient oxygen and set up all the cardiac monitor and blood pressure cuff. While doing everything I realize that there was a huge, deep, and open trauma on his back at the scapula region. I can see through it.
I instructed the hospital assistant to help me press the wound to stop the bleeding. As I helped the doctor in assisting him in intubation. At this point, I thought only a miracle can stop the bleeding. A few minutes felt like hours - "Where is the other staff?"
"Please I need help! I need someone to set the IV cannula! This boy is losing so much blood!"
After successful intubation, I gave chest compression while the father was helping in giving manual ventilation through bag ventilation mask - with a lot of tears in his eyes while the doctor is trying to get a vein for IV. An RN arrived, she stepped back after seeing so much blood. "Sorry, I can't stand to see all the blood." I was shocked when the words came out from her mouth.
"Oh, My God! Help me please. Get me someone else!"
Being a new RN grad and working in this small center makes me have to work on myself really hard with a little experience. On that day, I'm working afternoon shift with two hospital assistant and one medical officer and it's on a holiday! I'm putting all my knowledge and what I learn through the three years of nursing school and clinical.
The center that hired me is small but have a BIG sign of EMERGENCY 24 HOURS outside of the building with a bright light and you can saw it from 1000 meter far but the facilities and staffing is poor.
That condition put my career and other patient's life in danger.
I just graduated 8 months ago from nursing school and have only 6 months of working experience and they put me as in charge RN all by my own with one doctor and a hospital assistant who doesn't even know how to take blood pressure.
This boy could have been saved if proper management, fluid resuscitation, and controlling the bleeding by binding and compressing the wound. When the doctor gave instructions to stop the resuscitation I couldn't hold my tears.
Now, after four years in nursing, I never forget what happened on that day.
I still think about the RN who chose not to enter the resuscitation room cause of the bloody body. I remember blaming hospital management for their poor management and staffing. I even blamed myself for the lack of knowledge and experience I had. I learned from his father that his son was hit by a car while cycling in their resident area and that day was the boy's birthday.
Being a nurse and by choosing this career, we must be aware that we will be responsible for saving people. We need to accept that seeing blood is routine. Please don't sacrifice another person's life by choosing this career if you do not have the stomach for it.
For those newly graduated RN, you will be facing 1001 kind of cases and incident through your career. Some will make you feel inadequate. Never give up. It's just another way for you to learn - to become a great nurse. Go on and never stop learning!
I quit from the hospital and looking for a new job at well organized center. Now, I'm in the middle of taking my Advance Emergency Medical Trauma Care certification and I never forget the incident that happens on that day. From that day, I promised myself to become the best nurse that I can be. A nurse who can handle any emergency conditions and save lives.
