I had my first clinical at the hospital...

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and I LOVED it!!!!!!!

I had a post-laminectomy patient and my nurse and clinical instructor liked my care plan for him so much they said I could be in charge of all his care for the day as long as I told them if I was going to do anything new.

And I did! I got to pull a drain, explore for a suture inside the wound and cut it, pull the IV needle, do a sterile dressing change AND teach his wife how to do that (talk about reinforcing your knowledge, LOL!), I got to do all of his discharge planning, education and I got to bring him out to his car at discharge. He said that he was terrified to come in for spinal surgery, but the care he got from me made this actually a "pretty pleasant experience." WOOHOO!

I lucked out big time. Some of the other students there yesterday had patients from hell. Only one other got to do anything interesting like dressing change. The rest pretty much waited around to check vitals and get stuff for the pts.:uhoh21:

Sorry I've been so long-winded here. I just feel like I'm going to pop!!! I'm FINALLY doing what I started working towards almost 3 years ago! *whew* okay, I'm done for now.

Thanks for listening,

Alyssa:nurse:

OBNURSEHEATHER

1,961 Posts

Congrats Alyssa! Feels good, doesn't it? :cool:

Just remember, somedays you are the nurse sitting around bored, or the one with patients from hell, but you take the good with the bad.

I loved clinicals where I got to do so many new things! I wish I could have bottled that enthusiasm!

Here's to many more clinicals like that for you!

Heather

renerian, BSN, RN

5,693 Posts

Specializes in MS Home Health.

That is so exciting when you have a good clinical!!!!! Let alone being able to do so much and probably get signed off on things. I remember carrying this book for semester after semester....to get signed off on tasks. God forbid you ever lose it or you would have to start all over...........

Carpe' diem

renerian

babynursewannab

669 Posts

Renarian,

Thanks. We have the same thing. It's not a book, it's a packet, but we need to guard it with our lives. Kinda scary that we have to have it with us for 2 years. I did get to check off a lot of it yesterday, so that was cool.

Thank you heather. I know most of my clinicals will be pretty hum-drum. That's why I was so darn hyped by yesterday. luck. luck. luck. :)

When are you sending out invitations to Heatherkah? I sense it will be a "Must See" event!!! :chuckle

-Alyssa

maire, ASN, RN

1,173 Posts

Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.

Woot, that's great! :) Now maintain this enthusiasm for those days when you are the one with the patient from hell!:D

jessjoy

189 Posts

on your great day! Sounds like you got to do more on your first day than I did my whole first rotation!! Its nice to remember the good days when you are having one from hell....makes us remeber why we are all doing this! :) Good luck with the rest of your rotation

JennyRN2B

162 Posts

Good For YOU!!

I can't wait until I am finally there to post about my first day!

HERE'S TO YA!!

Jenny:cool:

congrats ! :)

you gotta love it when everything falls right in place to let you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

zacarias, ASN, RN

1,338 Posts

Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

digging for sutures Alyssa? LOL Sounds totally cool!! This was your first clinical ever in a hospital? Man, that is amazing. You are gonna fly fast in this program I can tell. I have to say I'm jealous! Were you really assertive to get these opportunities or did they just all fall into place?

Z

babynursewannab

669 Posts

It just all fell. So, I know how lucky I was. Actually, the RN I was with was more than happy to hand over all this stuff to me. She was "older" and had a sense of calm about her. That might have had something to do with it. Next time, I'm probably going to be waiting around for the vitals checks all day so I'm going to love this one to the fullest! :)

Yay!! Congrats on lucking out for the day!!

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