Hey guys. I'm a male RN student that works occasionally at a LTC faculty as an aide. I agree with the nurse BTW, but I'll tell you the story.
It was my last day yesterday before the fall semester began. I felt really energetic and felt I did a really good job. The one woman had a very low food intake over three weeks, and I went in every ten minutes or so to give her a sip of soda to increase her caloric intake. I put everyone in a low bed position. If they have edema in their lower extremities I elevate their feet. I walked all of my patients who were able to walk, and walked one who told me she had not walked in weeks. I got my baths done, fed people, the whole nine yards. I feel I do wayyy more for my patients than most of the people I work with (most don't walk their assigned patients, period)._
Anyways, this was near the end of second shift yesterday. A woman had oxygen in via nasal cannula. Her cannula is a bit big for her, and her nares are always very sore. I told her I would get some Vaseline for her, to help with the soreness. I asked the LpN if I could use some and she said yes. Okay so here's the slightly gross part. I went into another womans room and used her jar and gave it to the one with oxygen. I didn't think about cross contamination or anything, since I always applied it to her with either gloves or a q tip. Anyways, the woman whose Vaseline I borrowed (she had told me it was okay if I took a tiny amount, which I did) told her aide, then the aide told my LPN. Apparently the woman with oxygen had Vaseline ordered, but it was not in her room or bathroom, nor was I even aware she had an order for one. The LPN told me that what I did was gross (looking back, yea it kinda was, brain fart) and told me she hoped I would never become an RN, I was a moron to be in RN school and do that, and swore that if she was a patient she would pray to god I would never be her nurse. Usually I can brush this off, but after my shift was over I just went back to my car and started crying. Am I a bad aide/bad RN? Yes I had a lapse in judgement, but I really do care for my patients and spend time with them and help them anyway I can. I feel horrible now and am wondering if I am cut out to be a nurse. I just feel hopeless. Help? It really hit me where it hurts.
