MY first day of clinicals

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Specializes in Hospice.

Well... I started my STNA classes last Monday and today was my first day of clinicals (tomorrow is my last day of clinicals). My patient was a 79-year-old lady with end stage Alzheimer's. This is the first dealing I have had with any form of dementia. It was heartbreaking. This lady would look at me with her huge blue eyes and try to form her words but her aphasia would not let much of anything intelligible come out of her mouth. Occasionally she would say something we could understand, like when I went to give her a drink of her coffee and she said, "NO!". Also, after lunch we were sitting so she could look out the window and I was painting her nails and she managed to croak, "You.... are.... so.... cute." My partner's eyes got really big and she said, "Did she just say what I think she said?" so I was glad I wasn't the only one hearing those words. That made me feel pretty good. She loved the Winnie the Pooh scrub top I wore today and kept grabbing on to it and not letting go. I met a couple of the other residents that were great. I sat in one lady's room for a while and was able to talk to her. As I was getting up to leave she said, "I think love is all a person needs to make them happy and I love you." I am not the kind of person that cries. Ever. And she brought tears to my eyes.

Of course, my first experience with peri-care was ... well, it was. She had a BM on us twice in the middle of cleaning and we had to start all over again. My instructor was even breaking out in a sweat!

All in all, I came home feeling like I had done a good thing today. I felt proud of my work.

Thanks for letting me talk about my day and sorry this was so long.

Erica

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Sounds like you had a great first day! The peri-care part made me laugh...On my first day of clinical I remember I had to get a stool sample! :uhoh21: Good luck with the rest of clinicals. :)

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That's awesome girl! I am the same way with my residents. I mean i have only worked their a couple weeks, but i am allready so close to them. I have had two ladies tell me how much they love me. One told me that if she had the money she would hire me to take care of her at home. When your clinicals are over, you might be a bit sad to leave them, i was at least. Every day when i wake up and i dont have to work, i keep wondering how they are doing, if the aids are taking care of them and so on. You gotta come to the place i work Erica you would love it!

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Congratulations on getting through your first day of clinicals. :)

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Specializes in Hospice.

Thanks for your encouragement! Today was the second day of clinicals and the Alzheimer's lady that told me yesterday I was so cute called me stupid all day today. She even called me the "b" word once. I would feed her a bite of food and she would tell me no and call me stupid. Then my classmate would feed her or give her a drink and the resident would tell her thank you! I had a great time and learned so much in the last 2 days. I got to learn how to do a Fireman's lift with a lady with a feeding tube. They couldn't use a ceiling lift on her because it scares her too much. It was also the first time I showered another adult and that was a feeling that just made my heart ache for the residents. I do know that I don't want to end up in a nursing home, but if I do, I want somebody like me to take care of me! LOL One gentleman told me I sure do know how to charm a boy. That made me laugh to hear him call himself a boy. My instructor told me that his wife still gets very jealous whenever a young female aid is taking care of him, even after 60+ years of marriage!!!

Cassie, I had clinicals at this great place in Centerville (myspace me if you want the name). They start at $9.50/hour and then you get a 15% raise after 90 days. They also have shift differential. After 90 days of working you get 4 weeks of vacation. I put in my application but they said it's a pretty strict application process. Tell me again the name of the place you work. It may be too far for me to drive.

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yeah that sounds like a great place too! it's called Belle Manor. there are hardly any younger girls there, because all the aids have been there over 20 years, they don't have a turnover rate, which is good. they are hiring now just because a lot of the aids are moving up to nursing positions. so apply! unless its too far. i go 40 to get there, from huber its about... 12 minutes lol.

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