I am on an Ortho floor from 3-10. This is the first time our school has been on this floor and the 1rst time we have been there at night. There are just SO many schools around here that they all fight to get clinical time slots.
Today I went in at 3- got my patient info- went in - did my assessment- came out- saw this woman was basically in perfect health except her ankle fx.
My client only had 2 standing meds (prednisone + avelox)- and they were scheduled for 10 so I wouldn't be giving them. She had prn Morphine which I was able to give ONCE.
By 4:30 I was finished with my paperwork ( literally) and was just running small errands for my client ( more water, extra pillow, etc). She was sweet but basically wanted to be left alone with her friends playing cards until she needed something. Plus, there was nothing to DO. No bedbaths, no linen changes, no dressing change ( my pt had surgery that AM and the surgeon hadn't been around to do the 1rst one yet) no NOTHING.
I went around to help my classmates and guess what- they were all in the SAME boat. A FEW had dressing changes but they were simple sterile dry changes. I then sought out the nurses- who were busy- but basically with stuff I can't DO- I helped move a few clients and ambulated one to the bathroom. I also was battling 5 other classmates looking for stuff to do. The nurses were all " Wow! You all REALLY want something to help do!".
My instructor is PEEVED. She didn't want PM clinicals and when she got them she was PEEVED that they stuck us on Ortho- because she knew that this is what the situation would be. She said she would move us up to 2-3 patients each ( this is Med/Surg 1) but even THEN - we won't be busy for 7 hours.
Basically she is going to see if she can turf us out on a rotating basis to see more action on other floors. I will be following RT around next Wed. The following week I will be in the PCU. The next week I will be at a diabetic clinic for a day BUT- when there we ARENT TO TAKE A CLIENT b/c the Instructor won't be with us.
Some of my classmates are on cloud 9 ( " ooh this is SO easy"). I am BORED OUT OF MY SKULL. I'm not using ANY of my skills. I DID accomplished something today when I found a dorsalis pedis pulse by doppler that the nurse couldn't find. That's the highlight of my day. Assessment. One PRN med. 1 doppler pulse. Paperwork.
We have to do a paper on our clients- and mine is going to be pretty bland- no hx of anything, no abnormal labs, 2 meds, 1 prn, she didn't have much of a teaching need b/c PT had already been there and she was young.
Now 10 bucks says that since I typed this out...my next shift will go haywire LOL.
