One of the key issues with working in healthcare is you spend most of your time covered in sick peoples bodily fluids. Obviously this is just part of the job and it doesnt really bother you. However when you get out of the hospital you cant help but feel the need to clean thouroughly and get into some very clean cut, neat clothes.
In short I honestly need more reasons to go out wearing suits. Unfortunately there are only so many weddings you can go to. I dont know if this is just because I have come from a job where you spend most of your time in suits/neat uniforms.
Monday, 27 October 2008
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
BLS BS!
As a student nurse I am required to sit through three hours of bls training every year. As a member of St John Ambulance I tend to keep my skills sharp much more regularly than that. Unfortunately the two sometimes conflict.
During my Basic Life Support training yesterday the nurse stated emphatically that should you have a patient with a possible spinal injury and they vomit into their mouths you are not to do anything. In short you sit back and watch the patient suffocate. In St John we are taught that Airway, Breathing and Circulation come first, as long as those are secure you can start taking care of other injuries. In this situation with sja or any other first aid organisation it would be appropriate to put the patient in the recovery position (in the absence of a suction unit) regardless of the risk caused by a possible spinal injury. The rationale is that if you move them the MIGHT die or suffer paralysis, if you dont move them they WILL die.
After taking some pains to explain my moral objections to the former concept being taught as protocol for 'healthcare professionals' I went above the trainers head to her boss. who supported my arguement. Unfortunately the trainer had already drummed this faulty concept into five groups before us.
One a more positive note I went to see my new ward today. Its a gastro medical and surgical ward and I'll only be there for six weeks. The ward seems wonderful, the staff were very friendly and welcoming and whilst the specialty is not a real passion of mine I still find it fairly interesting. I think this is just the placement I need after the mess with my last one.
During my Basic Life Support training yesterday the nurse stated emphatically that should you have a patient with a possible spinal injury and they vomit into their mouths you are not to do anything. In short you sit back and watch the patient suffocate. In St John we are taught that Airway, Breathing and Circulation come first, as long as those are secure you can start taking care of other injuries. In this situation with sja or any other first aid organisation it would be appropriate to put the patient in the recovery position (in the absence of a suction unit) regardless of the risk caused by a possible spinal injury. The rationale is that if you move them the MIGHT die or suffer paralysis, if you dont move them they WILL die.
After taking some pains to explain my moral objections to the former concept being taught as protocol for 'healthcare professionals' I went above the trainers head to her boss. who supported my arguement. Unfortunately the trainer had already drummed this faulty concept into five groups before us.
One a more positive note I went to see my new ward today. Its a gastro medical and surgical ward and I'll only be there for six weeks. The ward seems wonderful, the staff were very friendly and welcoming and whilst the specialty is not a real passion of mine I still find it fairly interesting. I think this is just the placement I need after the mess with my last one.
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Back to Work
Due to all the hassle regarding my last placement I requested my exit forms from my academic tutor. She said "No", she was point blanc refusing to let me leave. So I attended a crisis meeting where it was agreed I'd spend a further week on the ward and my mentors would no leave my sight. This worked well and I got all my proficiencies signed off. Unfortunately me handing my documentation in late was an immediate fail ....or so I thought. As my academic tutor was so determined not to loose me she arranged for all my paperwork to....go away. It was very nice. Even had I completed the placement normally there would be a mountain of paperwork for me to sign but shes taken care of all of it. She also felt that I needed something to bolster my resolve. Something to hold on to and help me through the harder times. She told me I am guarenteed a placement in A&E in my third year. The day we accept the offer to start the course at the university they have the whole three years of placements mapped out. Its nearly impossible to change their plans and we are not allowed to know where our placements are other than the next one. So she bent a few rules but It has helped. I get my dream placement at the perfect time.
So I'm in a fairly good mood. The university are bending over backwards to ensure I stay (which I may be taking advantage of a bit). However I have two assignments due in soon so I am currently sat in the library trying my hardest not to start them. I have been fairly socially active with the other memebers of my course recently and some of them raised a point that my 'intellect is very intimidating' my immediate reaction to this was to laugh. Then I realised I have a fairly broad knowledge of most things, but very little in depth knowledge of anything. I know enough to know I dont know anything but the range and variety of my knowledge must present very differently to how I thought it did. I found this information very unsettling.
My first assignment is on Long Term Conditions. I had chosen Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia but my academic tutor suggested this might be showing off a little. So I have decided to write one on COPD. I am still planning on writing the same assignment on CLL but I wont submit it. I find the condition facinating and writing this assignment will cause me to efficiently explore the medical and social implications. Is it sad that I do things like that?
So I'm in a fairly good mood. The university are bending over backwards to ensure I stay (which I may be taking advantage of a bit). However I have two assignments due in soon so I am currently sat in the library trying my hardest not to start them. I have been fairly socially active with the other memebers of my course recently and some of them raised a point that my 'intellect is very intimidating' my immediate reaction to this was to laugh. Then I realised I have a fairly broad knowledge of most things, but very little in depth knowledge of anything. I know enough to know I dont know anything but the range and variety of my knowledge must present very differently to how I thought it did. I found this information very unsettling.
My first assignment is on Long Term Conditions. I had chosen Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia but my academic tutor suggested this might be showing off a little. So I have decided to write one on COPD. I am still planning on writing the same assignment on CLL but I wont submit it. I find the condition facinating and writing this assignment will cause me to efficiently explore the medical and social implications. Is it sad that I do things like that?
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