10pm and I'm still @ the hospital. This is s/p day 2 working w/ a nurse. Also approx. day 5 of juice fast b/c of prolonged ↑ dietary intake. Calculation approx. r/t friend in NYC last pm → a macrobiotic meal. Thankfully, all Pts remain stable through hand-off to night shift. Log entry: "Subject woke at 5:45am today. Reports feeling like he has been sprinting since."
In keeping with the MD lexicon, I will say that my preceptor is +++, though she is d/c'ing me for a week to go to Haiti. As if they need her help more than I do (kidding!). She started me right away caring for 3.0 patients, top to bottom and side-to-side. I feel a little scared/nervous and overwhelmed just about every second from when we take report at 8am to when we give report to the night shift at 8pm. Lunch lasted about 20', during which time I was not scared.
Something about the patients, the pace of work and frenetic action makes it almost impossible to feel hungry or tired, or sorry for yourself. In fact, working in health care generally makes you content with simple things like your health, a good meal, a good shower, a good hug, a bit of sunshine, and being able to pass a good BM in the peace and quiet of your own home (ideally with a book or magazine if you are a true Lapin).
Time management is key. Knowledge is helpful, particularly where it involves not making a mistake (or not catching someone else's) that will cause Pt. sequella. Unfortunately, the demands of documentation and Rx mean that there is almost 0 time for much of what traditionally might be considered nursing. The whole caring, advocating and helping people thing. The chronophagistic (chronophagal?) aspect also makes it hard sometimes to do things like go to the bathroom, look up new information, call your sweetheart etc. You know, that type of thing. Or to paraphrase Woody Allen's "Irish Genius" remember to rejoice, rejoice and call your mother once in a while.
My dad actually warned me about not letting medicine suck me in so far that I lose sight of the rest of life. Case in point, I'm here at 10:16pm, doing a Hx and Pe on a Pt and collecting info on him for a case presentation at school. As for real life, tomorrow is my birthday and I have big plans with Debbie. I am also desperately trying to fit a new play, PT, friends, NCLEX, a job hunt and maybe a trip to South Korea in as well. Oh my, time 2 Rn...!
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10pm and I'm still @ the hospital. This is s/p day 2 working w/ a nurse. Also approx. day 5 of juice fast b/c of prolonged ↑ dietary intake. Calculation approx. r/t friend in NYC last pm → a macrobiotic meal. Thankfully, all Pts remain stable through hand-off to night shift. Log entry: "Subject woke at 5:45am today. Reports feeling like he has been sprinting since."
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