TurboNurse

Wow!  This week has been crazy for me! 

Yesterday at work I got to help with an admission and then we got several other admissions that I helped out with when I could.  I got to see umbilical lines being placed as well.  I was just all over the place.

Today I took care of my first two vented kiddos.  It was interesting.  Just when I thought I was getting better with my time management, something changes.  Which is good because this is how I will grow as a nurse.  It's just hard because every time a change comes about like this, I take a huge dip in my confidence.  So needless to say, I'm not feeling so good right now.

I always wonder when and if I will get to the point of being able to take care of my patients confidently.  It just seems so insurmountable (sp?) at this time.  I can't imagine it.

The one thing with adults is that I was so comfortable there.  I knew what needed to be done for the common situations and had no problem going in and doing what I needed to do.  It's just so different with the newborns.  Please don't take this the wrong way,  I LOVE what I do with the little ones.  It's much more satisfying than working with adults.  It's just different.  The things you do to adults you just can't do with the little ones. 

I think I'm just going through my adjustment period which means I'm typically uncomfortable in about every situation right now.

I did have a totally awesome moment today.  When the docs were rounding on my babies, the head resident person came and got me because I didn't see them walk in.  I really like the docs, NP's, and PA's that work there.  I have yet to run into one that reminds me of some of the docs I worked with in the adult area.

The whole feel is just so much more inviting and relaxed with the little ones.  The people are just amazing overall.

I got to see my first ever bedside surgery.  I thought that was pretty amazing.  It was like they basically took the OR to the pod where the little one was at.  It all happened in the same pod that I was in.  Unfortunately I missed it when they opened the kid up and all the good stuff happened but I was there for the end when they were sewing it up and then decided that the surgery was fruitless and the parents had to make a hard decision.

This leads into my first death.  I got to experience the death of an infant for the first time today.  I'm so thankful that it wasn't one I was taking care of because I think I would have totally lost it in a bad way.  I was there when they pulled support and I was there when they brought the baby out to a special room and then back in.  After that, I was there for almost all of the postmortem care.  I'm also very thankful that I am having this experience while on orientation and not when I am out on my own.  I know I would have the support of my coworkers but it's just nice to know I have someone to fall back on and discuss things with.  

I think I'm finally getting a handle on report and how that will go.  I think it's getting a little bit better and I'm feeling more comfortable with all the calculations involved.

I just feel like I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off these past two days there has been so much happening.  I feel like I'm getting to experience a lot while on orientation which is such a good thing.

I was a little down on myself at the end of the shift today because I felt like I didn't do much.  My preceptor reassured me that I actually did do a lot today.  We did have parents that are absolutely fantastic with their kids.  I love seeing parents so involved in the care of their children and that are as loving as these parents are.  But it's twofold.  This mom was so on top of the care that I felt like I couldn't do anything else.  She totally exhausted me when I really shouldn't have been that exhausted with the status of these two kiddos.

All in all it's been a super busy two days filled with new experiences.  I just hope I survive the last 6 weeks of my orientation.