Clinical journal
My fourth clinical experience was a little different as it should. As the typical day, I went to Overlake medical center on Monday, January 31st, to gather my patient information. It was quick because I learned my lesson from last week. All I needed was pathophysiology and medication. I went home, stayed up till midnight, and prepared for the next day. I slept a fair amount compared to the other week.
Tuesday, February 1st, my day starts with good coffee. Then, around 6:45 am, the charge nurse facilitated the huddle for about 5 to 10 minutes. The huddle helped to begin organized thought and get important information about patient and. Around 7:00 am, I met the nurse that I got assigned with, I start being ready to take report but noticed other two class meets already set with her as well. So, it was a little confusing. The nurse said she could not have three students at same time, and I understand how overwhelming it could have been for both the nurse and us.
I talked about it for our instructor and she solved the problem by communicating with the charge nurse and they decided one of us must change our assignment. I volunteered, and I changed my patient assignment and also the nurse. It wasn't easy since I had to start all over again to know about the patient information. The nurse was very nice, she helped me understand the patient in detail through her report. Around, 7:30 I went to the patient's room, and the patient was very nice and cooperative. the she got admitted with acute abdominal pain and dehydration but beside that patient has no known medical diagnosis. I checked vital sign and decided to do physical assignment and start by assessing her pain, and patient verbalized pain scale 7/10 and also started, I immediately stopped the assessment, and I reported to the nurse about the situation. patient took PRN pain medication. I decided to go back after hours for physical assessment.
Approximately after 40 minutes, the patient called and asked for help her to transfer to Bedside Commode. While helping her transfer, her pain got worse, and she started moaning and grimacing. After she went back to bed, I realized I could teach her about nonpharmacological pain management, deep breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques. I taught her about the importance of deep breathing and relaxation techniques, and I made sure that she understood by asking her to though me about if. She thought me about it.
After hours, I went to her room to check on her, assess her to complete a physical assessment, and assess the wound dressing and Jp drain. The patient looked more comfortable, and her mom was there to support her, and she explained to her mom about the deep breathing exercises we did and how that helped her out. And she also told me Start watching nonpharmacological pain management on YouTube and even share other practices with me. I felt I made a difference by using the little knowledge. It might look simply, but it is a big deal for the patient. I am proud of myself for seeing a smile on my patient face. I believe that I can make a difference.
Besides helping my assigned patient, my day went on helping other nurses, CNAs, and physical therapists who needed help. I worked a lot with CNA because I noticed they were struggling to answer many call lights. I know how it feels, and I decided to help them as much I could.