Wrong side of the bed...

...is where I woke up on Thursday!! Granted, I am aware that we are completely in control of our own attitudes.....more words of wisdom growing up from my mom....but I'm pretty sure I threw that out the window when I got up! Ah, it was my fault that I was so tired that morning. I procrastinated on my careplan that was due and typing/researching for 22 pages on Wed just didn't cut it! So when I crawled into bed at 12:30am and set my alarm for 4:00am I was already ticked. Thank my alarm when off and I am pretty sure there were tears.

Thankfully, Trav and I both made it out the door dressed and with breakfast by five. I knew I had a long day ahead so I called the Butterfields, knowing that with the time change they were awake. Talking with Maddie and Savi turned my mood completely around. Let's start the day!

This clinical day was different. Instead of one patient, we were assigned two. Double the medications to learn & give, double the daily care, double the research, and double the trouble! Our instructor wanted us all to pass meds to both patients in a two hour time frame. Well, for students this is an impossible task. If it wasn't required that before passing meds we had to list the side effects, classifications, reasoning, and teaching for each medication ( mind you the average pt at the facility is on 20 meds) than we might have made it. Eh, maybe. I was really exited because I was up to give IVPB (hang piggyback antibiotics) and IV push narcotics. Those would both be something new for me to try. However, our medication passing went waaaayyyy to slow and my patient's couldn't wait for my instructor to get to my turn for their pain meds and ATB, so I missed out.

                                                                             IVPB

 

IV push

Insulin

I enjoyed the two patients I did have and I was able to administer meds via G-tube and give insulin injections. Have I mention I love giving injections? It's definitely a thrill. Especially when you go quick and you no the patient felt nothing but a slight prick. The patient in bed 1 had been at the facility for 120 days. At one time she was a very successful career woman but she abused alcohol causing her liver to now be shot. From her excessive drinking, she developed a seizure disorder and suffered from a bad fall. That fall caused an intracranial hemorrhage (bleed) that left significant damage. She was given a trach, artificial airway, and she still has it. She is unable to clear all her muscou/secretions, so when I went in to do her morning assessment, her chest was covered in an inch thick pile of mucous. Poor thing! Who lets someone sit in that?! Frequent suctioning was performed all day. Suctioning through a trach is a sterile procedure, fyi.

Trach

&

Suction Kit







My patient in bed 2 was alert, oriented, ambulatory and mostly independent. She was in due to a pretty massive wound that required her to be hooked up to a wound vac. (I will save you from a picture of that!) She is a smoker and would take frequent breaks to head out side for a cigarette time out. We have to respect our patent's wishes and their lifestyle, but when she asked me to walk to halls and find her a cigarette, I had to redirect the conversation. It was nice having a patient to talk to though and who wasn't comatose. Once I had finished assessments and care for my patients, I stopped by the room of my sweet patient from a few weeks ago. This is the man who is on his way to recovery and I wanted to check on his status. When I popped my head in, he was up in a chair finishing breakfast and about ready to start occupational therapy. He looked great! Plus, he remembered me which totally made my day. I chatted with him for a little bit. He wasn't able to answer all my questions or formulate a response but that's ok. I can see he is progressing which is awesome.

Another week at Kindred down with only 3 more left. Crazy how fast time has flown. And, a total blessing how each week brings a new set of confidence, new fears to overcome, and new lives to make a difference in.