This past Tuesday was supposed to be my first pediatric clinical. My group of 8 arrived at the facility first thing in the morning. We walked inside to see our teacher sitting, ready for us. It was obvious by the look on her face something was wrong. She than announced that we were not going to be able to stay at the facility that day due to a scheduling conflict. Free day!?!? Nope, we were directed back to our campus in Anaheim.
The morning was spent getting to know her, taking a pediatric med math, and listening to classmates present on their teaching topic. A lunch break to Subway was well needed....why are nursing students always so hungry?!? After lunch another professor, Prof. Murray, joined our group for a skills lab. We were taught how to set up our own peds piggyback. They had us come up to the board, calculate the concentration, mg/kg/dose, Iv maintenance rate, and what to set the pump at with volume to be infused (VTBI) and iv rate (IVR) for each part. Along with the calculations we were required to set it all up, fresh from the start, on the actual pump itself. It was nerve wrecking! I know I was shaking as I drew up my med in the syringe and pushed it through the barbitrol.
At first I was bummed that we were not in the hospital but it ended up being a blessing. I learned so much in the skills lab that will really benefit me once in the clinical setting on real patients! It was good skills practice because everything is a whole lot smaller in pediatrics! It will take some getting used to!
Time to study hard for a pediatric test tomorrow morning!
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