Day 7

3rd day on the unit & Pay Day!

Unit is full again… Started off with one patient… Then a new admit from the ER… Both patients came to us in respiratory distres…

Needless to say, it was an extremely busy day! We didn’t eat lunch until 2:30 p.m.!

I inserted a Foley catheter on a male patient… He was freaking out! Its really not that bad dude… LOL

Our other patient had just had two embolectomies & still had some cyanosis of the fingers & toes… The patient also had a Flexi-Seal Bowel Management System… It works like a Foley catheter… Pretty cool…

We had to transport one of our patients to nuclear medicine for a VQ lung scan… We had to hook up a portable monitor to watch ekg & vital signs as well as portable O2…

Very eventful day! And the best part was at the end of the day checking my bank account on my phone & seeing that direct deposit… BOOM!!!!

Signing off….Nurse Extern KP

 

Day 6

2nd day on the unit…

I forgot to mention that we discharged one of our patients onto another unit yesterday… Lots of transfer paperwork to complete… Then my Nurse Parter & I transported her to a Med Surg floor…

Our patient & our patient’s son were so thankful & so appreciative of the care we provided… That made me feel really good… 🙂

Today was pretty slow… We only had one patient, same as yesterday… That makes it a bit easier because of familiarity…

I assisted my Nurse Parter & another nurse do skin assessments… Go Skin Team! Our mission is to assess every patients’ skin monthly to make sure patients do not get pressure ulcers & to provide adequate dressings for those who do to promote proper healing… Again proof that this company really cares!

Several patients were transferred off the unit today… EMPTY FLOOR! Census was down to 35%…

I helped another nurse to transfer a patient. When we were headed back to the unit, the nurse called us back because the patient was in sinus tachycardia… 130s-140s… The patient had had a heart rate in the 70s-80s all day… So I got to see the Code Team in action… Not a cardiac or respiratory arrest code but a patient decline code…

Eventful day nonetheless! I’m off for a day then back on Friday…

 

Signing off…Nurse Extern KP

 

Day 5

First day on the unit!

I met my Nurse Partner. She’s really cool & lets me do a lot!  Busy, busy day!

Got to insert a Foley catheter on a female patient & watch a patient get intubated.

Inserting Foley’s on women are so cool… When you cleanse the “lady parts”, the urethra winks at you! But it’s tricky though.. You have to make sure the catheter goes into the right hole..

Everyone seems really nice.. All in all good day..

 

Signing off….Nurse Extern KP

 

 

Day 3 & Day 4

I couldn’t bring myself to bore you with 2 blog entries..

Orientation is officially OVER!!!

My start date on the unit is Tuesday 🙂

Last night, I went ahead and ordered a 2nd pair of scrubs.. 1 pair works for 1 maybe 2 day a week clinicals but that will not do for 3 day a week shifts in an ICU..

 

On another note, I’m still trying to figure this whole blog thing out.. How do change the appearance.. Figuring out what pic to add.. Making it unique & attractive.. I guess it will all come with time so bear with me..

 

I promise things will get more interesting! I’ve never had a hospital experience without some adventure so stay tuned…

 

Signing off…Nurse Extern KP

 

Day 2

Can we say BORING???

It’s orientation, though, so what else is there to expect..

As I listened to the mission statement, values, vision, goals, etc. and the company’s overall commitment to its patients & its employees, I realized that this company really cares. That’s a good feeling to have on Day 2.. We always say that it’s the little things that counts.. They do so many little things…and they add up to big things! I’m still really excited..

I will say that it was quite entertaining to watch my fellow employees become bobble-heads during presentations today.. I find humor & entertainment in the slightest things!

I am grateful & appreciative to be where I am.. This is going to be a great experience! I know I will learn a lot & this will all benefit my career.. (Positivity spin) 🙂

Signing off….Nurse Extern KP

 

Day 1

Today was Day 1 of my Summer Nurse Extern job. Can we say the kid is excited??? That would be an understatement. 🙂 As far as orientations go, this one involved the pretty typical stuff.. I will say that some of the presenters were lively & entertaining… In my opinion, a job is not official until you have received the following:

1) An offer letter

2) Filled out & submitted I-9 & W-4

3) A paycheck (preferably via direct deposit)

I’m 2/3 of the way there so it’s as official as it gets until payday!

I met some great people.. I love to interact and network.. Bought my new scrubs, which are rather flattering compared to the nursing school-issued unisex uniforms (YUCK!)… I felt kinda sexy in them.. Got my ID badge.. Got my parking pass & decal..

I AM READY!

I will attempt to add a new post each day of my externship (whether it’s an exciting day or a boring day or anything in between).. I want to share my experience with aspiring nurses, future nurses, nursing students, and other nurse externs.. We’re all in this together & we can all learn from one another 🙂

Signing off….. Nurse Extern KP