Today was our second clinical day. Again at the long-term care facility. We definitely had more client interaction. Our main focus for today was to complete an aging assessment interview and to get vital signs taken and to assist with anything the CNA's need help with (within our learned skill set to date). I spent a considerable time after breakfast with my client in her PT and OT sessions--basically just observing. At times the number of nursing students seemed to equal the number of PT clients in this a fairly small room. It was all we, the nursing students, could do to stay out of the way. When it was time for my client to do OT, the number of students/clients had dwindled and it was not nearly so crowded. During OT, I realized that since the OT's were doing some group Range-Of-Motion exercises, I could do it along with them. Certainly helped the time go by and keep me alert. I really liked the OT because he didn't ignore us (the nursing students), but explained a few things and tried to open our eyes to what he was doing and why. He was helping to broaden our vision...and I applaud that he didn't just roll his eyes at us--but it felt like he saw us as future care partners.
Next week we head to the mega teaching hospital in town...we'll get our official ID badges, orientation to paperwork (by our instructor) and then attend the hospital's training for their electronic charting. It will be a longer day than normal, but since our first clinical day was canceled (due to circumstances beyond everyone's control) we still have to make up those hours...so those extra hours for hospital orientation will fill part of the those hours we need. Our clinical instructor told us that she's going to see if she can create a mini skills-lab for us at the hospital--teaching us how to use the equipment in the rooms, where things are kept etc...so that we can be ready to roll on our first clinical at that site.
Learned from our clinical instructor that there's an opportunity for us to make up remaining clinical hours by helping with a local public school's hearing/vision screening day. That will be in early October. I am so grateful that they are helping us find ways to make-up a clinical day, rather than tacking it on at the end (when we are studying for finals)...plus you NEVER KNOW (!) if there will be another missed clinical day (due to sickness or some other random event).
Tomorrow is our first skills lab test. We will receive an index card with three skills we have to demonstrate with our lab partner. I'm grateful it's not a percentage grade, but a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade. But still I'm nervous. I hate being watched or giving oral presentations--I best get over that quickly...because that's the only way the faculty can know if we are mastering our skills. Here are some of the skills that we can be testing on: making bed (occupied + unoccupied), vital signs, ROM exercises, positioning/turning, bed pan/urinal, hand hygiene (self + patient), bed bath, back massage, oral care, applying/removing TED stockings, ambulation (walking and with crutches, cane, walker), transferring patient from bed to bedside commode, wheelchair/chair and so forth. There are certain things that apply to all skills that we have to demonstrate as well (review physicians orders, ID client, educate/explain what you are doing, hand hygiene, pull door/curtain etc...). My head is swimming with information. I think I just need to take my time and think it through while I'm doing it...and not get anxious and rush.
Well off to bed to get a decent night's sleep. Still sick and my brain just gets foggy after awhile.
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