April 26, 2007 Clinical rotation Day 3.

I am half done my hospital... all in all it's going well. Day one was a good first day for me...just the right pace. Day two had a little more activity at shift change but nothing crazy. Well...not the pace at least...however we did have one fellow on the other hand who seemed to be having QUITE the conversation with the warming cabinet LOL.

Good geriatrics for IV attempts, and assessments...COPD'ers for lung sounds...and a great ped assessment on a 7 months old. All my patients have been awesome...very supportive (especially with IVs) and inquisitive about school, and EMS. The staff with us last night was a lot of fun too...I must be fitting in JUST fine because I'm getting in on all the fun ER gossip! LOL.

My preceptor is great. She's in nursing after two previous careers herself so we seem to have bonded in a good way for us. She's wonderfully patient with everything including my lack of successful IVs...

I've been in the 'general exam' area which is the further back portion of emerg, the last two nights...I'm hoping to be up front in acute the next two...but all in all it's been alright. Not too busy in our area...sounds like it's been 'slow' by their standards.

My first night though, I thought I saw a NAIT flash once...

Had a very sweet teenage girl with her mom for a bad throat infection...she wants to be a pediatrician when she grows up. But she hates needles LOL. What a sweetheart though. Dehydrated because her throat was so bad and the medicentre hadn't done anything for her. So we bolused her with 2L. Really fun to treat though...they both had lots of questions about me and school and what not.

Had a sad case with a geriatric brought in by EPS who recieved an anonymous tip that she was sleeping between the doors at a bank. Her home had been demolished for condos, the compensation she received was piddly considering the market today...had been staying at a woman's shelter for the past year and they won't let her back. She is a very proud educated woman...nearly a century old...too proud to talk about what was happening, or to ask for help from her family. In good health with minor SOB and an empty Ventolin puffer... Admitted as a 'social issue'. Interesting to have a case like this the day after announcements from the provincial government and what they aren't doing to help with the housing/rental situation.

Does anyone else who's done their hospital practicum feel like they're playing doctor??

Seriously, I walk into my patients to get an assessment...chart and clipboard in hand, tubes on my shoulder introducing myself "Hi there, I'm Heidi an EMT Student doing my clincal rotation here..." Pull up the bedside stool on wheels, sit down and start with my assessment...taking a quick visual assessment while I'm at it.

My first patient had a very colourful case of cellulitis on one foot and it was quite a lot of fun when I realized how I must have sounded. Although I don't feel it...I'm pretty sure (based on the patient reaction on exam as well as on discharge) that I'm coming across with a ton more confidence then I expected. Very surreal!

If you were to throw a white coat on me, and walk past the room while I'm in there you'd easily mistake me as someone much more knowledgeable LOL.

I still hold claim to the statement that I am NOT a people person! Because I'm not. I hate people LMAO.

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