My Ray of Hope

I'm in my ICU Rotation this week...and that means there are only about 16 patients to take care of and we have to make sure they're doing OK every 4 hours...so 6x a day....it has been the best rotation YET!

 

My instructors this time are really patient with me...but the credit also goes to the rather impatient preceptors because if it weren't for them, I probably would still be very slow and seemingly-incompetent at what I do =P Today, my instructor allowed to draw a blood gas sample on my own...he wasn't even there to watch me. This isn't the one where you have to poke someone in the wrist though, there's already a catheter in their wrist and all you gotta do is draw blood from it...there are no needles involved. So it's relatively easier from a practical point of view, but equally dangerous from the patient's point of view. I feel that my instructors have more confidence in me and I feel like what I'm doing is actually doing some good for other people...feels prety good

 

The other housemates are getting ready to go to a party right now...there's a Halloween party at the school club in McMaster...No I'm not going, I'm working tomorrow and I'm not ever going to show up hungover...EVER!

 

Anyhow, the ICU is where the sickest patients go....and there's nothing much happening, yet the days are going by faster and faster...My days now usually start off with receiving report from the Night shift at 0630, then checking my patient's Chest X-Rays, blood work, and ventilation parameters. At 0730 I would be in the Unit reading over charts and thinking of how to tackle the day's workload...then at 0800, the staff RTs will arrive in the Unit and I can start implementing any ventilation changes, suctioning, and giving puffers. At around 0900, the Medical residents start their rounds and this can go up to 1200 at least...they spend about 30-45 minutes/patient...for ~15 patients...so yeah it takes a while to finish.

 

Anyhow, I'm gnna do some readings before I go to bed tonight, See y'all tomorrow! To Joshua, Melina, and Dad.....HOCKEY ON SATURDAY!!!!