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Some days I feel like a complete dunce. I sure can't wait to feel like I've got everything under control (that WILL happen, right?). I guess this is why orientation lasts three months.

First (almost) Successful IV Insertion

I attempted my first IV insertion yesterday and actually got it in on the first try but then the vein blew out! We tried twice on the same patient and both times the same thing happened, we got flashback, but after advancing the catheter and checking placement it wasn't in the right spot.

IV insertion is really tricky --I feel like I need about four hands to do it! Not only do you have to find a good vein and get the needle into it correctly, but then you have to slide the plastic catheter off the needle once it's in the vein, retract the needle, and connect the hub to a saline flush -all while trying not to make a bloody mess.

phlebotomy! phlebotomy!!

I've had this song stuck in my head all day -except I sing "phlebotomy" where they sing "lobotomy" in the opening lines :)

I spent the whole today at a lab drawing blood. No more Shakey Hand McGee over here! Next hurdle: IV insertion!!

Head Bobble

I recently encountered the "Indian head wobble" or "bobble" for the second time in my life a few days ago at the hospital. For those who have never interacted with someone who uses this gesture it can be very confusing and even unnerving. Does it mean yes? No? Maybe? It's especially hard when you're working with a patient and there's a language barrier. Are they happy? In pain? Do they agree? According to this article, the wobble can mean anything from yes to thank you to hello depending on the speed and intensity.

I'm Still Here!

I've been in orientation now for three weeks now, with a couple more days to go until I actually hit the floor. I want to keep writing about my experiences at the hospital in my new role but so far... uh... I haven't had any! Orientation has been long and we are all dying to get with some patients, but it's good that the hospital is so thorough. It's been a lot of review, a lot on policies, etc. They want you to go into the job knowing how to do things the right way, which makes me very happy.

There's been a lot of scaring the crap out of us too... a lot of stories about medication administration errors, code blues, mean doctors, mean nurses... When I started on this journey I thought that when I finally came out of nursing school I'd know how to handle ANY situation. I soon began to realize that that just isn't so. It takes a lot of time and a lot of experience that school just can't begin to prepare you for.