MH Report due: Feb 5

Learning Report

1. Responsibilities:

·         Care for 2 patients

·         Administer medication

·         Finish charting so 4 patients can be discharged

·         Inform the patient and their family

2. I learned that charting looks very hard and complicated, but it is easy once you are trained.  
3. Best thing that happened was learning that I don’t have to be great at spelling because when charting all you have to do is click on an option already typed out.
4. The worst thing that happened was hearing that some patient that are not in the right mind will sometime play with the own poop, and the nurse his to clean them up.
5. It was not a mistake.
6. Good, my nurse was not extremely enthusiastic, but she still taught me a few things.

Experience Record

1. Technology I observed was their COW or computer on wheels which she used to chart. She also had a scanner that looked like the ones at a grocery store that scans the medication and her wrist band which then send the information to the computer.
2.   The patient had just come back from Bronchoscopy where the doctors can take a look into the airway. They hope to get the results back to diagnose her lung disease.
3. My nurse had to administer blood pressure medication to another patient recovering from surgery.  She also assisted an older women take out an IV so she could get an x-ray downstairs. After one of the patients came back from surgery she helped them with ordering lunch and changing her status so she could eat.
4.  I observed a woman who had painful and labored breathing. She was waiting to hear what the Bronchoscopy looked like to diagnosis her.
5. I saw medical terminology like WDL’s when she was charting. It means “within defined limits”. I also heard her use Edema which is swelling caused by fluid retention - excess fluid is trapped in the body's tissues.

Experience Journal

                When I first walked in, I was introduced to Darleen,, a registered nurse who has only been a Memorial Herrman for 3 months. She had 2 patients she was caring for along with discharging 4 others. She was taking a break where she ate here breakfast of oatmeal and Doritos… weird. I got to see her chart on her computer and administer medication using a scanner. Also, a sales man came to demonstrate a new colonoscopy bag that came in different diameter to better fit the incision.

                The first patient we visited just came back from a bronchoscopy to determine why she is having trouble breathing. She needed another x-ray, so the nurse had to disconnect her IV. This allowed her to be moved from her bed room to the imaging room.  She also helped the patient’s family order food and changes her meal status, so she could eat after her procedure. Her next patient needed their blood pressure medication replaced. Her mother told Darleen to use a different medicine the patient used before that worked well. However, the nurse kept her on the original drug.

                I asked Darleen how she balances a family and nursing. She works the typical 12 hour shift, 3 days a week. In addition, she will work extra for overtime pay. WDL’s came up when she was charting she told me It means “within defined limits”. I also heard her use Edema which is swelling caused by fluid retention.  She made sure to use proper PPE when handling IV parts and used hand sanitizer when she came in contact with a patient or something they may have touch.

                Although it was not a horrible experience I still do not feel like I would enjoy going into the field of the surgical unit. The staff got to briefly talk to did not seem happy to go to work. I want to be excited and happy when a go to and leave work. Almost every rotation so far has pushed me to really look into the labor and delivery unit.