Term III Preceptorship!

I cannot believe I am officially in my last term III EVER! Everyone is at school enjoying the beginning of their new classes, the start of intramural softball (a fan favorite at EC), and many have left for their term III trips to places including Ireland, South Africa, England, Bahamas, etc. And then there is me...I am home doing my senior nursing preceptorship in the ICU! Elmira is different in the sense that the nursing program requires a 5 week preceptorship in which you work with a nurse and essentially learn to be a real nurse, an independent critical thinker and apply these skills in a real clinical setting. Many students stayed on campus to do their preceptorship at a local hospital but I chose to go home and do mine in NH. It is good to think about where you would want to get a job in the future and consider doing your preceptor their to get a foot in the door, become trained in certain things, and prove yourself as a nurse. 

So far, I am LOVING it! It is amazing. Everyday is different, some sad, some rewarding, some happy. I have been able to practice to many skills and really develop my nursing skills to an advanced level. I feel like a sponge, literally absorbing everything and just learning so much each day I am working in the ICU. I am practically acting as the nurse and providing total care with my nurse overseeing my work and making sure no errors are made. I have really connected with some patients and feel like each day I really make a difference in someone's life. Sometimes it can be sad, and I have lost patients already and had to help the family cope with that. Other times it is so exciting and rewarding. My favorite experience so far involved an older man who I had taken care of for a few days and had been on a ventilator for a few weeks. His prognosis looked grim, as every time they tried to remove the ventilator, he would struggle to breathe and not be able to come off of it. It became a burden on the son who now had to make the decision to remove the life support and see if he could pull out of the breathing problems, or if they would begin comfort care like all the doctors predicted. Before this happened, for the previous days as I had taken care of him, I spoke a lot to the patient, held his hand, told him (even though he was sedated and unresponsive mostly) that I was there for him, there to help take care of him, and that he was in good hands. I truly bonded with him and knew that deep down in his sedated state, he was in there listening. Well, the time came to remove the ventilator and as I stood in the room holding his hand with the son at my side and the doctors around, I prepared myself to see a downward spiral. But as the tube was removed, and the patient had a good cough, he looked directly at me and the first words he uttered after over two weeks of not being able to speak were "Hi, Amy!". Everyone in the room was shocked, and I almost fell over but it truly made my day. After all those days of telling him I was there for him, who I was, that he was in good hands, etc. I really felt I had made an impact. He could have said anything, to his family, doctors, etc. and he chose me. After he calmed down a bit, he later thanked me and told me how much he appreciated me talking to him, holding his hand, and making him feel like he wasn't alone. It was such a rewarding experience. In the end, he ended up breathing fine after the ventilator was removed and really started to look good. It was so great to see him defy the odds and come out of it. He was transferred to a regular floor a day later and to the extent of my knowledge is still doing fine. Days like this, moments like this, make me realize just how lucky I am to soon be a nurse and help people at their most vulnerable and difficult times. It is not always easy or happy, but it is always worth it.

Here is a picture of me on my first day!

 

The hours I am required to do are flying by as I am working 12 hour shifts, doing some online discussions for my preceptorship class, and staying busy in the job search. I am sad to be missing my last term III on campus playing softball, enjoying no class Wednesdays, and just spending time with friends. But I am happy with my decision to come home and do my preceptorship in the ICU in NH. I will post more soon to update you all!