I have been working with three nurses from Great Lakes for the past 4 weeks, and they have been amazing. Kailey and I are rotating between med-surg/hospice, mom/baby, and wound care so we have seen a little bit of everything. At first I though we would only be doing vitals and observing, but we have gotten a ton of hands-on experience. I have drawn blood, done physical assessments, and today I even did my first wound vac! We also learned to chart in the laptops and I have been doing the visits by myself. Today the nurse sat back and watched while I did vitals, my assessment and wound care. We also do a lot of teaching regarding diets for wound healing, care for babies that have jaundice, etc.
My first day I was with the med-surg/hospice nurse, and our first patient was actively dying. Although I was not there when she passed away, it was interesting to see how the role of the nurse shifts. Since that day, we have had two more patients pass away, one of which I was there for. It was very sad to see the family so emotional, but I am glad I got to experience it. It gave me a much deeper insight into how a nurse bonds with families and what to do/say in a time of grieving. I have also attended a seminar on crisis intervention, hospice team meeting, and a luncheon at the new women's hospital.
I have already had a lot of great experiences and am very excited for the rest of the summer.
You've certainly had a variety of home care opportunities. It is interesting that you have seen both ends of the spectrum of life from the newborn to the adult end of life. What an awesome opportunity to provide care to both!
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