At Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, I have met a lot of people… I have expanded my network of friends and colleagues. Through them, I was able to hone my skills and realized that theory is very much different from the actual setting. I know I sound a little negative but that is reality. You will never learn just by books. You really have to go to a hospital and practice on how to be a NURSE.

In books, they don’t tell you on how to deal with patient’s questions, complaints, requests, violent behaviours etc but in the hospital, you will learn the style or shall I say the ART of Nursing… from the smallest details to the complicated ones.

Having my training for 3 months, I was able to appreciate everything that I have learned for 4 years at my nursing school. I gained confidence though at times I question myself… Anyway, before I start the drama, just read my previous blog posts here and here.

3 months is not enough but here comes Graduation… We have to bid goodbye to the hospital/ward routines… the staff nurses… MDs… Co-trainees… and my new found friends…

During our graduation, certificates were given and the top trainees of our batch will be promoted as Volunteer Nurses AKA Junior Staff Nurses (Wooaah?) and luckily out of 40 trainees (I think?) I was one of the chosen ones… LOL!

Congratulations FDM Batch 9 Trainees! God Bless Us All!

(and Good Luck to another chapter of LittleNars’ life as a Volunteer Nurse. Stay Tuned. :]])

Thank You Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center for such an AWESOME experience! :]

P.S
Group Outing you’re up… (I miss you Team De Panes :])

Pediatric ward was very much different from the Adult Ward though they both are a very busy area of the hospital. For an obvious reason that they cater different patients with different needs. Pedia Ward is the largest area in the hospital since it is the former, Children’s Medical Center. It consists of 3 wings, Floral, Middle and Medical Service wing. Plus, the fact that they also have, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

During my first week at Pedia Ward, I was having difficulty in adjusting because they have different manner in endorsing since they have 3 wings, they have several Pediatric Resident on Duty and very strict Input and Output monitoring. Good thing as weeks pass, I was able to establish homeostasis and I was able to go on my duty with ease and confidence.

Pedia Ward was my last rotation for my Professional Nurse Training Program at Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center. I must savor each moment… What did I learn?

• I learned to do suctioning on Mouth and ET tube
  I practiced calculating D/Q x S
  I was able to do Blood Transfusion with or without Infusion Pump (And I learned that Infusion Pump is the bomb. Haha Wish all the patients has it)
  I saw and was able to drain ileostomy for a 9 month old patient
  I learned that 5 year old kids are very strong (Inserting IV line)
  I was able to have duty at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
  I was able to familiarize myself with a syringe infusion pump (hopefully will have a chance to prepare medication and operate it)
  I learned that IV Fluids in Pediatrics are very positional. You have to check it every now and then cause if not, you’re delayed and then screwed.
  VS in Pedia can be very complicated. Urgggh. (The moment they see a person in white, they will start to cry. Thank You So Much.)
  Mothers can be very toxic than the patient itself :]
  In Pedia, you’ve gotta love collecting diapers and inspecting it for stool characteristics.—-Done that :]

Since Pedia is the busiest ward and my last rotation, I realized that I am a Benign Nurse coz whenever I have my off, the ward has a lot of patients then when I came back, most of the patients were already discharged.

Thank You Pedia Ward!:]

End of March meaning…. its GRADUATION TIME :]

February is the Adult Ward month. There, I have met the most makulet, kwela and friendly staff nurses and Volunteer nurses at Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center (well, at least for me :]) I have learned a lot, I have met different cases of patients that tested my knowledge, skills and attitude (niiiice :]). There, I was able to meet doctors that are willing to teach us and answer us if we have questions regarding the care for our patients. Being a nurse trainee for two months already, build up my confidence in dealing with patients and conversing with other health care team and hospital workers. I gained a lot of friends and acquaintances. Recalling my adult ward experiences…

• Ironic as it may seem but my first patient was a pediatric…
  I learned how to drain everything that is drainable— Jackson Pratt, T-Tube, etc… (LOL.)
  I learned how to troubleshoot a malfunctioning IV line.
  I learned how to use an Infusion Pump
  I was able to insert an IV Catheter (for my patient and not just for completion of cases etc.)
  I was able to come up with a strategy in entering the patient’s room (conserving time/energy/effort)
  I was able to do ECG to my patient (but not interpreting it. It’s just pure nosebleed. LOL)
  I was able to administer chemotherapeutic drugs (but not preparing it, it’s a doctor thing to do)
  I was able to have a duty at the Adult Intensive Care Unit, though the patient is not that critical
  I was able to witness and assist in a bone marrow aspiration procedure
  I was able to admit a patient
  My achievement so far, I was able to assist my patient to the lobby via wheelchair that is bigger than me without assistance (I was afraid I might put my patient in danger. Haha)

I cannot enumerate everything but to sum it all up, my 12-hour duty at Adult Ward is very worth it and if given the chance, I would love to have my duty there again. Thank You ADULT WARD :]

P.S
I think, I lose 2 pounds there. Haha! I love it. :]

Most of us dreams of becoming the boss of the bosses, I mean, we always envision ourselves on the top. We want to fulfill the 5th stage in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which is the Self-Actualization stage less do we know that in attaining that, we have to deal with such great responsibilities.

Experiencing the shoes of Ospital ng Maynila-Medicine Ward’s Head Nurse for 3 days made me remember one line from my favorite movie, Spider-Man that says “With great power comes great responsibility…”

Before the RLE exposure, when I hear the word “Head Nursing” from my fellow batch mates, it is always coupled with the words “TOXIC, PAPER WORKS and TOXIC” and when I was the one on duty, I proved them right. You have to prepare for your activities and you need to monitor your staff nurses all the time. Honestly, I even forgot how it is to urinate because I was busy facilitating my staff nurses. You have to comply with the paper works and you need to evaluate your staff. You are the boss and the decision always comes from you it’s like you call the shot and you are the final say. If you look at the brighter side, being the boss gives you pleasure and you don’t need to do bedside care and other “dirty” nursing procedures however, decision making is a great deal and responsibility, once you made a mistake you can ruin one’s life.

With that, I learned that being a head nurse isn’t an easy job especially if you’re working in a Government Hospital in which, there are a lot of patients and most of the time, the ideal procedures are being set aside. If I were to be a head nurse now, 1 million stacks of rice which I will still need to harvest and cook isn’t even a bit enough. Being a head nurse for 3 days with 3 male staff nurses in my team is somewhat difficult because they males usually needs a little push to do their duties and responsibilities nevertheless, they are fun to be with because they don’t have negative side comments as to what I say.

In conclusion, I had a great experience as a head nurse and I may say that it really aided in my learning though some of my expectations and objectives were not met due to some undesired circumstances. This is my last duty as a student nurse. I am quite nostalgic with it because it may take a long time for me to be able to have my duty again as a REAL staff nurse— reality speaking.

I am coming out to the real world and with me are my memories, knowledge, skills and attitude from the four years that I have been studying my chosen career— that will serve as my sword and shield in my facing my future challenges.

Old age scares a lot of people— including me. Often, they associate it with disease, degeneration and death. Less do people know that old age comes with the word “WISDOM”…

What is great about nursing is that you deal with life the moment you start to breathe, the moment it takes your breath away and the moment you halt to breathe. Nursing is in every stage of life and I am very glad that I have chosen this field.

When I first learned that our concept will be about Geriatric Nursing, I became doubtful of my dealing and communicating skills. Honestly, I am not that close to my grandparents and so I don’t have the slightest idea on how to deal with them. In addition, they are not that “old” as to compare with the geriatric population in the barangay we were assigned. Most people say that I am insensitive with the things that I say or do and so, I became afraid of hurting their feelings with the questions and reactions I give to them given the fact that we are in a different generation. However, as the interview goes, I felt at ease with them when they shared things I didn’t expect them to say and so, I was touched and I was glad that I did earned their trust.

There are few but significant learning that I have gained in this rotation, First, I learned that elders are easy to please. You can easily make them happy with the simple things you do for them one of which is to LISTEN. Second, I learned that everything would run smoothly, if you have built a strong rapport with the people you will work with. Third, I realized that being a student nurse isn’t just about complying with the requirements, it is about learning by doing things from the bottom of your heart in order to serve other people. Lastly, geriatrics are still part of the community, they have special needs that we need to attend to. They should be given importance because at one point in our lives, they contributed to the life we are living right now. I mean, who says geriatrics can’t do anything right due to their old age? They possess wisdom and that if we listen to them we can’t go wrong.

This rotation is a proof in the saying “Save the best for last…” Given the fact that this will be our last community exposure in my whole college life, I believe the group had given its best to help the community and made them happy even just for a while. Let them forget about their worries and at the same time learn on how they can maximize their health status.

Learning is a two-way process. I believe in our group’s own little way have touched the lives of the community and definitely, they have touched ours. I will never forget this rotation.

With this rotation, I am very thankful for everything that has happened because it aided my learning not only when it comes to knowledge but also with the skills and attitude required of a beginning nurse practitioner.

—-just posting some of my reflection paper during my duty days ’cause I don’t know what to do with them anymore…LOL!:] I was thinking that I would sell my files but I’d rather not. LOL!:]