Check if they are nurses… if they are. This post might give answer to your query.

The “BLACK-OUT” is in support for AYNLA’s (Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders & Advocates International Inc.), a national registered organization of nurse leaders & advocates in the Philippines—- Nurses Black-out campaign 2011.

This is for every nurses’ endeavour, cause or advocacy…

They came up with the advocacy particularly to utilize social media as a tool for nurses’ rights awareness building, initiate social & mass mobilizations in relation to the protection of nurses’ rights and to garner support from individuals, organizations and communities to end all forms of discrimination and abuse to nurses in the workplaces and communities.

Increasing number of nurses has always been a problem (or shall I say, is becoming a crisis) but why just now? According to PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) our country already produced 200,000 unemployed and underemployed RN’s in the year 2010.

It is ironic that the Philippines is one of the top exporter of their own skilled, professional nurses but the country, itself is lacking of many nurses to take care of the communities and the society.

Hospitals and healthcare facilities acknowledge their shortage of nurses but fails to hire more because of proclaimed budget constraints. This leaves dozens of nurses flooding in workplaces other than in the field of nursing like call centers.

Many new nurses, wanting to gain hospital/clinical experience as a presumed key to international employment, offer their professional nursing services to the hospitals without getting paid. [Please insert my name here...] —Yes, we are called “Volunteer Nurses” “OJT Nurses” “Nurse Trainees”… And yes to the fact that we pay for a “3-month” or “6-month” hospital experience.

This campaign period is from January 01 – 11, 2011. I know it’s a bit hard to change your profile picture to BLACK but it is for a good cause so why not join the cause?

VOLUNTEER NURSE AKO KAYA BLACK ANG PROFILE PICTURE KO… XD

Let me give you an overview as to where this post is coming from…

April 2009 marked the start of my unemployment.
June 2009 marked the start of my “Registered Nurse” status
January 2010 marked the start of me being a “Nurse Trainee”
April 2010 marked the start of me being a “Volunteer Nurse”
July 2010 marked the start of me being entitled as a “Junior Staff Nurse” (Please don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I am promoted, It’s just a EUPHEMISM of the above…)

Since then… NOTHING has changed.

December 2010 marked the last day of my hospital duty for the year.

What did I get?

Well… I did learn a lot, made me gain confidence and some “strategies” in making my work as “SWABE” as possible. To be honest there were times that I just wanna ditch my duties because of “same-old” cases but I am still THANKFUL because EVERY DAY is a LEARNING DAY.

I ask myself, why is a decent nursing job so aloof or distant –shall I say? Am I not ready or am I just not looking closely?

Looking back at my monthly tweets with hashtag of #wish one thing in common is “EMPLOYMENT” and now that the year is coming to its end… I wish for 2011 to be…

EMPLOYMENT

Oh look…

Dear Facebook Apps, Thank you sooooo much! YOU GAVE ME HOPE

*Pardon for my EMO post *

I have been a volunteer nurse for almost 2 months already and I am just gonna say, I am loving it. I am not allowed to tell you where I am assigned but it is such an honor to be where I am now.

At first I was like, “What will I going to learn there?” but then, as I go on duty, I am learning not on the nursing procedures etc but on how to care for the patient, how to be emphatic, how to be therapeutic and practice those 3 letters that we always say… TLC— Tender, Love and Care…

I will be assigned there for 3 months and then we’ll see where will I be assigned next.

P.S
Where I am now is very comfortable, I receive allowance (Not all volunteer nurse in Dr. Fe Del Mundo Medical Center is receiving allowance) and enjoying free food. LOL :]

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. :]

You will never forget your first exposure because it is your home—where you started. I will definitely DEFINITELY miss them.

This February, I am assigned to Adult Ward. New staff nurses/volunteer nurses and patients to deal with, new environment, new routine, new learning and experience. I hope they would also be nice to us. Also, new duty mates (Yes, I will miss the company of Dennis and Ibay— Wala na akong kasabay umuwi…:\).

So help me God :]

Hello Adult ward :]

P.S
The case presentation of our group was OK. Good thing we were the first to present because the other groups from other wards (Adult and Pedia) were really good. Their cases were really complex. LOL! We presented about Ectopic pregnancy since we handled OB cases.