I Survived!

Yesterday was my first day. My preceptor rocks and didn't call me an idiot once, I consider that a successful day! I was more concerned when I was heading to work yesterday that I wasn't going to be able to stay awake for the day shift. I think I got all of 3 hours of sleep the night before. I was busy enough that it wasn't an issue.

We had 2 patients which is about the normal day shift load for the floor and they were "easy" as far as our kids go. Looking back at the day at 0900 one of my kids who already had 3 meds going IV had 5 more IV due at the same time. It will take me a while to get into the groove of hanging order and what can go with what. Atleast I have a bevy of great RN's to ask questions to.

I sat at "the table" and did rounds. It was pretty neat to have my preceptor say, oh I don't know if you all know this but Jennie is a RN now. Hee Hee it still sounds so good to hear! I also pushed a NCA for a patient and that was really strange. Some patients have PCA's on our floor and if the patients are young enough the are also pushed by the nurses when the kids ask. They basically get a quick dose of a controlled pain medication at once. That is a major no-no to push as a nursing assistant, if I had I would have been giving prescribed controlled meds to a patient. Yesterday I pushed a patients button when he asked, it was like driving a car for the first time without a parent in the seat beside you!

The thing that was kinda hard for me was not being able to see all the patients. When I was the Nursing assistant up there I saw every patient by 0845. I left last night without ever seeing some of the kids. That is going to take some getting used to.

I will post more later, I have to go in for more of the computer training for the ordering system at work.