What I learned in school today

Today was by far the most exciting day I have had in a long time! I spent the day in the OR at ANMC observing surgeries. I even got to participate a little!

I watched three surgeries, two laproscopic tubal bandings, and a non-laproscopic ovarian cyst removal (they ended up doing a lot more than just that though). I got to do catheters on the first two patients. Who would have thought that draining someone's bladder could be so exciting. After the first patient was anesthetized, the nurse asked me if I wanted to do the catheter. I was caught a little off guard...I can do stuff?? Even though I knew exactly what to do, she was very nice about walking me through the process to make sure I didn't forget anything (it's not too complicated - put on sterile gloves, insert catheter, makes sure other end is aimed appropriately). The first two procedures were very fast. After the patient was asleep, the whole process of cleaning and draping them took longer than the actual procedure. The camera goes in through the belly button and then the banding contraption goes in through a port in the lower abdomen. The contraption that puts the bands on the fallopian tubes was pretty neat. It picks up the tube and pulls it into a metal sheath and then slips a tiny little rubber band over the kink (kind of like kinking a garden hose and then putting a rubber band on it).

The third procedure was much more complicated (and there was a lot more blood too). It was a lot harder to see what was going on because it wasn't on a TV screen, but I was able to stand at the head of the bed and see a lot. They ended up removing the patients ovary, appendix, and her cervix (she had already had a partial hysterectomy).

As for the passing out problem...I didn't actually pass out! I got light headed during the first surgery, but not until the doctor was putting the trocar for the instruments in. I sat down for awhile and was better before the whole thing was over. I felt completely fine during the second surgery, but got light headed again during the third one (while I was standing at the head of the bed looking directly down into the huge abdominal incision). Again, I was fine after sitting for awhile. I think the second time it was a combination of claustrophobia (there's nothing like wearing a mask for three hours) and of being hungry and dehydrated.

Fun with needles

Today in my skills lab we got to play with needles. We did IM (intramuscular), subcutaneous, and intra dermal injections on sponges and hot dogs. I could really use some practice on a real person...anyone need a flu shot?

Clinicals, etc.

This past Tuesday was my last clinical day in long-term care. I'm glad to have had the experience, but also glad that it is over. In my quest to answer everyone's question of, "what kind of nursing do you want to go into?" I can now say that I do not want to work in long-term care. I am glad that there are people who enjoy it and are good at it, but I am not one of those people.

Next week we do our orientation at the Alaska Native Medical Center. We will be on the orthopedic floor for the remainder of the semester. I am a little nervous about the hospital, especially after my near passing out experience. Hopefully that will go away soon. My good friend Allison told me that in order to cure myself of this ailment, I should go to the burn unit and just stand in someone's room. I don't think I'll be able to do that, but thanks for the advice!

I'm pretty excited to be taking a very mini vacation this weekend. My friend Katie who moved to L.A. in November is back in town for the week. I'm driving down to her parents house in Soldotna on Friday to get her so that she doesn't have to fly in a small plane to get back to Anchorage on Saturday (I know...I'm such a good friend). I'm excited to spend some time with her...and to cure her of her newly acquired L.A.-ness!