Personal Narrative: The Nurse

I sat at the kitchen counter, staring at the green cabinets and bowls of fruit. I wanted to play in tonight’s soccer game, but my mind was still foggy from the drugs I received in the hospital the day before. I didn’t want my teammates to see me like this. My hair was matted from where my head rubbed against the blue hospital pillow, and a wrinkled piece of clear tape secured a nasal feeding tube onto my cheek. I hated what the tube meant: that I was inadequate and that I couldn’t drink by myself. I was someone who insisted on doing everything on my own, and the thin, flexible tube was a physical reminder that I could not. My mom and dad lauded my bravery, but I dismissed them. I didn’t believe bravery was dictated by necessity.

I stare fascinated as the doctor deftly slices through the patient’s flesh. Hands operate swiftly on the supine body; not a trace of doubt could be found in the movements.

I put on the lead apron and walked into the operating room. I was shadowing an interventional radiologist, and although I was just watching the procedure, I was nervous. What if I faint? What if I get queasy during the surgery and have to walk out? These questions filled my mind with diffidence. But as I stood there, just a few feet from a doctor carefully maneuvering a catheter around the vasculature of the patient’s brain, I had never been more intrigued and excited. My feelings of self-doubt washed away as a flood of fascination and curiosity came over me. I watched as the doctor skillfully pulled the blockage out of the women’s brain and place it on a tray next to me. The enormity of the procedure was not lost on me. Sitting next to me

cross into surgery with her, and the nurse confirmed that she could. The client’s anxiety appeared

at the orphanage, I was able to help build a sidewalk and a garage for

I was recently fortunate enough to speak with Carri Montgomery, who lists her title as the Director of the Women’s and Newborn Center for Platte Valley SCL Health. Platte valley use to be community owed and they recently joined Sister’s of Charity which includes; Good Samaritan, Lutheran, and Saint Joseph Hospital. The purpose of this interview was to interview someone where I could see myself working in what they are doing later in my career. With this interview I hoped to learn what it took for Ms. Montgomery to be in the position she is today. Also, get advice from her to see what where the things she recommended I could do when I graduate from Metropolitan State University (MSU) in 2019. It was beneficial to interview her

I interviewed Beverly Stark. She works for Health Partners Hospice and Palliative Care as a hospice registered nurse (RN). The setting of her work varies. It is wherever her patient lives, which can range from a hospital, long term care, or in the patient’s home. She emphasized the importance of her team. She works with nurses, social workers, home health aids, chaplains, doctors, and hospice volunteers on a daily basis. She is part of what they call a core group. Each core group is made up of two RNs, one social worker, and a home health aid (HHA). The core group meets once a week to talk and update each other on their caseload. Additionally, they meet with the chaplain and a doctor weekly (B. Stark, personal communication, Sept 9, 2016).

Christina G. Rossetti states, "For there is no friend like a sister, in calm or stormy weather, to cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands." My name is Alyssa Snedden. I am nineteen years old and work as a Nurse Aide for the Inn at Chapel Grove. As Hailey's youngest sister, I have always looked up to her. Hailey has always provided me with love and understanding; therefore, I shall do the same in return during this bump in the road. She has never been the type of person to do anything that would cause our parents disappointment or heartbreak. These past couple months have been hard on our family but at the end of

On November 12th 2016 around 21:00, at the nurse station, I was approached by my Charge nurse Rosario Laino, as known as Rosa. She told me: “What are you doing? I check the medications you need to pass and I will help you because there will be no overtime!” I explains that I started to pass the medications for room 4119 and was on my way to changing the tubes of room 4101 which needed new TPN and Lipids infusions. After 15 minutes attending to the patient needs in room 4101, Rosa came and yield: “What are you still doing in the room, you need to finish to pass your medications and your TPN in room 19 is completed! Huh!” I replied that I will go right away.

Today I shadowed a registered nurse. I saw a variety of appointments. The first pt was in for a well child check up. The nurse recorded her vital signs and asked several safety concern questions about her lifestyle and home life. The pt also received a portion of the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine can cause fainting spells or an allergic reaction, so the pt had to wait 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine for observance purposes(S). Between each pt, the rooms were cleaned and a new sheet of paper was stretched out over the bed(IC). The next pt was a 6-week-old baby who had been hospitalized for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV(D) is a common and very contagious virus that affects the respiratory tract. RSV in babies can lead to serious problems like breathing rapidly and cause the lips and fingernails to become cyanotic(MT1). The last pt has a history of repeated ear infections. The doctor suggested a

It was the morning of August29,2005,as we sit in the fourth floor of the hospital room my mother is in, all of a sudden we hear heavy rain and powerful wind that was going about 140 miles per hour. We thought it might be a regular storm because it was already raining for hours , but then all the televisions and the phones and power all of a sudden go out and thats not normal at all. The nurses had to get all the "bed ridden" patients out the rooms and into the hallway as they are doing this the nurses got into panic mode.. and started DROPPING medication and giving patients medication they do not need.. and then it was this BIG striking that hit the side of the building and broke all the windows.. so then we where trying to make sure we didnt get hit by the glass.The nurses got out of luck and one screamed " We are going to die anyway", as soon as she said that everybody got out of hope and stopped trying to survive. Also after she said that one of the other nurses came and gave my mother a pill but I smacked it out her hand and told my mom she is not taking it. Over 3O patients that was there died and they demanded that all the visitors leave the hospital even though

I applaud you for being an emergency room nurse and being attentive enough to be able to catch a potential complication for the patient. My husband had an anaphylactic reaction to Morphine after a knee surgery several years ago. Recently, my husband went to an emergency room with chest pain and diaphoresis. The admission clerk immediately took my husband immediately took my husband back and alerted the nurse. The facility he went to is one my husband that has all of his current history which included his allergy. The nurse obtained lab, an electrocardiogram, and ordered a chest x-ray. She then informed the doctor of my husband’s status. The nurse then brought a syringe full of medication and nitroglycerin to my husband’s bedside. She gave my

Initially I was very apprehensive in sharing the truth behind what ultimately made me decide to return to school to become a nurse. This would entail reliving both joyful and painful memories of my life which I believe to have mapped out the path that I was meant to follow. I was a young, stay at home mom for many years. being the full time primary care giver to my three children was the most rewarding experience of my life. reflecting back I have found remarkable similarities in the traits and skills of mothers and nurses. many of these characteristics are utilized by nurses with each and every patient they encounter . These include but are not limited to compassion , empathy, prioritization, dedication, understanding nonverbal communication.

It was very challenging to do much of anything because my body was so weak from the hit and from being on medication. I was not put on a catheter, so anytime I needed to use the restroom I had to wait for a nurse to come to my room and put a bedpan under me. It was a very uncomfortable situation because I don’t even change or use the restroom in front of my dog and now these people, who are complete strangers, are watching me while I use the restroom. My last day at the hospital was very hard. I had to go to physical therapy, where I had to hop up several steps only using my left leg and railing to help me. It may not seem like it was hard but when your body is so weak it is. When the nurses brought in the crutches for me to use I was so weak

I actually have a similar experience like you. I have a patient during my first semester that she was constantly in nervous/panic mood and always talk about how she wants to go home. I remembered the previous shift nurse and the nurse I followed have the same expressions and saying how the patient was just missing her alcohol (they were thinking she is alcoholic even though her medical record did not indicate she was a drinker). Anyway because we were taught to be non-judgmental on our patient, I decided to talk to the patient about why she was panic and wanted to go home. It ends up the patient is not alcoholic but she just don’t like to be in the hospital and constantly thinking about she may not be about to go home after all. I think many