Kaiser Volunteering / Nurse Shadowing: The First Night on call (#5)

After watching our mentors through out the night, i realized it would take a lot of time and learning for me to become a nurse. My mentor made the job look so easy but i knew it probably took time and patience for her to become that good at nursing. All my mentor did was check the patient for any vital signs, give them pain medication, and make sure that they are comfortable. After that, the nurses watched over the patients and monitored them to make sure they were stable and made sure that if they needed any more pain medication they would give it to the patient. Through out the rest of the night, more patients were sent to PACU and Christina and I continued to observe our mentors and the patients. We also continued to watch the monitor to watch recent surgeries. Christina and i also got to learn how to use the special machine for medications. This machine/elevator sends out medications from pharmacists directly where the patient is that needs it. It also shows evidence that no drugs are stolen by nurses or patients which used to be a problem within hospitals before this machine. This is a new machine within new hospitals today so nurses/pharmacists don't physically have to go out of there way to get the medication them selves. It saves time and its a really smart invention for hospitals. After playing with the medication machine, I ate hospital jello with Christina and decided to take a nap in a hospital bed because I have been up for almost more than 20 hours.

 

Kaiser Volunteering / Nurse Shadowing: The First Night on call (#4)

After Christina and I finished eating and talking in the staff lounge room we headed back to the PACU (recovery room). While we were in the recovery room, we waited for patients to come out of surgery because after the patients surgery is finished they are sent to the recovery room to be cared for by nurses. While the nurses were preparing for the patient to come, Christina and I got to watch the surgery being done on the patient that shortly would be sent to PACU. We watched it on a monitor. Every room in the hospital that performs surgery has a camera installed to show the nurses what kind of surgery is being done to the patients and when the patient will be sent to the PACU. This lets the nurses know that a patient is coming in and means that they need to prepare for that patient. It was something very new for me to see so i thought it was very interesting how fast the patients are sent to the recovery room right after surgery. Christina and i got the chance to watch a hip replacement on the monitor and i was shocked. It did not gross me out. I thought it was very interesting how calm the surgeons were and how they finished the job so efficiently. Next thing you know the lady that was being worked on was in the recovery room right after her surgery and was cared for by our mentors.

Kaiser Volunteering / Nurse Shadowing: The First Night on call (#3)

Christina and I came back to the hospital after getting some food and went straight to the staff locker room to put our things away so we could go eat. We went to the staff lounge where we ate, talked, and watched TV. While we were in the staff lounge we also met a doctor and other employees that work at the hospital and were introduced to them as well. While we were eating, the people we met asked us questions on why we wanted to pursue in the career of nursing for our future career and we discussed the positive and negative aspects of being a nurse. We discussed the process of becoming a nurse and how difficult it can be at times but in the end it is worth it because the benefits that the job provides. They asked me what my college plan was and i told them i will be attending the College of San Mateo for my prerecs and then transferring to a university that provides a good nursing program. After talking about the Career of nursing with the hospital staff it made me realize that this is my career of choice and it made me excited for my future.

Kaiser Volunteering / Nurse Shadowing: The First Night on call(#2)

Tonight me and Christina's mentors were on call till 8am so, we decided to stay the night to see what goes on during an on call shift. While our mentors were on call and assisting patients we observed and also waited for patients coming out of emergency surgery. It was very interesting to see how immune the nurses are while working in the middle of the night and assist and watch over the patients and are very alert at the same time. While i was watching the nurses assist the patients, i realized this is a career i definitely want to pursue in because the nurses take pride in what they do and love their job as they care for patients in need. I believe nurses set a sense of comfort in the hospital. If it wasn't for nurses there wouldn't be anyone to care for the patients at all. While we were observing the on call shift it was very quiet and slow. Overall the nurses assisted about 3 patients while on that shift. After that Christina and I went out to grab some food to help us get some energy for the rest of the shift.

Kaiser Volunteering / Nurse Shadowing: The First Night on call (#1)

Friday, March 27th, was my first full day volunteering at the PACU (recovery room) at Kaiser hospital in Redwood City. Right when i got to the recovery room i was introduced to all the staff by my mentor, Kim. After i was introduced to the staff, Christina and I followed our mentors around as they gave us a tour of the whole floor which the recovery room was located. This floor included operating rooms and the pre/post anesthesia care unit. The most interesting thing i saw as i was being toured by my mentor was the new advance technology they had because it was a brand new hospital. My mentor also showed me the Negative Pressure Room where patients go if they need to be quarantined. Patients that have caught deceases such as Ebola or Swine Flu are sent to this room to be fully isolated from the other patients. The nurses and hospital staff are specially trained to work with patients in this room because it can be extremely harmful if the decease spreads else where.