Comments | chipleduff: Thoughts on Critical Care

chipleduff

Thoughts on Critical Care

Oct 17, 2010 21:23

This past week has been really busy and really emotional. After bombing a test on Monday for Critical Care, we had two ten hour clinicals for Critical Care. I struggled in Med-Surg last semester, so naturally, I'm struggling with the continuation of that class. Now...on a positive note...I did learn a lot from my clinical. I learned not to be ( Read more... )

empathy, mental struggle

Comments 10

renew_hope October 18 2010, 03:13:33 UTC

I am knowing for a fact that you are going do great. Because everything you do is with so much motiviation & drive.

I admire you and your determination. I believe in you and all that you do.

Please send my love for to the gorgeous wife & yourself <3

chipleduff October 18 2010, 12:04:44 UTC

Thanks friend. :)

complexstory October 25 2010, 05:11:27 UTC

Chip ( ... )

chipleduff October 25 2010, 12:22:52 UTC

I love that you still have that icon!! :)

Yeah...it's so hard to figure out where I would 1.) really enjoy working and 2.) do the most good for people while I'm there.

I spent this past weekend doing clinicals in Longview, TX for my Women and Children class. I traded ER for the nursery with a friend of mine who didn't want to be in the nursery. I fell in love with it. My second day was in labor and delivery, but they only had two patients, neither of which was ready to deliver. So...I haven't written L&D off. I just didn't really get to do anything there. I was a little disappointed, but people just aren't having babies on the weekend.

Thank you for the kind comments. I think that writing this stuff down helps me to rationalize things in my head. It's hard to be honest about these things without sounding harsh, you know?

complexstory October 26 2010, 02:12:31 UTC

I completely agree with you about the writing things down. I am trying to start journaling more because I think when I stopped my journaling that is when I started having so many medical problems and I think the root of them is my just keeping everything bottled up. Funny hou our bodies respond to things.

L&D would be awesome. I think the ER would be awesome too. You would do great at either. You know what it is like to have the adreneline fix from being over in Iraq. I think that L&D would kind of give you a bit of an adreneline fix too though, just in a completely different way. Getting to see new little ones make their enterance into the world. Thats pretty awesome!

I will always keep this icon!! Its my favorite!!!

chipleduff October 26 2010, 02:18:31 UTC

I got to watch a c-section on Saturday. After that was over, that baby came to the nursery. I was holding him and feeding him while I was walking around the nursery. I looked out the window and made sure to tell him that a gallon of milk across the street at the Exxon station was 2.99 on the day he was born. I also made sure to remind him to never forget who changed his first diaper. :)

fitfool March 5 2011, 04:01:44 UTC

I've heard that sentiment from more than a few healthcare workers. Maybe think of such patients with more compassion and pity? They lack your will, determination, good sense to make good choices in their lives. Maybe it's a genetic predisposition, personality, circumstances of their lives. We don't know what's been thrown at them. Maybe you faced adversity and overcame it but what if you hadn't been able to? Wouldn't you still have wanted some non-judgmental care if you ended up in a hospital?

chipleduff March 5 2011, 07:01:16 UTC

Yes. I would definitely want some non-judgemental care if I ended up in the hospital. Which is exactly why I wouldn't want me as my nurse. I'm trying hard and struggling often with realizing this about myself. And for that reason, I think it's best that I not work in med-surg or critical care. I can't be biased to newborns. That's why I think the nursery is the best place for me and the place that I can do the most good for the most people.

fitfool March 8 2011, 03:34:19 UTC

Yeah...I always think health care workers will take care of you no matter what since that's what they're trained to do. But I did read that there are biases that even the caregiver might be aware of. Things like you don't like a patient so you don't check up on them more than minimally required or you answer their questions more curtly.

chipleduff March 8 2011, 03:41:10 UTC

I would never do that. Nor would I give any less than the best care to anyone. I just want to focus a lot of my practice on prevention, and I think the best place to do that is with a new family.