Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Orientation Continues

Today continued with Extern Orientation, 2 more days and we are done! Today was better than the previous days because the information applied directly to our program, I had more interaction with the other externs and I began the day with a Grande Vanilla Latte from Starbucks. You determine which reason was more influential...

Anyways, we met some of the head nursing staff at the hospital and learned some nursing specific policies. We also learned the computer documentation system (paper charts are so 2010), how to label specimen per protocol and did basic training with the glucometer which reads patient's blood sugar levels.

I learned something else that stuck with me today and I hope to use this concept when I begin working on Monday. The hospital I am working at is beginning a new initiative to "take the mystery out of medicine" for the patient's which I think is a great idea because unless you are educated in medical terminology, let alone medicine, you probably don't understand half of what is said in a health care setting. So basically the hospital is hoping by explaining everything to the patient clearly and involving them in their treatment, there will be less confusion and anxiety from the moment they are admitted. I had never really thought about this but when you tell a patient that the Doctor put in an order for an X-ray for them they assume that they will be taken to radiology in the next hour or so. However, behind the scenes we know that means that realistically tomorrow morning they will be taken for an X-ray. If we communicate this to the patient from the beginning then there will be considerably less frustration on their end and it will enhance the nurse-patient relationship.

I will meet my first mentor tomorrow afternoon at a reception we will have at the end of the day and like I mentioned above I will begin work this Monday on the Labor and Delivery floor! I am very very excited but I am assuming I will see a live birth that day for my first time so I may rent "The Miracle of Life" this weekend to prepare myself (You probably think I am kidding but I am definitely not).

Anyways, time to relax for the rest of the night and get ready for tomorrow!

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