Last 2 weeks of clinicals

This last 2 weeks of clinicals was super duper xiong. Esp the first week... It was straight after my written exams. Didn't really have a good enough rest. Finished my so called last paper on wednesday and then had to go down to hospital on thursday and friday to get my case and follow up on my patient. For the next week, I had to go to work and then rush back to complete the write-up. I practically survived on only 2/3 hrs of sleep each night for the entire week as I was on morning shift for the whole week. It was to the extent that I had to skip the SAP gathering which I so badly wanted to go and waited for. Real sorry guys. I didn't mean to skip it. It was just that I was too tired and I had to rush out my write-up (one part of my clinical exam) which was due the next day. Also, I was on morning shift the next day too. And that means I had to be in the hospital by 6+am. So really sorry... Pls forgive me. Esp to K, sorry that you were the only one without present that day because I din go. Sigh, why am I always so busy?

Thank God though, that he provided me with strength to keep myself awake and to even learn so much throughout that week. Thank God too, that although I was physically tired, I was spiritually alert. I still managed to provide much care and love to my patients. I also succeded in making sure that I studied and researched into their cases in the mist of all the case study stress. I must admit that it was not easy. My eyes were barely open the moment I sat down after work. However, I struggled through and forced my eyes to open so that I could research on some of my patient's cases. Even after submitting my write-up (last and final exam paper) on friday, I still made my way down to the library to do case research. (likely no one saw me there, if not they'd think I'm crazy to study just after the last paper. haha) You may wonder why I am 'torturing' myself like that. Well, for just one simple reason. I want to know my patient's conditions better so as to know how to better care for them. Although the exam may have ended, care for my patients have not. Thats why I feel the great need to study into their cases. Because I'm directly involved in their care. Because I really want to learn how to better serve them. Because each one of them is important to me. Because each one of them is dearly loved by God and entrusted to me from God to give them the best possible care!

2nd week was so much better. In a sense that I need not worry about submitting write-ups and I could really spend the time getting to know my patients better. I also had an afternoon shift and got a later reporting time than the previous week. Haha, that means I had a better rest before going back to work the next day:)

Sister surprised me on Tuesday when she suddenly tested me about the patient's cases and condition during morning rounds. That was the day when I missed the morning report and I didn't really know some of the new patient's cases. Somemore it was early in the morning when I just stepped into the ward not too long ago. But at least, I managed to answer her questions about some patients because I helped out with clerking them the previous day. Lukily, she was impressed with my answers to some of her questions about diagnosing and managing the pnuemonia patient, the different degrees of heart blocks, CCF, plueural effusion, reading and intepreting of ECG & x-rays. Whew, thank God for J who taught me those stuff 2 weeks ago. If not...

However, it was a great wake-up call for me. To really get to know all the patient's conditions (at least those in my team that day) even before I start work. Which means I have to do my own reports about each patient and do a quick round around the ward first before the morning round starts. And that was what I did for the rest of the week. I practically flipped through all their case notes and memorised their diagnosis and condition the previous day and the moment I stepped into the wards again the next day. Did all that way before the morning rounds. And my, it did made a great lot of difference! It was much easier to understand what the consultants were talking about and the reasons behind all changes for the day. Thank God that I finally understand how the SOAP thing is recorded in the clinical management notes.

Had the opportunity to talk to patients and to examine them. I quite enjoyed the ability to be able to clerk a patient for a full solid hour or more. It was such a pleasure to be able to spend so much time with the patients and getting to know them better. Hee.. Think after much practise of clerking throughout the 2 weeks, I'm getting the hang of taking history, doing physical exams and learning the art of communication with different types of patients. I'm proud to say that I do not need to follow exactly what the book teaches or what other docs do now. I'm seeing my own style of approaching and examining patients developing day by day :) Realised something too. When I went to check the case notes after my doing my own examination, I found that my clinical notes were actually more comprehensive and detailed than the notes of the actual clerking doc. Not that the doc isn't good or what. He/she is definately much better than me. But what was the reason behind that? The answer... Having the advantage of spending more time listening to their stories and developing the all important patient-nurse relationship. This made me realise just how priviledged we nurses are.. to be able to have much more time for the patients and being in this unique position in the medical team to collaborate for the best care possible for the patient. (or is it just nursing students who have that luxury of time? hmm...)

Friday came... Last day of posting...Had a mini-celebration. God was so wonderful. He helped most of my patients whom I admitted some days back to be discharged on my last day. It was the most beautiful melody I had ever heard in hospital since the start of the my posting when the consultant pointed to almost all the patients in one particular cubical and said "Home, home, home, home". Wow! I was so happy for them all. It was really like admitting them when they were quite ill, seeing them slowly responding to treatment, building that precious patient-nurse relationship and finally seeing them going home :) It was my sweetest moment that day!

Ended quite late that day. Everybody kept asking me to go home when my shift ended. But I stayed on cos I wanted to make sure everything was done and fine before passing on to the next team. Read up more on my patients conditions. Discharged almost the entire cubical except for the COPD stage 4 case. Did the discharges for my patients. Gave my first patient & caregiver education to a real patient and relative (had only practised it in tutorial). Studied the discharge summaries because I wanted to follow-up with a particular patient even after she leaves for home. Clerked and admitted a few more cases... Haha, as I discharged some of the patients, the beds became filled up quickly again with new patients. Its an endless process.

As I stepped out of the hospital for this year to finally get my long awaited break and rest, I looked back and thanked God for the many silent and dedicated healthcare workers still providing the never ending care and healing touch day and night, hidden in the quiet corners of Singapore.