This semester, Senior 1, is the semester I've been anticipating from the day I stepped into orientation. In this semester we have both pediatrics and critical care classes and clinicals. Since I want to be a pediatric critical care nurse, perhaps you can see how this semester might just float my dinghy.
Peds class and clinical was during the first half of the semester, and critical care is all semester. My clinical instructor for peds usually had to drag me kicking and screaming from the floor when it was time for post conference. And the day I got to spend in the pediatric ICU? Don't think I didn't skip lunch and show up to post conference 20 minutes late. Critical care? From day one it's been pure greatness. I was lucky enough to be assigned to a CVICU in a large hospital in a large metro area. My first 15 minutes of my first day of CC clinical went a little like this: "Here's some towels, a sterile dressing kit, and a suture removal kit. The doc is in room 6 waiting for you to assist him in removing the patient's chest tubes." And it hasn't really slowed down since.
All this to say that even if I sparked out today, I'd go a happy and fulfilled nursing student.
But...
Remember how I said peds was the first half of the semester? That implies a second half of the semester (see, critical thinking skills--where would a nursing student be without them?!). And in that second half lurks...
OB.
Oh let me count the reasons why I dread this class and clinical.
First, it's more likely I'll sprout wings and fly off to Neverland than ever become an OB nurse. Ever.
Secondly, I've already experienced the miracle of birth. Live. In person. Three times. Once with each of my children (eh, more critical thinking skills!)
Thirdly, I happen to have some pretty strong opinions about what a low-risk birth should look like, and those opinions don't really mesh well with traditional nursing school OB practices.
Fourth(ly?) even being (or especially?) nurseXY I am actually fairly comfortable with the female anatomy, all extra plumbing aside.
But the very number... er... Five... reason I hate this class? My female classmates think it's just the funniest thing in the world that we're talking about breasts. And nipples. And, *gasp*, vaginas. And I'm, *giggle*, a BOY. I mean, they are literally giddy with the supposed hilarity of the situation. And it drives me UP. THE. WALL.
3 weeks, and done.
Seriously, this must be what a 37 week gestational mom must feel like. How's that for empathy.
And Im seething with envy. I desperately wanted OB and PEDS. And I got the CCU (ICU step down unit).
ReplyDeleteYou are gonna rock it!
OB was no fun at all, sorry. Being a guy wasn't the big problem, really, but it was for other male students (depends on the patients, instructors, the staff, and the guy). My problem was being a passive witness (since you're not allowed to DO anything) to pretty reprehensible and non-evidence-based practices. And how many of the L&D nurses loathed the women they had to take care of. And how rude the obstetricians were.
ReplyDeleteYou can probably tell from my blog—I pretend it's a general nursing blog but my birth writing totally dominates it—but I too have strong opinions about birth from what I learned (both by reading and actual experience) in our four normal, non-medicalized births.
PICU huh? I was this close to applying to the local pediatric surgical heart unit. I've already worked with adult post-heart patients and the idea of working with kids is cool, plus the fact that the peds heart surgery world is so new and evolving (I mean, since the 80's!), plus I was a weirdo in school and liked learning all the congenital heart defects.
Anyway, kudos to you for slogging through nursing school with kids. I know how hard it is.
Yup, at about 37 weeks you want to kill someone. You've got it about right.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather gouge my eyes out with spoons than be an OB nurse too. And I am a *girl* with all that extra plumbing. But all those *giggle* vaginas all day long is uh, well, not up my alley. And by alley I'm not referring to the female anatomy.....how's that for critical thinking skills?!?!?!
It hasn't been as bad as I thought...
ReplyDeleteIt's been worse! LOL!
Chris--thanks for the encouragement!
RW--I'm glad I'm not the only one clawing my eyes at the thought of OB.
I spent 15 years in OB....some high risk, some country hospitals, some medium size hospitals - in Canada. I have also worked in several American hospitals and am in fact "American trained OB". I have to say that most OB nurses don't "hate" the women they look after, and I am sad to hear of your experience, because it isn't the same experience I have had.
ReplyDeleteBut, I must say, there is a huge difference in the way the laboring woman is treated in each country - so much so in some hospitals, that I quit my American travel nurse gig early one year. Eventually my blog will get to that....
I have worked with male RNs and Male Midwives and loved them. I don't see why any woman would object to a male nurse looking after her since most women don't have a problem with male MDs. It is just our own prejudices in this area.
As for your colleagues' giggles etc, I have no comment to that. I am actually slightly perplexed with that one.....
A NURSE: Eh, they're just young and immature. Looking forward to reading about your experiences.
ReplyDelete