all in a day's work!

D-Received pt. awake, lying on bed with mother at bedside, with patent IV D5IMB at the right hand running at 60 gtts/min, febrile with an initial temperature of 38.2, with chopped lips, no other complaints noted, on soft diet. A-am care done, v/s checked and recorded, I&O recorded, IVF regulated, kept patent, TSB done, paracetamol given by the MN, moistened lips with wet cotton balls, encouraged to increase fluid and food intake, attended needs, watched out for further increase in temperature, rechecked temp:36.8 @ 12nn, changed IV bottle same sol'n and rate @ 1pm, with temperature elevation of 37.9 @ 2pm, paracetamol given by the MN. R-left pt. asleep, still with patent IVF, still febrile, with dry, cracked lips, endorsed.

Off for my am shift at Manila Adventist Medical Center- Pediatrics. Here I am, obviously excited for today's challenge, I thought. Climbing up the stairs to the fourth floor wasn't yet torture. Having to brace myself of the toxic, color-coded charting or the provoked anger of our clinical instructor; or maybe assigned to an aloof and scared patient with a stoic parent wasn't a hard thing to do. I was prepared for any patient, I confidently believed. I've got good and therapeutic communication skills; I offer smiles from the heart, and is willing to do any job. I'm well in taking vital signs; I was complimented for my soft, alterative touch. Above all, I've got all these skills because I was, in the first place, blessed by God of it. I was armored.

After the endorsement, our clinical instructor assigned me to a 4 year old male patient who was diagnosed with Severe Viral Infections. In the above data, I received the patient awake and lying on bed. He has drowsy eyes, and in a languid mood. Rationalizing his diagnosis, I knew then that I need to monitor his temperature for the whole shift. So I introduced myself to the mother and the child, and got the initial temperature of 38.2; with the mother being the opposite of what I was supposing to mingle with minutes ago, she was very kind, smiling and jolly as she helped me place the thermometer on my restless patient's axilla. After a few minutes of preparing the basin half-filled with tap water, I did Tepid Sponge Bath to my now playful patient, as he leaped to me and whispered "angry birds," and pointed to his toy. Short term goal of lowering my patient's temperature was met.

The shift went on by taking vital signs, providing am care, changing of linens, playing with the patient, interviewing the mother. Until it came to the point when the mother asked me if i really liked nursing. Comes from a compassionate heart the answer, "opo. ito po kasi talaga yung hilig ko, di ko po kasi nakikita sarili ko sa ibang course. tsaka dito po ako masaya eh," She persuaded me to shift to an engineering course, because her two cousins who are now both registered nurses still have no jobs. What now, I asked myself. I smiled at her, and told her that I love interacting with people, I like being busy, and I know I can't do both sitting in front of the computer as an engineer in an air conditioned room for straight hours; or testing programs in the test floor, using tweezers to pick up microchips. I'd rather do toxic charting, attending to the needs of my patients,and using tissue forceps and clamps to pick up sterile instruments. I'd rather do the dirtiest jobs in nursing my patients and earn a little, than earn so much from what's not interesting me. She agreed then by telling me that "sabagay, nasa sayo din naman yun, kung gaano ka kasipag." I smiled at her sudden receptivity. Her son playing with my stethoscope frowned when I told him I need to get back to the nurse's station.

Ooooh, here comes what's making my muscles tense, my abdomen cramp, yay! am i having tachycardia? Bring it on!--my mind been stimulated, commanded my muscles, abdomen, and heart to relax. After having my sample charting checked, I was finally relieved. It wasn't toxic at all, I told my block mates. Ooooops. oooops, oooops oooooooops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh NO.

Yay. With shaking knees, sweating palms, and feeling really hot, I showed our clinical instructor a very minor error, so minor it shouldn't even be committed. I graphed a 10am data to the 8am column. My "I.am.not.transferring.charts!" chant seems going a little quieter. ooops, again I thought, fighting back tears. uh-oh. Deep breathing, I said to myself. When our clinical instructor finally saw what mistake I had carelessly, maybe absentmindedly written down the chart, he opted not to shout at me; he opted not to shame me; he opted not to be mad at me; but I knew deep down he's disappointed, and as he speaks about what to do, I imagined smoke coming out of his ears like that from a boiling tea pot. Whooh... is that a smile I see? oh thank You Lord. It was! Lessons learned? Just stay positive. (haha,lame). My DAR charting was successful, at least. :)

My goal of maintaining my patient's temperature within the normal range wasn't met. Doctors still couldn't tell what's causing his fever. His mother's so anxious. I said goodbye to them, and left the pediatrics with a "phew, that was all in a day's work!"

GOD, I know You know how I felt. Thank You once again for using me this time in a way I wasn't expecting. You're so amazing. You never failed to make me smile. :)