A little RN Q&A

I can't begin to tell you how much I've loved the monthly nursing link up hosted by two of my favorite nurses, Renee and Anna. I probably look forward to the first Tuesday of the month more than any other day. I love what I do.  I love my patients and their families.  And I love sharing my passion with all my readers.  Plus it's nice to know that I can look back years from now when I'm in a nursing rut and read the different posts I've written.  Hopefully it will be a great reminder of why I do what I do.  

This month it's a Q&A session.  I was totally going to vlog it but didn't feel up to it when I sat down to write this.  So you'll have to wait a little longer for the day that I get up the nerve to do a vlog.  Sorry ;)

1. Where do you see yourself and your nursing practice in 10 years?  If you asked me this question 2 years ago, I would have instantly said I would be done with grad school, practicing as an ARNP or a nursing educator.  But now, I'm not really sure where I see myself.  I definitely see myself still in the Hem/Onc/BMT world, but I have no idea in what capacity.  I know grad school is in my future.  I just don't know when.  Who knows....maybe we'll have a BMT inpatient unit that I'll go back to.  

2.  What was your first doctor confrontation like? (or most memorable)  This was definitely not the first confrontation but it was definitely the most memorable.  Plus it was the first time I wrote up a physician to the ethics committee.  A dermatologist was consulted for a skin biopsy on a patient.  She came in, barely spoke to the mother, and wouldn't let me put on EMLA (numbing cream).  The mother did not speak good English and the doctor asked if I got consent signed.  I told her no since she did not talk to the mother.  She got all mad that she had to use the translator phone and when she did, she had her back turned to the mother the entire time.  Completely unprofessional and disrespectful, in my opinion.  The biopsy went okay if you consider it took 4 of us to hold the poor girl down.  I've never regretted writing her up, because I was sticking up for my patient and her mom. 

3.  Which would you rather: heavy GI bleed patient, trach patient with copious secretions, a projectile vomitter, or a patient with a colostomy bag that will NOT stay on?  I choose none of the above.  They are all on my "Do Not Like" list.  However, if I have to pick, I'd choose projectile vomitter I guess.

4.  If you could warn your patients to avoid one thing from the hospital menu, what would it be?  Now I'm fortunate to work at a children's hospital with a pretty good cafeteria menu.  I'm usually recommending foods to our patients.  We have great mac & cheese, the pizza's pretty good, and the milkshakes are not to shabby!  Oh and we have fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.  Don't you want to come eat at my hospital now?!?!

5. Do you have a nurse idol?  If so, who and why?  I don't have an idol.  I have a bunch of people that I wish I had traits/practices from.  But definitely not one particular person.  Does that make me a bad person?

6. If you could push one piece of medical equipment out of the window, which would it be?  I hate apnea monitors!  Not because I think they're useless (I really enjoy knowing when my babies stop breathing) but the alarm is HORRIBLE!!!!  It's ear piercing, obnoxious, and goes off even if the patient is breathing like 10 a minute (when the monitor says RR 0)

7.  What do you look forward to MOST when you go to work?  I cannot say it enough.  I love my job!  I am honored to take care of the most amazing children.  Even though they are facing cancer head on, they are still kids.  They still say silly things, watch cartoons, and pull at your heartstrings.  Their families are amazing too.  It's such a blessing for me to go to work knowing that there will be at least one patient who will brighten my day, no matter how crappy it may be.  

8. What body system intimidates you the most?  I'm not necessarily intimidated by a particular system, however, I do not (I repeat....DO NOT) like respiratory secretions.  I hate the sound of trach secretions.  I hate people coughing up secretions.  I hate the sound of suctioning.  I hate the word sputum. For real, the word just sounds gross. Sputum.  Yuck.  I would never last an entire shift on a respiratory unit.

9. What advice would you give to someone who is considering the nursing profession?  Go for it!  It's not an easy job but all the hard work is well worth it.  There are many things that go on during a nursing shift that go unappreciated...you don't get a chance to eat or go to the bathroom.  You're never on time for anything.  Someone is always going to be mad at you.  But at the end of the day, you've provided a handful of people the care that they not only need but deserve.  You get a chance to treat a stranger like a loved one, even if it's just for 12 hours.  That feeling is something no other profession provides.  

10.  If you hadn't become a nurse, what would you have done?  I would have been in College Student Affairs, I think.  Looking back at my life, that's where I was headed if I didn't get into nursing school.  I know I would have been happy doing that but I know in my heart that nursing is where I'm meant to be.  If you ask me now what I would be if I wasn't a nurse, I'd say a Child Life Specialist.  Never heard of that?  Check it out here.  

Awesome topic yet again girlies!!!