2017-11-15T14:26:09+00:00

On The Long Road to Becoming a Nurse

November 15, 2017October 28, 2019/Judy E Martin/10 Comments

I wrote this post not long after I had started at University on the road to becoming a nurse. It is a very long journey but I have covered a lot of ground already. You can see how I am getting on now by clicking here.

I’m two months into my studies

And have found it pretty full-on

My head is spinning with info

And I wonder where the time’s gone!

The poor dummies have taken a battering

Where we have pummelled their chest

They’ve been prodded, pricked and manhandled

To help us perform at our best

I’ve become addicted to YouTube

To help me out with my studies

I am re-acquainted with referencing

‘Cite Them Right’ and I are best buddies!

I thought I had a good knowledge

From experience, I had before

But this is delving much deeper

And I need to learn so much more

I knew it was not going to be easy

And despite sometimes getting a bit terse

I am so happy to be studying

To become a Registered Nurse!

Negative Feedback for Revision

November 14, 2017/Judy E Martin/20 Comments

I thought I would write this tongue-in-cheek poem about the revision I am doing for an exam I have coming up soon at Uni. As some of you may know, I am studying for my degree in Adult Nursing, you can read how I got on at the beginning here. It is a bit manic at the moment with a long placement coming up and four assignments due in (I have already done those at least), an exam next week and this one in a month.

I am getting myself into a tizzy, revision is so hard for me

Trying to get my head around Human anatomy and physiology!

Every week learning a new system and sometimes there have been two

By the time we reached reproduction, I’ve forgotten just what to do!

Hormones, don’t get me started why, do you need such a long name?

My poor head is constantly aching with information overloading my brain

Oh yes, I can label a nephron, maybe draw a neuron too

I know how my lunch is digested, on its journey to becoming a poo!

Negative feedback is not just for Ebay, homeostasis started it first

When the body becomes dehydrated, the hypothalamus triggers your thirst.

Cardiac output is stroke volume times heart rate. This we all have to know

I’m sure that my blood pressure is rising, and that pretty soon I will blow

I have used every resource I can think of, textbooks and YouTube to start

I even found some goodies on Pinterest, great diagrams of the lung and the heart

Four weeks before the exam now, I really hope that I’ll pass

I don’t want to have to re-sit it, as that will be a pain in the arse!

(Sorry to end on a bum note, but I am all out of fancy words).

Out on My Own!

November 8, 2015/Judy E Martin/40 Comments

I have really enjoyed my first week out and about visiting patients on my own. It has been pretty scary in some ways, I have gone from being secure in the knowledge of knowing my job well to the point of being able to teach others to the newbie, asking stupid questions and feeling, as well as looking like a dunce being unfamiliar with some of the techniques which might be basic in the community, but I had not encountered to the same degree in hospital.

Anyway, my first day doing visits was absolutely brilliant. The patient lived about two minutes drive from me which meant I did not have to leave that early to get there for 8.30 (that is weird as well, as I get to lie in till 6.30 in the morning and still have plenty of time)! I also get to see Miss Hap off to school which means that Mr Grump buggers off out of it at 7.30 and leaves me to shout up at regular intervals to wake her up from 7am onwards and then chivvy her along until her friend arrives for her at 7:50 to catch the bus.

I fussed around arranging everything neatly in the boot of my car, made sure I had a flask of coffee to keep me going and of course, lunch. I arrived a couple of minutes early, grabbed my paperwork and bag and nervously knocked on the door. I was met by an elderly man who welcomed me into their house, His wife, my patient was very pleasant and smiley as I introduced myself, and we went upstairs so that I could look at her wound that I was there to dress. Her husband shouted up asking me if I wanted a cuppa which of course I did, and the whole visit went well.

The next day though I drove up and down a busy dual carriageway looking for somewhere to no avail. When I finally found it, I realised I had driven past it about three times already! I also woke someone up who was none too pleased to see me, I am not surprised as I had gone to the wrong house! I had got the door numbers mixed up, Luckily someone was waving frantically at me from the other side of the road, who had seen me marching up to the wrong house and realised that it was her son that I should be seeing.

I apologised to the man I had woken and made me my across the road to the correct address. I knew that I was there to do a blood test on an anxious patient, What I did not realise though, but was told just before I went to take it, was that there was a strong likelihood that he might faint or at the very least, throw up. Great! Now I was even more nervous in case I didn’t get it or he flaked out on me! Luckily neither happened, I got my bloods and he got to remain conscious, just how I like it!

A little later on in the week I had to re-visit some of my earlier patients to re-check their wounds, and I was told that these people were going to be my caseload, I was thrilled to have my own patients, especially when I went back out on Friday to the lovely couple I went to on my very first visit,

This time, the husband came to the door in his dressing gown, but I still got the warm welcome and his wife shouted down to me to come up, they had remembered my name which really pleased me. Once I had dressed the wound and had my cuppa, the patient asked if it would be me that always came. I explained that it would although now and again someone else might come, Her reaction was to tell me how pleased she was and that it called for a hug and a kiss!

On Wednesday things went a bit awry, I woke up and looked at my phone only to see it was 7:20! I had not been up on a working day that late in a decade probably! Mr Grump’s alarm had failed to go off and I didn’t bother setting mine. I yelled out to Miss Hap that it was 7.30 and to get up. She told me nonchalantly that it was only 7.20 anyway!

Well, both Mr Grump and I were stressed, and falling over each other in the bathroom trying to get washed and dressed. I know I wasn’t actually late, but being a creature of habit, I was put out completely having to rush around to get ready. Grump was cross and more crabby than usual but luckily cleared off to take Roxy out for her walk, giving me chance to get on.

It has been quite an eventful week for me, but am looking forward to next week!

I’m Not Good At Goodbyes!

October 27, 2015/Judy E Martin/38 Comments

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “If You Leave.”

I was going to write a little update about my new job this week, but when I saw this prompt about leaving, I thought I would tie it in as it fits perfectly.

I am not a person who likes change very much. As you may have gathered, I am very routine oriented, set in my ways, and I suppose, a bit of an old stick-in-the-mud really. however I knew that i was going to have to bite the bullet and make a change in my life, or shut up moaning about it!

Without going into details, work at the hospital had changed since I had started there some five and a half years earlier. I used to love going in to work every morning and was always upbeat about it. A year later, I ,moved wards as part of some training I was doing and stayed there for the remainder of the time.

The camaraderie amongst the staff was what kept me there for so long; they are a wonderful team and coped with numerous changes without a lowering the quality of care they gave to the patients. Then slowly, but surely, and for various reasons. staff started leaving, and the dynamics were changing, as was the atmosphere. Morale was pretty low by the time the 20th person in a year had left, and I must admit, this was when I decided it was time to go.

Nothing stays the same of course, and sometimes change is for the better, but it did not make me feel better at all.When the job came up in the community, I decided to go for it. As you know, much to my surprise and delight, I got the job!

I then panicked for a bit as it meant change, and although I wanted it, I was worried about starting again. After all, I knew everyone at work, and they all knew me, Not only that but I was confident in my job and knew what was expected of me. In my new job, I would be learning a totally different way of using my skills with a whole new group of people who I didn’t know.

Well, I made the decision to take it. I knew that it was the right thing for me to do. I was not happy at the hospital anymore, and I would be a miserable influence on others which isn’t fair.So here i am, three weeks in and on a week off already! (I had already booked this week off for half term)!

I have been welcomed by the team who all seem to be very friendly. I have learned lots of new techniques, new ways of doing things, and have made friends with Mr SatNav who is going to be a constant companion to me due to my useless sense of direction!

It is going to take me a little while to get re-acquainted with full-time hours, but I know I can do it, (After working for 18 hours per day in a kebab shop 6 days a week in the past, I am sure I can hack a 37.5 hour week)!

My only regret is not saying goodbye properly to the staff at the hospital. I did not want a leaving do as it is not my thing really, and I ended up going very quickly in the end, once the paperwork was sorted this end, so there were some staff I hadn’t seen at all! Mind you, I am not good at goodbyes and bawled my head off on my last day at the hospital!

When I am Not Writing……

September 21, 2015/Judy E Martin/29 Comments

I spend far too long on my blog, either writing posts or catching up with reading other bloggers’ but it is something that I do truly enjoy. However, for our Writing 101 post today, I am to tell you about what I like to do when I am not writing to re-charge my batteries!

Well, most of the time, when I am not writing, it is because I am at work. Most of you know what do at work anyway, and although I do have a rant now and again, there are some wonderful and precious moments at work that I am privileged to be a part of.

I love some of the quips that my elderly patients come out with, such as “I have had a few pricks in my time”. An innocent remark, but not to someone like me who roared their head off! I asked another lady to “just swing your legs round please”, as I was helping her to get out of bed. She informed me that she “doesn’t do a lot of swinging nowadays.” How can comments like that not brighten up the day!

Also, on the other side, yesterday, in amongst all of the chaos, I noticed a patient in my bay was not going to have long left in this world, and after we informed the doctors, who in turn informed her family,who left straight away to try to get to see her (they lived 90 mins away). Myself and two other staff took turns in staying with her, holding her hand and stroking her hair, as we did not want her to be on her own in her final moments. She actually managed to hang on until the family came, and passed away peacefully in their company.

I am not one for going out too much, being a bit of a hermit, so another thing I like to do, is a bit of home sewing, trying my hand at making various things, that are rather hit and miss in their success. I am also in the middle of 2 knitting projects as well. The one at the bottom will all be sewn together once I have knitted enough squares. I don’t want to give too much away as to what the end result is yet, but I need to get a bloody move on!!!

So that is pretty much it, unless you count the times I do venture out and a bit of Candy Crushing when the mood takes me!

Episode 474: New Horizons

August 27, 2015/Judy E Martin/70 Comments

I mentioned before in a previous post that something might be on the horizon work wise for me, but at that point I didn’t want to elaborate in case I jinxed it! Well, I can now reveal that today I went for a job interview – and I got the job!

I had been feeling a little disgruntled at work one way or another, as some of you know, I have tried to address these issues but decided that it might now be a good time to spread my wings and look around to see what else is out there for me.

Despite being a creature of habit and having a fantastic group of friends that I work with, I decided that I need to challenge myself a little more and do something new. So when a job came up for what I am qualified to do (they are very few and far between), I decided to apply for it, and was delighted to be invited for an interview today.

Despite being very nervous, I managed to reply appropriately to all of the scenarios I was given, and the interviewers were pleased by the massive portfolio I took in (Well I thought they might like to flick through it)which they did.

I thought I might not hear anything until Tuesday as we have a Bank Holiday on Monday, but I got the call 2 hours after my interview offering me the job. I am now going to be part of the District Nursing team visiting people in their homes. This will hopefully be a new and exciting side to my career and I am really looking forward to it.

http://2.design-milk.com/images/2012/04/bird-poop-chandelier-4.jpg

Episode 458: I Should Be So Lucky!

August 15, 2015/Judy E Martin/32 Comments

Tonight I am absolutely shattered! As I briefly mentioned yesterday, I am working completely different shifts to normal in order that I can cover child care for the summer holidays for Miss Hap.

Just as I had finally caught up with my sleep after working two 12 and a half hour night shifts on Monday and Tuesday, it was time for me to go back in today. Stupidly I thought I would have to do a ‘long day’ (12 and a half hours) as opposed to my normal ‘short shift’ (7 and a half hours). By the time I realised my mistake it was too late to change as we were desperately short-staffed and I headed off to work with a heavy heart.

When only 6 of us turned up for work looking after 26 patients with at least 6 that liked to wander around and escape first chance they got, I knew it was going to be a busy day, particularly as 2 staff were on short days, but of course you get on with it.

We doubled up as much as we could and managed to just about get everyone washed in time for lunch, Apart from getting a smacked face from a patient that didn’t want to have her face washed, and tripping over a crash mat into my colleague, the morning went ok up until my break time.

I decided that I would treat myself to the full English breakfast, which I took outside to eat with my colleague on the smoker’s bench (no, I haven’t taken it up again even though I felt like it today)! I managed to slop baked bean juice all down my dress which left a lovely orange blob on my grotty grey uniform which did nothing to enhance it. The wasps seemed to love it though and kept buzzing around me which, of course, made me shriek.

Once I got back to the ward one of my colleagues started dabbing at me with an antibacterial wipe, as unbeknownst to me I had a massive splodge of bird poo on my side (how the hell that got there, I have no idea. Great….looking nice and professional now. Added to that the coffee that missed my mouth, and decided to join the party, I was rather more colourful that I started out!

I thought the afternoon might be easier as we were sent 2 more staff when the other two left, which although still left us short, was a great help. It looked up a bit when I was talking to a colleague explaining something with a hand on my hip and a really tall handsome young relative decided to link his arm through mine for some reason (not that I complained)!

After that, it was downhill all the way! The restless patients had a renewed vigour to escape and did not want to be coaxed or cajoled to stay. Hoists played up, zimmer frames disappeared and one that we did have was viciously guarded by one of my ladies who was convinced it was hers and I was not to let anyone have it. I tried explaining it belonged to the hospital but she was not having it and I was on the receiving end of some very strong words several times until her daughter visited and told her it was indeed the hospital’s.

So my day was rather manic. and despite the fact that actually it is just a normal day on our ward, the longer hours were rather draining! Still, isn’t bird poo supposed to be lucky? Must check that Lottery ticket tomorrow!

Check It Out! Guest Post by Linda Bethea.

June 4, 2015/Judy E Martin/35 Comments

The very lovely and talented Linda from Nutsrock and I have decided to take over each other’s blogs, and write a guest post each. Now if for some reason you have never visited Linda’s blog then you are well and truly missing out. Her gift for storytelling is unique and has me laughing my head off at times, and being very moved at others, She has a horde of crazy family members that make appearances in her posts for your delight and entertainment.

Linda and I both share a nursing background and we have written stories about a ‘normal day at the office’ for your amusement. So without further ado, here is Linda’s tale.

A big part of nursing is taking care of the “whole” patient, so when my patient asked if I had some clothes I could give her, the first thing I did was ask, ”Why?”

“My house burned and I don’t even have anything to wear home. I lost everything. ”

“Oh, that’s awful. Of course, I’ll bring you some things. I’ll call the social worker so she can help you out, too.”

I went through my closet after work and found several pairs of pants, shirts and a couple of dresses, enough to get her started. I bought a six-pack of granny-panties, some sports bras, socks, and shoes, since I had checked her sizes and took them to her the next day. She was so relieved to have some clothes for when she went home.

Meanwhile, the social worker had collected several items of her own called the Red Cross. That’s when things went weird. The Red Cross contacted the outpatient dialysis center who knew the patient well, only to find out that this had happened before. The lady appeared perfectly oriented, but under stress, became confused, recalling a disturbing time in the past when she’d lost everything in a house fire. By the time it was all said and done, between me and the social worker, she made quite a haul!

The Daydreamer Challenge: Day 2

April 7, 2015/Judy E Martin/12 Comments

I am excited to be taking part in the lovely Caitlin’s Daydreamer Challenge and we are now on day two. Please check out Caitlin’s excellent blog The Teen Daydreamer if you haven’t already done so as it is filled with all sorts of delights from insightful posts to making cakes!

For today, Caitlin wants us to know all about us. we have the choice of writing all about a photograph that says something about us or is a good representation of who we are or we can use a word that describes us, plus make a new one up for good measure! As I think I have adequately described myself here I am going with the photo that is about who I am.

Actually, it is not easy trying to find a photo that represents me! I could choose one of me with family, as that is very important to me, or perhaps a beach (particularly Weymouth) as I do so love the seaside, maybe even my lovely (if not annoying) yellow car! No, the photo I have chosen is one of my graduation from University last year.

The reason I chose this as it represents a few things about me. Firstly, my constant quest for knowledge. I love to learn new things, and like to try to keep my mind as active as I can. This also represents my job which I do love. I studied for two years at university so am not a Registered nurse. At 45-year-old (at the time of applying), I didn’t know if I would cope academically with the three-year course, as it had been so long since I had been at school! Confidence has never been my strong point, However, I the passed the course with merit, so needn’t have worried, and met some wonderful people as well. It was a proud day for me but also a sad one as my dad had died at the beginning of my second year so never actually saw me complete the course.

So there you have it, me in a nutshell; I love laughing, learning , nursing, and nurturing. I am clumsy, mumsy, caring and sharing! Oh and an ‘eccentric’ in training!

Episode 204: Patience With Patients!

March 7, 2015/Judy E Martin/20 Comments

One of the things us nursing staff get told a lot by some of the relatives is that,

‘you have the patience of a Saint, I could never do your job’. It is strange how much our patience varies depending on who we are dealing with and what the situation is…..

On Thursday and Friday I was working in my normal Bay, and one lady in particular was pretty ‘vocal’ . Now she is 97 years old and extremely deaf (the hearing aid she wears has a flat battery I think) so she talks at FULL BLAST. Now she had been a moved to my bay from a side room as she did not like to be on her own.

I was checking that each patient was eating their breakfast when I noticed she hadn’t even got any. So I asked her why not. After repeating the question several times increasing the volume until she could hear me she replied

” I DON’T LIKE ANY OF THAT MUCK YOU SERVE HERE, IT’S ALL A LOAD OF RUBBISH!”

Fair enough , but she had to eat something so I asked if she liked bacon which she did, Great, good start. “Sausage?”

“NO I DON’T BLOODY LIKE SAUSAGES!” Fine. “Eggs?”

“I ONLY LIKE FRIED EGGS, NOT ANY OTHER KIND”. I assured her that I would get her some bacon and fried eggs and trotted off to phone the kitchen.

Now there were two of us in the Bay and only five patients at this point as one of the beds was closed and we were not able to take any new ones in. Luckily most of the other ladies were either feeding themselves or being helped by the other nurse.

I placed my order with the kitchen and in due course one of the staff appeared carrying a tray. I was disappointed to see that there was scrambled egg with the bacon that I had ordered even though I had specifically asked for a fried egg. I tried my luck with my patient anyway!

“WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT? I TOLD YOU I DON’T LIKE THAT SORT OF EGG. WHY DON’T YOU LISTEN?”

I tried to explain about the kitchen sending up the wrong egg and I would change it but no, she was not having it. I tried offering a bacon sandwich, Nope. She was not having it and I was severely berated for my incompetence for good measure as well.

Annoyed with the kitchen I phoned the help desk again (yes we can’t phone direct, everything is through the helpdesk). I explained what had happened and they told me that as the meals were pre-prepared it may not have been possible to have a fried egg due to their not being enough staff to make one.

Fuming, I was muttering to myself about how I could go down there myself and cook the bloody egg. How hard is it to cook a fried egg for Christ’s sake?! It’s not as if it takes long.

Anyway, my patient was mad now, and refused to eat anything. I knew this was not going to bode well at wash time – and it didn’t! She had come in with no toiletries so I had put some of our soap in her washbowl and brought some disposable wipes over to wash her with.

“YOU ARE NOT COMING NEAR ME WITH THOSE! WHERE IS MY SOAP AND FLANNEL?”

I explained that they were at home and that I would have to use our stuff for now. She was not happy but did finally agree to let me help her, and also get her dressed in her own clothes that someone had just brought in for her.

“WHERE IS MY VEST”?

“It is just here”

“GET OUT OF MY BLOODY WAY , I WILL DO IT”

“Ok. here it is”

“TIGHTEN MY SHOE”. NO NOT LIKE THAT, WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?. THAT STRAP IS NOT LEVEL.”

“Sorry, let me try again”

“NOOOOOO, I SAID TIGHTER!”

This went on for a bit until I got it right. She did have a sandwich an hour after the failed breakfast attempt, but when a visitor came, she told them she had ‘nothing to eat, and her hair wasn’t brushed’ (actually it was because I did that wrong and suffered her wrath for it). She also told the visitor how much worse she felt since coming into hospital because of the appalling way we looked after her!

Now I know that by the end of a very long two days (I have amalgamated them into one so you get the gist) my patience was wearing a bit thin, but it is my job to look after my patients, and actually as gruff and crabby as she was, we did actually get her to laugh, and I got a lovely hug from her!

Now if Miss Hap had tried any of that kind of talk with me, things would have been very different!

Rhyme and No Reason!

Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

Tag: nursing

On The Long Road to Becoming a Nurse

Negative Feedback for Revision

Out on My Own!

I’m Not Good At Goodbyes!

When I am Not Writing……

Episode 474: New Horizons

Episode 458: I Should Be So Lucky!

The Daydreamer Challenge: Day 2

Episode 204: Patience With Patients!

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Blogger, author and rhymester who likes to find the humour in life.

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