Slamming Down the Patient

I thought I would just share a quick note on my first week of work, before I get on to some more heavy topics. 

 I am so very sorry I have not posted in a couple of days. I was having a bit of writer's block on how I wanted to address jail, and alcoholism. The problem wasn't that I didn't know WHAT to say...more that I have soooo MUCH to say. I have been trying to think of a way to tell it.  I am not so sure I have it figured out anymore today, than I did I few days ago,   but I am going to jump into it tonight. I probably won't get it posted until after work tomorrow.

But before that....

Ok so It was my first week of work. I am so VERY grateful to have been hired. I was so excited, and nervous. The first day was corporate training, with all of the other recent hires from all sites. Not the most exciting, but good. The second day, I was at my hospital site. Again, mostly site orientation. I got a TON of information, and a bunch of '"homework" in need to complete in the first year. But, I was excited....got to wear my scrubs...I kinda was feeling the part. Took a tour of the hospital, and I was thinking, "How the hell am I going to remember where everything is." My trainer pointed out the mental health floor as we passed. Strangely, that doesn't worry me. The person giving the tour is my, "buddy", my go to person for any questions. She was almost alarmed at how calm I was about the "mental health ward."....Little does she know, how I am used to "secured surroundings".

I had the next day off. Thursday, I was scheduled at 4:30am. I was going on the floors for the 1st time as a phlebotomist. It was my understanding that I would just be observing that day...NOT!! I happened to be paired with one of the Department heads. I showed up bright eyed-and bushy tailed....or as much like that as you can after waking up in a panic, every hour all night in the worry that ya might oversleep. Anyway, I was on-time, and promptly found her, and said, "I am ready to go." She was a bit grumpy, and asked,"Are YOU supposed to be with me"? I said, nervously, "yes". She said, "Go get your schedule!" I did, and in fact it showed I was where I was supposed to be. She obviously was not thrilled about this situation. She lamented, "It would be nice if I were informed of these things". I tried to shoot a half of a smile and nodded.

Off to the floors with supply cart in hand, a not too happy trainer, and a REALLY nervous me. So she said right away, "ok YOU"RE UP". I was thinking, "What?, can't I watch one or two, I have never drawn anyone in a hospital bed" (my internship was in a clinic).  I think if I wasn't so tense, I would have peed a little. Oh, and I should since mention my 3 week internship, which ended in August, I had not even touched a needle. I know I have mentioned before...at least I think I have, that my nervous reaction is to shake. Great when ya have a needle in your hand...NOT. I knew I was going to shake, because I had the same experience my first few day on the internship. I wished at that moment, I were a nervous puker, or sweater.  I  became very confident, and proficient by the end of my internship, but I still knew I would have the stupid shaking thing my first few days  at the hospital.

The first patient, was a difficult draw...major scar tissue on his arm, so I had to draw his hand.   I I was shaking so bad, that if I were brushing my teeth, I wouldn't need an electric toothbrush. SO, compund the shaking, with having a not thrilled department head watching, and never having the experience of drawing in a hospital, and ya have a reciepe for disaster. I did tell my supervisor that I was very nervous, and had not drawn since August.

I did manage to sucessfully get the draw. I think the fact that the patient wasn't really awake helped. The needles they use at the hospital were different than the ones I trained on, so I couldn't figure out how to close the saftey when I was done. One of the MOST important things when drawing blood, is to immediately close the needle. The next room was not much better.

The 3rd room...disaster. I went to put the arm of the bed down, I hit the wrong button. I slammed the very elderly woman down from 90 degrees to FLAT. When I say, "slammed", I MEAN it". The woman started crying, and wimpering, "It hurts, it hurts", and moaning. The nurse cam in and said, "HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT'?! I pretty much wanted to run away and cry. All of this was before 5:00am.

My supervisor asked me,"What is wrong with you". I told her again that I was nervous, in a different setting, and that I had not drawn since August" She asked where I had worked last. I told her, "At the greenhouse".As soon as I said that I felt even MORE like an idiot. It was one of those moments when ya see the stupid word bubble above your head, and just want to erase it, or pull it back. Immediately, after I realized my stupidness I responded,"Oh drawing blood?...No place yet this my first job". She just looked at me and shook her head, "I thought you had like 2 years experience". "Nope", I responded. She at least understood why I was such a wreck.  She is not the one that interviewd, and hired me. I had thought she would have gotten the memmo on the fact that I had just finished school.I ovserved her the rest of the rounds.

The rest of the day got better. I was with a different person for the second half of the day.  She was not nearly as intimidating as my supervisor. I did a few more draws that day.

I spent some of the time in the ER. That was kind of entertaining. There was a woman there, she was on her way up to the mental health floor.  When we went to get her draw, there were 3 security guards outside of  her door. She was trying to smoke in her room.

Friday went really well. I was in the Out Patient clinic all day. I drew all day long. I had calmed down a ton from the day before. Some shaking in the beginnig of the day, great by the end. The supervisor I had been with the day before, asked to see my log sheet(I have to be oberved for the 1st 100 draws, and write them all down). She was very suprised when she saw I hadn't missed one all day. I had a great helpful trainer/observer. I was in a clinic setting, which helped me get my confidence back, and hit my stried.

I  hope I still have that same confidence on Monday.

I was telling my hiring supervisor on Friday about the whole bed tradegy the day before. He mentiond, that the supervisor makes people that have been drawing blood for years feel nervous. He also told me a strory about when he was training. He told me a guy died WHILE he was drawing his blood. At least I didn't have anyone die on me last week.