Thursday, October 18, 2012

Meet Pull-Toy

I have another student.  Yes, the powers-that-be have given me another young mind to mold and shape as I desire (insert evil laugh).  Bless her little heart.  It is pretty much a 2 month job shadow, but I can probably at least get her to change beds and fill ice packs.  Fun.

Last time I had a high school intern for more than a day she spent about 6 weeks mostly doing her homework; rather, she doing hers and me doing mine.  On her second to last night I gave her a syringe and a couple of 10ml vials of normal saline and taught her how to draw it up and remove the bubbles, etc.  She wore out the syringe doing it over and over and over; it kept her busy for about 2 hours.

Her final critique of the experience: "EDNurseasauras taught me how to put water in a syringe with a needle and take out the bubbles.  It was the best thing".  She had a whole little presentation on it.  I am famous at the high school.

Sigh.  (sniff).  They grow up so fast.

My new little pull-toy hasn't decided on nursing or medicine or what the hell-all she wants to do, which is great.  Her mind is like a fresh batch of cotton candy.

Pull-Toy wants to see and do it all and have lots of experiences.  I reminded her to journal and pick out the best and worst stuff of every night mostly because I thought I should be able to give someone some homework for a change; yeah I know, power trip.  Actually it would make her life easier when she has to do a presentation at the end of the year for her class.

Most of the doc's are pretty good with students, and when it isn't really busy will let them watch suturing and stuff.  I thought I would start Pull-Toy off with watching me apply a finger splint and went off to the closet to fetch it.  When I came back, Mac was quizzing Pull-Toy about which joint she thought would be proximal and which one distal.  I sent her off to look for tape instead.

Me: "Mac, maybe we should teach her the bones first before we worry about joints"
Mac: "Oh, yeah sure, wouldn't you learn that in nursing school before you start clinical exposure?"
Me: "Yeah, probably, but she doesn't graduate until June"
Mac: (astonished) "Eight months or so from graduation and she hasn't finished anatomy?? How can that be?"
Me: "Um, well she's a high school student"
Mac: "Ohhhhhhhh.  Ok.  That's cool"