Life in Medical...

Dear journal,


I was pulled out the other day to the medical floor. I handled one patient who, according to them, required 1:1 care. What's good about having been floated on that floor was that I came to realize how fortunate I am to be in ICU. At times, you have to see what others have in order for you to realize that what you have is better. Reality check, others call it.

I was but a quiet observer that day. I was not busy with my patient who has a private duty nurse with him as well. As much as I wanted to do more to help the staff there, being it the first time I've been floated, I still did not know what to do or where to go for that matter. It was exhausting to think that the stock room there was on the far end of the floor. And alas, everything that I needed seemed to be found nowhere but at the store.

I must say that I commend the nurses working in the ward; I salute them for the kind of work they are doing there. Having primary nursing as our modality of care here at IMC, handling 4-6 patients is not a light task at all. I for one would probably have a hard time managing one case after another. Time management is essential in what they do because there are lots of things to be done. If you are not that careful, it's either you neglect your patient or you neglect yourself; more often than not, it is the latter that's ignored and bypassed.

Kristine was the charge nurse that time. Though I still don't know her much, I can say that she's one tough charge nurse who knows what she's doing pretty well. She encourages her staff to explore their skills so that they'd be more independent. She has good command over her staff, and she already knows the loops and turns of the system, which makes her a potent leader. It takes guts and brains to run the medical floor smoothly; she has those. 

Everybody knows that the work in special areas is really different from that of the wards. Each area has its own hurdles and difficulties. If you are an ER nurse, you should be good in IV cannulation. If you are in ICU, you should know how to deal with central and arterial lines with its transducers. If you are in OR, you should be familiar with the various sterile instruments that are used during an operation. Ergo, it boils down to a certain degree of specialization may it be in the special area or in the ward. 

Nobody can really say which unit is harder than the other. I guess it is just a matter of dedication towards your work no matter where you are assigned.

Remember, lightning could strike anytime...