#paeds

Went into paeds cardiology ward this morning for ward round and learnt loads! The consultant was very keen in teaching us things (there were 4 of us med students but that didn't deter him), love feeling acknowledged on placement :')

Saw many babies with heart defects today, most of them post surgery, some waiting for surgery.

After placement I spent an hour adding to my paeds notes and then I packed to go home for the weekend.

The journey back home from uni was 6 hours but I made it in one piece 😭

Did some paeds Anki flashcards enroute

I have to stop reading the news.  actually I probably will stop. And stick to NEJM or Lancet etc. after this. 

Related article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/28/samoa-measles-outbreak-who-blames-anti-vaccine-scare-death-toll

Samoa’s total population immunity has been estimated by the WHO to be as low as 30-40%, compared with its Pacific neighbours, such as Tonga and American Samoa, which boast immunisation rates of over 90%, close to or matching recommended rates for achieving immunity.

O’Brien said that an anti-vaccine group had been stoking these fears further with a social media campaign, lamenting that “this is now being measured in the lives of children who have died in the course of this outbreak”.

Hey!

So first year of becoming a student nurse was a rollercoaster of ups and downs that pushed me to some of my absolute limits and made me realise how much stronger I was than I originally thought. I was only 18 at the time and had ended up going to a University a few hours away from where I lived meaning I had to stay in halls. This was a scary concept what with being in a flat with 11 people I had never met, they all ended up being lovely but there were challenges with that as well (this is another story for another day!).

We start our training as a mixture of careers to ensure we get used to working as a multi-disciplinary team. This meant I got to know a lot of adult nurses, paramedics, midwifes, mental health nurses, ODPS and of course fellow paediatric nurses, highlighting to myself the importance of working together. Our University has amazing facilities with simulation suites making practice as realistic as possible! This sounds incredible but having never done anything like this before, it was all very daunting. We had actors, simulation dolls and had to work together and figure out situations that none of us had ever experienced before, but this was something you slowly get used to...even though I would say it still isn't my favourite aspect of the degree even approaching the end of the three years.

After 6 months of simulation practice it was time to get out into the real world. My first year placements (also another story) all taught me so much and allowed me to develop not only as a nurse but also as a person, you see and witness so much of the world that you have never had an insight into before that you can not help but grow and appreciate the little things in your life. I went from a very intense placement to spending some time in the community and seeing the invaluable service that nurses provide within people’s homes as well as in the hospital.

15/5/2020 // 21.50

Had a paediatrics session today, did you mean checking the dose of EVERYTHING including paracetamol because I’m scared of child dosing and I do not know anything about kids. Pro tip: if your baby is floppy, it’s meningitis (I thought babies were floppy anyway but apparently that’s a huge red flag)

Also. I went to a patients room today to get her chart and she said I look very slim and beautiful. Day absolutely made by that lovely lovely lady 💕

Word on the street is that we are going to provisionally register this summer, our trusts peak is going to be in a few weeks (as we are well behind the rest of the country, but things are starting to double quickly), and that Tesco are selling off their Easter eggs dirt cheap. I bought 4 and I am only moderately ashamed about this. Also I filled my car up for only 102.9 which is amazing, but the money saved there will be spent in the garage fixing her scary rattle tomorrow. Thank god they’re still doing key worker services.

2020 quarantine challenge: Wednesday week 4

What would be your advice to you five years ago?