Week #3

I am VERY happy to say that it is now week 3. I have only 2 more weeks on the floor at Midland Hospital on the Mental Health Unit. One more week of Outside Rotation and the last week of presentations. My instructor for Mental Health Lecture, is also my Mental Health Clinical instructor. She informed my Thursday that Mental Health probably wasn't going to be my specialty. REALLY?!?!?! I could have told you that before I started! She said that I still seem very uncomfortable on the unit, and I am not filling the role well. 'Is it that obvious? I really am trying' She said that was all she could ask of me, was to try. At clinical, a man threw something out his door as I was walking past, missing me by inches. I turned to my instructor and said that he almost hit me! That was another reason I don't fit the role of Mental Health, because "You looked really scared when that happened" Wouldn't you?! Is that not an appropriate reaction when you are almost hit with a flying shampoo bottle?! Apparently its not. Oh well, I can't wait until this is over. It is definitely work for me to be there.
I had my first test on Friday. It was on Mental Health. I thought I did very well, but of course I didn't do as well as I had hoped. I passed with an 81%. Room for improvement. (Failing in nursing school is anything under 78%.)

Week #2

Last week in clinical I went to the Arnold Center and Pinecrest Farms of Midland. Both were for observation purposes. The Arnold Center is a factory type place for people with mental retardation, brain injuries and disabilities. They do simple jobs such as counting rags into bundles of 50, removing parts of pins for Delphi and organizing pharmacy boxes by color. They do a lot of work for Delphi though. They work from 9 to 3pm and get 'paid by the piece.' For many it is hard to stay on task and for others the simples tasks of counting and sorting colors is very difficult. They have 'job coaches' to help them stay on task. For some people who work there, they make enough money so they don't have to receive disability and some eventually get jobs in the community. The Arnold Center also offers 'on site' jobs, where they will travel into the community to work. I didn't observe that portion. I didn't know places like this existed, so it was very eye-opening to me.

The other place I went to was called Pinecrest Farms, an adult foster care and infirmary. They house up to 60 people ranging from the frail elderly, cognitively impaired, developmentally delayed and the mentally ill. The age range was 26 to 96. I basically walked around, talking with several different residents, practicing my 'therapeutic communication.' I met some interesting people :)

This week I'm back at the hospital in Midland, we will see that that brings...

Week #1

Sorry I'm a little late posting about last week's class. For clinical each week I have to write a journal entry, so I decided I would post it on here as well. I will post the questions I have to answer, as well as my reply. I wrote this entry after my very first day, and I will let you know that my anxiety level did go down significantly the next day. This week I am doing an outside rotation at The Arnold center in Midland and Pinecrest in Midland.

Journal Week #1 8-26-09

• What are your feelings as you begin this clinical experience?
• What past experiences, perceptions and thoughts are contributing to the above feelings you listed?
• What personal qualities, strengths and talents do you bring to this clinical experience?
• Identify one goal for the semester related to your personal self awareness and growth.

Starting my clinical experience on Wednesday, I was extremely terrified and anxious. I guess it is because of the unknown and preconceived notions in my head. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with people who want to kill themselves. I have worked with severe Dementia patients, those who are very confused and combative. I have also worked with my Dad’s closed head brain injury, which was a lot of reorientation and reminding. And neither of those to me is like what I will be experiencing. I have never worked with someone with Depression, Schizophrenia or someone with suicidal thoughts. I guess it is just fear of the unknown, like anything else. The thought of working with people like this, just gives me a really uneasy feeling and I don’t know why. I really wish I could take it away. It would make this semester’s clinical a lot easier for me. But I suppose people with depression are also thinking the same thing, just take this away. So I guess we already have something in common. I think that’s what it is… I am thinking they will be completely different than me. Which in many ways they will be, but in a lot of ways I guess they are just like me.

As for personal qualities? I think I am a good listener and I will use that to my advantage. I will try to be the one who will listen when no one else will. I don’t know as if I have any ‘talents’ that pertain to this clinical experience. Maybe I will develop some?

A goal of mine will be to change the preconceived notions I have about mental illness. I was also terrified of the people in the nursing home when I started my first day of clinical as an LPN. It is just going to take time, like it took time in the nursing home. I want to be able to walk into the mental health unit on my final day of clinical with no anxiety or fear. I want to be confident in what I do. This will make me a better nurse and maybe even a better person. I want to be understanding of ALL people, not just those considered ‘normal’ on a med-surg floor.