Not a Virgin Anymore

I finally did it.....Yep. I gave my first injection today to a real live person. It seems so technical during the lab practice that we do. I've got a list of about 50 steps to follow during my lab check offs for injections. When you get into the real world, it doesn't really seem that difficult. You still have to take the same precautions, but I suppose it is a little more fluid when you are in the field.

This week in clinical has been pretty exciting. I am always a little nervous the night before clinical, but when I actually get in there and start working, I get so caught up in all of the things I'm doing that the nerves don't really seem to get to me. All is want is for the patients I'm working with to feel better. I'd like to think that that is a good sign that I am going into the right field. In my previous career, the only thing I thought about was about how well I could perform and how what I was doing was going to effect me. I feel really good about thinking about other people and how I can help them. I still get a little nervous about doing some procedures, but it's really a heightened sense of wanting to learn my craft well. I can see how that little bit of nervousness will go away with time and experience.

I've seen so many things that I thought would gross me out, but it really just makes me feel for the patients. I am very glad that my family and I are in pretty good health, and that we are not going through some of the things my patients are going through.

I'm still not too sure about how my clinical instructor is going to turn out, but for the most part I feel like when I'm out with the techs, cna's and rn's that I'm learning what I need to be learning.

I'm looking forward to more time in clinical. :)

-DV