Life in the Emergency

My last clinical placement for the school year started on March 5, 2012 and was I assigned to work at Flinders Medical Centre’s Emergency Department. 

Flinders Medical Centre

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT! Kulang pa yang SAAS na naka-park dyan!

When I knew that I will be working in ED for 3 months, I was really excited but super nervous at the same time because I know that when you say Emergency Department or Emergency Room as what we call it back in the Philippines… It is TOXIC.  But maybe, God really put me into this department because I have always been missing my work as a Registered Nurse and how I miss the feeling of being toxic every now and then.

Our Tea Room during day time. Watching Obama's Call Me Maybe!

Our Tea Room at nigh time. Masterchef time! 

First day of placement was already so overwhelming for me. I was allocated on the A SIDE in which the patients are most likely to be admitted at the wards. They have 22 beds all in all and have 4 RN’s working on the floor.  As a newbie, I am still not allowed to get my own patient load so I had to be partnered to one of the RN’s.  At the end of the day, I learned a lot like checking Urinalysis using a dipstick which was pretty new to me because I am used of just sending the specimens to the laboratory for a check. Another thing was doing an ECG J It was a first for me! In my experience back home, I have never used an ECG machine because we always have our ECG technicians. Haha.

I was also allocated on the D SIDE which is the opposite of the A SIDE because patients who are brought here are most likely to be discharged. Also, this side has a high patient turnover so kapagod! This side has 16 beds in total.

FMC ED also has the Time Critical/Resus/Airway side. I must say, this is my favorite side of all that I’ve been to. In this side, I learned to work under great stress. I have also managed to assist in a cardioversion which I am thankful to my nurses because they were really patient and they never stopped to teach me about anything. 

Aside from what's mentioned above, FMC ED also has Paediatrics Side (which I realized that I am not really compatible working with children. Haha.) and Triage.

Here are some of the new things I learned all throughout my 3 months stay in ED.

• -          Urinalysis using dipstick
• -          ECG
• -          Sending specimens to ED Path via Chute (Super cool nito J)
• -          Handover to the nth time!!!!!! Hahahaha. ISBAR mode.
• -          Admit patients (Full assessment. Q&A portion with the patient then to be followed by the rest like OBS, ECG, U/A, bloods etc)
• -          Transfer patients from ED to different wards. Handover again.
• -          IV Drip using an Infusion pump. Medyo hi-tech!
• -          Do blood extractions J this is something to be brag about. Haha. Too bad, I wasn’t able to put a jelco on a patient.
•       Code Blue, Code BLACK! 

      My experience in ED as a whole was a rollercoaster ride. It was exciting but super draining both physically and mentally. Meeting different kind of people each day has helped me to increase the use of Australian English! Ang hirap um-accent infairnes!!!!! Honestly, there were couple of days in which I just don’t want to go to duty kasi nakakasawa na! However, here I am already finished with my last placement and managed to be punctual always. Take note, with no absences J

Another ED!

I would just want to thank all the RNs, ENs, Consultants, Registrars, MO and Interns that I have worked with. They have all been so good in imparting their knowledge and being so patient to a student like me. I will forever treasure this experience because I gained a lot of new learning and this also heightened my desire to be a really good Nurse and if God will permit, an ED Nurse someday! J

Lastly, as an RN already, it always feels good to know that at the end of the day… just a simple THANK YOU from a patient can really ease all the exhaustion away.

Last shift! On the A SIDE :)

Especial thanks to Dr. A J Haha. My last day of duty was all so worth it. Hopefully, we’ll bump into each other soon!

Got my CER, finally! Thanks my ED family <3

Cheers,

A!