*Before you read this, know that I am not a mean person. This is me venting. I will return to my normal happy bubbly self after this post*
I was pissed at my last clinical. Before I gripe about what happened I want to say that I do appreciate clinicals and the preceptors and the RT directors that let students do clinicals in their hospital. I know that even the mundane things can create a learning experience. That being said, my class goes to hospitals all over the state. We go to both small hospitals and several of the biggest ones around. Actually traveling 2 hours for clinicals is not abnormal for any of us. Anyway, as you all know I am in my final semester of class. This semester is CRITICAL care III and Neonatal and pediatrics. The hospital I have been at for the past month does not specialize in children so my goals there were all critical care related. Critical care III - this is the THIRD semester dealing with critical care. We are not just starting it. For all our critical care rotations we have to be in the ICU. We have had LOTS of training, labs, reading, tests etc for critical care and mechanical ventilation. So the point of the clinical for critical care is to provide the hands on skills and training. I NEED to SEE the vent, I need to see the patients in ICU. I need to know why certain settings are what they are so that when Im NOT a student I will know what Im doing.
Anyway I get to the hospital at 545 am. They put me on the regular adult floor, not ICU. This is the first thing that frustrated me. I said that I am in critical care rotations and that I need to be in ICU. And you know what they told me? They were TOO BUSY and they needed me on the floor. You know what? I really dont give a flying &^$# if they are busy or not. If they are THAT busy, HIRE me and I will do whatever work is required of me as an RT. But today I am a student in this hospital and I am not here for free labor. I am here to LEARN period. I am not here to get half of an RTs workload so that you don't have to call in someone else. I dont care if there are only 2 patients in the ICU. If that is the case, let me do ICU rounds FIRST and foremost, THEN I will help out other therapists just the same as anyone does.
Anyway, I didn't want to start crap so i took my patient sheet and we went to the pyxis to pull meds. She handed me all the meds that I needed and she said this is for room whatever number, she looks at her sheet and says "Wait... wait wait.... that person takes their treatments with bipap so you cant do him"
HOLD THE &^$%^&*^ PHONE!!
I said "I can do bipap as a student". Afterall, I have done lots and lots and lots and lots.......... of bipap treaments! She acted like I was out of my mind. You should have seen the look on her face. She said "No. Unless it is on your license you cant do bipap." Please tell me you are kidding me. You have to be kidding me right!
Me: "I dont have a license in this state.... I am a student." (I said in this state because I AM a licensed SRT-student respiratory therapist in the adjoining state because I live close to the state line. And yes, on that license there are no limitations, including bipap treatments.)
RT: eyes got big "OOOOH.... NO then DEFINATELY NOT"!!!!!
First of all. WTF do you think students do? Stand around holding a book in the hospital twirling their hair. Appearantly she thought all students could do were neb treatments. Even students in thir final year, final semester.
Second, according to your theory if I cant do bipap treatments because its "not on my license", then guess what, I cant do nebs either.
I bit my tongue and gave her the bipap patient and took all the nebs. I had one patient left and was walking down the hall to do it when I see my preceptor sitting on her ass in a chair out in the hallway. She was done with her patients and was sitting there doing NOTHING while I finished her scut work. Not to mention she didnt even give me a pulse ox to use for the day because "they cant be checked out to students" Tell me HOW THE &^%^ am I supposed to document all of a patients vitals without the 02%? I am working under YOUR license so YOU should really care about that too!!
By the end of the day there were FOUR extubations in the ICU that I didnt get to be a part of. I didnt even get to stand back and WATCH them because I was giving neb treatments.
After first rounds, I texted my teacher. Here is our texting conversation:
Me: Can I do bipap as a student?!
Teacher: Yes you can.
Me: They arent letting me do anything but nebs only
Teacher: You can do bipap and you need to be in the ICU with vent patients. I will talk to the director and tell them what you are allowed to do but just make the most of the day
Me: OK
In my opinion he should have picked up the phone, called the department and just said hey, you know, my students need to be in icu. It would have taken 2 minutes. But anway....
I have always been told that clinicals are like job interviews. When you are at clinicals you are being evaluated by other RTs and by the director to see if you would be a good candidate for working there after school. BUT this works both ways. Students are also evaluating the hospitals to see if we would want to work there, in that environment, with those people...... I can guarantee you there is not a shortage of hospitals looking to hire RTs. And I can also guarantee you I will not work for a hospital that treats their students as work horses or as free labor. What does that make us think? It sure doesnt make me want to get hired on to find out anything else.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Surviving RT School
I am almost finished with RT school. So, even though I am far from reaching an expert status, I do believe that I have a few pointers to get the new RT student through the tough times to come.
1.) Be organized. This seems trivial but DONT forget your supplies: book, paper, pencils, etc. Always bring your supplies to class. Be prepared to take notes. In fact, even when you are in your final semester of class there will be plenty of times when you wish you had taken better notes in the first sememster because you will continually refer back to past studies, formulas, facts, and figures. Everything is important, if not now, later. I always have my binder with me. My binder is organized with tabs and a calendar section, extras section, and board review section. My teachers give me some extra just FYI sort of things: Job postings, conferences, things like this. I keep these in the "Extra" tab. The most important tab I keep in my binder is "Board Review". Everytime I come across a formula or something I think is important or that might be used in the future, I flip over to this section and I jot the information down. My hope is that when school ends and its time to study and review for the board exam, most of the information I need to study will be compiled into one organized place. Also for this same reason, keep your study guides, and your books! I realize that you will get money for selling your books back, but these books will be used for referrence for a long time. Don't sell them back. Print a calendar and keep it in the front of your binder. Use this calendar to write down important dates, tests, quizzes, conferences, etc.
2.) Your resume. If you dont have a resume, make one now. If you already have a resume, update it. Make your medical/educational resume. During the tenure of your RT school, you will be exposed to TONS of things you will be able to add to your resume. This includes conferences, training affiliations, lab certifications, presentations given, etc. Have your resume updated and ready at all times. Have a hard copy and a printed copy handy. Most applications are online and will require you to submit a hard copy, however, several smaller hospitals do not and will require you to mail or fax your application and resume. Compile a list of referrences. This includes people you have worked with, your instructors, your clinical director, respiratory therapists you have trained with in clinicals, respiratory directors, etc. Ask them for permission to use them as a referrence and add them to your resume.
3.) Record your experiences. Whatever method you prefer, use it. Blog, journal, write a book. Your two years of RT school only happen once. Write about your clinicals. Write about what you learn, what you dont understand, what you love, what you hate. It will be fun to look back on this later. What you do is important and consuming. Be proud of it. Let others know what you do and why you love it!
4.) Make time for fun. Never use every minute you have for studying. Dont lose sight of who you are and what you love to do. So do your homeowork, go to class, love the medical field. But keep up with your friends and extra activites that you love to do.
5.) Get a student job. You can get a student job after one year of studies. That means that for the last year of school, you can also be working in your field and getting paid for doing it. Granted, you will not get as much money as a certified or registered therapist, but that is only fair. Working as a student will give you more hands on experience than school work and even clinicals. Many hospitals will even refund your tuition for working for them. To get a student job, you will need to print of the student application for your state. You can find this online and your teachers should be able to help you with the resources on this. When you get the application, a portion is yours to fill out, and also your instructors need to complete a portion. And the preceptor where you plan to work will have to complete a section. The application will need to be notorized is several different places and you will need to attach a recent picture of yourself. Print the application because it is sometimes time consuming to complete. The exact process as well as the cost of the application is different for each state. So get it printed and get it ready before you need it. When you get an interview, be professional. Dress professionally. Act respectful. You are a respiratory therapist. Respect your profession and others will follow.
The decision I made to go to RT school is one of the best things Ive done. I really feel fullfilled with what I do and the profession I've chosen. If you have already made that decision and you are in Respiratory school, I don't think that "surviving" it will be a complication that comes up. If you do what you love, then you will love what you do, and that will show in all aspects of your life.
1.) Be organized. This seems trivial but DONT forget your supplies: book, paper, pencils, etc. Always bring your supplies to class. Be prepared to take notes. In fact, even when you are in your final semester of class there will be plenty of times when you wish you had taken better notes in the first sememster because you will continually refer back to past studies, formulas, facts, and figures. Everything is important, if not now, later. I always have my binder with me. My binder is organized with tabs and a calendar section, extras section, and board review section. My teachers give me some extra just FYI sort of things: Job postings, conferences, things like this. I keep these in the "Extra" tab. The most important tab I keep in my binder is "Board Review". Everytime I come across a formula or something I think is important or that might be used in the future, I flip over to this section and I jot the information down. My hope is that when school ends and its time to study and review for the board exam, most of the information I need to study will be compiled into one organized place. Also for this same reason, keep your study guides, and your books! I realize that you will get money for selling your books back, but these books will be used for referrence for a long time. Don't sell them back. Print a calendar and keep it in the front of your binder. Use this calendar to write down important dates, tests, quizzes, conferences, etc.
2.) Your resume. If you dont have a resume, make one now. If you already have a resume, update it. Make your medical/educational resume. During the tenure of your RT school, you will be exposed to TONS of things you will be able to add to your resume. This includes conferences, training affiliations, lab certifications, presentations given, etc. Have your resume updated and ready at all times. Have a hard copy and a printed copy handy. Most applications are online and will require you to submit a hard copy, however, several smaller hospitals do not and will require you to mail or fax your application and resume. Compile a list of referrences. This includes people you have worked with, your instructors, your clinical director, respiratory therapists you have trained with in clinicals, respiratory directors, etc. Ask them for permission to use them as a referrence and add them to your resume.
3.) Record your experiences. Whatever method you prefer, use it. Blog, journal, write a book. Your two years of RT school only happen once. Write about your clinicals. Write about what you learn, what you dont understand, what you love, what you hate. It will be fun to look back on this later. What you do is important and consuming. Be proud of it. Let others know what you do and why you love it!
4.) Make time for fun. Never use every minute you have for studying. Dont lose sight of who you are and what you love to do. So do your homeowork, go to class, love the medical field. But keep up with your friends and extra activites that you love to do.
5.) Get a student job. You can get a student job after one year of studies. That means that for the last year of school, you can also be working in your field and getting paid for doing it. Granted, you will not get as much money as a certified or registered therapist, but that is only fair. Working as a student will give you more hands on experience than school work and even clinicals. Many hospitals will even refund your tuition for working for them. To get a student job, you will need to print of the student application for your state. You can find this online and your teachers should be able to help you with the resources on this. When you get the application, a portion is yours to fill out, and also your instructors need to complete a portion. And the preceptor where you plan to work will have to complete a section. The application will need to be notorized is several different places and you will need to attach a recent picture of yourself. Print the application because it is sometimes time consuming to complete. The exact process as well as the cost of the application is different for each state. So get it printed and get it ready before you need it. When you get an interview, be professional. Dress professionally. Act respectful. You are a respiratory therapist. Respect your profession and others will follow.
The decision I made to go to RT school is one of the best things Ive done. I really feel fullfilled with what I do and the profession I've chosen. If you have already made that decision and you are in Respiratory school, I don't think that "surviving" it will be a complication that comes up. If you do what you love, then you will love what you do, and that will show in all aspects of your life.
Last Night's Dream...
Everyone that knows me knows I have some STRANGE dreams. Last night wasn't in the top 10 strange but anyway here it is...
I had a dream I was delivering someone's baby.
Why did I dream this? Well I did watch the Andy Griffith episode recently where Andy delivered a baby in the thunderstorm.
So in my dream I had to explain to myself where the head was and where the butt was in the Mom's belly. This was the criteria to determine if I had the skills to deliver the baby.
Then I got the baby out and I immediately suctioned it. (Only an RT would dream of suctioning a patient.) But there was no yankauer in the room. So I had to rig one up Macgyver style with what I had in the room. Anyway, the stuff I was suctioning was really white and thick. (Of course and RT will describe what she suctioned.) And I didn't have to intubate the baby because it was doing well. But it never cried. It was just happy. And the whole time I was doing this procedure in my dream I kept thinking "OH GOD is THIS what I learned in class" I kept saying that to myself over and over. And I thought, I know that the baby needs to take a deep breath and scream and cry to get enough oxygen and for the DA to close, but this baby is not screaming and crying, but the oxygen is fine... "what did I learn about this in class" "Why are they letting me deliver a baby" "Am I doing everything right" "Did I forget something really important"
Then after it was over and I woke up, I was thinking about it. And I thought, you know, what would normal people think or do with a new baby? They would see if it is a boy or a girl, they would count the fingers or toes, they would think how cute it is and they would want to hold it or give it to the mother. But what did I think? I never looked to see if it was a boy or a girl, I don't know if it had all its fingers. I don't know if it was even cute. All I could think of is keeping the baby alive. And I did it and it was over. I guess the whole concept of keeping emotional distance from patients is turning in to a subconscience thing...?
I had a dream I was delivering someone's baby.
Why did I dream this? Well I did watch the Andy Griffith episode recently where Andy delivered a baby in the thunderstorm.
So in my dream I had to explain to myself where the head was and where the butt was in the Mom's belly. This was the criteria to determine if I had the skills to deliver the baby.
Then I got the baby out and I immediately suctioned it. (Only an RT would dream of suctioning a patient.) But there was no yankauer in the room. So I had to rig one up Macgyver style with what I had in the room. Anyway, the stuff I was suctioning was really white and thick. (Of course and RT will describe what she suctioned.) And I didn't have to intubate the baby because it was doing well. But it never cried. It was just happy. And the whole time I was doing this procedure in my dream I kept thinking "OH GOD is THIS what I learned in class" I kept saying that to myself over and over. And I thought, I know that the baby needs to take a deep breath and scream and cry to get enough oxygen and for the DA to close, but this baby is not screaming and crying, but the oxygen is fine... "what did I learn about this in class" "Why are they letting me deliver a baby" "Am I doing everything right" "Did I forget something really important"
Then after it was over and I woke up, I was thinking about it. And I thought, you know, what would normal people think or do with a new baby? They would see if it is a boy or a girl, they would count the fingers or toes, they would think how cute it is and they would want to hold it or give it to the mother. But what did I think? I never looked to see if it was a boy or a girl, I don't know if it had all its fingers. I don't know if it was even cute. All I could think of is keeping the baby alive. And I did it and it was over. I guess the whole concept of keeping emotional distance from patients is turning in to a subconscience thing...?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
How do the lungs of a bird differ from those of a human?
The lungs of birds differ significantly from those of mammal. In addition to the lungs themselves, birds have posterior and anterior air sacs (typically nine) which control air flow through the lungs, but do not play a direct role in gas exchange. They have a flow-through respiration system.
When a bird inhales, air flows in through the trachea to the posterior air sacs, while air currently within the lungs flows into the anterior air sacs. When the bird exhales, the fresh air now contained within the posterior air sacs is driven into the lungs, and the stale air now contained within the anterior air sacs is expelled through the trachea and into the atmosphere. Two complete cycles of inhalation and exhalation are, therefore, required for one breath of air to make its way through the avian respiratory system.
See http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Lung for more information.
When a bird inhales, air flows in through the trachea to the posterior air sacs, while air currently within the lungs flows into the anterior air sacs. When the bird exhales, the fresh air now contained within the posterior air sacs is driven into the lungs, and the stale air now contained within the anterior air sacs is expelled through the trachea and into the atmosphere. Two complete cycles of inhalation and exhalation are, therefore, required for one breath of air to make its way through the avian respiratory system.
See http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Lung for more information.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Call for Papers
Call For Papers
Literature and Medicine: Women in the Medical Profession
(guest editor Prof. Dr. Carmen Birkle, University of Marburg)
This special issue of gender forum focuses on the intersections between medicine, literature, and gender, also taking into account the relevance of ethnicity and class. The interest in the interface of literature and medicine from the specific point of view of gender is triggered by the intriguing similarities between the medical and literary disciplines. The doctor, like the literary scholar, is faced with a text, a narrative voiced by the patient either through language or bodily symptoms. In order to understand this narrative, the doctor, like the scholar, needs to listen closely, to examine the constituents of the narrative carefully, to consider the subjectivity of the narrative, to read between the lines, and to interpret ambiguities coded in metaphorical language. The relationship between reader and text – on both levels – is embedded in the gender matrix of a given context. Furthermore, Sontag’s analysis of the ways in which illnesses are used as metaphors to express social, political, moral, or cultural crises offers fruitful ground for discussion.
We invite papers that discuss both the situation and positions of women in the medical world – for example, as patients, doctors, nurses – and the representation of these situations in literature.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to, discussions of
— patient narratives
— women doctors
— doctor-patient relationships
— nursing the nation
— engendering the hospital
— women and madness
— illness as a metaphor
— the female body as subject to discourses of health, in regard to
pregnancy and birth
(cosmetic) surgery
breast cancer
food and eating habits affecting women (e.g. bulimia, anorexia, weight
reduction)
Contributions by medical practitioners, scholars of medical history as well as by scholars of literature, culture, media, history, and related disciplines are invited.
Submission of 200-word proposal as well as a 200-word CV by March 1, 2009
Submission of finished papers by April 30, 2009.
The issue is scheduled to appear in the summer of 2009.
For more information, click here.
Literature and Medicine: Women in the Medical Profession
(guest editor Prof. Dr. Carmen Birkle, University of Marburg)
This special issue of gender forum focuses on the intersections between medicine, literature, and gender, also taking into account the relevance of ethnicity and class. The interest in the interface of literature and medicine from the specific point of view of gender is triggered by the intriguing similarities between the medical and literary disciplines. The doctor, like the literary scholar, is faced with a text, a narrative voiced by the patient either through language or bodily symptoms. In order to understand this narrative, the doctor, like the scholar, needs to listen closely, to examine the constituents of the narrative carefully, to consider the subjectivity of the narrative, to read between the lines, and to interpret ambiguities coded in metaphorical language. The relationship between reader and text – on both levels – is embedded in the gender matrix of a given context. Furthermore, Sontag’s analysis of the ways in which illnesses are used as metaphors to express social, political, moral, or cultural crises offers fruitful ground for discussion.
We invite papers that discuss both the situation and positions of women in the medical world – for example, as patients, doctors, nurses – and the representation of these situations in literature.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to, discussions of
— patient narratives
— women doctors
— doctor-patient relationships
— nursing the nation
— engendering the hospital
— women and madness
— illness as a metaphor
— the female body as subject to discourses of health, in regard to
pregnancy and birth
(cosmetic) surgery
breast cancer
food and eating habits affecting women (e.g. bulimia, anorexia, weight
reduction)
Contributions by medical practitioners, scholars of medical history as well as by scholars of literature, culture, media, history, and related disciplines are invited.
Submission of 200-word proposal as well as a 200-word CV by March 1, 2009
Submission of finished papers by April 30, 2009.
The issue is scheduled to appear in the summer of 2009.
For more information, click here.
Join my Linkedin Group!!
If you haven't yet heard of linkedin it is a website devoted to online networking. Go sign up, add me as a connection, and join the Respiratory Therapy Group. In the group, you can read and post news, discussions, cool case studies, and also meet other RT's from around the world! See ya there!
Here is the link to the group:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1781173
Here is the link to the group:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1781173
Thursday, February 5, 2009
25 random things about me
1. I love to cook, but I dislike recipes. I usually make up random stuff. So it might be good, it might not. If you like it, don't get use to it, because I have no idea how I made it and thus, might never be able to replicate it.
2. My favorite NFL team is the Colts because I like the color and the horseshoe and because I have read coach Dungy's book.
3. I like the health care field so much that when I retire, I want to be a traveling RT (or PA) so that I can retire, travel, and still do what I love.
4. I read constantly. And usually more than one book at a time because I get bored easily and need a change.
5. I love to get dressed up.
6. I also like to lounge around in my PJ's on the weekend.
7. I actually like school. Especially Chemistry and Biology.
8. I like to sew. Quilts, blankets, pillows, curtains, clothes, I just like to make stuff.
9. I use to run and eat really healthy. I miss it a lot. However, I’m too lazy to get started again.
10. I only have one kidney. So be an organ donor.
11. I am notoriously difficult to figure out and rarely think conventionally.
12. I am a conservative, right-winged, republican, and I'm proud of it.
13. Beth has been my friend since before school. We were best friends in day care.
14. There is nothing I love more than my family.
15. I love going to the movie theater to watch a new movie I've been waiting for.
16. I love music.
17. I don’t like going to bed before midnight.
18. I hate drama, so most of my friends are guys. You can understand why.
19. I love to travel. Geography is not my best subject and the best way for me to learn and enjoy it is to go and see it. The two places I want to see before I die are London and New Zealand. I also want to visit all 50 states and I collect post cards from every place I visit.
20. I hate cold weather because I cant wear my flip flops.
21. I am currently in the middle of writing and publishing my first book.
22. I drink way too much pop but I have no desire or inclination to stop.
23. I am not a morning person, but I wish I was.
24. I love my sense of humor but I know that it does not appeal to everyone.
25. I have given my life to God; I read the bible; I go to church. This is what gives direction to my choices and way of life.
2. My favorite NFL team is the Colts because I like the color and the horseshoe and because I have read coach Dungy's book.
3. I like the health care field so much that when I retire, I want to be a traveling RT (or PA) so that I can retire, travel, and still do what I love.
4. I read constantly. And usually more than one book at a time because I get bored easily and need a change.
5. I love to get dressed up.
6. I also like to lounge around in my PJ's on the weekend.
7. I actually like school. Especially Chemistry and Biology.
8. I like to sew. Quilts, blankets, pillows, curtains, clothes, I just like to make stuff.
9. I use to run and eat really healthy. I miss it a lot. However, I’m too lazy to get started again.
10. I only have one kidney. So be an organ donor.
11. I am notoriously difficult to figure out and rarely think conventionally.
12. I am a conservative, right-winged, republican, and I'm proud of it.
13. Beth has been my friend since before school. We were best friends in day care.
14. There is nothing I love more than my family.
15. I love going to the movie theater to watch a new movie I've been waiting for.
16. I love music.
17. I don’t like going to bed before midnight.
18. I hate drama, so most of my friends are guys. You can understand why.
19. I love to travel. Geography is not my best subject and the best way for me to learn and enjoy it is to go and see it. The two places I want to see before I die are London and New Zealand. I also want to visit all 50 states and I collect post cards from every place I visit.
20. I hate cold weather because I cant wear my flip flops.
21. I am currently in the middle of writing and publishing my first book.
22. I drink way too much pop but I have no desire or inclination to stop.
23. I am not a morning person, but I wish I was.
24. I love my sense of humor but I know that it does not appeal to everyone.
25. I have given my life to God; I read the bible; I go to church. This is what gives direction to my choices and way of life.
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