Thankful Thursday | not for the weather

We are in the midst of a sticky, cloudy, drizzly string of days, and I do not appreciate this, especially because this is a time of year when I hope for crisp autumn air.

But on the other hand, I know other people, like our dear Floridian readers, are preparing for a hurricane, which is much worse than a bunch of days of clouds.

So I am not gonna complain about the drizzle, and I hope for safety for everyone in the path of the hurricane.

This week, I am thankful:

for an at-home first day of med-surg clinicals

My group is on the oncology floor for our clinicals the next three weeks, and the first day went really well. I felt so at home on this floor because it is almost exactly like the floor where I work.

for success with a difficult patient

The nurse and the tech yesterday were both feeling a little frazzled by a particular patient, but a couple of my classmates and I managed to work together and get her care all completed.

And I think this patient is actually excited to see us today too. 🙂

Yay us!

for how competent I feel

When I got my summer job as a tech, I kinda thought the experience would help me in upcoming clinicals.

But I was not prepared for just how confident the tech job has made me!

I think back to how hesitant I felt on the first day of med-surg clinicals in February, and when I compare that to how I felt this week, I see a night and day difference.

Now I walk into a room with lots of “I belong here and I know how to do this job.” energy, and that feels really good. 🙂 As they say, competence breeds confidence.

I am so so so glad I worked all those tech shifts this summer! I did not earn piles of money, but I gained priceless experience.

for the privilege of caring for the dying

Yesterday I did my first post-mortem care for a patient who passed away. While it is, of course, sad when a patient passes away, I think there is something beautiful about the work we do in respectfully caring for the person’s body; it feels like an honor.

We also had a hospice lecture this week, and as I watched the pre-lecture videos about people who care for people who are dying, I teared up many times.

It is so beautiful to see the gentle and kind way hospice and palliative care workers tend to people, and it reminded me of the “why” behind all the studying I am doing: people need competent and kind care.

The post-mortem experience at clinical was another in a long line of experiences that have confirmed that I am pursuing a career that is right for me; I find it inspiring, not disturbing, to care for people, even when it’s at the end of life.

While of course I love to help people get better, I also feel like some of my most meaningful healthcare work so far has been with patients and families who are facing death.

And that makes me wonder if I will end up working as a hospice nurse one day.

for how spacious life feels with 8-hour clinical shifts

I am so used to being at the hospital for 12.5 hours, an 8-hour clinical shift feels like it’s gone in a blink!

Like…I had time to go to the gym afterward.

And shower.

And make dinner.

And do clinical paperwork.

And do laundry.

In contrast, with 12-hour shifts, there’s barely time to eat and shower before you gotta go to bed!

for the cats

that Lisey is feeling more confident at her job

She’s really settling into a groove as an airplane mechanic now, and that makes me so happy for her!

What are you thankful for this week?