Hello Nursing School. Goodbye Nail Polish.

hello text books. goodbye television.
hello exams. goodbye tan.
hello library. goodbye bars.
hello ugly white shoes. goodbye jimmy choos.
hello nursing school. goodbye nail polish.

Did you know that nail polish harbors germs??? I didn't, until I started nursing school...

We have begun clinicals and let me tell you, it's a whirlwind. Yesterday was my second day at my clinical location and it started off pretty standard. I fed a nice man his breakfast, then I brushed his teeth...good oral hygiene is essential for these people. Then another student and I went around and took blood pressures. Not too bad at this point right?

Then, it happened. A CNA grabbed my friend and I, threw us into a room and said "bathe him. he has an appointment and he's a mess." As soon as we walked in, we knew this was going to be bad. Heat rolled out of the room and hit us like a freight train. To make things worse, a horrid stench almost knocked us to our knees.

The poor guy, wheelchair ridden, had defecated in his bed...and we had to clean him. Neither of us had actually given a bed bath to anyone. Of course we'd seen it done on tv...but this was nothing like tv.

After washing his face, arms, chest and back, we went to the battle zone below, his buttocks. The smell and heat were overwhelming. My friend and I looked at eachother in fear. Holding back tears and controlling my gag reflex, we got the job done.

It was a good day in hindsight. I helped people. I learned how to put learned concepts into practice. Now I know I can do this. Now I know I can do this well.