Picture this. You are walking around, minding your own business, while suddenly you hear sirens. What are your thoughts at that exact moment?
I shamefully have to admit I am one of those kind that immediately drops everything and chases the sirens. I calculate the fastest way to reach the scene and try to push my way through the crowd hoping I would see at least a little bit of blood. And then of course I feel guilty because I remember that blood isn't something that just magically appears whenever an ambulance is near.

But I have to say, working in a hospital as a student is the perfect way to be a disaster tourist without feeling guilty. You are allowed to be happy whenever someone asks you if you want to look at a mini surgery. You are allowed to stare and move closer in order to see better. I am just a very enthusiastic student who grabs every opportunity to learn!
I think everyone working in a hospital is a disaster tourist in some way. Although everyone hopes patients will be okay and won't have any lifelong diseases. We do like to inject them, put catheters in them, cut them open, poke in wounds and well many more things you don't even want to hear. Although I have to admit I don't like to poke in wounds. I cringe at the thought of it. The other day someone needed a monster so they could send it to the lab. In order to do that they had to put this swabthing inside the wound. Like actually inside, you could see it moving under the skin. Do not like that.
But although I like to torture people by putting stuff in their bodies, the best part is still seeing them getting better. Talking about a paradox.
Sometimes you see patients coming in and you just can't imagine them getting better. They just look horrible and they've already been in the hospital so many times. But somehow they do manage to get better. And knowing you had a part in that process, that's just the best feeling there is. You actually helped someone survive, however small that part is, being a student.

Another part I really like about the job, you get to see the most strange stuff. This week a guy came in, said he had a sewing needle in his belly. Apparently he fell in it, which I find very strange. I mean how on earth can you fall on a needle? The needle had to stand up which is already kind of really difficult. Not to mention that the needle went all in, you have to fall pretty hard if you want a needle to fully go in. But even more strange, the way it was in his belly. Okay this is hard to explain so I will do it with pictures: (if it is not working: http://i54.tinypic.com/904wtu.jpg)

You would think he would fall like the first picture so you would expect to only feel the top of the needle. But apparently he fell on his side so you could feel the whole needle. It still puzzles me how on earth he managed to do that.
But anyways the doctor would try to get it out by making a little incision. They could just do that on the ward, so they asked me if I wanted to see it. And of course, being the enthusiastic student, I immediately stormed to the doctor. In the end the needle went all ninja so the doctor couldn't get it. But it was really interesting to see.

The rest of the week was pretty cool too. I get to do stuff like giving medication and remove cannulas. So I am starting to feel like I am really doing something. I feel like a real nurse now. Hooray!

Before I go I want to ask all of you to think of me, Monday evening before you go to bed, because at that moment I will be working. And think of me again Tuesday when you get up, because at that moment I most probably will be sitting behind the desk like a zombie.
Thankyou.

Cheers!
Laura

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(reageer for the non dutchies)