Jul 18 2007
Tough choices
I can’t decide what I’m looking forward to most:
A) Change the dressing of a Stage 3 or 4 wound
B) Insert a nasogastric feeding tube
C) Change & clean out a colostomy bag
Each week we’re introduced to a set of skills that we’re then let loose to perform in the hospital (with supervision of course). When I first saw a pic of a Stage 4 wound (meaty with bone showing), I thought wounds would be my worst fear. But by the next week, (A) had been upstaged by (B). And then this week… (C) is at least tied with (B). I’ll be actively seeking out these things at clinicals because the fear and anticipation of having to do them is driving me bananas.
A brave classmate offered to let a student practice (B) on him (up the nose, down the throat and into the belly):
