cheekysharon.
Throughout my rotation at CHOC, I’ve learned 5 valuable things.
1) Pediatrics is not for me. Maybe one day, but not today. I love kids, but seeing sick kids is too much. and there is more time and energy that goes to taking care of families than there is time to take care of the hospitalized child. Too much.
2) Kids are resilient. They may have 5 IV bags hanging above their head, a chest tube draining bloody fluid out of their chest wall and a feeding tube up there nose, but they will jump up in their little wagon and sing songs with you. It’s beautiful
3) For some reason, “Somewhere over the rainbow” just works. I think I’ve made 4 babies stop crying by singing this song!
4) Pediatric nurses are not always the most fun and nice nurses.. for some reason I always got the most cranky nurses. Made me so sad. I was welcome every morning with “ugh….why do I have a nursing student” or “why do they even let nursing students work here its not like the learn anything!” or “I cannot believe they would give me a nursing student today!!!!” It was the best! haahah but I did what I could to make the most of it… but thank goodness I don’t have to face that again…
5) Women need to reaaaaaaaaally be careful when they’re pregnant. Or at the very least, don’t drink alcohol or do drugs, for goodness sakes! You have no idea how many children I’ve seen who will have problems for the rest of their lives because their mom’s couldn’t stay away from meth or heroin for 9 months. Jee whiz, ladies!! :(
Today I was stationed at the NICU (Neonatal Intensive care unit)
I took care of a kid who had something called “neonatal abstinence syndrome” which is like drug withdrawals that babies get after being in a womb of someone using drugs/alcohol.
Because the baby was getting these substances in the womb of the mother, their bodies become so accustomed to it that they show signs of withdrawal as they transition outside of the woman’s body.
The baby was so jittery as I held it in my arms and he had the most high-pitched cry. No swaddling or holding or feeding stopped his crying. I spent the entire morning trying to feed him— supporting his small head between my fingers and catching all the fluid he was throwing up.
Breaks my heart. What a broken world we live in..
-
Pediatrics is hard, man. I love kids, but I’m glad it’s over..
Studying now, last final tomorrow!
Give thanks- the near end of the quarter, reminders of God’s love as I fall asleep, prayers in the car, the strength to wake up this morning, a slow yet sure recovery from my flu.
“Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46:10-11
