And so ends my 2 weeks of attachment in TTSH.
I would say I learn a lot in terms of character building, but not much skill-wise. Communication is something that seemed so important this time, that failing which would have me failed this module. Troubles caused by miscommunication happens, and nurses being the advocates for their patients "against" doctors is so evident in this course of time. Of course, that would mean that we as nurses need to be able to communicate well with the patients to have them confide in us, and then enhancing whatever care we can give to them. Which then leads to us being observant in their physiological changes, social background, and be there and then as the first to see any changes in their conditions and being able to convince the doctors to make their trip down so that precious lives won't be lost. And this leads me into thinking, as of now, that I would want myself to continue to nurse my patients at their bedsides even after I passed out as SN, so that I would be those caring nurses that knows their patients at their fingertips and save lives. Big ambition considering how I can't communicate well with patients and so much paper work to be done..
And the talk with the CI really got me into thinking back on why I chose nursing. My mum had convinced me before, that it was nursing that chose me, since I was actually given no choice back then. But truth is, I did want to be part of the healthcare team, just that I am not exactly keen on any certain role. Nursing had been out of my options initially because that is what my sis is doing and as myself, I did not want to repeat what has already done. That was why I chose PT finally, which I did not pursue further after I failed to get scholarship to go overseas to study that. I guess it made as much sense to the interviewers as it is to me now, that I lacked passion in PT since I didn't even bothered to get a shadowing opportunity while trying to apply for the scholarship. And somehow, as I just realised, being a doctor was never in my consideration (of course, my results would not have made it anyway). And the fact that pharmacy was my first choice was because it just seemed more prestigious. Erm, I think I was actually really fine with anything thrown to me since I did not really have anything in mind to do for the future...
(oh, did I mention how everyone would ask "why did you choose nursing?" but never the questions of "why did you choose medicine/law/business?"? I guess it's job stigma or prejudice unresolved?)
hahaha. I guess this post should have been on lighter topics since it's the END of attachment! but I need to get this out before I forget, and move on in life remembering the force and lessons learned through this attachment..
going to donate blood tomorrow, or at least that is what I plan on doing :)