NURSE'S NOTES IN THE PHILIPPINES

TOP 8 THINGS I HATE ABOUT BEING A NURSE by Lendl Deo Rn

2011-10-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Wondering why I chose eight? Each entry represents the standard eight hours nurses like me spend in one shift. Standard, eh? I frankly used the number because I need one; otherwise if I add up all the extended hours, this list could go on forever.

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So I hate being a nurse because…

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EIGHT – Nurses wear all white. You know how inconvenient it is plus it's hard to maintain! Okay, I came to duty on a heavy rain and mud starts making its way up my white uniform and there it is, a stain that would last my entire shift.

SEVEN – We don’t get a professional fee (PF). We also have a license, and that makes us professionals too. But we don’t have a professional fee and we live on meager salary regardless of how many patients we’ve handled or cases we’ve assisted.

SIX – We do not have a holiday. Everyone in the industry can relate to this, I wouldn’t dare watch out for holidays because I just feel hopeless. The entire country rests lazily on their couches while I stand tired, making rounds and doing bed side care.

FIVE – We can’t leave unfinished work. I mean those in the office do that, don't they? They can leave unfinished works and get to it the next morning. But nurses have to stay for as long as needed because we just can’t leave things undone. Life is at stake and life can’t wait.

FOUR – We are the complaints center, if there is such a thing. When patients have a complaint on just about anything, they complain to the nurse. Not to the housekeeping staff, guard, doctor, or anyone else. Directly to the nurse; blame that for being too available.

THREE – Refer this and that. Even if I know what drug to give, and I have it right here in my very hands; I can’t give it, I always need to refer and ask for a prescription. I say nurses carry immense responsibility but very little authority, now how more frustrating can that get?

TWO – We are not treated as professionals. Leaking faucet? Faulty TV? We are always asked to do things we are not supposed to do. I mean, we’ve studied four dreaded years and earn ourselves a license for what? Fixing your TV signal? Hell no. Nurses are professionals like engineers, accountants, lawyers, and your beloved doctors whom you do not dare raise one eyebrow while you mindlessly shout at your nurse like your entire hospital bill goes straight to her salary.

ONE – Nursing is more than a sacrifice, it’s suicide. From nursing school to nurse’s station, enough sleep, enough food, nor enough rest is next to impossible. Here’s one idea that I’ve thought of just now: nurses religiously monitor patients’ urine output but at the end of the shift we realize we haven’t once gone to the bathroom: and that makes ours zero. So,if there’s one profession that wholly uses up one’s existence: be it mentally, physically, and emotionally, you got it: it’s Nursing.

Crap, making a hate list is tiring; but then of course, I also have a list of the things I love in this field…

8. There are always nurses who look pretty and gorgeous in white and you get to trifle with them; and suddenly, the world is a better place ?

7. I love it when I get in regular clothes and everyone stares in shock; as if I’ve got no right to wear nothing but white.

6. More seriously, as a nurse, I get to see life in all its forms: from womb to tomb.

5. I get to work with all the goodness of my heart, no PF needed. I’m quite about sure you wouldn’t find nurses in hell (If ever there's one exists).

4. I love being able to discharge patients in their improved condition. Nothing beats seeing them go home thanking you for their recovery. I guess that just transpires the very essence of this job.

3. My heart leaps when patients and/or relatives appreciate the work I have done; when they actually call me by name and boast that I am their nurse.

2. No other profession is as heroic as ours: giving up our own lives in order to save others.

1. Last of all, nurses may not be angels, but we’re the next best thing.

Oh you get it, I’m proud of this job: I just never admit it because it’s just too much fun to complain.

KUDOS NURSES!

Nursing in the Philippines

2008-08-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

(group of student nurse in the Philippines)

The results of June 2008 Nursing board exam is already out. More or less there are 20, 000 new registered nurse in the country. This means that they will also suffer the problems that a registered nurse(RN) have right now. What do I mean by this? Most RN in the Philippines are unemployed because most of the hospitals here stopped hiring nurses. Why? because there no vacancies anymore in the hospitals.Some of RN are now working in call centers and some work in the hospitals as a volunteer. This means that they don't get salary or even alowances from the hospitals where they give care to their patients.It is sad to see this situation.

Nursing, which everyone thought that is in demand, has an overflowing supply nowadays. Even doctors, are taking up nursing. People believe that this course will be their stepping stone in order to fly abroad, have a stable job that will lead to better life. But, it is not easy to go abroad. In the US, there is the retrogression plus you need to take the NCLEX, CGFNS and IELTS. And in some countries they require Foreign nurses to have at least 2-3 years experience in the hospitals. Some may be lucky to have a work in the hospitals but not all have this chance.

Everywhere I go, I always see student nurses. I wonder if they know how difficult it is to look for a nursing career after graduation. I wonder if they know that its not easy to go abroad even if they already passed the local board.

I just hope that in the coming months, the situation of nurses in Philippines will change.
I hope more opportunities here and abroad will be available for Filipino Nurses, like me.

7 super snacks that heal

2008-08-01T01:57:00.000-07:00

If some doctors had their way today, Americans would be more medicated than industrial feedlot cattle. But what most people don’t realize is that the first line of defense against stress, fatigue, depression, and so many other maladies is found in supermarket aisles, not in the drug store.

Research shows that the vitamins, minerals, and active compounds specific to certain fruits, vegetables, and even chocolate and red wine have an immediate and lasting impact on your mood, your health, your fitness — even your sex life.
Whether you have a big presentation at work, or the need to burn a few hundred extra calories a day (and who doesn’t want to do that?), why not put food to work for you? Here are seven research-backed quick cures just waiting for you in the fresh produce bins and supermarket shelves.

1. When You're Stressed...
Eat This: 1 Cup of Low-Fat Yogurt or 2 Tbsp of Mixed Nuts Scientists in Slovakia gave people 3 grams each of two amino acids —lysine and arginine — or a placebo and asked them to deliver a speech. Blood measurements of stress hormones revealed that the amino acid–fortified public speakers were half as anxious during and after the speech as those who took the placebo. Yogurt is one of the best food sources of lysine; nuts pack tons of arginine. Not That! A Can of Soda

A study from the American Journal of Public Health found that people who drink 20 ounces of soda daily are three times more likely to be depressed and anxious, compared with those who drink less.

2. When You Want to Increase Your Metabolism...
Drink This: Green Tea
Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to stoke your metabolism, making it burn hotter and torch more calories. A study by Japanese researchers found that participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body-mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than tea-totalers (i.e., they avoid the stuff).

Not That! Nothing
Skipping meals lets your body's calorie-burning furnace go cold. Spread out snacks throughout the day. Try a cup of yogurt with fresh fruit or almonds between breakfast and lunch, and a hard-boiled egg or hummus with vegetables in the afternoon.

3. When You're Low on Energy...
Eat This: A Handful of Trail Mix
Raisins provide potassium, which your body uses to convert sugar into energy. Nuts stock your body with magnesium, which boosts metabolism and improves nerve and muscle function. (When magnesium levels are low, your body produces more lactic acid — the same fatigue-byproduct that makes your muscles ache at the end of a workout.)
Not That! Espresso-Based Drinks Sure, the caffeine will perk you up, but the spike in bloodsugar that follows — with anywhere from 16 grams (latte) to 59 grams (white chocolate mocha) of sugar coursing through your veins — will ultimately launch your own personal energy crisis. Stick to brewed coffee with one packet of sugar, max.

4. When You Need a Brain Boost...
Eat This: Blueberries
Antioxidants in blueberries help protect the brain from free-radical damage, which could decrease your risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and improve cognitive processing. Wild blueberries, if you can find them (or grow them!), have even more brain-boosting antioxidants than the cultivated variety.

Not That! Ice Cream
Sugary foods incite sudden surges of blood glucose that, in the long term, cause sugar highs and lows, and make you as distractable as a toddler in the Disney store. And foods high in saturated fat can clog blood vessels and slow the flow of nutrients and blood to the brain.

5. When You're Under the Weather...
Drink This: Ginseng Tea, Hot or Iced
In a Canadian study, people who took 400 milligrams of ginseng a day had 25 percent fewer colds than people who popped a placebo. Ginseng helps kill invading viruses by increasing the body's production of key immune cells.
Not That! Caffeinated Beverages and Energy Drinks
Excessive caffeine messes with your sleep schedule and sabotages key immune agents. And insufficient sleep opens the door to colds, upper respiratory infections, and other ills. What's more, caffeine can dehydrate you, and hydration is vital during illness: Fluids not only transport nutrients to the problem zones, but also carry> away toxins.

6. When You Need to Wake Up and Go...
Eat This:Eggs and Whole-Wheat Toast
Eggs are a great source of protein, and having them for breakfast sets you up for a perfect day of eating. Saint Louis University researchers found that people who eat eggs for breakfast consume 264 fewer calories the rest of the day than those who eat bagels and cream cheese.

Not That! Bagel and Cream Cheese
At 500 calories and 20 grams of fat, this deli disaster is one of the worst ways to start your day. Sixty grams of fast-burning carbohydrates will cause a dip in energy and a spike in hunger, long before lunchtime. The same goes for croissants, danish, donuts, and pancakes.

7. When You Want to Get ''In the Mood''...
Eat This: Dark Chocolate
The cocoa in chocolate contains stimulants that increase your body's sensitivity. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a chemical that can give you a slight natural high. And Italian researchers found that women who often eat chocolate have a higher sex drive than those who don't. Make sure your chocolate has at least 60 percent cacao.

Not That! The Third Glass of Wine
The alcohol in wine affects your prefrontal cortex, which can decrease inhibition and up your sexual appetite. But only for the first glass or two. Beyond that, the toxic affects of alcohol in your system take over and are as likely to make you sleepy as they are to make you sexy. The more pouring, the more snoring.
For even more delicious food fixes that can help burn calories, dampen stress, and give you a rush of natural energy, check out these incredible picks. And to make sure you know all the best and worst foods for a better sex life, check out this indispensable list!

a needle Can save a life

2008-06-22T23:44:00.000-07:00

Worth nothing. Never know who or when it may be needed....

A NEEDLE CAN SAVE THE LIFE OF A STROKE VICTIM

PATIENT-From Chinese professor

Keep a syringe or needle in your home to do this... It's amazing and an unconventional way of recovering from stroke, read it through it can help somebody one day. This is amazing. Please keep this very handy.. Excellent tips. Do take a minute to read this. You'll never know. One's life may depend on you.

My father was paralyzed and later died from the result of a stroke. I wish I knew about this first aid before. When stroke strikes, the capillaries in the brain will gradually burst.'(Irene Liu)

When a stroke occurs, stay calm. No matter where the victim is, do not move him/her. Because, if moved, the capillaries will burst. Help the victim to sit up where he is to prevent him from falling over again, and then the bloodletting can begin. If you have in your home an injection syringe that would be the best, otherwise, a sewing needle or a straight pin will do.

1. Place the needle/pin over fire to sterilize it, and then use it to prick the tip of all 10 fingers.

2. There are no specific acupuncture points, just prick about a mm from the fingernail.

3. Prick till blood comes out.

4. If blood does not start to drip, then squeeze with your fingers.

5. When all 10 digits is bleeding, wait a few minutes then the victim will regain consciousness.

6. If the victim's mouth is crooked, then pull on his ears until they are red.

7. Then prick each ear lobe twice until two drops of blood comes from each ear lobe. After a few minutes the victim should regain consciousness.

Wait till the victim regain his normal state without any abnormal symptoms then take him to the hospital, otherwise, if he was taken in the ambulance in a hurry to the hospital, the bumpy trip will cause all the capillaries in his brain to burst. If he could save his life, barely managing to walk, then it is by the grace of his ancestors.

I learned about letting blood to save life from Chinese traditional doctor Ha Bu-Ting who lives in Sun-Juke. Furthermore, I had practical experience with it. Therefore I can say this method is 100% effective. In 1979, I was teaching in Fung-Gaap College in Tai-Chung. One afternoon I was teaching class when another teacher came running to my class room and said in panting, 'Ms. Liu, come quick, our supervisor has had a stroke!'

I immediately went to the 3rd floor. When I saw our supervisor, Mr.Chen Fu-Tien, his color was off, his speech was slurred, his mouth was crooked - all the symptoms of a stroke. I immediately asked one of the practicum students to go to the pharmacy outside the school to buy a syringe, which I used to prick Mr. Chen's 10 fingers tips. When all 10 fingers were bleeding (each with a pea-sized drop of blood), after a few minutes, Mr. Chen's face regained its color and his eyes' spirit returned, too. But his mouth was still crooked. So I pulled on his ears to fill them with blood. When his ears became red, I pricked his right earlobe twice to let out 2 drops of blood. When both earlobes had two drops of blood each, a miracle happened. Within 3-5 minutes the shape of his mouth returned to normal and his speech became clear. We let him rest for a while and have a cup of hot tea, then we helped him go down the stairs, drove him to Wei-Wah Hospital . He rested one night and was released the next day to return to school to teach.

Everything worked normally. There were no ill after-effects. On the otherhand, the usual stroke victim usually suffers irreparable bursting of the brain capillaries on the way to the hospital. As a result, these victims never recover.- ' (Irene Liu)

Therefore stroke is the second cause of death. The lucky ones will stay alive but can remain paralyzed for life. It is such a horrible thing to happen in one's life. If we can all remember this bloodletting method and start the life-saving process immediately, in a short time, the victim will be revived and regain 100% normality.

anxiety level

2008-06-13T00:26:00.000-07:00

exactly a year ago, my anxiety level was very high because of the board exam. After 4 years os studying nursing I need to accept the fact that i need to take the local boards so I can work in the hospital. Remembering the scene that I had in the PRC(which i wrote in my past post) makes me loss my self-esteem.

Is my knowledge enough to pass the boards?? I think so, but im not confident enough because unlike the others i didn't enroll for a review center. "if it's for you, you will pass it, if you didn't pass then take the test all over again" my mother said. So, i read reviwers at home and PRAY and PRAY. God is with me so I decided to face my anxiety and take the exam.

after the two months wait for that day, I can't explain the feeling when I'm inside the examination room. Reading the questionairres and the heat inside the room gives me headache. I feel like I just wanted to sleep at that moment coz answers for the exam cannot be found inside my mind. I also get disturbed when the other people in the room was finished and I am haven't answered 40 % of the exam. Oh my!! God must help me. I just shade what my angel whispered and passed my paper. Then, i went out the testing room.I hate going out the room because I overheard conversation about the answers and it seems like my answers where wrong. This feeling lasts for two days. I didn't want to talk about this experience that time. I told my parents that the God only knows what will happen next.

After the anxiety here comes the agony. The agony that i felt while waiting for the results.

"In or Out? Am I In or out?" - Sandara Parks

The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Issue

2008-04-27T06:47:00.000-07:00

This past few days,the issue regarding the video of an operation in Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center Cebu, City, was in the news. As a health care practioner, i can't help but react on this NEWS.

i don't what to go in details anymore, because i already put a link about the story. I will just posts my comment.

I haven't watch the video but it is a sad story for me because my collegues are into blame for this thing. I still rememeber when i was still a student, our clinical instructor always reminds us of not using our camera phones. Why? because we have to ask permission from the patient before we can took the video of the procedure that was done to them.

Why do nurses and doctors put draping, curtain or dividers when we made our intervention to our patients? Because we give them privacy. The privacy of the patient is an important part of giving care to our patients. It is their right to have the confidentiality. If you were in the situation of the patient at the video, you will feel the same thing right? I can't blame him. He went to that hospital because he knows that institution will give the care that he needs and that his rights will be respected by the medical practitioners.But what happened?? Almost all Filipinos seen the giggling and laughing of the medical team in that procedure. It seems like that they are laughing beacuse of the situation of the patient. Oh my!! what if all the medical practitioners are like them, maybe the people will just ignore their health needs and health problems. Because we don't want to be the laughing stack of other people.

The 3 doctors and 2 nurses should be sued for this malpractice. They may be in the same field as I am but they just loss the respect of other people. They are also professionals and there is a code of ethics that should be followed inside the workplace.

I hope just hope that the justice will prevail and people continue to trust the people in the medical field.

The PRC experience last May 2007

2008-04-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

After graduating as Bachelor of Science in Nursing the next step is to take the Local Board Exam. You need to be a registered nurse in the country.

For me, diploma as BSN is not enough; I need to be registered as a nurse so I decided to take the NLE last June. It is not easy for me to do this. There were may requirements that you need to accomplish. Like the NSO birth certificate, Cedula, your transcript of records and RLE curriculum that has Notary, and the cases in OR and DR. OR cases is composed of 5 minor and 5 major surgeries. DR cases are composed of 15 Normal Spontaneous Delivery (5 assist, 5 cord care, 5 actual).

My Transcript of records and my OR and DR cases was one of the problems I encounter before filling for the application to take the exam. OR and DR case should be signed by your clinical instructors who assisted you during the cases. The signatures of the chief Nurse of the hospital where you do these cases are also needed plus the sign of Dean and Clinical coordinator of your college. Signing for the cases is not easy task; I need to travel all the way to Bulacan for the sign of the chief nurse in the hospital where I did my major surgeries. It took me weeks to finish the signing of my cases because our Dean and Clinical Instructor were signing many papers I need to wait for few days before I could get mine. I almost loose hope; I thought I couldn’t take the board exam for June 2007. The deadline for the application is getting closer and closer and my papers are not yet ready for filling. But my papers was done a day before the deadline, I guess God really wants me to do it on June. I’m ready for the filing the application the next day.

My two friends and I decided to meet each other around 5am outside PRC. You heard me right. I need to be there at 5 in the morning. The line in going inside PRC was long that it almost reaches Espana. i need to go to PRC early so that I’ll finish the application before the day ends. My friends, who already finished the application, told me that it took hours before I finished one step in applying. If I didn’t finish the application in just one day I need to go back the next day. It is tiring to go back to PRC. To avoid coming back to there just to finish the application I agreed on meeting them that time. I came around 6am because LRT is not yet opened ‘til 5am. As I look for my two friends who were already there and lined up for the entrance. It is a long line.

8am came, time for the opening of PRC. As time passes, success!! We entered the gate and line up in getting application. After getting the application form there goes another line for passing the requirements, I was excited because I’ll finished earlier than what I expected but the person didn’t get my requirements. What’s the problem? She told me that Lying- In is not accepted for the cases. Oh my God!! My friends’ requirements were accepted and we have the same place for the cases. Unfair!! Then I waited for my friends at the stairs at PRC, they passed their papers to a different employee in another room. Then, I prayed and ask God if I will pursue the application. My two friends suggested that I should line-up to the person where their requirements were accepted. I did what they told me, in just few minutes I get the PRC application form and line up for the other steps in processing. I guess June 2007 was really for me. I finished the application even if I got some problems at my requirements. I feel so nervous after because it means that there is No turning back, i’ll take the exams on June 2007.

My PRC experience was unforgettable, one thing I learned about it is to go to PRC after lunch because the lines for processing is shorter than the line at morning. And made sure that your papers do not have problems. Also, know the procedure in application so that you know where to line-up. Good luck to the next Nursing Licensure Examiners on June 2008!! Top the board Exam!!!

NURSING CARE PLAN

2008-04-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

When i was a student, Nursing care plans is the most important tool in giving care to my patients. I know how to give care but i don't want the process of making those plans but i have no choice coz i need to go to the process to have an intervention to my dear patients.

What is a Nursing Care Plan?

It is a process we, nurses, made to have the effective and efficient care for our patients.Every plan that we make is a unique plan because every patient has unique characterisrics and their needs is different from one another.This process includes ASSESSMENT, PLANNING, INTERVENTION and EVALUATION.

What is Assesement?

This is the first part of making a plan. You need to asseses your patient you need to do physical assessment and interview the patient about the things that will help you to formulate a plan. You need to know the signs and symptoms that precipitate and predispose the patient to have the present illness. The family's history and all the information that will be essential. But be sure that the way you ask questions to your client is relevant to needs of the patients. You don't have to know personal things about the client if it just useless for giving care.their are two data that you will get from the client. The subjective data and Objective data. Subjective are data that the client verbalizes. Ex. I feel pain at my abdomen. Objective data are the data you get from your physical assessment. Ex. The patient's respiratory rate is 30bpm.

What is Planning?
Planning is the next step. It is the time you make your Goals and objectives. The goals and objectives are the things you need to accomplish after giving the care to your client. It has characteristics that every one should follow so that the plan will be effective and efficient as an intervention.I will be posting another posts to discuss these things.You need to know the nursing care that that youe client needs to improve their health status. Every intervention should have rationales so that, those care that would be given are essential to them.

What is Intervention?
This is the time you execute your plan. You do the nursing care to your patients. Like giving TSB(Tepid Sponge Bath) to a client who has a fever. Intervention is caring for the patients. You make actions to make them improve their health status.

What is Evaluation?
this came after the intervention. You evaluate your plan. Is it effective? Is it Effecient? do you attain all your objectives. Did the client improved his/her health status. If your plan didn't work out you need to revised it to make your care effective.

introduction to NURSE'S NOTES

2008-04-21T22:38:00.000-07:00

I made this blog to help student nurses in their search for answers. I have been a student nurse a year ago and searching is not an east task for me. When you search at google, yahoo or msn there where many sites that will feed information regarding nursing but those are not for Philippine setting. Practices here in our country was different from the other countries. I want to be an advocate of rendering information to other filipino colleagues. My experience may not be enough but i am willing to give my best to give information that will help you understand stuff regarding nursing, filipina nurses, health care in the philippines, etc.

I will be glad if you give comments to my blog.
Thank you for your time.