After 7 tries on 4 different patients--including a wiggly old woman who cursed me out and men with invisible cement valves--and 5 minutes before the end of my last clinical shift, I finally started an IV last night!

Lesson of the week: How not to put on an ostomy bag

When one puts on an ostomy bag, sometimes folks use ostomy paste to help the appliance to stick to the skin, and to preserve the health of the periostomy skin. Great stuff really, but...

When putting the ostomy paste on, it is best not to use too much, or to apply it too close to the opening. If you do, then it may ooze out around the ostomy and into the bag. This will likely cause the bag to stick to itself, and if you are really lucky, basically plug the ostomy and not allow anything to escape. An ostomy is a surgically created opening in the body for the discharge of body wastes. Think urine or feces. It isn't a good thing when this is plugged for a long period of time.

No wonder this particular patient was feeling bloated and uncomfortable. How would you feel if someone plugged you up so you couldn't take a poo for a day or two!

An introduction to me

Inspired by the nursing and other medical blogs out there, I've decided to try my hand at it. I'm a 4th year BN student at a university in the Canadian Maritimes. I can't wait to be done, but can't believe that I will be out in the "real world" soon. I'm sure I'll add more to this a little later, and I'll leave you with a short introduction for now.

Alone...

He was found on the floor of his kitchen by the newspaper delivery. Nobody knows how long he lay there. He lived alone... a stubborn old fellow, was going to stay at home and take care of himself, no matter what. The newspapers were gathering outside his door, and then somebody looked inside. When he got to the hospital his temperature was 30 degrees celcius. His feet no longer looked human... a disturbing purple-black colour. When he got to our floor, they were still cold, and he could feel nothing there. Just walking by his room, you can smell the rotting flesh of his feet... even if he survived, his feet wouldn't. He couldn't tell us his name. The police searched for his daughter, who was found a day later. The shock and disbelief that her father was in such a condition. A stroke is that the doctors said. Hours to days is all he has left. Heartbreaking.