One day I'll be a nurse...

... but for know I am a student nurse begining my first of my series of clinical practicums. I am at an extended care facility with approx. 50 Alzeimers patients on our wing. I am accompanied by 6 other students and an instructer. Having just finished my first week of clinical it is still very new and quite overwhelming. The first two days at this facility I assisted a nursing attendent in caring for 5 patients. Care involved bathing, brushing teeth, feeding the patients, and changing their briefs as needed. On Friday I was responsible for giving this care plus performing a head to toe assessment of my patient. It was quite the challenge. My friend, Megan from my church is working as an nursing attendent at this facility, that truly brightened my day. Just knowing that she has already done clinical as a student. She was just so encouraging and I knew she had faith in me that I am going to be a "quality nurse." To qualify to become a nurse you definitely need a servants heart filled with compassion and I felt like Megan saw that in me. Waking up at 4:30 am is not easy, however, when you realize that these patients are so dependent on you for care 4:30 am is no longer as early as it seems. The patients are dependent on you for survival plus dignity and as a student nurse I am responsible to provide them with quality care. Listening to these patients communicate without speech or limited words is a challenge. Its a huge responsibility... but I look forward to this challenge simply because I know it's going to develop my character.