I had an interesting experience last Friday. We had a big group of my husband's family over and as we were headed in to the restaurant for dinner I noticed my sister-in-law rubbing something on to her son's hand. She was putting some antibiotic ointment on a cat bite that he had received a day or so earlier. His hand was swelling and looking pretty red so she was getting worried that it could be infected. I told her that we had some things at my place that she could use to try and head that off. Neither of us wanted him to need a trip to the doctor.
Back at home my brother-in-law was eager for me to look at and treat his son. His reasoning was that since my mother was a nurse some how that magical nursey knowledge had rubbed off on me. Sadly his logic was seriously flawed in that my mother is not actually a nurse. My sister is a nurse but she became one after I had moved out of the house so none of her knowledge transferred to me by osmosis.
What I had going for me in this situation was years of first aide training, a love of biology and the fact that my son had his heart defect. I used a sterile needle to lance the area that I had left over from Evan's last round of Lovenox injections, which is something that most people do not have just laying around. I knew that puncture wounds were nasty because the bacteria gets pushed into the bottom of the wound and then the skin will often close up over the wound causing boils and other icky things. I had learned all about the fun things that bacteria does in my college biology classes. That is what led me to decide that lancing it would be a good thing. I then doused it with some betadine that I had saved after my rabbit had needed for an open wound that she had developed. My training in first aid is what led me to want to keep it through several moves so that it would be handy for this kind of use.
I have been pondering what I want to do when I grow up. My experiences with Evan and now this have really firmed up my belief that maybe nursing is the way to go for me. All signs have been pointing to Yes lately. I guess now all I have to do is figure out when I will be able to get back to school.
My nephew did fine with the lancing. His hand looked better the next morning and by the time they left late in the afternoon all the redness was gone.
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10 comments:
I think you'd be a natural! Your latest entry reminded me that I need some basic first-aid training, especially with little ones around. You never know when you'll need it!
You should go for it! I'm right now taking my prerequisite classes for a nursing program. I only wish I would have done it the first time around - I'm still paying for a degree that does me no good!
Sounds like a great plan to me..I know our local community college has night nursing classess.
So glad your nephew is doing better!
WOW!~Ok you totally need to be a nurse...Who would have thought of lancing?!?!
Found you through Change of Shift, at Kim's Emergiblog!
I am 45 and have been back in school for three years...graduate June, 2007, finishing what I started in 1979 and didn't finish.
My manboys are 21 and going on 19...and you can do it, too!
Hannah
Good for you! My mom was a practicing RN for many years, and she liked it a lot.
You could even just start out as an LVN or something just to see if you like it.
I say go for it as well. Not many people would have tried to lance a wound with no training! Obviously, things like that interest you. The only thing to do is to go to school and join our ranks! It's never too late..
i graduated from nursing school at 36 ... and never looked back. absolutely the right thing for me ... sounds like you could have it in you, too!
My name is Jenny. Im 32 and I have 4 kids. I finally got the energy and courage to return to school (I have a BA in business already). I was working as a risk manager and dealt with docs and nurses all day. Instead of always ending up at the end of the day wishing I was one, I finally decided to become one.
If you like science, and have a heart to help, heal, and tech, nursing could be for you. I would encourage you to look into it. We need good nurses and because of how healthcare is growing and the nursing shortage, there are so many options with hours and exactly what you do with your license.
Best wishes!
Found you on emergiblog. I'm a single mom (by a donor) of a 3 year old and about to start my final year of nursing school. It's hard, yes, but sooooooooooo incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. I'm *really* doing what I think I was meant for, and that's a frickin' miracle.
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