The After Effects

So yesterday was my last day of clinical and boy was it good. We didn't really do anything like normal clinical days, we had a poster to present so we were basically finishing it and just chilled out with the residents at the nursing home. Something that was surprising was one particular resident. For the past 6 weeks that we've been there, this lady has always been sad, crying, sedentary and she barely spoke and even when she did, it was to us the students and was very short. Yesterday, we got there and she was all smiles and going off, asking us questions, answering questions and such. We all had different theories to why she was like this but I'll share only one, said by yours truly, "Santa came last night "(haha you are free to laugh at my ridiculousness, but I did have a more serious one). In any case, it was such a turn around that it hurt to have to leave. Anyway, we finished up our project and the last tidbit assignments and finally presented the poster to two residents (referring to the elders) who were around and our clinical professor. It went great, considering that we had couldn't agree on anything at the beginning of the project. Once we finished the presentation, we handed the professor a picture, signed by all of us (this was her first clinical class) and did the whole group hug thing. Now it was at this point that everything hit me, the clinical was over and goodbyes were being said and honestly, it kinda hurt (I hate goodbyes, I prefer laters). So in the line of being who we were, we all went to say bye to the patients, particularly those we had cared for throughout the 6 weeks. Most of them were saddened and said they'll miss us and to be honest, I think all of us will miss them. They wished us good luck and the rest and we left, for the last time.

Four of us went to eat lunch, the only reason why we went was be brought food, thinking this would have been a regular clinical day. So we had what we coined "a cultural food awakening" We swapped food and the rest and after suffering food coma, went home.

After all this, only one thing is really stuck in my head, will I eventually become one of those that learn, understand, want to change the aspect in which care is given and then get lost in the system? Having now watched what goes down in a nursing home, having given care and tried to change areas where due diligence of care was not fully given, will I "forget", like some what is due to elders and all other individuals that I care for? On a very serious note, I have always been one of those that does not like to forget where I came from, what it took to get here and the learning that occurred on the way but seeing two nurses, sometimes one,  having to work with over 25 patients with their only source of help as the first-semester nursing students, its hard to think that aspects of care are not "forgotten".

By the grace of GOD, I won't. And if in any point in my career I do, I would hope that those that read and care will tell me so and if you're not good at confrontation, think of this less a confrontation and more of a reminder lol. I know at least two people that will not hesitate ;-)

P.s. I am very much aware of the strain on health professionals. There are a few of us and many patients and care must be given to them. But I just feel and hope that we all work in an environment where individuals are not just MR #s but as individuals. Yes, I am a freshman in this but please believe that I am not new to caring.

Anywhichway sha, it's Saturday and I have papers to write and studying to get done so lerra pipuls.

Hope you've had and will have a wonderful week, esp. for those with finals coming up.