Patient Assessments on Saturday!

After tossing and turning for several hours last night, I finally drifted off to sleep around 5:00 AM. An hour later, my alarm started buzzing. Knowing how much I like to procrastinate and realizing that I couldn't be late to class today, I was up and off like a herd of turtles to the shower. By 7:00AM I was ready to head to class. I actually felt pretty good for only getting an hour of sleep.

Class today went well. We started the morning out with lecture up until lunch at 12:30pm. After lunch, we did patient lifting, transferring from bed to cot, backboarding, loading and unloading. We did a brief extrication of a patient in a mock MVA using the KED board and collaring. Of course, I'm still feeling the new "jitters" when I am lifting patients. Maybe that will be what keeps me on my toes for a while. We were able to use patients of all sizes today as well. Obviously, larger patients require lift assistance from others. Maybe it's the security of having extra hands there, but I felt so much more comfortable lifting and loading when I had two or three extra people, besides my partner, there incase I needed them. I'm sure with time, practice, and experience I will start to feel more comfortable and confident with my skills.

One of the biggest fears today was having to touch feet. I'm thankful that we ran out of time today and didn't end up doing them; however, I can now let the anxiety build up until we have class again. ACK!! I know that in the next six months, I will have my hands in much worse places than on a persons foot. But for now, that is where my anxiety lies. Touching feet!

Other than that, things were pretty calm today. While I was at class, Tim took the kids to Jacob's football game. Apparently, they lost :( I'm sure they all played hard and had a ton of fun though!! I arrived home just after 8pm to an empty house. Tim and the kids came home a short time later. They had been out watching lawn mower races! No, I'm not kidding. Apparently it's quite a popular event around here. Who knew, right? :) Since getting home, we've been watching movies, surfing youtube and hanging out while the woodstove boils us again. I actually came into my room to escape the heat as well as to tend to a cranky toddler who woke up. He's sleeping now but I figured since it was cool in here, I'd chill here for a while.

Speaking of youtube, check this lifting technique out. I'm not sure that I would want to be the medic lifting or the patient being transported. Tell me what you think. Which is worse?

I hope you have a fantastic Sunday. I'm hoping to get some laundry done on top of the mountain of homework I have sitting here.

Until next time...
-B