Reflective Journal # _FH 2_ Name: _______________Mindi Christensen_____________________ Date: ____9/5/13________ Clinical site: ___________400 S_____________ Unit: ___________IV Therapy___________________

CLINICAL ACTIVITIES: Include all that you were able to do or observe I hung maintenance fluid and meds, started an IV, watched phlebotomy for a couple of patients to lower their H&H. watched a central line dressing change and port access. Flushed and discontinued a port line. Interesting needles/catheter. Learned how they place PICC lines. We were hanging iron for a patient, with an order for 200mg and the bag sent from pharmacy was only 100. My nurse talked to the pharmacy to get the correct dose and checked along with the pharmacist, to see what she had previously gotten. Order was for 200mg X 5 visits. This was the fifth, and shouldve been the final but after looking, found they had only given her 100 each time she had come in. Aimee called the provider, and talked to the patient, arranged for 2 more appointments to complete her therapy. What really stood out to me was that she said, we have made this mistake when she spoke with everyone about it. She didnt try and shift blame to the pharmacy, previous staff, including RNs that didnt catch the mistake. I really respected how she handled it. I told her I was impressed and she shared her feelings that as a unit, dept, facility, etc. that they are a team. The unity was cool to see.

SPECIFIC AREAS TO IMPROVE: What do you feel were your weaknesses or areas of deficient knowledge? Lots of areas of deficient knowledge. Meds I wasnt familiar with, (I wrote them down to look up) and lines I havent done care for or seen yet, so lots of learning. SPECIFIC AREAS OF STRENGTH: What do you feel were your strengths or areas you think; I get it! When I was getting ready to go, the nurse I spent most of my time with told me how great I had done and how much fun I had been to teach. She said I was excited to learn and jump in and that isnt always the experience she has with students. That it made it fun to share what she did and knew with me. I was a good student. That felt great.

LESSONS LEARNED: There were several treatments and conditions I didnt know about before, and Im a learning junkie, so I thought that was really cool. But what stands out the most, is the med error. How it was noticed, how it was handled and communicated.

CONCEPTS: Focus on one or more of the Nursing Concepts/Exemplars included in this course. Cellular regulation, iron deficiency, IV therapy EXPERIENCE WITH NURSE PRECEPTOR: Include preceptors name and specific feedback They didnt have me assigned to work with one RN, but I did spend most of my time with Aimee. She was excited to teach, and a great example of continuing to learn. When they gave new therapies or she heard of one she wasnt familiar with she made herself reference cards she kept in her bag. I was impressed.