By Angzter ZeroIt was just an ordinary lazy summer afternoon of mid-May and as usual I was looking forward for my afternoon nap. Lying in the bed I reminisced about school when I remembered the words of my clinical instructor who accompanied me during my first duty days as intern student nurse. Maam Guanzon as what we call her, once said that being a nurse is special and wonderful because of all jobs in the world nurses have the privilege to experience almost every phase of human life; that nurses are there from the time of birth in the delivery room to the last breath of a dying person in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). She taught her students which includes me that nurses are there to provide holistic care, prolong life and maintain the dignity of the client even in the face of death. As far as I can remember her very words, she quoted "kaya nga ang mga nurses may kasabihan, tayo ay nandyan - from womb to tomb" (That's why nurses have this saying, we are always there, from womb to tomb). As for me those words dug deep into my being and slapped me into reality for at last I began to understand the real essence of Nursing. A thought echoed in my mind saying, "Nursing is a privilege, not a mere passport to US or other countries". I then began to dream that someday I would be able to fulfill her words.
Going back last October of 2003 from the start of my first duty as a student nurse in San Pedro Hospital, my hands were sweating and heart pounding. Pushing through the emergency entrance door; it was almost 6:30 in the morning. Climbing several flights of stairs to fourth floor; walking past numbered doors; then I stopped. Suddenly, I found myself standing in front of a Nurse Station with staffs preparing for the morning's endorsement. At least I was not alone in this rather amusing experience for I am with my fellow student nurses and our dear Clinical Instructor. At first I had some difficulty adjusting to the work; maybe because that was my first time but somehow with my friends' support and a guiding C.I., I was able to made it on the first day. The second day was moving for I was assigned to the cancer room with four beds. Reverse isolation was implemented. A sorrowful bliss enveloped me to see children as young as 10 months old suffering leukemia and so I did my best to take care of them --- it was the least that I could do. I really wish that I could do more to help them and hoped that I could be a real "angel", the one with wings and a halo on top of my head, comforting the patients in the sick room. Finally, third day came and we had our morning's endorsement when room 425 was assigned to me. Inside the room was a dying man 68 years of age and suffering from liver cirrhosis. I'm a new intern and really don't know what to do in such critical situations, my knowledge and skills were still limited. At 8:30 in the morning the doctor pronounced my client dead and I was ordered to take care of him. I can't believe it in my ears as I heard the order - I will be the first student nurse in my batch to have my client dead! As I was preparing myself to perform post-mortem care, I uttered a prayer in front of my client's body to release my tension and then started on my work. My hands were cold, knees trembling and mixed emotions were felt. I told myself that this is the real thing, not a mere return demonstration on a dummy so I must do all my best to maintain the person's dignity. Thanks to my C.I. who was with me all the time, I was able to finish the job. I really felt sorry for my client and to his family crying at his side. It made me think that death can also happen to me knowing that it is sure though the timing is unpredictable. Experiencing the final phase of life in the eyes of another person made me value life better. I then expressed all my condolence to the family after turning-over the body to the morgue.
Several weeks passed by and now I had found myself sent by the school in the delivery room of Davao Regional Hospital at Tagum City. Now its time to apply all those knowledge in Maternity Nursing. The first challenge for me was to locate and hear the fetal heart tone of an unborn child. I had a difficulty at first but with practice I got used to it. It was really amazing to hear the beating heart of a fetus and I felt so much love knowing that sooner or later an angel would emerge. In there I saw how babies are born and how they come to life. Babies come out with closed eyes; some are a little bluish and seems so lifeless but in just a fraction of a second after birth, a magical event happens. Instantly they turn pink, eyes start to open, limbs wiggles and then they shouted their first cries. Mothers after seeing their babies turned their agony of labor to smiles and laughter. Some of the mothers were primas (first timers) as young as 16 years old while most of them were multis as old as 49 years old. I was there to handle and assist their deliveries. I was there to clean their newborn angels. Thinking all those experiences in the delivery room made me love and value my mother more for I finally understood her sacrifices in giving birth to me. Yes, work in the delivery room was not that easy but always the same, my clinical instructor was there to guide, this time it's Maam Perez. It made me so proud to really do something that helps other people without expecting anything in return. I promised myself that I'll be back again.
But as for now, I am still lying on the bed, finished of reminiscing. Now its time to do some work putting those thoughts into words. Hours had passed and it was already 11:20 in the evening and I'm done typing. "Haaaay... inaantok na ako ("Haaay, I'm sleepy"). I better go to bed." As I was brushing my teeth, I realized something. "Hey! Wait a minute... I think I've done it! I lived my dream! I was there - from womb to tomb."
Going back last October of 2003 from the start of my first duty as a student nurse in San Pedro Hospital, my hands were sweating and heart pounding. Pushing through the emergency entrance door; it was almost 6:30 in the morning. Climbing several flights of stairs to fourth floor; walking past numbered doors; then I stopped. Suddenly, I found myself standing in front of a Nurse Station with staffs preparing for the morning's endorsement. At least I was not alone in this rather amusing experience for I am with my fellow student nurses and our dear Clinical Instructor. At first I had some difficulty adjusting to the work; maybe because that was my first time but somehow with my friends' support and a guiding C.I., I was able to made it on the first day. The second day was moving for I was assigned to the cancer room with four beds. Reverse isolation was implemented. A sorrowful bliss enveloped me to see children as young as 10 months old suffering leukemia and so I did my best to take care of them --- it was the least that I could do. I really wish that I could do more to help them and hoped that I could be a real "angel", the one with wings and a halo on top of my head, comforting the patients in the sick room. Finally, third day came and we had our morning's endorsement when room 425 was assigned to me. Inside the room was a dying man 68 years of age and suffering from liver cirrhosis. I'm a new intern and really don't know what to do in such critical situations, my knowledge and skills were still limited. At 8:30 in the morning the doctor pronounced my client dead and I was ordered to take care of him. I can't believe it in my ears as I heard the order - I will be the first student nurse in my batch to have my client dead! As I was preparing myself to perform post-mortem care, I uttered a prayer in front of my client's body to release my tension and then started on my work. My hands were cold, knees trembling and mixed emotions were felt. I told myself that this is the real thing, not a mere return demonstration on a dummy so I must do all my best to maintain the person's dignity. Thanks to my C.I. who was with me all the time, I was able to finish the job. I really felt sorry for my client and to his family crying at his side. It made me think that death can also happen to me knowing that it is sure though the timing is unpredictable. Experiencing the final phase of life in the eyes of another person made me value life better. I then expressed all my condolence to the family after turning-over the body to the morgue.
Several weeks passed by and now I had found myself sent by the school in the delivery room of Davao Regional Hospital at Tagum City. Now its time to apply all those knowledge in Maternity Nursing. The first challenge for me was to locate and hear the fetal heart tone of an unborn child. I had a difficulty at first but with practice I got used to it. It was really amazing to hear the beating heart of a fetus and I felt so much love knowing that sooner or later an angel would emerge. In there I saw how babies are born and how they come to life. Babies come out with closed eyes; some are a little bluish and seems so lifeless but in just a fraction of a second after birth, a magical event happens. Instantly they turn pink, eyes start to open, limbs wiggles and then they shouted their first cries. Mothers after seeing their babies turned their agony of labor to smiles and laughter. Some of the mothers were primas (first timers) as young as 16 years old while most of them were multis as old as 49 years old. I was there to handle and assist their deliveries. I was there to clean their newborn angels. Thinking all those experiences in the delivery room made me love and value my mother more for I finally understood her sacrifices in giving birth to me. Yes, work in the delivery room was not that easy but always the same, my clinical instructor was there to guide, this time it's Maam Perez. It made me so proud to really do something that helps other people without expecting anything in return. I promised myself that I'll be back again.
But as for now, I am still lying on the bed, finished of reminiscing. Now its time to do some work putting those thoughts into words. Hours had passed and it was already 11:20 in the evening and I'm done typing. "Haaaay... inaantok na ako ("Haaay, I'm sleepy"). I better go to bed." As I was brushing my teeth, I realized something. "Hey! Wait a minute... I think I've done it! I lived my dream! I was there - from womb to tomb."
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