.was at Northern Colorado Medical Center (NCMC) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It was exactly what I needed to finish nursing school.
I spent my time learning from brilliant people who are truly passionate about what they do. The ICU has given me the opportunity to see people at their sickest and medical minds at their best. I started off feeling intimidated, as many students do. However, my preceptor did a great job of integrating me into the team and showing me the ropes. "Impressive" is an understatement for how the nurses cared for their patients and worked with the healthcare team. The ICU is what I have a passion for; getting to see the nurses work and then being a part of it only reinforced the fact that that is where I want to be.
At many times the care I did was difficult. Not all the patients that come into the ICU come out of it better. It is very special getting to take part of a family’s final moments with a loved one. However, there were also times that the critical care I helped provide made the difference in a patient’s outcome. In my time on the ICU I developed a good assessment skill, worked lots on my interprofessional communication, and gained a greater understanding of the disease process.
.A simulation can only come so close to the real thing. Doing the skills that I practiced over the past two years on a real patient really helped solidify those skills. There has also been the added benefit of learning different techniques and helpful tips from the nurses I worked with. Capstone is the perfect transition to help prepare a student to become an RN.
Story placed: 4/20/2018