As part of my training last week, we got to give shots. To each other. How fun! (No, that is not me giving an injection in the picture above.) That means, I think, that I should be able to give them this week when I am at work. I know you all are probably sitting there thinking, “Why would anyone want to give shots to babies and children? She must be some kind of sadistic freak.” But really, it is quite the opposite.
I am good at what I do. I was good at giving shots when I worked there before. I feel confident and I am good at it and because of that, I think it lessens the pain of the children/babies. I am good at relating to them so that they are distracted and aren’t paying attention so much to the needle going into their thigh or arm. Sometimes they would be crying and when I would tell them that I was done, they wouldn’t believe that I did anything and often, they would laugh.
I am so excited to be doing this again. In fact as I am typing this, I am getting a little teary. It really feels like this is what I should be doing. That this is the direction that my life should be taking right now. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. It wasn’t just my friends and co-workers that I missed, although I missed them a whole lot, too. I missed the medicine (not the stuff you take, but the business of medicine), the healing, the helping, the compassion, the interaction with people of all different cultures and religions and races. I missed it all. But, I am back now and I can’t wait until I am fully functioning in that regard.
Today is a step in that direction.
Interesting thing for me after many many many years of Dental Work…
One of the last Dentists I went to knew how to give a “Shot in the Gums”…I’m the person that usually *Gags* when anything gets in my mouth…
Well this guy had a great way to take my mind off things, he would grab my lower lip with two fingers and “Pinch It hard enough that it was all I was thinking about while he injected me”…
Now that I am about 2,000 miles away from there I hope I find another like him, or maybe I will be able to *Train One*.. hehehe
Getting teary while thinking about sticking big needles into little babies, eh sis?
I hadn’t known you had this sadistic side to your personality.
I blame myself for all the times I pushed you off your big wheel when you were little.
My sister says the same thing. Not that she misses it, since she still practices, but she is one of the best shot givers I have ever seen. She does the same thing, distracts the kid and keeps them laughing. Glad you are happy
Giving a good shot is an art; especially to kids. I’m so glad you are
“home” again. The world needs more nurses like you. xo
It takes a very special person to be a nurse. You sound like you’re more special than most.
That.is.awesome. GOOD for you. My granddaughter HATES the doctors for that reason. Can you come see her next shot time??
I can only say GOOD FOR YOU!!!
BlogMad hit! Ouch!
I take great pride when my patients say they didn’t even feel their injection! You’ll do just find!
Good for you! Why are you practicing on each other? It sounds like you’ve given shots before.
I’m pretty good at giving shots too. In the pain clinic where I worked for almost 10 years most of the patients requested me when they needed to have a needle or blood work done, stating they could barely feel it when I did it.
Before I was a nurse I remember being in the hospital after having surgery and a nurse came in to give me a shot of pain medication. I swear it felt like she stood in the doorway and practiced her dart shot on me. In reality now I know that she hit a nerve. it took 6 months to heal! So, when I did become a nurse I vowed to try not to hurt anyone when I gave them a needle and I guess I must have pretty much succeeded in that attempt. Of course sometimes it doesn’t work out that way- but I try.
Sounds like you must try harder than some not to hurt your patients too.
Good for you Shelli!
We need more responsible professionals in health care. What are you training to do?
Your post made me smile.. steps in the right direction bring such happiness, don’t they? I hope you have many, many more steps that way!
Somehow I feel a whole lot better that someone with those sentiments is out there making unpleasant things that much less unpleasant for people (be they big or very, very small). I admire you
That sound you just heard was me passing out. :/
I loved my old dentist, when he had to give me injections, I didn’t feel any pain.
There’s definitely a technique to giving injections. Some people do it so smooth and effortlessly that you don’t feel a thing, while others appear to be using a dagger or something.
I know what you mean about that “medicine” too. It’s good to be exposed to different people, and different kinds of people, especially if you like to write.