First clinical weekend behind me

I had a tiring, amazing, challenging, and fun weekend at the hospital. I actually worked in a real hospital, as a student nurse, with real patients!! It was all kind of surreal. I got up early and put on my real uniform. I found the parking and was there in plenty of time. Saturday we had orientation half of the day and then spent time on the floor finding things and looking around. We got our patient assignments for the next day. Unfortunately they kept discharging patients so we had to double up with partners. This was good in some ways bad in others, since we really will be on our own next time. It made it a little easier this time though. We then had to go home and write up our care plans and try to get sleep for Sunday. We had to be there even earlier Sunday, 0645 on the dot to do vitals. I did my first vitals on a real live patient. She was a very nice woman and very patient with me. She was an interesting case. She had knee surgery and went home, only to get a bad infection later on and came back for more surgery and recovery. She has a resistant bacteria so is on lots of antibiotics and painkillers. She could barely move the affected leg. I can't wait to give out meds, that will be a lot more interesting. Right now we can't do much. Make beds, help client's with daily cares, do vital signs, basic stuff. But it was a great experience and I look forward to my next weekend!