[Augusto]

Hello, I came across this forum doing research on spinal injuries, and care for spinal rehabilitiation. My name is Augusto Carrillo. I'm a 23 year old male student nurse living in Marin county which is located in the northern San Francisco Bay Area. I will be starting my clinical practice at the Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty hospital which specializes in providing care to people who have suffered brain and spinal cord injuries. While I am aware that I cannot become completely empathic with an injury of this magnitude short of first hand experience, I feel it is my duty as a student nurse to understand the needs of my patients, and attempt to gain as much practical knowledge about the life changes, necessary care, and wants and needs of someone in recovery in order to make the process as pain free and supported as I can. I would like to get to know those of you living with a spinal cord injury, or those caring for loved ones with such injuries in order to better understand my role in a rehabilitation care setting, and as a person there to help someone with their needs. I have a few questions: 1.) If i was your nurse, how would you want to be treated? more specifically, what actions on my part would make you feel cared for, and attended to? 2.) I would like to be respectful of my patients; do you have any examples of care where the nurse did something you didn't agree with? 3.) what if anything was the most helpful thing a nurse or physician did for you to assist in recovery- I look forward to getting to know those of you on the board, and thank you for putting together this site which has excellent information on spinal cord injuries-
Sincerely,
Augusto Carrillo

[nomis]

Hi Augusto, welcome to the forum and congrats on being smart enough to chose the fascinating field of neurology for your focus. Not only is it technical but filled with life's dramas.

The things I want from a nurse is confidence in their competency - I want them to know their stuff - and I expect them to keep me really well informed, recognising but not taking for granted that I'm already a specialist in the field. Nurses should never feel threatened by the knowledge of a patient cos it's a two-way partnership to the best outcome. When it's serious you know to be serious but outside that I like to enjoy life so enjoy your job and the people you meet with a sense of humour.

I can think of two important motivators during my rehab. One was an OT who lacked confidence so I took control of that area knowing I'd do it better. The other was the physio - she was such a positive, fun loving person that it was a pleasure to work extra hard in the gym. But I also remember a nurse who quietly sat at my bedside when I was in and out of consciousness. If there are angels then I reckon she is one of them. It meant a lot to know someone was there for me.

[Augusto]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I am a veritable "noob" in the health care world, and from my past work experience in a variety of settings: food service, valet, security, chauffering- i know that there are alot of things in jobs and life that only come through experience. That said, I am doing my best to get the fundamentals of care and the knowledge backbone, and going out into the clinical world soon enough will probably be the best thing for me. I will review my neuro-physiology and anatomy prior to beginning my shift as a Student Nurse so that even though my experience is not so great as of yet hopefully i won't come off as incompetent =p- Thanks for dropping some knowledge on me! I really appreciate it.

nomis, on Aug 22 2008, 07:39 PM, said:

Hi Augusto, welcome to the forum and congrats on being smart enough to chose the fascinating field of neurology for your focus. Not only is it technical but filled with life's dramas.

The things I want from a nurse is confidence in their competency - I want them to know their stuff - and I expect them to keep me really well informed, recognising but not taking for granted that I'm already a specialist in the field. Nurses should never feel threatened by the knowledge of a patient cos it's a two-way partnership to the best outcome. When it's serious you know to be serious but outside that I like to enjoy life so enjoy your job and the people you meet with a sense of humour.

I can think of two important motivators during my rehab. One was an OT who lacked confidence so I took control of that area knowing I'd do it better. The other was the physio - she was such a positive, fun loving person that it was a pleasure to work extra hard in the gym. But I also remember a nurse who quietly sat at my bedside when I was in and out of consciousness. If there are angels then I reckon she is one of them. It meant a lot to know someone was there for me.

[E-DOG]

Augusto, on Aug 22 2008, 07:19 PM, said:

Hello, I came across this forum doing research on spinal injuries, and care for spinal rehabilitiation. My name is Augusto Carrillo. I'm a 23 year old male student nurse living in Marin county which is located in the northern San Francisco Bay Area. I will be starting my clinical practice at the Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty hospital which specializes in providing care to people who have suffered brain and spinal cord injuries. While I am aware that I cannot become completely empathic with an injury of this magnitude short of first hand experience, I feel it is my duty as a student nurse to understand the needs of my patients, and attempt to gain as much practical knowledge about the life changes, necessary care, and wants and needs of someone in recovery in order to make the process as pain free and supported as I can. I would like to get to know those of you living with a spinal cord injury, or those caring for loved ones with such injuries in order to better understand my role in a rehabilitation care setting, and as a person there to help someone with their needs. I have a few questions: 1.) If i was your nurse, how would you want to be treated? more specifically, what actions on my part would make you feel cared for, and attended to? 2.) I would like to be respectful of my patients; do you have any examples of care where the nurse did something you didn't agree with? 3.) what if anything was the most helpful thing a nurse or physician did for you to assist in recovery- I look forward to getting to know those of you on the board, and thank you for putting together this site which has excellent information on spinal cord injuries-
Sincerely,
Augusto Carrillo

That you have taken the time to join our little, shall we say collection of crips, gimps, paras, n' quads, amputees, rescue-ees and anything else either broken, maimed, torn or teetering on the brink of an abyss far to deep to mention tells me you're motivated, ambitious and overflowing with the kind of drive it takes to master the dynamics of fast paced SCI nursing.

Compassion, and understanding.
An SCI is an incredibly catastraufic event in someones life. I was 50 when I had mine, and believe me when I tell you, I was not prepared for it. First 4-5 months I was an angry young man to say the least. I had no idea just how angry. But I was told. Down the line.
When I was a little more receptive to the input of others. I had given the nursing staff at the VA hospital where I rehabed total and complete HELL those first few weeks. Yelling, ordering, bitching, moaning you name it. They took it in stride because they have an incredible understanding with what we are going through. They see it up close and personal every day. Yet they are rarely calluosed by it.
If anything, the work just makes them more understanding of what their patients are going through.

I believe SCI nurses are a special breed. I've seen regular hospital caregivers come and go. Most are young and ya rarely see them for too long in the same situation. but spinal cord people seem to stick around for a long time, having found a niche that fits them well and gives them a chance to use the compassion and understanding so salient in their personality.
E-dog

[evilmac64]

I agree with the above.I had one nures that realy cared about me she held my hand when i was scared. Wiped my head when i was sick and sat by my bed and talked when i felt alone. Man do i love her for that im sending her flowers today. By the interest you show i think you could touch some ones life like that.