My 4 weeks clinical placement was at Day surgery ward in Bankstown hospital. I worked 2 weeks for peri-op and 2 weeks for day surgery recovery. I met over 50 people every day with various reasons to have surgery. Moreover, working staffs such as porters, RNs and doctors were really welcoming us and supportive. Especially, peri-op RNs gave me lots of chance to perform clinical practice such as eye drops, Fleet enema, ECG (electrocardiogram), subcutaneous injection and bone prep. ECG was really interesting to me because I’ve never seen that before but I had really many chance to do in this clinical placement. According to Wedro(2014), ECG is diagnostic tool that normally used to examine the muscular and electrical functions of the heart. I learned ECG from several nurses but it really made me confused for couple of days. Because, every nurses have their own ways to put ECG dots to patients body, especially from V3 to V6. Some nurse put almost next to each other of V3, V4 and V5 but some nurse leave some space between those three. Otherwse, some nurse put V3 on the breast, but some nurse put it under the breast if patient is female. The positive aspect of this experience is I learned couple of different ways to put ECG dots on patient’s body. Every nurse has very strong opinions about their own way to put ECG dots. The negative aspect of this experience was that I needed to remember nurses’ own ways. For example, when I perform ECG with A nurse, I had to put ECG dots using A nurse’s way. Because it I put ECG dots using B nurse’s way, A nurse was not agreed with those way and she wants to correct with her way. In this experience, I think that I managed well between different nurses and their own ways to put ECG dots. I tried to follow senior staff’s way and admitted that every nurses have their own ways but I do not need follow all of their ways. Moreover, two weeks later, I was able to do ECG without supervision and just need to check the printed result before put patient’s stickers on. I could have found the most correct way to put ECG dots via book or internet. If I found the correct way, I wouldn’t be confused about this experience. Otherwise, I could have raised my voice to other staff. For example, “I respect your own way but I learned this from senior staff, so can I proceed this way?” It may sound bit rude but I think most of nurse will respect and let me do my own way. Furthermore, I could have done hand wash before and after the ECG even though I wore gloves during procedure. Due to hand wash is one of the simplest things to prevent infections for patients and also myself as well (Chacko, 2014). A patient may not have infectious disease now but may have virus which is not activated and because of me who didn’t do hand wash, other patients may get disease. Therefore, as a health professional myself, I need to get used to with hand wash and always need to perform before and after any procedure with patients. On next clinical placement, I think I will definitely have chance to perform ECG. To avoid confusing or disagreement of other ways I need to learn correct way by book. I searched the correct way to put ECG dots after clinical placement. According to The University of Nottingham (2013), V4 is on 5th intercostal place, in line with middle of the clavicle and V3 is on midway of V2 and V4. In addition, V5 is on 5th intercostals place to the left, below the beginning of underarm area. Now I know the correct area to put ECG dots, so I can proudly perform ECG on next clinical placement. I will also remind hand hygiene in my mind as a health professional. I will also raised my voice more if it is necessary not to be rude, but tell them I know what I am doing and it is the right way.
Reference list
Chacko, L. (2014). Knowledge of hand hygiene and its self reported practice among nursing students during clinical experience at a teaching hospital in Mangalore. Journal of Patient Safety & Infection Control, 2(2), 55-57. doi:10.1016/j.jpsic.2014.06.006 The University of Nottingham (2013). Chest leads. Retrieved May 22, 2015, from http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/practice/resources/cardiology/function/chest_leads.php Wedro, B. (2014, April 12). Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG): Learn About The Procedure. Retrieved May 22, 2015, from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/electrocardiogram_ecg/article_em.htm#what_is_an_electrocardiogram_ecg_ekg
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Jiyeon Park
