This week I started my second semester clinical rotations at McKay Dee Hospital, an Intermountain Healthcare facility in Ogden. My first day was in the OR, and I have to say I don't think I'm cut out to be an OR nurse. I think everyone in the OR has fun except the nurse - the surgeon is running the show, the techs have their bloody hands right in there with the surgeon, the patient is dreaming away, and the anesthetist is making sure the patient doesn't die. But not the nurse, they get to sit at the computer, chart, and occasionally run for extra supplies.
The previous times I've been in ORs I've been shadowing the anesthesiology department, and they have a pretty fun job if the surgery isn't too long. They are talking with the patient beforehand, bringing them back into the operating room, administering the anesthesia and intubating them (placing the tube down their throat to control breathing while they're unconscious), and monitoring vital signs. If the surgery is drawn out, then I'm sure it can get monotonous, but I imagine that the rest of the excitement makes up for it.
Also this week I had the opportunity to shadow a functional medicine nurse practitioner. My career will either lead me to become a nurse anesthetist or a nurse practitioner, and I'm trying to get as much experience in both fields to know what I want to do for the rest of my life. If I become a nurse practitioner, I would want to do the same things that my dad does in functional medicine, so I looked up a family NP who has her own practice in Salt Lake and sees patients who haven't found the answers they need from traditional Western medicine. Her business is successful and thanks to Utah laws enjoys as much freedom as doctors do. She is well respected by colleagues and patients alike. It was great to get an idea about what my life might be like if I continue down this path. If I do, I'll already have a head start on what takes most functional doctors and NPs years to discover, as I already have a background in wellness.
Thankfully, I don't have to decide which road to take for a few years at least. After I finish this program, all other masters/doctorate programs require a couple years of clinical experience, so I will have plenty of time to determine my future in medicine.
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