I got a call yesterday offering me a summer PNA (Professional Nursing Assistant) externship in cardiology. This means I will be spending my summer on the telemetry floor being a nursing assistant, but also being mentored by one specific nurse on that floor. I will work their hours and be their NA.
Cardiac medicine was my first choice because I am interested in it post graduation and figured this was a great way to find out if I really wanted to do it. Plus, it is one of the major reasons why I got into nursing in the first place. When my dad had his aortic valve replacement/CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) a few years back he spend some time in the CCU of his hospital. He had an AWESOME nurse named Pauline who took care of him for the two days he was in there. I looked at what she did and how she did it and thought, "Self, you could totally do this." Plus, I loved how she took care of my dad and took care of me by telling me what I could do for him and explained everything that was hooked to him. I thought she was a goddess when Dad was ready to be extubated and it was taking respiratory forever to come and do it. She shooed Mom and I out of the room and did it. Now I know that it was within her scope of practice, but to me it meant a lot for Dad not to have to be intubated for another 1/2 hour while we waited for RT.
I can't wait. Now where did I put my NA study manual??? I'm scheduled to take the test the day after my school final - great timing. But at least I will get a week off before starting the program.
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