Wednesday, January 23, 2008

A Nice Clean Shave

I was thinking of something that happened to me, well it must be, 15 years now. Gosh, does time fly! I was in my first year of college to become a Registered Nurse and I took a job as a nurse's aid in a local retirement home. It was not a regular nursing home. It was a beautiful mansion and all of the people that lived there entered when they were well and spent the rest of their lives there. Many still drove cars and then as their health deteriorated they were very well taken care of. I look back on this job as one that I learned so much not just for my future career, but for my life! This was an amazing generation of people who had so many meaningful stories to offer from their life experiences.
I began with a group of ten girls. We had a couple of weeks of training and then we were on our own. My first day on my own, I was a nervous wreck! The Nurse that I was working with gave me my assignment for the day. The assignment had a list of people that I would be responsible to help get cleaned up and dressed in the morning, help with meals, help to the bathroom, and to help with activities through out the day. On my list was "Mr. So and So". I had a very nervous stomach and still do for that matter. As I was heading into "Mr. So and So's" room, Nurse Annie said, "Don't forget to shave him. He likes a nice clean shave." Doesn't she know that I can not even shave my own legs with out cutting them, I thought. I tried to talk my way through it as I entered the room.
I kept a smile on and tried to be as cheerful as I could despite how nervous I was. "Mr. So and So" seemed a little cranky during my first impression. His crankiness did not help my nervousness. I explained that I was going to help him get ready for the day and we would start off by shaving. He agreed to it and so I began. I lathered his whole face up. I made pretty big mess with the shaving cream. I think he sensed how nervous I was. I began shaving. I was using his disposable razor. My hands were shaking!. I was so afraid of cutting his face up. I was slow and careful with each stroke. I got through his whole face and I was so proud of myself that I had not seen any blood. I rinsed of his face with a warm face cloth and then I realized what i did. The cap was still on the razor. I had to explain to him and tell him what I did. He was a really good sport and he let me begin again. I did not cut him. I gave him a nice clean shave that day and many more after that. We became great friends.

19 comments:

girlymom said...

Oh that is too funny, at least you realized the cap was still on right then and not later on when he miraculously still had a hairy chin! I give you a lot of credit- that is not an easy job! My Gma is in a nursing home and it is very hard to take the kids in to see everyone in the condition they are in. I hate it. I hate where she is. I hate that she is unable to do the things she wants to do. I hate the smell, the people hunched over in the hallway, the people who smile at you so sweetly and yet the kids are afraid to say hello because the drool is so bad. I want so badly to get her out of there, but I am told that is the only place available that can care for her needs. Ugh. So when I see the people that work there, I try really hard to make sure I thank them for helping her, for doing what they can to make her life just a tad more pleasant.

kim-d said...

What a cute story. I think the first time with the cap on was a gift given to you so you could get over the worst of your nervousness! I'm kind of liking that idea of a beautiful place to spend the twilight years rather than the standard nursing homes. And Nurses? I LOVE Nurses. As my husband's cancer progressed and we had several long hospital stays before being home on hospice, it was the Nurses who got me through and kept me sane. What a wonderful bunch they were, and I will never forget it. They were angels to me and my dying husband and, if I had it to do over again, I would be a Nurse.

Just love this story!

lilnurse1126 said...

Aww this is such a cute Experience! It certainly is not easy starting a new job...and I think we all go through something like that...lol.

Thanks for the nice comments. I never mind people stopping by...Its always nice to meet new people too!

Mary said...

I don't miss you working there at all. Weekly you would cry because you had just checked the obituaries!

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

I love this story.

Sweet and simple - I'm still smiling!

Hallie

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

I love this story.

Sweet and simple - I'm still smiling!

Hallie

Amy said...

oh lisa- i love these stories. i almost lost my pee on that one! please write more. you have so much to tell!

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness! What a wonderful story - that gave me a much needed smile.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for nurses who work with the elderly, particularly in care homes and such - it is such a hard job on so many different levels, but it has obviously had a wonderful effect on you!

Mary said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Happy Days said...

Zip it!!! Confidentiality People!!!

Amy said...

it's willy, got any smokes?!?!?

Mary said...

Lisa, you need to write about that guy that was your patient at that rehab hospital that you use to let call me when I was away at college. remember him!?!?!

OHmommy said...

Heehee... the cap was still on. Cute story. Sounds like something I would totally have done. I am still grinning!

BlueBella said...

I love it! And that's totally what I would have done . . .except for telling him about it . . .I would have totally pretended he was well shaved:) LOL

just jamie said...

I love it. He's probably told his version of the story many times..."There was this sweet, new girl..."

Zoe said...

My first day of clinical i was so nervous I kept going to the bathroom to puke. I took care of the sweetest old man who needed my help any time he had ti use the urinal. Like a good little nurse I helped. When I reported off to his primary she cracked up... he was fully able to use the urinal on his own! EWWWW.

Wonderful World of Weiners said...

Shmoops first words to me were,
" I GOT BEATEN AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Damn blog! :-)

Hallie

Amy said...

the last few times i have checked your blog i have had a very weird thought. i keep think you are blogging about a brazillian or something! sorry i know that's bad!

Kellan said...

Oh - what a funny story. I would have been so embarrassed to tell him what I did - I guess you had to, since it would have been a little obvious that the shave wasn't close enough - funny, funny story. See you later girl! Kellan