Lady with the Lamp

Can I begin by saying how absolutely adorable babies are when they're sleeping in their little cots? You can stare at them for hours on end, admiring their teeny toes and fingers.

We were all ooh-ing and aah-ing today when some of my classmates and I visited the NUH nursery. I even got to carry one of them babies! Tried out what's called a "football hold" on the baby, which sounds like what it means. You tuck the baby under one arm like a football and support the head with your hand, clutch the body tightly like a handbag and you're good to go. It was really different from carrying the mannequin though cos for one, they're quite squirmy and I was afraid of squashing her but actually babies are much stronger than most of us realise.

Just like this:


We visited the O&G side as well and my my, are the delivery suites comfortable or what. They're class-less so no matter whether you're paying full or being subsidised, you still enjoy the same comforts when delivering. One of the suites even has a Jacuzzi-like bath tub inside! Of course, you pay about $100 more for it.

The technology's pretty impressive as well. They have a bed whose lower half can be detached, a warmer that regulates the surrounding temperature so that you don't get a baked baby, an incubator that minimises the risk of infection and so much more. We were all quite amazed by the end of the day.

Anyway here's something funny that one of my classmates blogged about but I think only fellow student nurses will understand.

Top 10 NANDA diagnoses for nursing students: (r/t means related to)

10. Fluid volume deficit r/t dehydrating effects of caffeine associated with increased student sightings at coffee bars.

9. Impaired social interactions r/t inappropriate topics of conversation associated with incessant discussions of bowel and bladder functions.

8. Sexual dysfunction r/t time constraints and stress-induced impotence associated with increased irritability of nursing students and their significant others.

7. Functional constipation r/t lack of time to go to the bathroom associated with moving at the speed of light and still not getting everything done.

6. Impaired skin integrity r/t increased intake of fat, chocolate, and alcohol associated with return to adolescent facial breakouts.

5. Anticipatory grieving r/t impending midterms and final exams associated with crying fits in October, December, March, and May.

4. Maturational enuresis (in English, enuresis means uncontrolled pee-ing) r/t trauma-induced regression to childhood associated with frequent changing of linens.

3. Ineffective individual coping: obsessive compulsive behaviors r/t high demand of nursing school associated with continual checking and rechecking of calendars, date books, course syllabi, and other nursing students to reassure that one is not forgetting assignments.

2. Altered thought processes: caffeine-induced psychosis r/t increased coffee consumption.

1. Self-care deficit r/t being a nursing student.