By Karen

Between semesters I worked for an agency as a home health aide. One of my first assignments was with an elderly man one night who hade some recent CVA (strokes) and was staying at his daughter's home. She was a nurse and I was there to watch over her Dad this particular evening as she went to work.

He seemed to be doing well as I gave him dinner and helped him to bed. Shortly after he went to bed (his bed was set up in the dining room) I hear him call to me. He started to say something when all of a sudden his eyes rolled back into his head and he became unresponsive. I rolled him onto his side (in case he was to vomit it would come out rather then end up aspirated in his lungs) and I proceeded to call 9-1-1.

I told them who I was, who I was with, what was happening, and the address where I was. They told me I needed to first roll him onto his side and I remember being so nervous I stuttered before I told them I had already done that. Then came the vomit. Looking back I wish I could have thought to also grab a bag or a bucket. Mental note: Vomit is much easier to clean up in a hospital then on a dining room carpet.

The EMTs were great and showed up quickly and took over.

I agree with Heather's advice in her post to try to work in a hospital or nursing home before or while you are in school and learn the basics as a patient care assistant where you have others around to answer your questions and demonstrate. I wish I had worked somewhere where I had lots of exposure to patients and others to learn from.

Seek out a great internship/externship.