Maegan Taylor
Clinical 342
Mrs. Dutton
Clinical Journal #7
Today at Methodist Specialty and Transplant, we were to report to the lobby at 0500. To strat the day off we went down to the ECT unit where we were allowed to watch the ECT experience. To begin the process, we watched them explain the procedure to each of the patients where they were then given an consent form to sign. They then got an IV placeed in order for the medicaine to be administered with fluids. It took about an hour for the nurses to get all four patients set up, two out patients and two inpatients. When the doctor and the anesthesiologist got there they went over the procedure with each patient before and then administered the medication via IV to put the patient to sleep and temorarily paralyze the body. They placed a blood pressure cuff on the ankle so that they could see the seizure in the right toe. When the doctors felt as though it was safe to proceed (about 1 minute after medication administration) the nurse put a mouth gaurd into the patients mouth and the doctor charged the paddle handles and the nurse placed them on the temples for about 7 seconds. There were three bilateral ECT treatments done and one unilateral. We waited and watched the foot seize and then when that stopped the doctor explained that the brain continued to seize, and thats what they were looking for. How the brain responed to the treatment and how long it took for the brain to stop the seizure. It was interesting to see how the facial muscles tense up when the charge was applied. One particular patient even tensed her arms, which the doctors explained was probably a reaction of not enough medication.
When ECT was over we went back up to our asigned floors. I was assigned to the Geri floor. There we sat with the patients while they did group therapy. After this we went to FLASH and listened to what was going on on the other floors. We went back and did recreational therapy.