In case anyone was wondering, just how much snow we get out there, here is an interesting site that is updated regularly. As you can see, we are right on schedule (and it is presently being added to).
http://goldensnowball.com/
Friday, February 29, 2008
Be logging
I try to post when I can and, honestly, when less preferable activities beckon and I can convince myself that this is just as important an endeavor to pursue, therein pushing those other activities further towards the periphery of my schedule. There is certainly some reading that I could be doing now...but I am having a hard time getting fired up to read about renal dysfunction in the pediatric population. Go figure.
So far, this week has been far more productive than the one that preceded it. Of course, that is saying very little. The fact that I crawled out of bed for class and managed to make it to clinical at least today has already made it more productive. Anything else is gravy. Now if I could just halt the coughing fits every time I step out into the cold (and that is ALL there is here at this time of year....it was in the teens yesterday and this morning and scrub pants provide somewhat less protection than newsprint).
It is reassuring speaking to other classmates and finding that I am not alone in my ennui about the program. I am doing well enough, but there is certainly room for marked improvement if I could summon up the will to care. So long as I am passing, I have resigned myself to be happy about it. Go me! Raise a glass to minimum effort!
I had an interesting clinical experience today. A 7 yo with Cystic Fibrosis. I will be working with him tomorrow as well. I hope I get to see more then. He had a breathing test scheduled this afternoon, so he didn't put on his vest (which simulates cupping) nor take very many medications. Happily, he seems to be doing very well. It is sad that both he and his older sister are afflicted. The odds are 1 in 4 if you are a carrier. So, the parent's knew without a doubt that there was a 25% chance that he would have CF since his sister did, yet they went for it. It brings up some very interesting ethical dilemmas. The average lifespan is still under 40 for people afflicted. I don't think I could chance it. 25% is too high a failure rate.
7 days of clinical and counting. Less than 24 hours from 6 days remaining. I am pretty excited!
I got offered a job here. It is both a nice confidence boost and ultimately anticlimactic. It looks highly unlikely that we will be here come June, especially with the problems that Tia is having with the districts out here. Ultimately I will be turning them down. Still, it is good practice for the rusty interview skills. It would be a lot harder to walk away if the pay rate was better, but it isn't out here. The hospitals are definitely in collusion with one another with each hospital paying the exact same starting hourly wage and identical differentials. The only difference is a pay increase of, and I could NOT make this number up if I tried, $0.12/hr additional if you have a BSN and not just an RN and work in the Strong health Care system. That's right, a Bachelor's degree (which takes 2 additional years of schooling and two years of additional loans and two years of not earning money) will net you nearly enough money to buy a Nintendo Wii (pre-tax, not post-tax dollars) assuming you worked a full year at 40 hours a week accruing all that extra coin. I am only assuming that they set that pay increase around the time of the Great Depression when $5/week meant a car payment or something. Now, it is as close to a big FU as you can get. Anyway, if we stayed here, I would probably net about $47K-$50K including some differentials and the sign-on bonus, but it is still about $8K-$12K less than I could expect to earn out West. It is cheaper here, but not that much cheaper.
I also somehow managed to get into the nursing honor society. How that happened is still beyond me, but they evidently can't take it away from me even if I really botch up this term. Of course, I still have to decide if $95 sounds about right for a piece of resume fodder. I think I need to sleep on it. They also offer the opportunity to buy some Sigma Theta Tau bling.....up to $650 for a 14K gold Signet ring. Um, not an effing chance.
I think that about covers the spectrum of events that have occurred in the past week or so. I have 8 days until the sweet mini-release of Spring Break. Before that, I have 2 exams, a presentation, 3 more clinical days, one more extra-long, packed with BS patient write-up, and a similarly packed with BS ethics paper to complete. I will try to post when I next need to evade reality.
So far, this week has been far more productive than the one that preceded it. Of course, that is saying very little. The fact that I crawled out of bed for class and managed to make it to clinical at least today has already made it more productive. Anything else is gravy. Now if I could just halt the coughing fits every time I step out into the cold (and that is ALL there is here at this time of year....it was in the teens yesterday and this morning and scrub pants provide somewhat less protection than newsprint).
It is reassuring speaking to other classmates and finding that I am not alone in my ennui about the program. I am doing well enough, but there is certainly room for marked improvement if I could summon up the will to care. So long as I am passing, I have resigned myself to be happy about it. Go me! Raise a glass to minimum effort!
I had an interesting clinical experience today. A 7 yo with Cystic Fibrosis. I will be working with him tomorrow as well. I hope I get to see more then. He had a breathing test scheduled this afternoon, so he didn't put on his vest (which simulates cupping) nor take very many medications. Happily, he seems to be doing very well. It is sad that both he and his older sister are afflicted. The odds are 1 in 4 if you are a carrier. So, the parent's knew without a doubt that there was a 25% chance that he would have CF since his sister did, yet they went for it. It brings up some very interesting ethical dilemmas. The average lifespan is still under 40 for people afflicted. I don't think I could chance it. 25% is too high a failure rate.
7 days of clinical and counting. Less than 24 hours from 6 days remaining. I am pretty excited!
I got offered a job here. It is both a nice confidence boost and ultimately anticlimactic. It looks highly unlikely that we will be here come June, especially with the problems that Tia is having with the districts out here. Ultimately I will be turning them down. Still, it is good practice for the rusty interview skills. It would be a lot harder to walk away if the pay rate was better, but it isn't out here. The hospitals are definitely in collusion with one another with each hospital paying the exact same starting hourly wage and identical differentials. The only difference is a pay increase of, and I could NOT make this number up if I tried, $0.12/hr additional if you have a BSN and not just an RN and work in the Strong health Care system. That's right, a Bachelor's degree (which takes 2 additional years of schooling and two years of additional loans and two years of not earning money) will net you nearly enough money to buy a Nintendo Wii (pre-tax, not post-tax dollars) assuming you worked a full year at 40 hours a week accruing all that extra coin. I am only assuming that they set that pay increase around the time of the Great Depression when $5/week meant a car payment or something. Now, it is as close to a big FU as you can get. Anyway, if we stayed here, I would probably net about $47K-$50K including some differentials and the sign-on bonus, but it is still about $8K-$12K less than I could expect to earn out West. It is cheaper here, but not that much cheaper.
I also somehow managed to get into the nursing honor society. How that happened is still beyond me, but they evidently can't take it away from me even if I really botch up this term. Of course, I still have to decide if $95 sounds about right for a piece of resume fodder. I think I need to sleep on it. They also offer the opportunity to buy some Sigma Theta Tau bling.....up to $650 for a 14K gold Signet ring. Um, not an effing chance.
I think that about covers the spectrum of events that have occurred in the past week or so. I have 8 days until the sweet mini-release of Spring Break. Before that, I have 2 exams, a presentation, 3 more clinical days, one more extra-long, packed with BS patient write-up, and a similarly packed with BS ethics paper to complete. I will try to post when I next need to evade reality.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Flu Log Day 5
Yep, still sick (insert profanity laced tirade railing against the unfairness of the universe and/or prayer to whatever deity you believe will elicit the most productive response here). I don't have a lot more to add to my initial succinct statement other than I NEED to get better quicker than I am. I have clinical tomorrow, which is predominantly an orientation to the unit, that I will try my damnedest to fight scratch and claw my way through even if I have to wear a Hazmat suit and slather myself in Betadine. After that, hard to say. They aren't going to be squealing with glee to have a walking disease laboratory around immuno-compromised kids battling cancer, but I also don't want to encounter problems finishing up this term because my immune system decided to take Spring Break early. Evidently the prognosis for the flu with someone who already has compromised lungs (asthma, the gift that keeps on giving) puts me on the hook for at least a few more bumpy days before I should be better. So keep your eyes peeled for my next post, "Screw the Nyquil, just get me some Rum."
On the upside, Tia's parents sent me some yummy cookies as a get well present. Thank you very much. Also, a big thank you to Tia for putting up with me 24/7 (she works from home remember).
On the upside, Tia's parents sent me some yummy cookies as a get well present. Thank you very much. Also, a big thank you to Tia for putting up with me 24/7 (she works from home remember).
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sick and tired of being sick and tired
Looks like a good news, bad news situation after seeing the doc today (they were nice enough to squeeze me in because there is evidently something going around and there were no appointments to be had). The good news is that I do not have a respiratory infection......the bad news is that I am not doing very well in spite of the good news. The doctor thinks its viral and told me to call if things worsen. How come things always worsen before and after the doctor visit? I had no fever and no wheezing there, but once I got home my temp spiked to 101.8 and I have felt like the apartment has been alternating temperatures between a turkish bath and the ice cream section of the local grocery store. Even typing this I am shaking worse than Lindsay Lohan 3 days sober. This after foolishly thinking my fever had broken following a night spent sweating heavier than Roger Clemens in front of congress. Its a good thing I sleep face up or I might have drowned.
I wish I had something substantive to add to the posting, but nothing much happens when you spend the vast majority of the day in a recumbent position alternately trying to focus your eyes long enough to read and letting them glaze over while people buy, renovate, flip, or decorate a home on TV. Since we now have cable, here is how I waste away my little bit of free time. Feel free to scoff openly, I am not proud of myself.
Celebrity rehab with Dr. Drew: I don't know if it is compelling TV, but it is definitely stretching the outer bounds of what constitutes celebrity. I didn't know being an ultimate fighting champion or a porn star constituted celebrity. Evidently so.
Millionaire matchmaker: further proof that rich men will, despite what they say, always choose a young bimbette over the better match and that young bimbettes are okay with this arrangement.
Property Ladder: No matter how little you know about home repair and how far over budget you ascend, someone will evidently buy the dump you renovated for a tidy profit as long as you don't get too greedy, because people are generally quite lazy (myself included).
Property Virgins: I know what you are thinking, "A show about abstinence pledgees on a mission from God buying real estate.......what time is that on?!?" Unfortunately, the focus is rarely if ever on the sexual proclivities of the potential home buyers. However, it is interesting watching people buy their first property. Might be as close as I get.
1 degree from hallucinations. I really hope this stops tomorrow.
I wish I had something substantive to add to the posting, but nothing much happens when you spend the vast majority of the day in a recumbent position alternately trying to focus your eyes long enough to read and letting them glaze over while people buy, renovate, flip, or decorate a home on TV. Since we now have cable, here is how I waste away my little bit of free time. Feel free to scoff openly, I am not proud of myself.
Celebrity rehab with Dr. Drew: I don't know if it is compelling TV, but it is definitely stretching the outer bounds of what constitutes celebrity. I didn't know being an ultimate fighting champion or a porn star constituted celebrity. Evidently so.
Millionaire matchmaker: further proof that rich men will, despite what they say, always choose a young bimbette over the better match and that young bimbettes are okay with this arrangement.
Property Ladder: No matter how little you know about home repair and how far over budget you ascend, someone will evidently buy the dump you renovated for a tidy profit as long as you don't get too greedy, because people are generally quite lazy (myself included).
Property Virgins: I know what you are thinking, "A show about abstinence pledgees on a mission from God buying real estate.......what time is that on?!?" Unfortunately, the focus is rarely if ever on the sexual proclivities of the potential home buyers. However, it is interesting watching people buy their first property. Might be as close as I get.
1 degree from hallucinations. I really hope this stops tomorrow.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
No vaginal birth
My experience culminated without seeing a vaginal birth. I think I was the ONLY one who didn't end up seeing one. All in the timing. They had a full board today, but no one more than 8cm dilated by the end of our shift. My patient had a lot of interesting procedures done (a blood pH on the fetus, Intra-uterine pressure device placement, and an amnioinfusion), but was not moving along. She was only 14, so they didn't even think that she would be able to deliver vaginally anyway. Ah well.
I will keep this entry short because I feel like crap. On the verge of a possible respiratory infection. God I hope not.
I will keep this entry short because I feel like crap. On the verge of a possible respiratory infection. God I hope not.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Yeah for the last 2 days........of this rotation
Goodbyes are such sweet sorrow....except for the sorrow part.
As much as I have enjoyed working with classmates on this rotation (as with pretty much all my rotations thus far), I will not be sad to see it go. I think that OB is a great place to work as a nurse. You get to work with mostly healthy patients who, for the most part, have mostly healthy babies. You get to be an integral part in the first few days of family bonding and help the new mothers try to develop good habits for caring for their newborn. However, it isn't for me. I can definitely see the allure, but I still feel too much discomfort both in myself and in my patients. One may play off the other, but what is certain is that there are ZERO male nurses on the entire unit and there hasn't been one in years. Roughly half the people you ask say they would have no problem with a male nurse tending to them in OB, but almost no one has issue with a female nurse in the same capacity. Not that it matters for the outset of anyone's career anyway. It is a highly coveted nursing job that is mostly filled with nurses who have significant experience elsewhere.
I took the advice of my adviser and set up some interviews at local hospitals. I went to my first one yesterday. It was a very peculiar dynamic. I am acclimated to being interviews involving me desperately to stand out from the competition to get the job then waiting hopefully by the phone for the offer to come through. This was more like me interviewing them. It is REALLY nice to be able to go to an interview with ZERO stress as an organization tries to sell you on why you should work with them as opposed to in another unit at their hospital or at another hospital just down the street. It is just as nice to be able to say to them, no thanks I really want to do this instead of that. Now, if I could just get to a position where I could make salary demands too :)
I think there is still only the most minuscule chance that we will opt to stay here, but there is lengthy pro/con list for working in either place. The impression that I get is that, here in ROC, you can be very picky. They will also coddle you more than they would out West. The on-the-job training sounded impressive. However, they also pay you seventy cents on the dollar, which doesn't remotely equate to the cost of living differential. Plus, there is the whole 'living in ROC thing' that neither Tia nor I are enthralled with. In Portland, the pay is better, but they seem less inclined to so much as talk to me until I get my license and there is a far greater level of competition for jobs, meaning you need to take what will get you in the door, not what you want to do necessarily. Long term, that isn't a bad thing, but you also dont want to start with a bitter taste in a new profession. Opinions still range wildly on this.
For the second being I am caught up, so I think I will bask in the warm glow of that feeling......at least until my 4:30 group project meeting.
As much as I have enjoyed working with classmates on this rotation (as with pretty much all my rotations thus far), I will not be sad to see it go. I think that OB is a great place to work as a nurse. You get to work with mostly healthy patients who, for the most part, have mostly healthy babies. You get to be an integral part in the first few days of family bonding and help the new mothers try to develop good habits for caring for their newborn. However, it isn't for me. I can definitely see the allure, but I still feel too much discomfort both in myself and in my patients. One may play off the other, but what is certain is that there are ZERO male nurses on the entire unit and there hasn't been one in years. Roughly half the people you ask say they would have no problem with a male nurse tending to them in OB, but almost no one has issue with a female nurse in the same capacity. Not that it matters for the outset of anyone's career anyway. It is a highly coveted nursing job that is mostly filled with nurses who have significant experience elsewhere.
I took the advice of my adviser and set up some interviews at local hospitals. I went to my first one yesterday. It was a very peculiar dynamic. I am acclimated to being interviews involving me desperately to stand out from the competition to get the job then waiting hopefully by the phone for the offer to come through. This was more like me interviewing them. It is REALLY nice to be able to go to an interview with ZERO stress as an organization tries to sell you on why you should work with them as opposed to in another unit at their hospital or at another hospital just down the street. It is just as nice to be able to say to them, no thanks I really want to do this instead of that. Now, if I could just get to a position where I could make salary demands too :)
I think there is still only the most minuscule chance that we will opt to stay here, but there is lengthy pro/con list for working in either place. The impression that I get is that, here in ROC, you can be very picky. They will also coddle you more than they would out West. The on-the-job training sounded impressive. However, they also pay you seventy cents on the dollar, which doesn't remotely equate to the cost of living differential. Plus, there is the whole 'living in ROC thing' that neither Tia nor I are enthralled with. In Portland, the pay is better, but they seem less inclined to so much as talk to me until I get my license and there is a far greater level of competition for jobs, meaning you need to take what will get you in the door, not what you want to do necessarily. Long term, that isn't a bad thing, but you also dont want to start with a bitter taste in a new profession. Opinions still range wildly on this.
For the second being I am caught up, so I think I will bask in the warm glow of that feeling......at least until my 4:30 group project meeting.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
C-Section, Storm Large, -20 degrees
This is a post that continues to confound my efforts to get up online. Every time I sit down and attempt to complete it, something comes up and another day begins with another set of things to post. I refuse to be stopped this time however so, depending on occurrences outside of my control, this will be terse or my magnum opus.
I watched my first birth. It was a C-section which detracted from the experience some if only because C-sections are performed in a sterile surgical room instead of the much more hotel-like birthing suites. That aside, it was a pretty incredible thing to witness and I feel fortunate to be able to be an observer during an experience such as this in people's lives.
The surgical part was a bit gruesome to be honest. There is a lot of cutting, retracting, and some out and out pulling and yanking. Fluids were everywhere, most notably after the amniotic sac was ruptured, causing an arc of amniotic fluid more than a foot high which bathed the surgeons. The patient was obese, so there was a lot of adipose tissue to cut through as well. It was all very graphic. Ultimately, the birth took less than half the time of the repair of the incision afterwards. I followed the patient through the PACU and to her room where she will stay for the next 72 hours. The baby was fine with good Apgar scores, but was large for gestational age, so they had to do a lot of heel sticks to determine the infant's blood glucose. Mom wasn't terribly pleased by this, but procedures are procedures.
The next day I was back and hoping to see a vaginal birth. Unfortunately, the mom-to-be I was following was wholly uncooperative. How dare she hold out and try to ruin MY experience! It was quite funny because the patient's mom almost sounded that way when, after a number of hours, it became evident that the baby wasn't in any hurry to leave the womb. Every phone call she received while we were in the room sounded almost accusatory towards her daughter, as though she were intentionally withholding the child from the world. Even with a high rate of Pitocin on a constant drip, I found out she ended up having a C-section later that evening. One of my classmates got to witness that. I have one more day in labor and delivery. It will be interesting to see what happens then.
Tia and I celebrated 2 years together on Sunday by having a relatively school-free day (except for an exam I had to take that morning at 8am). We used some spa gift certificates from her mom and Sherri and I got a massage and a wonderful hour-long sports pedicure. So relaxing. Then we headed out to eat, which was a bit of a mess because the restaurant we wanted to eat at ended up being closed on Sundays, necessitating a change of plan to an expensive Vietnamese place where we were the sole customers. It was good, but no better than Vietnamese places that were half as much out in Portland. We then saw Storm Large (remember the Rockstar Supernova show?) headline a play called 'Cabaret.' Very bizarre. Lots of skin and a fair amount of gratuitous groping. I dont really no what to say about it. It was a musical on LSD. I think Wikipedia may do a better job of describing it than I can: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_(musical)
The other entertaining thing about the evening was that I experienced a new "Holy shit it is REALLY cold here moment." The temperature dipped down to the single digits (6 degrees) and, with windchill, we hit -20 here in Rochester. Perhaps to prove that the people here are a hearty lot, there was one young guy at the show who was adorned in a polo shirt with a light windbreaker and, I shit you not, cargo shorts. My guess is he lives in an ice cave on a planet further from the sun than our own regularly so it must have seemed quite tepid out. As for myself, I could barely think over my teeth chattering. We closed out the night with dessert at the Cheesecake factory. Good lord they have good desserts.
In other news, school continues to hit new lows, but I am not alone in feeling this way. For those of you who dont know me well, one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is when I feel like my time is being wasted. So, when we showed up for class yesterday for our 4-hour lecture in Women's Health with only that day's materials encompassing what will be on tonight's exam, I thought we would for sure be very productive. As usual, I was wrong. Instead we spent the first hour discussing how our respective weeks were, the next 2 hours working on case study projects that were largely opinion based and then presenting them to the class affording ZERO information to anyone and then, the last 45 minutes covering 1 of the three powerpoints that we were supposed to cover. Needless to say, when I found out we had a panel discussion arranged for today, I opted to do laundry instead. I then spent my off hour in a meeting and followed that with 3 hours of ethics lecture. I may need to arrange future spa visits for AFTER Monday.
A few of my classmates discussed sending emails to our instructor so that she would know that we are not pleased with how she opted to run our class......but as usual, nothing will come of it because the risk is greater than the reward, especially since this was our last class session with her. She will of course return, like a bad penny, to teach our NCLEX review. God help me.
Off to study for the last exam tonight. Wish me luck as always.
I watched my first birth. It was a C-section which detracted from the experience some if only because C-sections are performed in a sterile surgical room instead of the much more hotel-like birthing suites. That aside, it was a pretty incredible thing to witness and I feel fortunate to be able to be an observer during an experience such as this in people's lives.
The surgical part was a bit gruesome to be honest. There is a lot of cutting, retracting, and some out and out pulling and yanking. Fluids were everywhere, most notably after the amniotic sac was ruptured, causing an arc of amniotic fluid more than a foot high which bathed the surgeons. The patient was obese, so there was a lot of adipose tissue to cut through as well. It was all very graphic. Ultimately, the birth took less than half the time of the repair of the incision afterwards. I followed the patient through the PACU and to her room where she will stay for the next 72 hours. The baby was fine with good Apgar scores, but was large for gestational age, so they had to do a lot of heel sticks to determine the infant's blood glucose. Mom wasn't terribly pleased by this, but procedures are procedures.
The next day I was back and hoping to see a vaginal birth. Unfortunately, the mom-to-be I was following was wholly uncooperative. How dare she hold out and try to ruin MY experience! It was quite funny because the patient's mom almost sounded that way when, after a number of hours, it became evident that the baby wasn't in any hurry to leave the womb. Every phone call she received while we were in the room sounded almost accusatory towards her daughter, as though she were intentionally withholding the child from the world. Even with a high rate of Pitocin on a constant drip, I found out she ended up having a C-section later that evening. One of my classmates got to witness that. I have one more day in labor and delivery. It will be interesting to see what happens then.
Tia and I celebrated 2 years together on Sunday by having a relatively school-free day (except for an exam I had to take that morning at 8am). We used some spa gift certificates from her mom and Sherri and I got a massage and a wonderful hour-long sports pedicure. So relaxing. Then we headed out to eat, which was a bit of a mess because the restaurant we wanted to eat at ended up being closed on Sundays, necessitating a change of plan to an expensive Vietnamese place where we were the sole customers. It was good, but no better than Vietnamese places that were half as much out in Portland. We then saw Storm Large (remember the Rockstar Supernova show?) headline a play called 'Cabaret.' Very bizarre. Lots of skin and a fair amount of gratuitous groping. I dont really no what to say about it. It was a musical on LSD. I think Wikipedia may do a better job of describing it than I can: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_(musical)
The other entertaining thing about the evening was that I experienced a new "Holy shit it is REALLY cold here moment." The temperature dipped down to the single digits (6 degrees) and, with windchill, we hit -20 here in Rochester. Perhaps to prove that the people here are a hearty lot, there was one young guy at the show who was adorned in a polo shirt with a light windbreaker and, I shit you not, cargo shorts. My guess is he lives in an ice cave on a planet further from the sun than our own regularly so it must have seemed quite tepid out. As for myself, I could barely think over my teeth chattering. We closed out the night with dessert at the Cheesecake factory. Good lord they have good desserts.
In other news, school continues to hit new lows, but I am not alone in feeling this way. For those of you who dont know me well, one of my BIGGEST pet peeves is when I feel like my time is being wasted. So, when we showed up for class yesterday for our 4-hour lecture in Women's Health with only that day's materials encompassing what will be on tonight's exam, I thought we would for sure be very productive. As usual, I was wrong. Instead we spent the first hour discussing how our respective weeks were, the next 2 hours working on case study projects that were largely opinion based and then presenting them to the class affording ZERO information to anyone and then, the last 45 minutes covering 1 of the three powerpoints that we were supposed to cover. Needless to say, when I found out we had a panel discussion arranged for today, I opted to do laundry instead. I then spent my off hour in a meeting and followed that with 3 hours of ethics lecture. I may need to arrange future spa visits for AFTER Monday.
A few of my classmates discussed sending emails to our instructor so that she would know that we are not pleased with how she opted to run our class......but as usual, nothing will come of it because the risk is greater than the reward, especially since this was our last class session with her. She will of course return, like a bad penny, to teach our NCLEX review. God help me.
Off to study for the last exam tonight. Wish me luck as always.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Quick note
Came across this site, thought I would share it with those that I didn't manage to email it to:
http://allfunny.net/index.php/funny-pictures/proper-baby-care.html
Goes along with what I am learning.
Nothing new to report. Another day of lecture......another unbelievable amount of information to assimilate. Another day closer to being done.
http://allfunny.net/index.php
Goes along with what I am learning.
Nothing new to report. Another day of lecture......another unbelievable amount of information to assimilate. Another day closer to being done.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Righteous anger
I am sure anyone who has taken introductory college courses can empathize with the following situation: You are in some introductory requirement course or another, lets say English 101 for example. Everyone has to take this course so you and your friend end up signing up for it, only at different times with different instructors. As the weeks go by, you find yourself reading obscure treatises on the history of the umlaut and its effect on the present day English language and writing 15,000 word essays on dangling participles while your friend watches obscure French films and, if there is time, tosses off the occasional haiku. At the end of it all, you work your every loving ass off for a solid C+, which you are inexpressibly proud of because half the class failed while your friend sleeps through their final and makes a B+ because their aura was especially pink that day. Or, the exact opposite of this happens. It is really luck of the draw. You just have to accept it as the random event that it is.....or maybe your aura just wasn't especially pink at that time or place in your life (presuming, of course, that a pink aura is a good thing). When it pisses you off is when that same class and same instructor yields two disparate experiences. It pisses me off anyway.
To get down to brass tacks, the following situation has evolved: Our class is split up into 2 cohorts; A and B. Cohort A began in OB/Peds and is doing the med/surg rotation presently. Cohort B is my cohort. Cohort A managed to achieve an 18pt improvement over our first exam in med/surg and managed to better our averages on the first two exams in OB/Ped as well. Cohort A is over-represented at the top of our class academically, and not by sheer chance. What I found out today is that they got a much more focused study guide in MS (med/surg) detailing specific places to look for answers in the text, had questions that were used and counted against us in MS removed because they were deemed too difficult, had questions dropped from exams in OB/Peds (OP) because they didnt have MS previously and, to top it off, that the exams have been made harder for us in OP because we have had MS. This is all the more aggravating because we will be judged on a level playing field. Meanwhile my cohort is essentially running up hill. If I haven't expressed my disgust for this program lately, my apologies for being lax in that regard. It truly sucks.
Speaking of things sucking, I leave you with one final, and quite poignant example. Today there were questions brought up in regards to validity in OP. The situation that has arisen on both exams thus far is that material that is being tested on is not being covered until future readings. So, we are being asked questions on, for example, APGAR scores, without having exposure to any information about them until the readings for the next examination. A very clear problem with validity. When this was brought up the instructor said, and this is a DIRECT quote (you cannot make this shit up), "So, what you are saying is that you want me to only question you from material we have covered?" As if this was some kind of foreign concept and we were asking her to make unreasonable accommodations on our behalf. At this point, she could test us on the season premiere of Lost and not be any less valid.
And to think I get to wake up tomorrow and do it all over again. My aura must the be opposite of pink lately.
To get down to brass tacks, the following situation has evolved: Our class is split up into 2 cohorts; A and B. Cohort A began in OB/Peds and is doing the med/surg rotation presently. Cohort B is my cohort. Cohort A managed to achieve an 18pt improvement over our first exam in med/surg and managed to better our averages on the first two exams in OB/Ped as well. Cohort A is over-represented at the top of our class academically, and not by sheer chance. What I found out today is that they got a much more focused study guide in MS (med/surg) detailing specific places to look for answers in the text, had questions that were used and counted against us in MS removed because they were deemed too difficult, had questions dropped from exams in OB/Peds (OP) because they didnt have MS previously and, to top it off, that the exams have been made harder for us in OP because we have had MS. This is all the more aggravating because we will be judged on a level playing field. Meanwhile my cohort is essentially running up hill. If I haven't expressed my disgust for this program lately, my apologies for being lax in that regard. It truly sucks.
Speaking of things sucking, I leave you with one final, and quite poignant example. Today there were questions brought up in regards to validity in OP. The situation that has arisen on both exams thus far is that material that is being tested on is not being covered until future readings. So, we are being asked questions on, for example, APGAR scores, without having exposure to any information about them until the readings for the next examination. A very clear problem with validity. When this was brought up the instructor said, and this is a DIRECT quote (you cannot make this shit up), "So, what you are saying is that you want me to only question you from material we have covered?" As if this was some kind of foreign concept and we were asking her to make unreasonable accommodations on our behalf. At this point, she could test us on the season premiere of Lost and not be any less valid.
And to think I get to wake up tomorrow and do it all over again. My aura must the be opposite of pink lately.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Mother & Baby = Done & Done
I still have two weeks left on my OB rotation, but the remainder of the time will be spent in Labor and Delivery. Though that is no indication that I am done being in situations that I find rather uncomfortable and embarrassing, it means I at least will be facing those situations with a health care team. Tia says that I over-emphasize my discomfort and tend to dwell on it...something I cannot argue, nor shake. I just don't feel right doing the examinations on the new mothers. I am mystified as to how I am supposed to ascertain how much blood is on the pad in their panties (Lochia) as a result of the shedding of the uterine lining as compared to that of a menstrual cycle. What constitutes heavy vs. moderate remains a mystery, but I can say that if I were losing that much blood from a flesh wound, I would suggest that I was bleeding heavily (in this I am apparently incorrect). That is just one glaring example of how hard it is to relate to what these women are going through. I imagine to some degree, working there not having carried a child of your own might prove a bit difficult for a female nurse. I would argue however, that not even having completely different apparatus is a greater impediment than that.
Despite my misgivings, there has not been a single incidence of any of my patients being outwardly uncomfortable with me. It remains entirely possible that I am transferring my own feelings to them, but I can't help the way I feel and Psych 101 is no help here. I just cannot imagine a time in my life that I will ever be at ease walking into a room to meet a woman for the first time and, shortly thereafter, peering into her underwear without a significant amount of distilled spirits involved (frowned upon in the medical profession).
That said, I feel very comfortable working with the newborn infants, offering some advice to the mom's and being in the nursery. Honestly, a greater portion of the day is spent not examining the new mothers, so it has been about 98% positive, which is a step in the right direction. I am pleasantly surprised by how good I feel about being around the newborns. Truth be told, I am not the world's most effective swaddler and I am remarkably inefficient in changing both diapers and attire on an infant, but compared to my similarly inexperienced classmates, I hold my own.
In other school related news, things are ever so slowly rounding into form. I am still struggling somewhat on the motivation front, but it appears to be a universal concern in talks I have had with classmates. The goal for the moment will just be staying afloat until Spring Break just 5 weeks in the distance. Seems minor when typing it, but 5 weeks is never minor in a program like this.
As always, keep em crossed for me.
Despite my misgivings, there has not been a single incidence of any of my patients being outwardly uncomfortable with me. It remains entirely possible that I am transferring my own feelings to them, but I can't help the way I feel and Psych 101 is no help here. I just cannot imagine a time in my life that I will ever be at ease walking into a room to meet a woman for the first time and, shortly thereafter, peering into her underwear without a significant amount of distilled spirits involved (frowned upon in the medical profession).
That said, I feel very comfortable working with the newborn infants, offering some advice to the mom's and being in the nursery. Honestly, a greater portion of the day is spent not examining the new mothers, so it has been about 98% positive, which is a step in the right direction. I am pleasantly surprised by how good I feel about being around the newborns. Truth be told, I am not the world's most effective swaddler and I am remarkably inefficient in changing both diapers and attire on an infant, but compared to my similarly inexperienced classmates, I hold my own.
In other school related news, things are ever so slowly rounding into form. I am still struggling somewhat on the motivation front, but it appears to be a universal concern in talks I have had with classmates. The goal for the moment will just be staying afloat until Spring Break just 5 weeks in the distance. Seems minor when typing it, but 5 weeks is never minor in a program like this.
As always, keep em crossed for me.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Senioritis?
Can you have senioritis in a one year program? I contend that you can. If not I will have to seek out psychological evaluation to more accurately discern why I feel how I do at the moment.
Right now the program feels a lot like a ride at Disney World. They have signs posted everywhere along the snaking lines telling you just how long you have to wait. Then, much sooner than you imagined, you find yourself on the precipice of the entranceway, excited that you are about to enjoy the ride......only to be confronted by a labyrinth of partitions herding you circuitously towards, what you hope, is the actual ride. Only, instead of a ride, I will be subjecting myself to onerous standardized testing and prostrating myself before potential employers at the culmination of this phase of the journey. I must be a sadist......or utterly insane.
On the other side of the street where the grass is greener, things outside of school are going as well as can be expected. Tia continues to deal as well as humanly possible with my ever shifting schedule and responsibilities. I know she finds it irritating, but she does well in masking it for the most part.
I cannot wait until May. That will be my new mantra.
Right now the program feels a lot like a ride at Disney World. They have signs posted everywhere along the snaking lines telling you just how long you have to wait. Then, much sooner than you imagined, you find yourself on the precipice of the entranceway, excited that you are about to enjoy the ride......only to be confronted by a labyrinth of partitions herding you circuitously towards, what you hope, is the actual ride. Only, instead of a ride, I will be subjecting myself to onerous standardized testing and prostrating myself before potential employers at the culmination of this phase of the journey. I must be a sadist......or utterly insane.
On the other side of the street where the grass is greener, things outside of school are going as well as can be expected. Tia continues to deal as well as humanly possible with my ever shifting schedule and responsibilities. I know she finds it irritating, but she does well in masking it for the most part.
I cannot wait until May. That will be my new mantra.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Meconium
I was going to state, in grandiose fashion, that I had changed my first diaper today. Then I thought about it and realized that would be a misnomer indeed. I have changed more diapers in this program than I care to recollect. Not a one, prior to today, had been on anyone under the legal drinking age however. It was thankfully a good deal easier when you can single-handedly maneuver their body about. I will state that the stool itself, meconium, was akin to trying to remove the residue left behind after you remove a sticker. Hence, what they lack in volume, they make up for in effort required. Enough poop talk.
I also witnessed my first circumcision. It was actually pretty interesting and not altogether unpleasant. There seems to be a lot of information defending both sides of the circumcision argument and neither has enough evidence to back up their claims. Who knew a little piece of skin could inspire such controversy. I long for the day when pro-life and pro-choice is no longer debated and, instead, we have to hear our candidates discuss their stance, and reasoning, on circumcision. It would be nice to finally not hear a bunch of old white men trying to force their opinions on what women should be able to do with their uterus and instead have women duking it out on what we men can opt do with our penises.
To close this terse post out, I must reiterate how much I hate doing the early AM thing. It would be one thing if I were banking a bit of change for it, but the opposite is true. Consider this a post-bitch for today and a pre-bitch for tomorrow. Gnite.
I also witnessed my first circumcision. It was actually pretty interesting and not altogether unpleasant. There seems to be a lot of information defending both sides of the circumcision argument and neither has enough evidence to back up their claims. Who knew a little piece of skin could inspire such controversy. I long for the day when pro-life and pro-choice is no longer debated and, instead, we have to hear our candidates discuss their stance, and reasoning, on circumcision. It would be nice to finally not hear a bunch of old white men trying to force their opinions on what women should be able to do with their uterus and instead have women duking it out on what we men can opt do with our penises.
To close this terse post out, I must reiterate how much I hate doing the early AM thing. It would be one thing if I were banking a bit of change for it, but the opposite is true. Consider this a post-bitch for today and a pre-bitch for tomorrow. Gnite.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
An uneventful week
As some have thoughtfully reminded me, I haven't posted in awhile. Since I am pretty burned on reading about newborns and pregnancy for the moment, I thought I would cede to demands.
The first few days on the OB floor were relatively uneventful. The first day was really just half of one, and only a few hours were actually spent on the unit. The rest of the time was reserved for discussing postpartum examinations, breastfeeding, and expectations of the course. Needless to say, none of the information is anything I am more than passingly familiar with and the idea of having to feign any semblance of authority on any subject related to pregnancy or childbirth leaves me with no lack of anxiety. Its the same kind of anxiety I get when questioned by a mechanic about the sounds emanating from my engine or wandering around a hardware store when I don't know the technical name for the widget I am trying to locate. Hopefully as the lectures and reading catch up with what is expected of us on the floor, my feelings of inadequacy will lessen. Of course, around that time we will be moving to pediatrics.
As for experiences on the second day, I did get to see an epidural placed. It was really interesting and, thankfully, a huge relief to the woman who received it. She went from tears of agony to sublime contentment. Very nice. The same women unfortunately had a HUGE phobia about needles and incredibly small veins so, to get her peripheral line set up to get enough fluids in her to start the epidural, there was a series of missteps trying to get a line started. It was interesting to say the least and not a little blood was shed between collapsing veins, an infiltrated one (that began to puff up her hand immediately), and her flinching throughout. Three nurses tried at least two spots apiece before success. Yikes! I hope when I place them they will prove easier (at least somewhat).
The first examination has come and gone in OB as well. It is nice to be started, but god what a road to hoe. We have many more papers than in any other semester this term, so I may prove somewhat unreliable in my posts, with an ebb and flow commensurate with my chaotic schedule. Stick with it though, because this is cathartic for me and hopefully keeps everyone in the loop.
The first few days on the OB floor were relatively uneventful. The first day was really just half of one, and only a few hours were actually spent on the unit. The rest of the time was reserved for discussing postpartum examinations, breastfeeding, and expectations of the course. Needless to say, none of the information is anything I am more than passingly familiar with and the idea of having to feign any semblance of authority on any subject related to pregnancy or childbirth leaves me with no lack of anxiety. Its the same kind of anxiety I get when questioned by a mechanic about the sounds emanating from my engine or wandering around a hardware store when I don't know the technical name for the widget I am trying to locate. Hopefully as the lectures and reading catch up with what is expected of us on the floor, my feelings of inadequacy will lessen. Of course, around that time we will be moving to pediatrics.
As for experiences on the second day, I did get to see an epidural placed. It was really interesting and, thankfully, a huge relief to the woman who received it. She went from tears of agony to sublime contentment. Very nice. The same women unfortunately had a HUGE phobia about needles and incredibly small veins so, to get her peripheral line set up to get enough fluids in her to start the epidural, there was a series of missteps trying to get a line started. It was interesting to say the least and not a little blood was shed between collapsing veins, an infiltrated one (that began to puff up her hand immediately), and her flinching throughout. Three nurses tried at least two spots apiece before success. Yikes! I hope when I place them they will prove easier (at least somewhat).
The first examination has come and gone in OB as well. It is nice to be started, but god what a road to hoe. We have many more papers than in any other semester this term, so I may prove somewhat unreliable in my posts, with an ebb and flow commensurate with my chaotic schedule. Stick with it though, because this is cathartic for me and hopefully keeps everyone in the loop.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Jobs Jobs Jobs
That seems to be the topic of the moment......who accepted what job and where. They spoke to us about it in the Fall actually. There appears to be no consensus on the issue of whether to seek employment now or to not bother with it until we finish up with classes. To mix metaphors, the constant tug between a bird in the hand vs. waiting to see what lies behind door #2. Most students and former students find it advantageous to apply and accept now. Advisers and instructors seem more inclined towards waiting. Unless Tia and I decide to reside in Rochester another year, the point is a moot one for me, but an anxiety provoking one nonetheless.
It is hard to hear about the jobs that everyone else locked up and when they are going to be starting while I try to figure out how I will afford to move back to Portland and re-start a life out there. Especially since, in Portland, the few people who did speak to me (some hospitals evidently declined my inquiry outright...perhaps misliking the timbre of my voice) were not to be bothered with applications from unlicensed individuals until we are far closer to such point or, ideally, have attained said licensure. The situation feels all the more disconcerting since it is unlikely I will navigate through the convoluted licensure process and be able to begin working until July at the earliest. August is actually more probable.
There also seems to be more reluctance out West to start a new nurse with anything other than a general medical/surgical floor. The kind of floor where poop is a constant. The kind of floor I will be unhappy with. Once again there is significant disagreement. Some people feel med/surg offers the most rounded introduction to nursing and affords you the most significant opportunity to improve in the field and master skills you can take anywhere. Others feel that, should you not enjoy such an endeavor, why expose yourself to it. You will ultimately specialize in something, so why pick up habits on such a unit when you will have to relearn the specifics of where you would prefer to be. Also, on all floors you will practice, to some degree, general skills, so why subject yourself to something that is likely to turn you off of the profession. You dont go to the OR if you can't stand blood after all. It leaves much to ponder.
In the interim, I will just try to push the whole job thing aside until I can figure out how to make it through Pediatrics and OB, Ethics, and Management. But it will surely play on the fringes. As much as I work towards the Buddhist ideals of living in the moment, it is awfully hard to not look ahead.
It is hard to hear about the jobs that everyone else locked up and when they are going to be starting while I try to figure out how I will afford to move back to Portland and re-start a life out there. Especially since, in Portland, the few people who did speak to me (some hospitals evidently declined my inquiry outright...perhaps misliking the timbre of my voice) were not to be bothered with applications from unlicensed individuals until we are far closer to such point or, ideally, have attained said licensure. The situation feels all the more disconcerting since it is unlikely I will navigate through the convoluted licensure process and be able to begin working until July at the earliest. August is actually more probable.
There also seems to be more reluctance out West to start a new nurse with anything other than a general medical/surgical floor. The kind of floor where poop is a constant. The kind of floor I will be unhappy with. Once again there is significant disagreement. Some people feel med/surg offers the most rounded introduction to nursing and affords you the most significant opportunity to improve in the field and master skills you can take anywhere. Others feel that, should you not enjoy such an endeavor, why expose yourself to it. You will ultimately specialize in something, so why pick up habits on such a unit when you will have to relearn the specifics of where you would prefer to be. Also, on all floors you will practice, to some degree, general skills, so why subject yourself to something that is likely to turn you off of the profession. You dont go to the OR if you can't stand blood after all. It leaves much to ponder.
In the interim, I will just try to push the whole job thing aside until I can figure out how to make it through Pediatrics and OB, Ethics, and Management. But it will surely play on the fringes. As much as I work towards the Buddhist ideals of living in the moment, it is awfully hard to not look ahead.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Back to School
Tomorrow is the big return to lectures, readings, and endless hours spent in a windowless auditorium (a fact rendered less disconcerting in the winter when sunny days are less common). I am both excited and a bit disconcerted by what lies ahead. Of all the rotations, the one I was least looking forward to was OB. I cannot adequately express my discomfort with it. I am hopeful that it will be far better than I hope it to be. I just have a hard time envisioning the situation as being anything but awkward.
The next step will be pediatric oncology. In my mind, the situation goes from awkward to sad. If there is anything more depressing than a terminally ill child, I know not what. I am certain there will be many tales of recovery as well, hopefully far more than the former.
As for classes, check the blog for moral ambiguities and ethical conundrums from Ethics, poignant commentary about how to Manage Care, and, er, some flippant comments about Nursing Integration (what the hell is that anyway?).
I am so glad to have seen so many friends, family, and soon-to-be-family while out in Portland. Keep pulling for me and write when you can. Same goes for my friends and family elsewhere.
So it begins again.
The next step will be pediatric oncology. In my mind, the situation goes from awkward to sad. If there is anything more depressing than a terminally ill child, I know not what. I am certain there will be many tales of recovery as well, hopefully far more than the former.
As for classes, check the blog for moral ambiguities and ethical conundrums from Ethics, poignant commentary about how to Manage Care, and, er, some flippant comments about Nursing Integration (what the hell is that anyway?).
I am so glad to have seen so many friends, family, and soon-to-be-family while out in Portland. Keep pulling for me and write when you can. Same goes for my friends and family elsewhere.
So it begins again.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
7 degrees and sunny
I have already been provided the grim, and entirely typical, weather forecast for my trip out to PDX: "Rain and about 45 degrees. Repeat ad nauseum until the populace is driven suicidal." I could never be accused of loving the Portland winters. Winter in general for that matter. As horrifying cold as the temperatures have registered here lately, it has been mercifully sunny. It is the coldest place I can recall living (I can't count my time in Ohio since I spent half of it scarcely sentient and the other half sick enough to be counted not much beyond such level), and yet pleasingly sunny just frequently enough to make it bearable thus far. I forget just how much sway the sun holds over my mood.
This isn't to say that I am at all remiss to be leaving here to go to Portland, rain or no. The reality is that besides the utter lack of sun, Portland trumps Rochester in every conceivable manner. There is little enough to do here in the summer and even less when the weather in uncooperative. I still wont say that I hate it here because that is more severe than my emotions about this city run, but it isn't a place I could envision staying unless required to (say for instance, by school).
I can't wait to see everyone back in the place I now consider home. I am sure it will be all the harder to leave it again when I have to return.
This isn't to say that I am at all remiss to be leaving here to go to Portland, rain or no. The reality is that besides the utter lack of sun, Portland trumps Rochester in every conceivable manner. There is little enough to do here in the summer and even less when the weather in uncooperative. I still wont say that I hate it here because that is more severe than my emotions about this city run, but it isn't a place I could envision staying unless required to (say for instance, by school).
I can't wait to see everyone back in the place I now consider home. I am sure it will be all the harder to leave it again when I have to return.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Post Christmas/Pre-New Year
I have meant to put together a brief update since finishing up with school last week, but haven't found the time or energy until now. It has been an expedient week since that point in time and it scares me a bit to think that I am already one week more proximate to school and one week more distal from the onset of my vacation (had to use proximate and distal after hearing it so much in physical descriptions in school).
School finished with a flourish. Though they would have preferred I not missed any time from my unit (and I would have preferred not vomiting for a few days) it was determined that, though there existed a make-up day on the calendar, no one was willing to proctor it for me. Hence, Thursday was my last day. My final evaluation was quite good actually, with some room for growth of course. The comment I thought most intriguing was related mostly to my personality as a whole. To paraphrase the comment (since I am too lazy to look for it amongst the mess of our apartment; residuals of our recent move), my clinical instructor essentially said that I was somewhat enigmatic until she observed me in simulations because, on the floor, I often just did my own thing without being a 'squeaky wheel.' I took that as a compliment because it is just who I am. I don't ask for help for every little detail or I ask for help from whomever I can grab that might know rather than seeking my clinical instructor out constantly. I also just do what needs to be done with my patient and try to do so professionally and efficiently. So, all to the good.
As for classes, I finally broke through the barrier and got and A. Two actually. The other two grades were of the A- variety which I am still quite proud of. Does that mean anything? Not really......but it is nice to do well.
As I stated previously, the move is a memory (a lingering one, but a memory nonetheless). The house finally closed today after a few small snafus (The garbage situation has been the most laughable as they cannot seem to bring themselves to actually pick up the trash though Tia has repeatedly contacted them and has paid for the final pick-up service. Despite not picking it up, they have taken our trash can and sent a driver and a supervisor at this point to 'inspect' the remaining trash which, though bagged and set upon the end of the drive, is deemed somehow too 'trash-like' to pick up. We have also been informed that it needs to be in a can which is a problem since they collected the can and told us to just put the garbage on the curb. I cannot wait to have a patient that I need to clean up and then, instead of doing so, just observing them and telling a supervisor that they are too messy to clean up. Does this line of thinking work in ANY other job?). We are now officially apartment dwellers. I really hope we are able to sell a majority of our remaining belongings before we move again. I hate moving and have reason to having participated in not one, but two transcontinental moves and a total of 4 additional local moves in the span of three years.
Christmas was pleasant, though somewhat bare. We spent the eve of at Tia's friend Sherri's home. Her husband Kevin made mussels, risottos, Maine lobster with drawn butter and lava cakes amongst other dishes. Altogether fabulous. In contrast, we went out to eat on Christmas but only found a few asian restaurants open to accommodate us. We ended up at a mediocre Chinese restaurant with the fastest service this side of a restaurant with a drive through. I would bet even money that our harried waiter suffered a heart attack by the end of the evening. It will be nice to be near friends and family next holiday season.
I am certain that this update misses much, but that is to be expected of any posting. I hope anyone who reads this had a wonderful holiday season and has a happy and safe New Year's celebration.
School finished with a flourish. Though they would have preferred I not missed any time from my unit (and I would have preferred not vomiting for a few days) it was determined that, though there existed a make-up day on the calendar, no one was willing to proctor it for me. Hence, Thursday was my last day. My final evaluation was quite good actually, with some room for growth of course. The comment I thought most intriguing was related mostly to my personality as a whole. To paraphrase the comment (since I am too lazy to look for it amongst the mess of our apartment; residuals of our recent move), my clinical instructor essentially said that I was somewhat enigmatic until she observed me in simulations because, on the floor, I often just did my own thing without being a 'squeaky wheel.' I took that as a compliment because it is just who I am. I don't ask for help for every little detail or I ask for help from whomever I can grab that might know rather than seeking my clinical instructor out constantly. I also just do what needs to be done with my patient and try to do so professionally and efficiently. So, all to the good.
As for classes, I finally broke through the barrier and got and A. Two actually. The other two grades were of the A- variety which I am still quite proud of. Does that mean anything? Not really......but it is nice to do well.
As I stated previously, the move is a memory (a lingering one, but a memory nonetheless). The house finally closed today after a few small snafus (The garbage situation has been the most laughable as they cannot seem to bring themselves to actually pick up the trash though Tia has repeatedly contacted them and has paid for the final pick-up service. Despite not picking it up, they have taken our trash can and sent a driver and a supervisor at this point to 'inspect' the remaining trash which, though bagged and set upon the end of the drive, is deemed somehow too 'trash-like' to pick up. We have also been informed that it needs to be in a can which is a problem since they collected the can and told us to just put the garbage on the curb. I cannot wait to have a patient that I need to clean up and then, instead of doing so, just observing them and telling a supervisor that they are too messy to clean up. Does this line of thinking work in ANY other job?). We are now officially apartment dwellers. I really hope we are able to sell a majority of our remaining belongings before we move again. I hate moving and have reason to having participated in not one, but two transcontinental moves and a total of 4 additional local moves in the span of three years.
Christmas was pleasant, though somewhat bare. We spent the eve of at Tia's friend Sherri's home. Her husband Kevin made mussels, risottos, Maine lobster with drawn butter and lava cakes amongst other dishes. Altogether fabulous. In contrast, we went out to eat on Christmas but only found a few asian restaurants open to accommodate us. We ended up at a mediocre Chinese restaurant with the fastest service this side of a restaurant with a drive through. I would bet even money that our harried waiter suffered a heart attack by the end of the evening. It will be nice to be near friends and family next holiday season.
I am certain that this update misses much, but that is to be expected of any posting. I hope anyone who reads this had a wonderful holiday season and has a happy and safe New Year's celebration.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Almost there
Just one more day now. I would say a couple more days, but there still exists the possibility that there will be only the 1 day without a make-up day. Even if I have to do a makeup day, it hardly dampens my excitement that it is almost over. I will be thrilled beyond imagining when I don't have another bed bath to perform for three weeks!
Today I spent out with VNS (visiting nurse service). As I thought, it was interesting going out into the community and into people's homes to provide care. As I also suspected, it is wholly incongruent with my personal interests. I worked with a pediatric nurse today. I give the nurses who work with the population I saw a lot of credit. Part of me feels so badly for these children knowing what hurdles they face because of their surroundings and the disadvantages that lie in their path coming from single teenage mothers. However, another part of me feels angry at the parent (or parents) who continue to make poor decision upon poor decision, which likely stems from their own parents making the same bad choices. One household was littered with beer cans as the 1 year old wandered around playing with whatever she picked up off the floor while the mother tended to the 1 year old (and the father watched TV in the other room). The really interesting thing to me was that, even though these people lacked much furniture, had beaten up vehicles, and often had mainly WIC appropriated food, they still had big screen televisions and cable. How badly out of whack priorities are.
Thursday marks the final day on the adult floor, which is mercifully shortened to go over our evaluation (and then the aforementioned possibility of Friday as a makeup). All in all, things haven't gone too badly when I look back and consider all the things we (Tia has shared the burden) have had to get through to make it to this point. The whole thing seems very unreal at the moment........as though the dean of the nursing school might crawl out of her office, see her shadow, and determine that there will be three more weeks of clinical (it is hard to type with a shiver crawling up your spine).
I am still awaiting one more grade to trickle in. The grade in question was a paper that encompasses a fifth of our grade in the course however so it is not nearly complete, but, unless I butchered it horribly, I don't see how I could get less than an A-. Could end up being a highly successful term. Looks like I won't know for certain for some time though........at least until Thursday when they are obligated to post them.
Looks like I just got a delivery from my roommate of a list of meds I need to look up for tomorrow......and it is doosy. I hope I am never in the position to require 13 medications at 8am every day (and more than that throughout the remainder of the day). I don't know how you would even manage the side effects of such treatment. Wish me luck that there is no required makeup.....I will do it if I have to, but I definitely don't want to.
Today I spent out with VNS (visiting nurse service). As I thought, it was interesting going out into the community and into people's homes to provide care. As I also suspected, it is wholly incongruent with my personal interests. I worked with a pediatric nurse today. I give the nurses who work with the population I saw a lot of credit. Part of me feels so badly for these children knowing what hurdles they face because of their surroundings and the disadvantages that lie in their path coming from single teenage mothers. However, another part of me feels angry at the parent (or parents) who continue to make poor decision upon poor decision, which likely stems from their own parents making the same bad choices. One household was littered with beer cans as the 1 year old wandered around playing with whatever she picked up off the floor while the mother tended to the 1 year old (and the father watched TV in the other room). The really interesting thing to me was that, even though these people lacked much furniture, had beaten up vehicles, and often had mainly WIC appropriated food, they still had big screen televisions and cable. How badly out of whack priorities are.
Thursday marks the final day on the adult floor, which is mercifully shortened to go over our evaluation (and then the aforementioned possibility of Friday as a makeup). All in all, things haven't gone too badly when I look back and consider all the things we (Tia has shared the burden) have had to get through to make it to this point. The whole thing seems very unreal at the moment........as though the dean of the nursing school might crawl out of her office, see her shadow, and determine that there will be three more weeks of clinical (it is hard to type with a shiver crawling up your spine).
I am still awaiting one more grade to trickle in. The grade in question was a paper that encompasses a fifth of our grade in the course however so it is not nearly complete, but, unless I butchered it horribly, I don't see how I could get less than an A-. Could end up being a highly successful term. Looks like I won't know for certain for some time though........at least until Thursday when they are obligated to post them.
Looks like I just got a delivery from my roommate of a list of meds I need to look up for tomorrow......and it is doosy. I hope I am never in the position to require 13 medications at 8am every day (and more than that throughout the remainder of the day). I don't know how you would even manage the side effects of such treatment. Wish me luck that there is no required makeup.....I will do it if I have to, but I definitely don't want to.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Interventional Radiology
I spent the past two days in Interventional Radiology working with a number of patients ranging from age 2 to 72 and seeing procedures such as catheter embolizations, angiographies, and biopsies. Pretty interesting stuff by my account anyway and, best of all, not an ADL amongst them. No bed baths! No ass wiping! No bed changes! Just medications, assessments, and assisting with procedures........or ACTUAL nursing. How very novel indeed. I am quite happy I chose to observe there. Another possibility on the plus side of the column is always a good thing.
Other than that, things are still a complete mess at the house (well, not complete, but comparably it is) with unpacked boxes cluttering up the apartment. I dont think the apartment will look normal until AFTER school is done.....or until I decide the boxes are just part of the decor.
The weather has turned once again as well with 4 inches already on the ground and more to come today and this Sunday. No temptation to do any outdoorsy stuff when I should be studying I guess. Thank goodness for an apartment with free heat.
Speaking of studying.....the end is nigh! One more test to go! Two more clinical days! One more simulation! I can't stop using exclamations I am so damned happy to type this!!!!!
Other than that, things are still a complete mess at the house (well, not complete, but comparably it is) with unpacked boxes cluttering up the apartment. I dont think the apartment will look normal until AFTER school is done.....or until I decide the boxes are just part of the decor.
The weather has turned once again as well with 4 inches already on the ground and more to come today and this Sunday. No temptation to do any outdoorsy stuff when I should be studying I guess. Thank goodness for an apartment with free heat.
Speaking of studying.....the end is nigh! One more test to go! Two more clinical days! One more simulation! I can't stop using exclamations I am so damned happy to type this!!!!!
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Moving Day
Yesterday was officially moving day, though moving is never a process accomplished in so short a time. It will be another week at least before the house is empty and another week beyond that before the apartment isn't full of cardboard boxes.
So far, the apartment is pretty nice. The rooms are spacious, we have free cable TV (and the channels come in clearly), free heat (and heat in the bathroom), copious hot water, and we are a lot closer to school and the local strip of shopping and restaurants. The downside, is that the apartment, like all apartments, has thin walls (which is painfully evident since our downstairs neighbor evidently doesn't like quiet time without the TV on......consequently we feel asleep with its murmur and I awoke to it this morning around 7:15), we have to go back to paying to do laundry, and there is this odd double door security system to get in and out. On the whole, I think it will all work out....especially with the short span of time we have left here. In two weeks, I am 2/3 done and that is followed by three weeks of holiday before the home stretch starts in January. I am giddy just thinking about it!
There is much to do and not much more to say at the moment. Back to the move.
So far, the apartment is pretty nice. The rooms are spacious, we have free cable TV (and the channels come in clearly), free heat (and heat in the bathroom), copious hot water, and we are a lot closer to school and the local strip of shopping and restaurants. The downside, is that the apartment, like all apartments, has thin walls (which is painfully evident since our downstairs neighbor evidently doesn't like quiet time without the TV on......consequently we feel asleep with its murmur and I awoke to it this morning around 7:15), we have to go back to paying to do laundry, and there is this odd double door security system to get in and out. On the whole, I think it will all work out....especially with the short span of time we have left here. In two weeks, I am 2/3 done and that is followed by three weeks of holiday before the home stretch starts in January. I am giddy just thinking about it!
There is much to do and not much more to say at the moment. Back to the move.
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