Escape from New York (Snake Plissken edition)

What can I say about NYC? It is one of those places that has a distinct feel to it to be sure and those are few and far between with the homogenizing of America. Most cities nowadays all have the same restaurants, malls with the same stores, and the same look. The few that don't that I have visited in the US are San Francisco, Las Vegas, NYC, Washington DC, San Antonio, New Orleans, Portland, and Miami (I had hopes for others like Seattle, but take away the waterfront, and you could stick that city anywhere. I still think it looks like the Pearl in Portland, only through the whole city). That isn't to say that any of these cities are places I would want to live nor is it to say that they have a feel that is necessarily good or bad, but they stand out and thrum with a distinct energy. NYC is too dirty, expensive, noisy, and crowded for me to ever want to life there. But, it had its beauty too around Central Park and in some of the neighborhoods. It isn't a place that I will be compelled to come visit again, but I am glad i had a chance to see and explore it and that is more than I can say about a lot of places I have seen (such as Rochester).

School continues to be an overwhelming pain in the ass, but it is a muted pain anymore (perhaps a dull ache). The clock is winding down and the classes are less strenuous than they were last term. At this point, I just need to show up sober at the last few clinicals to pass PEDs, force out a few papers for Ethics and tie up a group project (and poster presentation........i hope we get to use fingerpaint!) in Management. Nice.

That said, I did just find out that that UR will be discontinuing both the management and ethics course and replacing them with more simulation time and more time in clinicals working with a larger patient load. Part of me understands that I ultimately have an easier path with those two god-awful useless courses, but part of me cant help but be upset that they always make changes that would better prepare you for the actual career the year AFTER I finish a program (I had a similar experience in elementary ed). The opportunity to work with a full patient load under the tutelage of a nurse will have to wait until I start working, which is fine if I stayed here where that is understood by local hospitals, but potentially a bit more of a problem out West. Only potentially though since I dont know what preparation occurs out West. As usual, fake it til you make it........at least I will be ethical and understand the principles of followership while doing so! :)

Lesa asked me a question that was, I thought, quite poignant, "Do I feel well prepared?" I could only answer that I do............and I don't. On one hand, I think I will be as well prepared clinically as any other student having spent a lot of time with patients on the floor. On the other hand, I will not have had more than 2 patients in any given shift. That will have to be learned and is usually part of training. On the other hand, ss for pharmacology, I am a bit underwhelmed by our preparation and feel like I wish I knew more than I do. That knowledge will also come in time and will be fairly rote once you see them over and over again on a unit. Still, I have a lot to learn. Mercifully, it is not my job or within the scope of my ability to prescribe anything. So, ultimately I think I have the tools to be trained to be a nurse, but I certainly wish I felt more confident about certain subjects within the profession.

On a completely other note, check out the show Dexter if you haven't. I don't think you will find another show (and hopefully not in real life either) where you blatantly root for the serial killer to win out in the end. Michael Hall is great in the lead role.

There is little else to tell. The countdown is most assuredly on. Less than 50 days and counting until classes recede into fading memories. Less than 75 before we are back in the Pacific NW. Hopefully less than 125 before I find someone to pay me for all this schooling.