Growing Up Sucks.

      I have now completed 3 sets of shifts on my own… I’m not sure what I think of it yet. When I sit down and think of what I do in the run of a day and what my role is, I don’t even know if I could tell you. I don’t feel like I have a clue what I am doing. I just try to get by. It scares me when a LPN comes to me and asks “what do I do?”. I’m usually the one going to them and asking then what I do.
     Since I last posted, I found my first patient who was “down” and called my first Code Blue. Got him back, but they ended up passing away in the ICU at the end of shift- thankfully after the family arrived. Have dealt with old men peeing on me, acquiring injuries from morbidly obese abdominal folds, been swung at by a demented patient. No wonder they don’t tell you what the real world of nursing is like while you’re in school, cause you’d probably drop out and take your money with you. Anyways, I’m sticking in there… barely. I don’t want to be there, but I show up and suck it up. Missing home and all the comforts that accompany it. Growing up sucks.

Radioactive Man

It’s a typical night shift on the Medical floor. Sitting down to do charts after midnight when a man wanders onto the unit with a coffee in his hand…

Man with coffee: ”Ma’am, are you pregnant?*”
Nurse: ”.. Umm, no?”
Man with coffee: ”Good because I’m radioactive. I can abort a fetus 6-8 feet away. I had some cancer treatments down below a few weeks ago and I’m radioactive. Are you a nurse?”
Nurse: ”Yes, I am. Can I help you?**”
Man with coffee: “My pee is pink when I start to pee. Is that normal? Why is it pink?”
Nurse: ”Well, you did have something up there reaming out your urinary tract.. that can cause some irritation and some discoloration is normal.. but if it’s been a while, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to follow up with your doctor.”
Man with coffee in hand: “Yeah.. so whatcha got good to eat in here?”

* - Hello? Why the heck would you ever ask a woman that in the first place?
** - This is not a good thing to ask

Orientation Week

Yikes.


Orientation week is finally over. Spent the week in classrooms meeting the different disciplines that we would be working with, doing a small tour of the hospital, brushing up on some knowledge and skills. It was a long week  but I think in the long run, it'll prove very useful.


My first set of shifts start on Friday - 2 days, 2 nights then 5 off. Of course, my shifts start on a weekend! Oh well, it's not like I do anything on the weekends anyways. I'll just be thrilled to receive that first pay cheque.


Glad to be home for a visit for a few days. I like my new place and new job, but there's nothing like home.


Peace and love!

The CRNE... The Devil's Incarnate in Paper Form.

Well, after writing the CRNE yesterday, the extreme thunderstorm we had last night didn't scare me nearly as much. Talk about putting things into perspective.. Gosh, I hope the two events weren't correlated.


The CRNE sure lived up to its reputation and those who disagree, you'd better check your pulse! All that aside, I am glad to be done. All courses and schooling done.. All clinical done.. Graduation done.. Exam done. Now, to start my new job on a floor I absolutely detest and to move away to a new place. Everything is happening so fast and well, I'm just not ready for it.


But that's life, eh? Life doesn't stop just because I am not ready for it. I mean, it never ceases to amaze me how I can think I am ready to move on and forget things.. or somebody, when you see them again, everything changes. It's been many years; I have convinced myself that life has lead two of us in different directions and that ties have been cut.. but I see them again in a passing glance.. smiling.. and that just all goes out the window.


Well, in a few days I will start my new journey and chapter in life.. I will keep posting. Don't hang on edge for too long.

Twas the Night Before Pediatrics Clinical...

Well, it's the most wonderful time of the year.


The evening before my first day of Pediatrics clinical rotation. Not the most encouraging of words have been spoken of this rotation- classmates and others just tell me to "grin and bear it". Gah. Let's hope my preceptor will be stellar- I'm sure they will be! Though I must admit that I'm kind of excited to try something new. I will fill you in on the events of the day tomorrow- like how many times I get thrown up on, pooped on, etc. Or maybe I'll have an irate, rogue mother who throws a bedpan at me. I'm not known for my good luck, nor am I known for having the perfect words at all times. Should be a doozie!