Holy funnyhats!
Ok, so I think I can share this story without violating the HIPPA laws. I'm not sharing any identifying information - no names, date of birth, nothing that would give out knowledge of just who this person is....
So that means that I MUST share.
Well, here is a story I'm sure I will be telling for many years to come...... hahahhhhahahahaha!
Just shoot me! I finally got my "most embarrassing nursing school story" today! LOL.
This guy had a total (radical) open (not laparoscopic, but full on open incision)
prostatectomy (prostate removal)... I thought the incision site was....
ah-hem.... on his perineum (between the testicles and the anus).....
so I told him I needed to assess the incision, and he was fine with that....
after not being able to see it well enough at first, I asked him to spread his legs further because I couldn't get a good look, so he did.
So then I had to..... Umm.... "lift up his business" (for the 2nd time, mind you) and......
After a few amusing seconds, which seemed like forever to me, I was perplexed at why I didn't see the incision site.
Of course I didn't say anything out loud, but was running through the scenario in my humbled brain...
as I realized I needed to "trace" the tubing for the JP (Jackson Pratt) drain in order to figure out what was going on,
the patient gracefully reminded me that his incision site was on his abdomen.
OMG - can you say HUMILIATED?????
Thankfully this was probably the most fun patient I have ever had. He was funny, gracious, appreciative, and
he kept saying how obvious it is that I should be a nurse. He even let me tell the funny story to his wife - who let
it be known that she is SURE that he enjoyed my little embarrassing moment! haha!
I know these things will continue to occur. I hope I am always as able to laugh at myself as I have been today.
:-)
Friday, September 26, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
1st Clinical Day of the Quarter
Well, we are working hard on becoming "real nurses" and it's.... daunting and scary and exciting as heck!
This the the quarter where we're supposed to start acting as "nurse leaders." We are supposed to start practicing delegation and really "managing" our patients.
In that particular task, I felt like a failure today. Thankfully, however, it is easy for me to say "first day of the quarter" and get over it. Phew, thankfully!
I have 2 pretty simple patients this week. They don't need many meds, don't need many special treatments.... So I don't feel like I'm doing anything terribly special for them. Yet, I have one middle-aged man who insists of flirting with me, and another patient who asks me if I'm sure I can't stay till 7:30pm - 'because I seem to be so great at what I'm doing.
This was one of the days that I have been freaking out about - the day we start the quarter in which we'll eventually care for FOUR patients. And one patient told me to my face repeatedly that I was "so great" and I heard the other speaking with a family member (after I had left the room) and the family member said "she's really good" and he agreed. Oh-my-God!!! I was so scared of coming back to clinical after having the summer off, and to get this ON DAY #1!!!!!!!
In post-conference, we will share "wins and challenges" each week. When I shared this "win," I totally started crying. I was so embarrassed, but I realize it is a culmination of many quarters of stress and fear coming to a head in a really great moment of personal accomplishment. My greatest wish is to be a nurse who is efficient yet caring with my patients. To hear them saying such nice things about me when they don't even know I am listening is the icing on the cake of nursing school.
Take a breath. Stop fearing the worst. Work for the best.
Woo-HOO!
This the the quarter where we're supposed to start acting as "nurse leaders." We are supposed to start practicing delegation and really "managing" our patients.
In that particular task, I felt like a failure today. Thankfully, however, it is easy for me to say "first day of the quarter" and get over it. Phew, thankfully!
I have 2 pretty simple patients this week. They don't need many meds, don't need many special treatments.... So I don't feel like I'm doing anything terribly special for them. Yet, I have one middle-aged man who insists of flirting with me, and another patient who asks me if I'm sure I can't stay till 7:30pm - 'because I seem to be so great at what I'm doing.
This was one of the days that I have been freaking out about - the day we start the quarter in which we'll eventually care for FOUR patients. And one patient told me to my face repeatedly that I was "so great" and I heard the other speaking with a family member (after I had left the room) and the family member said "she's really good" and he agreed. Oh-my-God!!! I was so scared of coming back to clinical after having the summer off, and to get this ON DAY #1!!!!!!!
In post-conference, we will share "wins and challenges" each week. When I shared this "win," I totally started crying. I was so embarrassed, but I realize it is a culmination of many quarters of stress and fear coming to a head in a really great moment of personal accomplishment. My greatest wish is to be a nurse who is efficient yet caring with my patients. To hear them saying such nice things about me when they don't even know I am listening is the icing on the cake of nursing school.
Take a breath. Stop fearing the worst. Work for the best.
Woo-HOO!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Module Hell
On the first day of school, I set up a Yahoo Group for our class. By 4th quarter, we had all but about 3 people signed up as "members" of the group. Yay! So, via the site, we have this "study group" set up. It's pretty cool.
Each week, and for each class, we have a "module." Actually, sometimes there are more than 1 module, but not this quarter as far as I can tell. So, a student will sign up to complete a single module, which consists of questions that we should be able to answer after we complete the reading for that week. There may be 5 questions, or there may be 15 questions - you just never know. So, the student who signs up for the module completes the questions and posts them to a file on the group site. Then, everyone can print them out and use them for studying. One major rule is that EVERYONE has to do their own reading. Another rule is that if a student doesn't understand the answer to a question, it is up to them to figure it out. The other student has already done the work and can't always make 39 other students happy with his/her answers.
For the most part, the students who sign up are pretty hard workers. We only had 1 person sign up who did not complete their module last quarter, and that was after the person had dropped the program. Slackers pretty much don't even sign onto the group site - I think it works out pretty well.
So anyway, the good news is that I signed up for the 1st module for our main class and got the stuff posted today - I'm DONE with modules for the whole quarter!!!!! Yayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
That also means that I have completed all of the reading (for this week) prior to school even starting. I'm pretty proud of that because I haven't really gotten this far before. I've had high hopes but little drive... haha.
Ok, so it really wasn't "hell." It might have been one of the easier modules, but since I haven't looked at all of them, I don't know. But I am so happy that I had nipped it in the bud and did mine early! It's just one stress that I don't have to worry about for the entire quarter.
But I certainly DO have to read and study!! "One module completed" does NOT mean "NO MORE WORK!"
For any of my fellow students who might read this.... thanks for helping with the modules - we ROCK!
Each week, and for each class, we have a "module." Actually, sometimes there are more than 1 module, but not this quarter as far as I can tell. So, a student will sign up to complete a single module, which consists of questions that we should be able to answer after we complete the reading for that week. There may be 5 questions, or there may be 15 questions - you just never know. So, the student who signs up for the module completes the questions and posts them to a file on the group site. Then, everyone can print them out and use them for studying. One major rule is that EVERYONE has to do their own reading. Another rule is that if a student doesn't understand the answer to a question, it is up to them to figure it out. The other student has already done the work and can't always make 39 other students happy with his/her answers.
For the most part, the students who sign up are pretty hard workers. We only had 1 person sign up who did not complete their module last quarter, and that was after the person had dropped the program. Slackers pretty much don't even sign onto the group site - I think it works out pretty well.
So anyway, the good news is that I signed up for the 1st module for our main class and got the stuff posted today - I'm DONE with modules for the whole quarter!!!!! Yayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!
That also means that I have completed all of the reading (for this week) prior to school even starting. I'm pretty proud of that because I haven't really gotten this far before. I've had high hopes but little drive... haha.
Ok, so it really wasn't "hell." It might have been one of the easier modules, but since I haven't looked at all of them, I don't know. But I am so happy that I had nipped it in the bud and did mine early! It's just one stress that I don't have to worry about for the entire quarter.
But I certainly DO have to read and study!! "One module completed" does NOT mean "NO MORE WORK!"
For any of my fellow students who might read this.... thanks for helping with the modules - we ROCK!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Meet your new RN SCHOOL computer lab assistant
Geesh, they finally called me Thursday morning at about 9:15am and gave me a quickie phone interview. And top that off by hiring me over the phone - and then asking if I can come to the lab ASAP to help clean the computers... OH, that is AFTER I go down to the main campus to fill out some forms, pick up another form to have someone at the lab sign, and then bring it back asap (next Tuesday is the soonest I'm willing to drive down there again).
And they only have Monday morning hours available - the Wednesday afternoons that I wanted are taken. So that works out just fine. I'll work 4 hours on Monday mornings for the first 5 weeks (and I can't even work the 1st week because of an all-day clinical orientation day). I hope to "pick up" some more hours for the 2nd half of the quarter, but we'll see.
I am going to make so little money that I can't even believe I'm doing this. BUT, I will be able to do some printing while I'm there, and if I need to do anything else on school computers, this time will be really good for that.
I guess I figured I needed to add one more thing to my already busy calendar. But I think it will be fun and it will get my butt out of bed!!! (I have to be there at 7:45am)
:-)
And they only have Monday morning hours available - the Wednesday afternoons that I wanted are taken. So that works out just fine. I'll work 4 hours on Monday mornings for the first 5 weeks (and I can't even work the 1st week because of an all-day clinical orientation day). I hope to "pick up" some more hours for the 2nd half of the quarter, but we'll see.
I am going to make so little money that I can't even believe I'm doing this. BUT, I will be able to do some printing while I'm there, and if I need to do anything else on school computers, this time will be really good for that.
I guess I figured I needed to add one more thing to my already busy calendar. But I think it will be fun and it will get my butt out of bed!!! (I have to be there at 7:45am)
:-)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Do I wanna be a computer lab assistant....?
We (all of the nursing students) received an e-mail a couple of weeks ago that they are looking for lab assistants to work in the computer lab at school. The pay sucks, but the hours are flexible and it would keep the student on campus a bit more...
David wasn't keen on me doing it, but... for some reason, I was really wanting to. BUT - I decided NOT to try, so I never went down to fill out the application.
SO, I open up my e-mail this evening and what appears? An e-mail from some lady who wants to interview me for a position! I haven't even filled out an application! She wants to interview me tomorrow sometime between 10am & noon. Hmmm. Crap!
Well, I replied about the application, and told her she could call me in the morning if she wants to.
I totally don't know what to do. I don't know if this would be beneficial to me, or if it would hurt me. I can't say that I normally get much studying done during the day time (I'm an evening-time studier for the most part).
Uggg. Calgon, take me away!!!
(I'm sure it will all be just fine. My glass is definitely half-full!)
David wasn't keen on me doing it, but... for some reason, I was really wanting to. BUT - I decided NOT to try, so I never went down to fill out the application.
SO, I open up my e-mail this evening and what appears? An e-mail from some lady who wants to interview me for a position! I haven't even filled out an application! She wants to interview me tomorrow sometime between 10am & noon. Hmmm. Crap!
Well, I replied about the application, and told her she could call me in the morning if she wants to.
I totally don't know what to do. I don't know if this would be beneficial to me, or if it would hurt me. I can't say that I normally get much studying done during the day time (I'm an evening-time studier for the most part).
Uggg. Calgon, take me away!!!
(I'm sure it will all be just fine. My glass is definitely half-full!)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Long time, no write!
Well, it is now September 9th (Happy Birthday, David!!!). I'm starting to gear up for going back to school on the 22nd of this month. Darn, the things I could do if I only had 2 additional weeks.....
The GREAT news is that, as of the beginning of the quarter, I have less than 6 months left until graduation from nursing school! And, only 22 weeks of "actual school" left! I can't believe that this time is already so close. It's like I can taste it, smell it, FEEL it.
With that comes a little bit of fright. "How will I pass the NCLEX," "Will I get a job right away?" "Will I get a job in an area of nursing that is really interesting to me???" THAT is my biggest question.
To prepare me for the nursing board exam, I will be taking a really intense NCLEX review class - TWICE. I'm taking it after this coming quarter, and also right after my last quarter. Hopefully that will help to give me some more confidence. I'm sure it will. I probably don't even need as much confidence as I seem to THINK I need. haha!
David and I have been talking about where we'll go for my "graduation trip." I'm thinking Jamaica, or St. Lucia (or another island in that area). We've also talked about Mexico or Hawaii. It's hard to decide! But I want: tropics, all the fruify drinks I can handle, a swim up bar, snorkeling, and other things having to do with water warm enough I can swim in.
All I know is that I am looking forward to the last 2 quarters of nursing school, and what life post-nursing school will bring my way!
The GREAT news is that, as of the beginning of the quarter, I have less than 6 months left until graduation from nursing school! And, only 22 weeks of "actual school" left! I can't believe that this time is already so close. It's like I can taste it, smell it, FEEL it.
With that comes a little bit of fright. "How will I pass the NCLEX," "Will I get a job right away?" "Will I get a job in an area of nursing that is really interesting to me???" THAT is my biggest question.
To prepare me for the nursing board exam, I will be taking a really intense NCLEX review class - TWICE. I'm taking it after this coming quarter, and also right after my last quarter. Hopefully that will help to give me some more confidence. I'm sure it will. I probably don't even need as much confidence as I seem to THINK I need. haha!
David and I have been talking about where we'll go for my "graduation trip." I'm thinking Jamaica, or St. Lucia (or another island in that area). We've also talked about Mexico or Hawaii. It's hard to decide! But I want: tropics, all the fruify drinks I can handle, a swim up bar, snorkeling, and other things having to do with water warm enough I can swim in.
All I know is that I am looking forward to the last 2 quarters of nursing school, and what life post-nursing school will bring my way!
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