What are they thinking?

Ah my first "What are they thinking moments"

#1 Pt family Member walks up to the Nurse's Station where myself and the Nurse are sitting. " I need to borrow that thing you listen to the heart with. My mom's heart is pounding out of her chest!"

So we go down to the room. Take the PULSEOX and its 63 BPM at 98% on Room Air! Beating out of her chest my ass! Dramaqueen! Of course my first comment was,

"I'm pretty sure if you don't know what its called you don't know how to use it."

and I absolutly stick by that comment!

So then ...


#2 I'm talking to my daughter's friend yesterday and she says, "That her Mom thinks she needs a colonoscopy."
" What? That's a pretty invasive diagnostic test and you are way too young for a routine test. What's wrong?"
" Oh, I don't use the bathroom twice a day like you are supposed to." she says.

So I explain to her the concept of "regular" bowel movements and according to her she is an every other type of girl. Ok so that's NORMAL. Then she says, " But my Mom's friend had one and she said they removed 17 lbs of waste from her colon."
" Oh you mean a colonic that's totally different. Although 17lbs? What is that person eating?"

You don't realize how little people know until you know more. So I guess I am learning something in Nursing School!

Of course I explain the process of a colonic to this girl and you can see the shock and horror on this 16 year old girl's face at the concept! My daughter was grossed out too! I'm sure they had quite the conversation about it later!

Week In Review

I used to post how many weeks were DONE at this time and for the life of me I can't remember how many weeks I've been in Nursing School... can you believe it?

I CAN tell you however, that I have 5 weeks of clinical left and 7 weeks of classes till the end of semester 1!! I can't decide if its flying by or dragging, but it sure has had its ups and downs, and promises to continue to be a rather wild ride down the home stretch!


So what have I learned in clinical this week?

1.) My instructor thinks I am the "Injection Queen" (Her words not mine) Of course we all know how much I love to poke people. LOL

2.) It's possible to get a P++ as a grade (In a P/F class)

and finally

3.) Yes Christine the urethra is not as scary as you thought it was. Even if it isn't as anatomically correct as those books make it appear to be!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Where's Waldo?

Student Nurse #1 "I can't find it. Do you see it ?"
Student Nurse #2 " No. Is that it?"
Student Nurse #1 " No! Is that it?"
Instructor " Let me try.Wow I can't see it either!"
In walks Seasoned Nurse #1 " I can't find it."
Seasoned Nurse #2 " Let me help lift that higher."
Student Nurse # 2 " Is that it?"
Seasoned Nurse #1 " Yes!"


So... Student Nurse # 2 inserted her very first straight cath into a female today!!!

And let me tell you... that game of Where's Waldo helped Student Nurse # 2 get over her fear of catheter insertion that's for sure!

Careplan # 2 and my first Mental Health Test

Ah tomorrow is a day off of classes and I am going to be crazy busy. Since the flu knocked me out all week, I didn't get a chance to review any of my notes and of course the test is 1 week from today. Today's POP QUIZ reiterated the fact that I do not know the material at all! Good thing it didn't turn out to count for anything and can serve as a study guide... but I do see a lock down weekend in my future.

We did score a big win though and our instructor agreed to make next week's test only on the 3 mental health chapters and not to include the 55 page section on Nutrition in the middle of it. I mean come on, all those drugs alone and every phase and stage of the plethora of mental illnesses. their signs and symptoms, as well as those of addiction is a major chuck of memory skills even if there are only 20 questions to answer.

So onto another section of the LTC (Long Term Care) for clinical...Today I went and pretty much picked a random pt for my next two clinical weeks. A depressed, early onset Alzheimer's pt with a recent CVA (stroke). I am not even sure if he'll want to work with a student, but I think I have seen him around and usually can "flirt" my way into getting the guys to do what needs to be done. ( Of course flirt is in a totally professional manor not sexual) I tend to use a lot of flattery in a round about way. It's just kindness and attention, and let's face it, some of these people never get to see a kind face or a smile. Great practice for therapeutic communication techniques.

Gummy Bears are good for a dry cough

well at least they worked for me today. Started to have a coughing fit and water wasn't touching it. Slammed a few gummy bears in my mouth and it seemed to suppress the urge. At least I didn't embarrass myself in class.

Good news is that the Pharmacology test was pretty easy. I got a 15/15!! I missed the bonus math question because it didn't dawn on me that how can you dose someone in 3.3 ml? Duh! Round to 3.0 moron. Oh well at least I did not fail and I am not desperate for points or anything an A is an A. Which is a good thing since I could not for the life of me figure out how to study with how bad I felt. But I guess taking antibiotics all these years, the stuff just sank in. However, one new drug did stay in my brain!

Shake and Bake syndrome! LOL 10 points for those of you who can guess the drug!

RENT!!!!

I just got back from seeing RENT. It was amazing, touching, and truly spellbinding. The voices, the jokes, the messages! So worth the money and thank God that I was feeling slightly better and could enjoy it with my Daughter. She sang along and it was a memory we will cherish. 1 coughing fit and no extra money for a signed playbill aside. It was a perfect night. I recommend to everyone, if you get the chance see this..SEE IT! It's the original Roger and the original Marc from the "movie". Yes they really do sing like that!

Kitten with a URI

Poor baby, he sounds awful he looks awful and they said it will take weeks for him to get better.

Hubby took him to the vet since my fevers were to high and they shot something up his nose and gave him a script for Amoxicillin which we have to go pick up today.

Seriously have you ever heard a kitten try and breath through his mouth? However, I hear this is common with shelter cats. But it still sucks for him.

Ok off to try and nap.

Some cheese with that wine?

It's nearly Thursday so much for springbreak. My fever is still hovering at 101.7 but I did manage to get it down to 99.6 with 800mgs of Motrin for a whole hour! I just took some more Motrin so I'm hoping for a restful night. My cough is going to be one of those icky ones I can tell. You know that tickle kind that breaks you into coughing fits at the worst possible time and lasts for weeks. Its productive yet dry hacking all at the same time if that can happen. I am taking my daughter to see the Broadway Travel Show of RENT on Friday... I freaking better feel better!

In other news:

I finally heard from my student loans, they finally sent my money to the school on Monday, so if they are working maybe I'll get some cash soon. Which would be nice. I need to pick up another car so we don't have to do the carpool shuffle anymore. Of course I have my summer classes to pay for too, I am debating on if I want to tackle O-Chemistry and Microbiology over the summer. I had planned on taking them this spring, but yeah I got into the LPN Nursing Program instead! Of course to advance to Block 3 and into the official RN portion I still need those classes. So I'll try. I haven't been able to study because of the fevers but I have to get some time in. I have a Pharmacology test on Monday!

Nite!

FLU SHOT BUT I NOW HAVE THE FLU

Welcome to spring break. High fever, chills, muscle aches, migraine, a hacking cough with minimal productivity and I am so tired just typing this. Stared to feel crappy yesterday afternoon and by 11pm I had a temp of 103. WTF! I am not getting the flu shot again. Whats the point?

PC alert

From now on Monkeys in the US are to be called "Primate-Americans" LOL

Global

I have noticed some people have stumbled upon my blog from many regions! Feel free to comment so I know who you are. I'd love to check out your sites too!

10 weeks DONE and finally Springbreak

You know you are so sick of hearing me bitch about spring break already!


What did I learn in clinical this week...

1.) TB tests are really easy to give & fun
2.) I am a one stick wonder now when it comes to accuchecks.
3.) I apparently play well with others and I share my toys well.
4.) I get nervous about the possibility of straight cathing someone but bummed when they pee all on their own!

and finally....

5.) Careplan note cards are totally worth the money!

Quads with Two Moms

Discovery Health, a lesbian couple each got pregnant with twins on the same day through IVF and delivered within a day of eachother each via c-section. Ok I have to say that would be the coolest thing in the world!! How many people really get to share the EXACT same experiences with their partners at any given time with such a life changing event such as pregnancy and birth either male or female? Now the fun part, 4 babies!

Two days till Springbreak!

Two clinical days...Of course it will fly by I am sure. The vacation that is not the clinical days. They seem to drag. So my project/Presentation is done. I managed to include some pretty good pictures of open compound fractures. Now I just have to write up a few talking points to pass the 20 minutes required.




Oh and did I mention that last Friday I got to give my first TB injection Mantoux test? Pretty cool. I got a very nice wheal my first try! This is not me BTW... I wear gloves.

I can't decide that I can't decide

If you had to pick a project to do and talk about in clinical for 20-30 minutes what would you pick? I HAVE no clue. There is just so much to choose from. I'm thinking ORIF only because its what I have in clinical and its a medsurg/rehab type of thing and we haven't really brushed on the topic yet. But can I talk about it for 20 minutes? At least the pictures would be cool.

My dog is crazy!

She just won't stop crying about the new kitten. We have slowly started to introduce them. The kitten his verbally against it. He spits and growels so loud. But I think he'll come around as he gets bigger. I am not sure if Sasha, the dog, wants to eat him or smell him at this point, but she is just so worked up, we can't let her get too close to him yet. She shakes she gets so anxious. I think she needs a dose of Xanex or something.

On a school related front, I bought a set of cards and a pcoket guide on Nursing Diagnosises, interventions and Rationals. I need to think of 5 interventions for 4 Nursing Diaganosises to turn in my final Careplan on Friday. I think I have the gist of it, but I am not really too sure seeing as though its my very first attempt. Well off to a read a few chapters before tomorrows theory lecture.

I

My new grandbaby

His name is Colt, He is 7 weeks old. My daughter brought him home today. I much prefer this kind at her age!

I can see clearly now the haze is gone...

You know your vision is bad when it takes a new pair of glasses to let you see a MOUNTAIN!!!

To careplan or not to careplan...

Of course I would be the one who's Pt was sent to the hospital last night! 12 million meds and a careplan later, my Pt was not even there. So I laughed it off more grateful actually than anything, because I did not have to pass the 25 AM meds and explain every last detail of each to the Instructor. I could say it was a waste of my time looking up and writing the actual 25 different AM meds this person was on, but I ultimately learned alot about the disease process of CKD.

However, the day was not a bust. I got a much better Pt. Of course the meds simply consist of a pain med PRN and a Lovanox injection. I am still happy even if I have do have to rewrite a careplan tonight before clinical tomorrow. The case is great though TBI and open fx of the distal humerus and pelvis.

I did also get to poke more people today! But today I got to use this one...




Hey I'm moving up in the world... next comes IM!!!

Did I mention?

I am an idiot for choosing the the post kidney transplant!!


Oh and failure to study and procrastination apparently equals the minimum passing grade... so yeah I'll take an 80 for the Pharmacology and Theory tests this week! It could have been worse!

Risk for Pre-Springbreakitis

r/t Lack of concentration, signs of procrastination, and piles of notes up to eyeballs


Should be NANDA approved!




It's going to be 90 today... I can just hear the lounger by the pool calling my name!

<--- I should be here!

Pharm Test Tomorrow

People keep calling me or emailing me for ideas on how to study... what am I supposed to say?

Procrastinate, Cram & Pray for the best?


That's pretty much what I have been doing this weekend. I have no idea why I am finding it so difficult to concentrate or grasp this stuff this week.