8 days and dreading

Seriously not looking forward to the start of classes. I really think the idea of a BSN is over rated! LOL OK not seriously but the thought of Advanced Comp and Professional Nursing and some other class for the life if me I can't remember the name of...the endless amount of APA papers in my future... D R A G.

I can't wait for the Fall semester though.

So anyway visiting nursing has been crazy busy! I have about 8 patients right now with admits and discharges pretty much at a steady pace. Might I just add that the concept of two jobs with two paychecks is a good idea in theory, but in actuality sucks when you are weighed down with paperwork and feel like you only have a slight clue as to how to do it most days... I must add though that the office staff is pretty great with helping and when I have questions.

My blog is in Vfib

Have you ever looked at your dashboard and seen the little EKG looking strip next to your pageviews? Apparently mine is in Vfib!

My other two... New Additions at the "A" Mansion & Nobody Here but us Adipose Tissue & Band. are looking to be in a bit of first degree heart block.

Like Surgical Technology but on Steriods

That is what the OR Program instructor said the new format for the Peri-operative Program will be. Our class this Fall is going to be a first of it's kind AORN Journal Published Pilot Program as a Template for all future programs toward bringing the Nursing back to the OR.

Not only is the program in the Fall but also in the Spring, so 8 Months to be exact of OR Scrub and Circulating instruction, as well as First Assist Training. Aka Blocks 5 & 6. (Yay and a new uniform- Black Scrubs!)<- this part is dripping in sarcasm.

This also includes 400 hours of Scrub/Circulating experience at a hospital of our choice... aka hospital we would like to work at when the program is over because they are coordinating with the Staff Educators and HR Departments of our placement hospitals as potential hires. Since we are all already Registered Nurses we are eligible for hire... as well as our training is not coming out of their budget so we are able to bypass the new grad and training programs that hospitals are not wanting to hire right now. So armed with the 120 cases completed as a requirement and 400 contact hours, which is 3 shifts a week for 12.5 weeks, it's a LONG job interview. With this current economy it's worth the $1,600 this program is going to cost me.

Hopefully I will come out of this with my dream job on top of the Certification come next May.

Now for my dilemma. This program is intensive. 2 days a week of class and lab M and F from 7a to 4p. Quizzes, skills checks offs and then clinicals. I know I am way more marketable with my BSN and OR Certificate, but is it doable to continue on this path? I mean this program is 16 credits, my current BSN program is 12 credits every 11 weeks. I know it is doable in the long run and worth every penny and sleepless night, but then again, I have two jobs and will eventually have foster children as well, very likely foster children with medical needs. Of course once I have two medical foster children in my home I will no longer need the second job, other than to buy myself toys :-) (like the boat I want), anyway.... what to do?

I think what will happen is I will continue the the BSN program as well as the OR program because the biggest contributing factor to getting into a hospital around here is the BSN as well as the contacts that are made during the clinical and just may have to down size my second job. In the meantime I am getting as many hours as I can!

A Day in the life of a Visiting Nurse

So yesterday was a taste of exactly what a normal visiting nurse schedule could look like.

My day started with an 8am discharge visit, where the pt started talking about issues that she was now having with regard to a medication. She felt it was causing some adverse side effects other than chubby cheeks there did not seem to be a real "issue" So that one took about an hour and then I went over to next visit and arrived about 15 minutes early.. INR drawn and that one was pretty quick at just under 30 minutes.

So I went home for lunch and to find my stethoscope. I was able to get a little charting completed, ate and watched a little TV and relaxed, until my next appt which was at 1. Where I drew another INR and figured this one would be quick as well, except I noticed a possible infection, and had to call the MD because the pt had not had a f/u done yet. So that took about an hour which I did not figure it would, then I had to drive out to my farthest client which takes about 20 minutes, where I had to do a start of care- which takes about 2 hours or more depending on the medications the people are on, but I manged that one in 1.5 hours.

So it was about 4 hen I pulled back into my house, my next and last pt of the day is only 10 minutes from my house, so I threw a roast in the oven and scarfed down some ice cream (bad me) and I headed out to my 5:00 start of care. I was home by 6:15.



Then I had to go into work for 9pm at my other job. I just now completed my start of care charts and care plans and submitted them.



Oh and I am about to head out to the Peri-operative orientation soon.

Starting to pick up

So my visiting nurse position is starting to pick up. I hope to be up to 3 visits a day and 2 start of cares a week. I think that would make my time worth it because it would add about 4200 more a month. Not bad for 20 hours a week. I told them today that I am pretty flexible with my hours and can pick-up overflow... so now maybe they will think of me more.

Application.... Accepted!

Congratulations! This letter is to inform you that you will be enrolled into the Peri-Operative Nursing program for Fall 2013. Mandatory Orientation will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Application Submitted

To add another thing on my plate... of course this one we all knew was coming... I submitted my application for the Peri Operative Program today. Of course it does not start until the fall and does not start the selection process for another month or so... but they say that usually the small class size 17 is not a factor... there aren't actually that many people interested in the program. I just hope they don't cancel it this semester based on low enrollment... I have been waiting for this opportunity since block 1 and feel this is the only way that I will be able to get into an OR job in this freaking state.

Why I love my new job...

I still have my old job (Peds) but the second job, the one that despite it being a slower start than I had wanted it to be at this point, I actually am putting up with that in hopes that things will be where I need them to be, ie MONEY. Because he office staff support is AWESOME!

Not one time in the 2 years working for my current job have they ever had a nice word to say to any of their nurses. In fact you only hear from them when they are threatening you with suspension or being written up for some new rule they have implemented in at the last minute or something they are deficient in and need to cover their butts on and thus pass the panic down to us.

But within 1 case I have received emails from my new job with kudos and good job comments... you know what it does... it makes this passive aggressive procrastinator want to work that much harder and put up with less than an expected work flow to help them grow their business and be patient and continue to work with them.

Now if only they could fill my schedule as they promised. I have a really nice house to pay for and I really need the extra money to do so otherwise I may have to revise my plans yet again.

Why I see an NP

Because the letters RN mean something to her, because she takes me serious when I know when something isn't right... but she also makes me go to see the Urologist and get an exam I really don't want because of blood in my urine that in my family is like a genetic trait... I mean EVERY member of my Mom's family and their offspring, and their offspring's offspring have so far had his + result.

SOLO

So today was my first SOLO visit as a visiting nurse. I think I did pretty well... until I got home. Of course there was a point I think I was doing VERY well... then I lost a whole section... probably a very important section as it was my start of care narrative notes... so yeah this is embarrassing, but they were expecting it anyway...lol

I think I can get the hang of this though, not as crazy as I thought, once I get a system and figure out all of the ins and outs of the computer system.

But: I really like visits!

Food Therapy

How do you convince a kid,who has never eaten, that food is good & fun? Well like any other kid you start with junk food. Ok so not really the best introduction to eating, but the main goal is introducing foods so as to get off of TPN.

Ramen, cocoa puffs,baby carrots, and peanut butter sandwiches have been a bit hit. Mind you these are merely bites, but coming from a kid that has refused food of ANY kind for ever... I am pretty proud that I am trusted enough to have them let me try and well a Build-A-Bear is also great motivation. Who would have thought?

The one where I change my mind a million times...

Why because I chose to go through a foster parent/ adoption class and made a commitment to that. So as a result I have had to take a step back and see where all these working opportunities and such have to fit in, especially since I still have school to think about as well. In theory doing all of this 7 days a week nearly 20 hours a day seems doable... but in reality... I know it totally isn't.

What I found was that I have to keep my current full-time job, not take the one bringing her to school 3 days a week, and not teach this semester. I decided I really need to try and get all my ducks in a row for the visiting nursing position and make that one work for me.

Why? Because of time all of these things will take and the need for flexibility of course. Having kids again I need to have a work schedule that allows for frequent changing as needed, especially foster children, they have a bit more going on then bio children sometimes. Eventually hubby will be a stay-at-home, MAYBE, but for now it's not an option until we sign on the dotted line for buying the house, his length of employment is a BIG factor.

So why the visiting nurse? I think it's the only one that offers the highest payrate and flexible hours. Especially since the new house costs so much more and will need so much more furniture, I really need lots of money for a while to buy the stuff to make it look nice! I also figure another shift work position will not fit in for emergency situations and such if the need arose.

So let's see how all of this pans out... shall we.

PS... What foster care/adoption class am I talking about?

Why New Additions at the "A" Mansion of course! Did I forget to mention it before?

Urgh!

So I need so much for the visiting nurse position and since I am NOT full-time with them they do not supply it. IE: Ipad or internet access for inside pt's home on my laptop ($100 + monthly service fee of $65), new electric BP cuff and thermometer($50, rolling nursing bag ($45)Not to mention the nearly $300 for the pulse ox.

I repeat... I really need to get PAID!