New Blog

http://blog.higherthings.org/nurseheidi

Rolling Stone...

How does it feel
To be on your own
No direction home
Like a rolling stooooone?

So, I have two, well, technically three weeks left of my first nursing class. I'm pretty psyched about that. It feels like I accomplished a lot, even though I have a ton of stuff to get done in the next three weeks.
And I've kind of decided that I want to at least try to get into med school. I'm not sure if it'll happen or what will happen in the next two or three years, but I think I'm going to try. I think I'll regret it if I don't. I do love medicine, and I think this is what I want to do. A lot of things may change, but for now, that's what I'm thinking. But I'm not giving up on nursing.
So, the thrilling stuff in my life-I got some of my competencies done, my care plan competency (the thing that everyone's freaking out about) is due tomorrow, and I just did it tonight. Well, I just fixed it up tonight. I feel like I should be more worried...
I also have another nursing test on Tuesday but I'm really not worried about this one. It was pretty easy material, well, at least some of it was. Plus, there's no essay...
Other than school, not much has been up, really. I've been doing tutoring and I'm really proud of one of my tutorees because she did so well on her tests, I've been thinking about future school plans and dreaming about going to Baltimore, followed by spring break. Just about a month and a half away!! :-D
I know I've had boring blog posts lately, but I really can't think of anything except school to talk about. Oh! I went to a forensics tournament, just to watch people. It was so much more relaxing watching people ;) And they're getting really, really good. I almost wish I could do it, but then I think of the time it would take :-p. It was fun to see everyone again and meet the new people (my replacees ;)) and Samantha and Sabrina have this AMAZING duo that I loved.
Other than that, I've been watching House again. It was so COOL when they talked about IgG and MRSA and VRSA and I knew exactly what they were talking about. I love medical shows. I know they're unrealistic, but I love watching them and figuring stuff out and figuring out when they made a mistake on something :-p There's one episode of House where the entire premise of the disease is screwed up, and I caught a mistake in ER once about flexion/extension. Wow, yes, I am a freak. And no one will watch medical shows with me ;)
I love nighttime. I feel so AWAKE at night. Which is AWFUL since I have to get up at 5 or 6 every morning. So I've kinda had a major lack of sleep lately. But I make up for it by crashing on Fridays. I love Fridays. I do NOTHING on Fridays and I LOVE it. Doing nothing rocks.
And this is ONE brilliant post ;)
Oh, I was tutoring Anatomy on Friday and I discovered that amazingly I DO remember Anatomy. I remember more than I thought I did, so that was pretty cool. I don't remember exact muscles or any of that stuff. Well, I remember a few, but not the tiny ones with names that all sound the same. But overall, my memory isn't so bad. My anatomy professor would be pleased ;)
I'm trying to think of an actual meaningful point to end this post with. Something that at least has some point. I can't think of much, except, something I discovered in clinical. Working with kids has made it a lot easier to work with patients, especially elderly patients. I didn't think I could handle some of it, but it turns out that I don't have a problem with it. I enjoy patient care, even if it's things that most people would view as gross. And I actually like working with older people, whether they're mentally "there" or not. Even if they have lost some of their memory, so many of them still have long term memories about their lives, and their lives are interesting. IT's interesting to talk to people who've actually done so much already. And in a way, it makes you realize that all people are really quite a bit alike, whether they're 2 years old, 20 years old, are 100 years old. And, in a way, they can all be treated the same, with respect, with attentiveness, with caring. Nursing is all about realizing that it's people you're dealing with every day. People who have more needs than just to get rid of this illness and kick them out the door. Sometimes, they just need someone to listen to them AND treat them. And when you can be that person, who takes time out of their schedule to just listen to what the person is worried about, or listen to them talk about their life or their grandchildren, that's the most rewarding experience you can have. It may even be as rewarding as saving a life.

Stealing from Rachel

You scored as Chemistry. You should be a Chemistry major! As if that isnt clear enough, you are deeply passionate about Chemistry, and every single chemical reaction and concept fascinates you. Pursue that! Chemistry 100% Mathematics 100% Biology 92% Engineering 92% Sociology 92% Psychology 92% Theater 75% English 67% Anthropology 67% Art 67% Philosophy 58% Journalism 58% Dance 25% Linguistics 17% What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3) created with QuizFarm.com

I find it funny that I'm apparently also 100% a math major. Just so you know, I don't exactly LIKE math ;) I also think it's funny that I'm almost a Sociology major :-p Because the one Sociology class I took, I despised. See, I think the POINT of Sociology IS fascinating, cultural interactions and all of that. But actual sociology just isn't half as interesting as it's cracked up to be...
But Chem, Bio, Psych and even Engineering, yup, sounds fun ;) And that is why I'll be in school for the rest of my life :-D
And while I'm blogging... Gram stains annoy me. Actually, I did them almost perfectly three times last week, but we had a quiz on them this week and I could NOT get one to work. Part of it was due to whoever uses my Microscope the day before, because it was REALLY in bad shape. And someone stole one of my slides... but, anyway, I now have to re-do the quiz next week. Which isn't so bad, I mean, I can keep redoing it until I get it right. But I hate feeling stupid :-p.

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Hididi

Hey Mr. Tambourine Man...

And my title has absolutely nothing to do with this post.
Well, my first week of clinicals came and went. Some of the other clinical groups haven't even started yet, but shadowed a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and a RN the next day (RN=Registered Nurse, what I'm going to be in two years...if I study and don't fail my test on Tuesday :-p) At first, I was a bit annoyed that some of the other groups got to do the shadowing. It seemed like it would help them. But now, I'm glad that we started already. I feel like we're ahead now, and we have one care plan already completed. That's a good start. And the clinicals, well, it reminded me that I definitely want to be a nurse. I didn't do everything perfectly, especially not on the first day, but it still went so well. The paperwork the night before clinicals was exhausting, but after that, the care plan didn't take that long. It was...great. Lectures haven't been so thrilling and it made me wonder if I was sure I wanted to be a nurse, especially with all the talk of "This is what you need a physician's order for." But then, I actually started DOING nursing things, even if they were minor ones, and yes, I DEFINITELY want to be a nurse. Oh, and I even got my name up on the patient's board where there's the space that says "Nurse" ;) Is it weird that I was so thrilled about that?
I also got to see a MRI. Wow, that was amazing. I helped to transport a patient over to the MRI room and then into the machine, and the tech showed us all these abnormal scans. It was FASCINATING and brought back a lot from Anatomy class.
I also have the best clinical group...I don't know, I just get along with pretty much everyone and we work pretty well together.
I should be going to bed...doing some tutoring tomorrow, and I still have studying to get done tomorrow, too. The Nutrition chapter's gonna kill me :-p Especially since that wasn't one of the best lectures, either... *crosses fingers for the test*
Oh, and I'm going, for sure, to Baltimore the week before spring break. There's a nursing student convention there...the professors waive our clinical time, which is pretty cool. And the school pays for everything except the flight...it'll be nice to get away and see the Eas Coast. And then, when I get back, I'll have a whole week off. I'd say to relax, but there will probably be loads of homework to work on, plus it's Holy Week.
I feel a biit behind with clinical competencies. But I'm not actually because no one else in my group has gotten them done, and I don't THINK any of the other groups have. I know that at least two of the other groups haven't. I guess I'll start on those next week...need to brush up on a few things, like remembering what exactly the normal limits for BP are... And then...well, nursing test on Tuesday, Micro next the week after, and then another nursing test. Don't have a Pharm test till March, fortunately.
Ack, lots of babbling. Methinks I'll go to bed now...
Read blog.higherthings.org/fischer for the happy news of the weeeek.

It's me...I'm alive!

I've pretty much been...getting rid of non-nursing school commitments. It's not really like me to do that. Usually I want to load myself up. But now, well, nursing school is pretty intense and I've been realizing that that's what I really need to focus on. Even Microbiology is a bit much, but that has to get done. Plus, I enjoy it.
It's amazing how 14 units of mostly nursing classes is so so so much more work than 20 units of science and humanities. I think part of it is that I realize that this stuff needs to stick in my brain, and we have tons of tests, and a LOT of reading to do, and the hands-on things really take a lot of practice. Plus, I keep remembering that starting next Wednesday we'll be doing them on actual patients. That pretty much makes me want to drop all my other commitments. Not that I had that many, except the speech team, tutoring (for the school), and volunteering at the children's hospital. I'm still in choir, but can't make it to choir practice...and I may keep up with voice lessons, but I'm not sure yet.
So, I really like nursing school. It's a lot of work, and a lot to remember, and I'm a bit unsure about the paperwork but I should know more about that when clinicals come. And it's weird, because we're learning how to do physical assesments but we won't get tested on them until the next half of the semester...and then the next semester after that we kind of get tested on it again. It's weird...oh, and we have tests every two weeks, too. So, Tuesday is my first test... well, minus the math test in Pharm (passing = 85% on that...but it's basic math :-p and you have three tries to do it, but if you fail the third one, you're out of the program...)
Micro's fun...it's hard having lab on Thursdays now, because it makes for a 14 hour day. But, once I get going in lab, I wake up. Actually, I woke up about 20 minutes before lab was over yesterday :-p I was just getting into it, and wanted to stay, because I found something (euglena) and was drawing it and wanted to find more things...really fun lab, and lecture's not bad either. And I did well on the quizzes so far... (big relief, because I thought he was going to mark me off on the first quiz and he didn't... it had me all stressed out about the whole class...anytime I forsee something less than an A, I freak ;))
Wow, lots of babbling about school. I haven't done much outside of school... nothing outside of school, actually... kind of sad, I guess, but, hey, most of us in nursing school are the same way...
It's nice to finally be...DOING what I want to do. But, scary, too. At least, the thought of clinicals are...doesn't help that I don't get pediatric patients till my last semester...I'm not planning on ever working on adults, partially because I don't think I'd be as good at it, and so, having to start off on adults is partially terrifying :-p. Weird, I know...
To end this rambling, here are some Bob Dylan lyrics again:

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll
With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger
At a Baltimore hotel society gath'rin'.
And the cops were called in and his weapon took from him
As they rode him in custody down to the station
And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.

William Zanzinger, who at twenty-four years
Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres
With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him
And high office relations in the politics of Maryland,
Reacted to his deed with a shrug of his shoulders
And swear words and sneering, and his tongue it was snarling,
In a matter of minutes on bail was out walking.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.

Hattie Carroll was a maid of the kitchen.
She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children
Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage
And never sat once at the head of the table
And didn't even talk to the people at the table
Who just cleaned up all the food from the table
And emptied the ashtrays on a whole other level,
Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane
That sailed through the air and came down through the room,
Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle.
And she never done nothing to William Zanzinger.
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Take the rag away from your face.
Now ain't the time for your tears.

In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel
To show that all's equal and that the courts are on the level
And that the strings in the books ain't pulled and persuaded
And that even the nobles get properly handled
Once that the cops have chased after and caught 'em
And that the ladder of law has no top and no bottom,
Stared at the person who killed for no reason
Who just happened to be feelin' that way without warnin'.
And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished,
And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance,
William Zanzinger with a six-month sentence.
Oh, but you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears,
Bury the rag deep in your face
For now's the time for your tears.

Nursing school...with Micro!

I was at school yesterday for 14 and 1/2 hours. Yuup, such is my life now.
So nursing school is pretty intense, but I'm enjoying it. Clinicals start in two weeks so we'll see how that goes. Microbiology also seems really interesting so far, so I'm enjoying it...
Outside of nursing people who I spend immense amounts of time with (but they're cool, so I'm fine with it ;)) I haven't been able to see any other friends at school yet...HOPEFULLY I'll catch up with some of them soon. I might go watch a forensics tournament in a few weeks which will be cool.
Okaay, I really should actually study now...why is it so much easier to do at school? I just know I'll have three chapters still to read on Sunday :-p