I've been reading like a fiend lately, and really enjoying what I'm reading. The last few books read as follows...
YOU: The Owner's Manual (Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.)
- I'm still working on this one. They're the folks who came up with the Real Age concept. I heard a review/interview on NPR about a month ago, and picked up the book that very same day. It's funny, interesting, and it seems they did their research. This book covers many areas of health, knocks some of the myths about our bodies, and gives a multitude of tips and hints and guides about making the most of our years on earth.
Next week I'll be starting on the mother-baby unit! I've been caring for 4 patients now, and feel fairly comfortable. It's definately more stressful than it was when I had more support. I'm trying to remind myself that my days may be busy, but it's normal and it doesn't have to affect me for the rest of the day.
So one more day in the high-risk/gyn unit.
Yesterday mom came to visit and we took a look at gowns!! Next week I'll be going with Claudia and we'll make some decisions. Fun stuff! I just got a haircut from my excellent hairdresser John, at Absolute Hair on Lark St in Albany. I go
I'm not sure if I can blog about yesterday. I haven't figured it out in my head yet, I haven't defined my coping mechanisms to survive the days when a baby dies not 8 hours after he was born, nor the days when a 20 year old man/boy gets hit by a car and I perform chest compressions in the ER, as I did in clinical a year ago.
Yesterday was controlled chaos with fewer nurses than we should have had. The past week or so, I've been acting less as a orientee and more as one of the nurses who is free to ask questions of the more experienced. The biggest problem is when everyone is busy and going in different directions, and I don't have someone who always has the time to answer questions and guide me.
Wait a second? I'm still on orientation? Yes, in some ways...but my patients are no longer assigned to Sylva/2ndNurse...it's just SYLVA. My main preceptor's still on vacation (till Monday) and so my second resource nurse (Peter, also a fantastic nurse) is around and available for questions. There are other nurses always available when I'm swamped or stumped, or I'm unable to get a reponse from the Docs. I have been able to offer assistance to other nurses too.
Guess what? I still like my job. I'm still learning lots every day, and ... oh boy, the patients I see are definately interesting Hah.
Every month I get an email from the Uconn Digital Commons where my thesis is published. The abstract is there, and the full text is available for download. See it here.
I have worked my first 12 hour shifts the last two days. I like the unit, but it's a long time to work. However, I feel good today, and there is a certain motivating factor when all you've done for the last two days is work, eat and sleep.
I just checked online to discover that I am now a licensed registered professional nurse.
How so incredibly cool! I'll be getting a new ID badge with the title RN, BSN. Excellent!
Hey folks,
I made it through 2 out of 3 weeks on an orthopaedic unit. Looking forward to going to the Birth Place, but hey... I'm living nursing. It took me a few days this week, after passing my NCLEX and having a 3-day weekend, to settle in on the floor. It was chaos. 2 new post-ops on Tuesday just threw me for a loop, especially when one was immunosuppressed and had a fever for 24+ hours. Change the pain meds around, get blood/urine/sputum cultures...
I've been working with all the staff, starting to delegate with the PCAs, asking the docs/residents/interns to do things that need to be done...
I passed my NCLEX! I took the exam Saturday morning, July 15th, bright and early at 7:45am. Walking out at 9am on the button, I had no idea how I'd done. This morning while at work, I checked my results. The answer: PASS.
Shortly, I will be an RN, BSN. One less thing to think about, one more to be excited about!
Sylva
