Today wasn't too bad, actually!

I was nervous about today as it is the weekend as more family come in & ask more questions & I haven't worked as a RN on the weekend b4 etc. etc. but it actually wasn't too bad.

We got to leave 1/2 hr early, actually ... the ward are pretty empty ... only had 3 patients with a simple admission right before lunch! :D

Nothing really noteworthy happened except:

I got to do a dressing: it was open (as it went deeper than the skin) & needed to be packed with gauze - this can be really painful for the patient as thin cloth like material is placed next to/top of etc. their nerve endings! Yep, not nice ... packing it (and changing the packing regularly!) ensures the wound doesn't just heal over at skin level & leave a hollow within ... which allows for infection etc. NOT good at all!! Anyway, I had to clean, pack & dress this patient's wound ... I was really nervous as i haven't done one in most like 6months or something!! Some wards allow assistants to do the dressings ... so I have done some ... but I just asked the other RN to come in with me! :D

I was again amazed by the team leader (I swear this woman has 50 different personalities!) .. she found out one the RNs who has moved here from an Asian country was able to save up for her family to arrive ... who just got here a few days again .. & the team leader found she didn't have anything ... not even a fridge ... so all of a sudden, a collection bucket went around & b/t the morning & afternoon staff ... $130 (enough for a bar fridge to get her started) was raised .. in the space of 10mins! :D The poor girl was so embarrassed she started to cry! Poor thing ... she just keep saying "I don't know how to say thank you!" It was definately a moving moment ... I could see a human heart in the team leader!! :D (thank goodness, I was starting to wonder!)

I made an embarrassing comment ... In my tape recording of handover ... I said that a patient was in with LUL pnemonia and stated the LUL was Left Upper Lung pnemonia instead of Left Upper Lobe!!! I mean it is in the lung & everything ... but it is a quarter of the lung instead of the whole lung!! Goodness!! Embarrassing!! :P

I also got my ear chewed out at lunchtime - not in a bad way, just bloody annoying way!! I had a late lunch b/c I had a new admission so I was hungry & tired & this assistant keep going on about how management doesn't help out & they should have different system with assistants to assist the RNs etc. Basically everything he said I agreed with but in the process he was knocking RNs in that we don't assess our patients properly & we only copy what the RN in the previous shift wrote ... and it is the assistants who notice the changes & change them etc. It was kinda annoying b/c i do know a lot of people do do that & it is annoying but it is a not a 100% true fact ... & he just keep going on & on ... I finally had to say something like "Look, i agree with you ... you don't need to convince" ... he just walked away mumuring "Yep, well, management upstairs isn't convinced!" ... if I had been another person in the room or if I wasn't so hungry & trying to enjoy my late lunch i would have found it almost funny ... such passion!! :p

So, yep, two more days to go!! :D Before a break! :D

Oh, yeah, the flirty RN came in this afternoon & yep, he flirts with everyone!! :D And i was annoyed at myself that I actually blushed ... when I made some flirty comment about how I had told the team leader that I really liked him & that she was trying to set us up (flirty lies, of course!) ... but as soon as I said it, I blushed ... it isn't because I like ... I think it is just that I have never flirted with co-workers before ... flirting is left for ToyBoys, crushs & boyfriends! Work, & school - I next to never flirt! Also, i don't know these nurses that much either ... so I really don't know how much I can push it with them ... e.g. i know I can tempt the ToyBoys with bondage & cooking!! And it works, too! :D

Anyway, I am signing off b/c apart from work, my life is incredibly dull at the moment ... but considering that work is basically taking up all my energy, strength & most of my time ... that doesn't really leave much left over, huh?

Till next time!

Blue Nurse!

Day 3 out of 6 - only 3 more to go!

Well, tonight was my last evening doing a PM shift before doing 3 mornings in a row ... all up it is 6 days straight ... it is normally 5 days ... so I actually have a 3 day break afterwards & yes, you guessed, I am taking off ... bugger Sydney ... I want to be somewhere where I have close to 0 responsiblity ... yep, you guessed it ... my bro & sis-in-law's place!! Ah, bless!! :D

Anyway, that is still three shifts away ... I have to admit I am nervous about tomorrow morning ... it is a lot busier in the mornings ... but I do have more support ... thankfully!

Well, this shift wasn't overly bad ... I had the same teamleader as last night ... when I realised this, I almost cried on the spot .. yep, that's the kind of effort she has on me .... & then I discovered she is on tomorrow morning ... bloody hell!!! I just prayed for a good shift!!

And then in handover, they basically all ganged up against New Grads ... we are all really new to giving GOOD handover ... it was bad enough that they made mean comments & made fun of our efforts but then, when one girl kept saying Um, um, um ... and was really slow ... they stopped it, & one of them just turned to me & said "That is bloody annoying .. I never want to catch you doing that ... if I catch you doing that I will be really pissed off ... don't do it! If you need to catch your thoughts put the tape on pause" Even tho, I was in shock ... I had the dignity to reply ... "You do realise that isn't me, right? I may be a New Grad but that isn't me!! I didn't do that!" (thankfully, someone had kindly commented to me last week that speaking fast in handover is a really good idea ... thank goodness for that, huh?) Man!! So, here I was thinking "this is going to be a really shitty shift!!"

It didn't help that I did majority of the afternoon chores by myself ... let me clarify ... before handover we have a list of chores that need doing to keep the ward stored up with supplies, the resusciation trolley is up to date etc. ... normally, we are running around doing them quickly for handover & then have a inservice of some kind e.g. education is so important & little refreshers!! :D Anyway, there was no inservice today so we took our time with the chores ... so much so that I did 8 out of 10!! That kinda reenforced the idea that maybe, just maybe, this shift was not going to be good.

I really had not wanted to go in for this shift ... I was praying super hard for a good shift.

I had 6 pts .. a bit better ... than one was for a transfer to a different hospital, two were selfcaring & fine in bed, & the dreaded confused patient (he had pulled out his catheter in the morning ... that is really unpleasant ... the catheter tubing is inserted up the urether & a small balloon is blown up so the catheter won't fall out ... for a patient to pull the catheter out with the small balloon blown up, they put themselves in lots of pain & really only a confused patient does that!!) was actually quite settled & no real complaints with him.

But since a patient pulled out their cannula (flexible needle in his arm) this morning, i had to put in a S/C (subcutanous - just under the skin) butterfly needle (semi- permanent cannula) on the patient's back ... I hadn't done one of them for ages .. it actually went okay ... just got to remember to pinch the skin & go in at an 40 angle! :)

Anyway, everything worked out okay with my patients ... they were lovely again ... and I actually rang up a Dr re: treatment of a patient ... it was a bit scary to talk to him but thankfully one of the nurses was really cool about helping me out. Actually, the other RN down my end was the best ... he was great ... when I was getting ready to call the doctor ... he just said, pretend you are having a conversation with me & look at me while you are on the phone ... so then he did all different funny poses saying ":Look at me ... you know you want to!" etc. He was a crack up ... actually the team leader has started to make comments like "are you single? the correct answer is you are married ... b/c that RN is single!" And then later, when he made some comment how he smelt after working the shift ... she made some comment about how he needs to do something about it b/c how am I (as in Shaz) going to sleep with him if he is smelly!!!"

That poor RN actually checked with me later & apologised if I felt uncomfortable etc. :p I just liked the fact I wasn't getting yelled at ... being able to muck around with your co-workers helps so bloody much!! :D

But I had fun with him later ... I had to put some cream on some swollen testicles ... and the RN was teasing me how since I am a goodie SDA girl, he was expecting me to blush & get all uncomfortable ... hee hee, well, I kinda left him thinking that I have seen a fair number of testicles ... and not just in the hospital either!! :D

That RN helped make the shift ... he was great!! :D (But don't worry, there is a decade in difference in age ... & I don't date work mates ... so hopefully the only reference i will have to him will be that he is great to work with!!)

Anyway, this whole shift went a lot better & I am slowly figuring out how the super tough as nails teamleader works ... hopefully, things go well tomorrow .. I am nervous .. it has been 12 days since I last did a morning ... hopefully, I can stay on top of things!! Hopefully!! :D

Life sucks!

I really want to write a nice blog about butterflies, rainbows, friends, the magic of Christmas, picking flowers, climbing trees, long walks, the wonder of cartoons & all the wonderful things that amaze us when I was little!

But, unfortuately, life is moving along so fast that I have to just try to keep up. And since most of my close friends are not actually near me for me to rant about my day, this blog is my only outlet ... so, as you can guess ... I had a shitty day!

The past two days I have had afternoon shifts on my level ... all my 5 shifts of orientation were in the morning & I had a RN to ask if I had trouble ... now, I have a full patient load (5), it's in the evening, I have no RN to ask & I have just got back from a 4 day w/e ... enough time to forget everything I learnt in orientation! Yep, I am barely keeping up.

Last night wasn't too bad ... I had a pretty heavy load ... only had 4 pts but 3 of them were heavy needing PAC (pressure area care) throughout the shift ... throw in that I don't know the afternoon staff that well & I had forgotten what I had learnt the week prior re: IVs etc. it was a bit of a rollarcoaster of a shift ... but I did get out just on 10:30pm ...(the time my shift finished!) This I had to be thankful for!

And then I got this feeling of false security b/c I started to think that this shift this afternoon would be better ... I would get my timing better & be able to do handover sooner & I know these patients etc.

HELL NO!!!

Instead of 5, I got 7 new ones!!! Let's just say, I HATED THIS SHIFT!!!! WITH A HUGE PASSION!!! Swearing under my breath for most of it, actually!

Oh, the patients were lovely ... isn't it always the way? ... the staff could go to hell & I would not miss them, would sent a reference to Satan & would throw a party to celebrate!! :D Complete with a thankyou card to Satan!

1) In handover the teamleader (a rough, tough woman) would stop the handover tape every 5 mins or so & make fun of the efforts of my fellow New Grads handover recording from the morning shift (yes, I am the only New Grad on in the afternoon ... & yes, I was incredibly pissed at her for doing this)

2) Then we lost a nurse so I got 7 pts! But thankfully, we got an assistant ... one I knew ... but I did have to share her with the rest of the ward (total of 33 patients) so yeah, it was nice to have a friend but really, everyone else's patients were much heavier than mine so yep, she did feel bad for not being able to help me much but in the end, she did help (emotionally) more than anyone else ... and that I am so thankful for.

3) Then when I went on my tea break, one of my patients was randomly transferred to another level ... the team leader had no idea why but she was in charge of them while I was gone ... but of course, I had to run up & give a handover & do his notes!!!

4) Then I had a discharge ... I was told that everything was ready for her to go ... but I was so crazy trying to figure out everything ... I hadn't actually worked out if all her paperwork had been done etc. A few heartstopping moments there when the transport came to take her away! :p But at least, I was down to 5 pts!

5) When I was at tea, the teamleader did my meds ... when she told me about them ... she told me that it would never happen again ... & it can be tough being a New Grad but save the tears for after the shift. That statement alone almost brought me close to tears when prior to that, I had been fine ... apart from the occasional swearing internally.

6) A Dr came & asked me to help him do a BSL (Blood Sugar Level) on a patient ... I thought, even tho he isn't my patient ... the other nurse is busy and nurse has helped me out so much, the least I can do is do this BSL (they normaly take 2 secs) ... well, of course, this pt's skin was so tough, it took 3 times ... and the pt had MRSA (Multi-Resistant Staphoccocus Accorus ... or some spelling like that ... basically means the patient had a very determined germ (or micro-organism) on their body which they can pass to you if you are not wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) e.g. gloves, & gown ... so yes, since i am not allowed to take the BSL machine into the patient's room ... MRSA can survive on non-living things like plastic etc. ... I had to keep going out & getting new strips & needles for the patient's BSL ... taking off my PPE & getting new PPE each time I left & reentered the room!!! Bloody hell! So annoyed!!

7) There were at least 3 IVs which got air in them ... this is really annoying ... you either have to get a syringe and aspirate the air out ... but that's only really good if you know what you are doing (I keep having trouble with the claps ... would forget there was 3 & do you have any idea how hard it is to aspirate air when you have locked the tubing?!) or you can disconnect it from the patient (one patient was ready to kill me when I tried this b/c it hurt so much .. hint: it shouldn't/doesn't hurt at all ... but her cannula was placed in a difficult vein at a difficult angle ... so, yep, not good at all). Both of these options I had difficulties with & needed to seek out help ... and then the last one, I actually broke the line (it goes through a hollow cylinder called a burette which you can squeeze to speed up the amount coming into the burette ... see, you can put an additive e.g. Antibiotics into the burette & cap off the the normal fluids e.g. Normal Saline to keep the vein open & when the additive has finished going through, you just uncap the burette & the normal fluids go in. But the buretter had emptied completely ... it is better to have a small amount of fluid in the burette so you don't get air in the line (air in the veins is NOT a good idea!) ... so I was trying to fill the burette up by squeezing ... well, I have decided that I should stop lifting weights ... because I broke it ... Normal Saline got me square in the face!!! If I wasn't so pissed off, I would have laughed!! And then I had to go & get a new line with a new burette etc. & of course, I grabbed the wrong one & opened it & when I was double checking it with another RN, she realised & I had to throw it out!! What a waste .. just because I wasn't thinking straight!! Pissed off at me now!!

8) Also, when the teamleader did my meds, she FORGOT to tell me that she had changed one med to be given instead of at midnight, that it should be given at 10pm ... much better for the patient but she didn't tell me ... I could have finished my shift & not given the gentleman his meds & nightshift staff wouldn't have given it ... b/c who would know that maybe I gave it & just forgot to sign for it!! Bloody hell!! :(

9) And one of the IV patients needed so much reasurance re: her IV .. she was the one who was in pain ... she didn't understand it no matter how many times different staff tried to explain it to her ... in the end, due to her pain, we ordered for the night doctor to reinsert her cannola on the other arm ... but while we were waiting for the doctor to come up, she said that her arm was fine now & as long as we didn't actually touch her hand, she could have her IV running ... so, fine, we put it back on ... it is due for a resite anyway tomorrow ... (the hospital's policy: cannulas have to be changed every 3 days ... risk of infection etc.) But man, that woman was so time consuming!! :(

10) One good thing was I did my handover in time & I did my notes okay ... I didn't ahve any PACs which helped so bloody much!! But I finished all my work 15mins b4 having to go home!! But I had to copy down the new roster ... & I was just saying goodbye to the bloody stupid f***wit of a teamleader, when the bloody stupid f***wit phone rang. Now, I understand that it is the end of the shift but honestly, it is part of her job to be sitting at the desk & answer the phone. But we are part of a team, right? right? So, when she hashly said "ANSWER THE PHONE" ... I thought, on one hand: "Screw u, bitch" & on the other hand: "well, if I can get along with this woman, then working on this ward will be much better" so I answered it.

Let's just say that answering that phone was the straw that broke the camel's back. EC (Emergency Care) was overflowing & knew we had an empty bed so wanted to know if we were ready for a this patient ... I had idea ... my life for the past 8 hours had surround 7 patients, not the entire f***ing ward!! But of course, when I asked the team leader & the new team leader (who was NOT any better!), all they said was No!! that nurse hasn't started yet. That of course, was not what the EC nurse wanted to hear ... she wanted to know when the nurse started ... um, I ahve no idea ... I don't know the night duty timetables ... so I had to ask that & basically I had a nurse on one end demanding a bed & two nurses on the other side taking no notice of me trying to get their attention ... when they finally did talk to me, they said that EC would just have to wait till 11pm when the third RN started for the night ... by this time the EC nurse was pissed and just said blutly that she was calling the supervisor and hang up ... & then the 2 RNs LAUGHED AT ME!!! I relayed the message & then they got all shitty b/c the EC RN had given attitude & how I had to learn to put my foot down & stand up to EC etc. WELL, I BLOODY WELLL WOULD HAVE IF I HAD ANY IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON!!! I have not been answering phones all night & have not been keeping an eye on the whole ward this shift ... that is not MY FUCKING job!! So, when the team leader make some comment how I did okay throughout this shift as I was walking off the ward, it was all I could do not to give her the finger.

It is 1.5hrs later & I am still really really angry & pissed off!! I do not want to go back. I want to quit. I want to leave & never come back!!

But unfortuately, I have to go back tomorrow and the next ... and i have to learn how to swim or else I am going to drown. That is certain.

So, please, enjoy the butterflies and rainbows, the clouds, the friends, the flowers & walks for me while I try and finish my sentence of nursing.

I know it will get better & the first 3 months are really really hard but it is all I can do to just make it through one day at a time!!

Bloody pet peeves!!

Ok, normally, (I like to think all this is true) I am a easy with anything goes kinda person & I am up for anything (within reason, of course!) & I normally look on the bright side of life but right now I am feeling annoyed & frustrated ... so I thought I would share:

1) MYSPACE is not working!! I can log on & use it for the total of 30secs before it just randomly closes ... it doesn't matter if I am writing a comment, checking out a profile, updating my profile, or checking out photos ... it will close & I am so annoyed with it!! And I got to use Myspace for little while yesterday at a friend's place & myspace worked fine then ... so I reckon it is the dodgy connection or something in the dorm computers!!!! (

2) I hate having to live with people who are selfish, annoying, immature & loud! Ok, the last one I could live with if the person was my friend ... everyone should have the right to be loud in their own home ... at the right time and with consideration of others, of course!! This dorm is pretty big (it definiately looks like it from outside!) but out of all the huge building ... I have such a tiny room that only up to 3 people can fit comfortably ... as long as they are staying in the same place, don't mind being really close with each other & don't try to open the fridge or the closet! I just want to have my own place- complete with SPACE!!, my own kitchen, and maybe even a back yard so we could put up fairy lights & have dance parties out the back!! :D

3) I hate the fact I am working full-time now & whenever I do get time off, I am so exhausted recovering from work, that my social life is decreasing!! (ok, slight exaggeration ... but most of my friends are still away on college holidays or just don't live near me!)

4) I hate the fact that when I really want to chat to my parents ... It costs a future!! It is cheaper for me to call USA (on the other side of the bloody PACIFIC OCEAN!!) then for me to call the next island just north of Australia!! WTF!! I just don't think that is fair!! Just because PNG is a 3rd world country!!

5) I hate the fact I can't cook!! Again, I think it has something to do with the fact I don't have my own kitchen but honestly I really truly suck at cooking!! And I come from a family that are great cooks & hosts!!

6) I hate it when life isn't balanced!! Too much work, too much idolisation of either friends or family, too much shopping, too many movies, too much TV!

7) I hate the fact that I am making a "bloody pet peeves" list!! This is so NOT me!!

8) I hate the fact that I don't have a car - in the city of Sydney, public transport do not go everywhere & there are huge chucks of the city that I have not been able to see due to not having a car! It doesn't have to be a fanastic model or anything ... just reliable & economical!! is that too much to ask?

9) I hate the fact that society & church both insist that you will be happier if you are in a couple/ family ... advertising demands it, gocery shopping is so much cheaper if you are buying for a family, you are able to contribute more with a family, your kids can be involved in Pathfinders, your husband can be an elder, ... ever notice that there are never any single focused groups at church ... it all about being a big huge family made up of small HAPPY families!! What utter B.S.! Then people have the check to ask why there are so many miserable singles in the community or why so many young people are leaving the church? I mean, really! You apply so much pressure ... it really shouldn't be that much of a surprise, should it?

10) I hate the fact people get so wound up about having the latest phone, the latest clothes, the latest music, buy, buy, buy, spend, spend, spend, .... WHAT IS THE F###ING POINT? Do you really think that will make you happier? If you have a IPOD, A MP3 player, A USB stick, a Laptop, 50 pairs of shoes, $100s worth of makeup & hair products, the perfect tan, ... What does it really matter when people are DYING from: STARVATION!!! WAR!!! NATURAL DISASTERS!!! Where kids only have one outfit to wear (I am not making this up!) & when they go to wash it they have to either put it back on wet or go around naked! And I not just talking bout little 5yr olds ... I am talking about 18yr olds!! Where people feel weathy if they have more than two pots & have space in the backyard for a vege garden!! Where girls are gang raped again and again from soldiers of both sides of the war!!! Where the thing that matters is making through the day alive & surviving!! How the hell can we just throw our money away so carelessly? HOW!!?

P.S. I am aware that I have made some huge contradictions in this post ... wanting Myspace to work & wanting my own place & car vs. giving the world a talking to about spending too much money!! I do realise I have done that ... but at the moment I am in an irrational, pissed off mood!! This is me having a rant & rave!! :(

50 1st dates

I just finished watching 50 1st Dates with Drew Barrymore & Adam Sadler. I am not a real great fan of either of these actors yet this movie touches me. Of course, it has some of the trade mark sillyness that is common in both of their type of film but this one has a depth to it that I really appreciate.

The story is about a one night stand only kinda guy falls for a girl who only remembers that day & basically "her slate is swiped clean at the end of each day" & she doesn't remember the guy anymore ... so he has to go to different lengths to reintroduce him to her EVERYDAY!!! And not just reintroduce her but also assist her to fall back in love with him.

This movie shows dedication to the extreme. I dunno if it is the nurse side of me coming through but I really appreciate people who can stick around & be supportive & care for you for the long haul. Esp. if you are sick or have a serious issue.

I think, this movie illustrates how meaningful love should be. I just wish everyone I know could have this type of dedication & love in their relationships.

Tired!

Well, I was going to hop on the computer & give you such a big bitch about a particular nurse, pushing people into boxes, and people avoiding responsiblity .... but after a good shower, taking my aggression out on my floor (I NEVER vaccum but I have to admit, that I enjoyed being so rough!!!), listening to the world's greatest beer songs (dirty, swearing, oldish - my type of music!), & having something to eat (& yes, it my my own personal stype of burrito, Claudia!!); let's just say: that I am too tired to complain about all that! :)

Well, today I finished my first week of the New Grad program (my first week on the wards). It is exhausting work! And I have a four day weekend!! Wahoo!! :D Super duper excited ... what's on the agenda apart from sleep ... hmmm, church, SS, wakeboarding, city visits, beach, reading, movies, road trips, yeah, fun stuff! :D But when I go back to the wards on Wednesday, it will be rough: will have my own patients (have been doing that with an experienced RN this past week ... next week it will just be me!!!) & will be starting on a PM shift (which I have never done as a RN!!). So yeah, hopefully, I can still enjoy my weekend without thinking of all that!!

Yeah, Wednesday was V-day/ SAD day ... and a group of us single girls went out for dinner!! :D Gournet Pizza Kitchen is the best!! :D It was fun to dress up & get together. But I have to admit there were too many cute guys taking their girlfriends out for dinner!! I never realised what a big deal Valentines was for people but wow! that restaurant was full as! and everywhere you looked there were couples!! But we stil had fun!! :D There was some live music & just fun!! :D

I haven't really been doing much else except work so my blog is kinda boring. My driving is improving ... changing gears is a lot smother & most of the bunny hops have been ironed out! :D I enjoy driving & driving a manual/ stick!! :D Fun stuff! :D

Anyway, should go & sleep! Have a great weekend everyone!!

Blue Nurse! :D

Why do we have to constantly prove ourselves?

Well, today i did something stupid ... think all other NG RNs on my ward (total of 4) wanted to kill me ... the team leader was going to give us each 3 patients & I popped up and asked for 4 (reason: we should be able to handle having 5 or 6 on our own by Friday & after that, we won't be assigned to an RN & have someone to help us etc.) which is what the Educator told us to have.

Ok, so traditionally, I am a teacher's pet (maybe it comes from having parents as teachers ... who knows?) but I wasn't doing this to gain brownie points with the staff ... it was to learn ... and learn I did.

Had my traditional 3 lovely ladies & then I had also a NFR (Not for Resusitation) elderly male who was completely bedridden and dependent on me for food, fluids, everything ... learnt a bit about nasogastric tubes, which was good! And almost straight away I was regreting asking for another patient ... what was I thinking? I was practically running up & down those halls ... just trying to keep my head! But you know what? I had morning tea on time & I even got closer to having lunch on time (1st day, I didn't have lunch till 2:45pm!!) - plan to have that perfect! And even tho I was tired & really hadn't wanted to come in for work this morning (not that I have a choice in the matter!), I kinda had fun ... I enjoyed the patient's company, I enjoyed the my co-worker's company (the song My Sharona is doing the rounds!!! :p), & I learnt a lot! :D

So, it really really sucked when I decided to stay back & help out one of the other New Grads as she was helping her RN with transfers & the new PM RN thought we both didn't know anything & was like a grumpy sergeant!!! Bloody hell!! I look young; I am a New Grad & just because I haven't been working with him all day - he thinks I know crap all!! Bloody hell!! Stop with those stupid boxes!! Allow me to talk; to have my say & you will be surprised by what I am able to do (if any of this sounds at all stuck up just read my previous blog post called: What is our problem?)

By the way: hope you have a fanastic Valentine's Day (or SAD day) - a day to celebrate how you care for others (my own personal twist!!!)

Day 2

Well, let's just say that other watching a brilliant movie "Before Sunrise" & sleeping for 10 hours ... I felt a lot more prepared for my next shift! :D

Again was given 3 patients (thankfully, it was the same ones from yesterday which does make it easier!) & the same staff were on so everything run a lot smoother.

I got assessed to give oral medications and now I can give them unsupervised!

This is completly terrifying ... here is why:

The 5 Rights
Right patient - check arm band, ask pt's name & DOB, & check their special number
Right route - IV, oral, injection, cream, spray etc.
Right dose
Right time
Right drug - ensure the drug is compartiable with other meds too & does not have any ingrediants that the patient is allergic to & double check as drugs have at least 2 names (generic & brand)
(additional rights include: Patient's right to refuse med & Right documentation)
(I check these Rights 3 TIMES before giving the med)

Expiry Date:
Of each med, IV, flush etc.

Allergy of patient:
ask patient
ensure they have a red band if they are allergic to something
ensure it is recorded in all med charts

And then for IVs, I need to ensure special labels are filled in, and I calculate the rate that I want the medication to be delivered in the patient (got to get it right because I don't want to destroy the patient's vein!) & check it all with another RN

And for Schedule 4 or 8 drugs (drugs of addiction) I need to count all the drugs to ensure none have gone walking, double check with another RN, & fill in extra paperwork.

And then there are the Telephone orders, Emergency orders & nurse iniated orders!!!!

Just a little worried ... now, for those of you who know me & know I rarely talk about how much nursing info I know or the fact I avoid nursing questions like the plague & I make out that I actually don't know anything; well, let me actually say that I do ... I do know this stuff!! It is just terrifying that I have to put the stuff I know in theory into practice!! Pressure!! :D

But as a friend pointed out: Today I know more than I did yesterday so I am that much more experienced ... & it does make a difference

But pls don't get sick anytime soon, ok? I really don't want to have to treat anyone close to me just at the moment ... need a couple more days, at least, before that will happen!!! :D

Ever have one of those days?

Have you ever had one of those days:

- where when you look back, the only words that come to mind are "Oh, Bugger!"
- where you are on the run constantly
- where you are hungry
- where you are asked to balance people's lives; their meds, their showers, their IVs, their visitors, their meals, their dressings, their BSLs, their obs, their mobilising, their entertainment, their counsellor, their appointments with Radiology or Pathology or the Physio, their cannulas being resited, their doctors, their anxieties ...
- where you want to cry
- where you are so tired, you feel like you could sleep for a week
- where you don't want to talk to anyone or give anymore
- where you are just too tired to care

Welcome to the first day of being an RN - just be thankful you don't have to physically live with me & have me come home this crabby!! :D

I promise that I will be able to survive the next four days ... I have to ... just breath ... IN & OUT!! :D

P.S See, I told you, I would be bitching about work in no time ... that holiday I had is so far away & real life is having it's fair revenge on me!! :D

What's our problem?

As this outspoken, strong woman educates us about the life of a nurse, she stuffs up. She swears.
"Oh, sh##, oh man, I'm so sorry. As you can guess I am not SDA". The very next day, her co-worker who has some similiar characteristics does the exact same thing. And again she says "Yep, I'm not SDA as you can most likely tell".

Don't know if I should tell these ladies that most of the people who work at this private, upper class SDA hospital are not SDA ... except for the ones in administration positions, of course?!

Why do we (each of us) typically sterotype others (& ourselves) as soon as we meet them? Why do we have to place them in a box and restrict who we believe them to be?

I find it interesting that many of my friends who appear to be quite conservative have a range of interests which do not fit that typical, traditional SDA box. One of my friends loves shooting guns, another loves rock concerts, other things include dancing, doing donuts in cars, clubbing, faking organsms in public, yelling various names of the human anatomy louder & louder, or even enjoying having extremely interesting oral sex. All of a sudden, the box doesn't fit anymore.

Beginning my New Grad program as a RN is extremely nerve racking. I start to place myself in a box: I am still a student ... I don't know enough ... I won't be able to make it ... I can't do it. I also start to place those around me in a box: look at that nurse ... wow, she is so smart ... I bet she never screws up ... I bet she stays in every night & studies up on all the diseases her patient has; or look at that other New Grad ... wow, we were in the same class & I don't remember half of the stuff that is coming out of their mouth ... where did they learn that? ... man, they are going to get staff member of the month so soon.

Placing people in boxes is natural but not correct. By doing so, we are limiting ourselves & others. Mainly, we restrict the wonderful opportunities we could have in developing a great friendship with another person due to intimidation, awe & fear caused by sterotyping.

We need to have a healthy view of ourselves and realise that no one is perfect, including that "perfect" person on the other side of the room.

Marianne Williamson says in Return to Love:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination.
It is our light more than our darkness which scares us.
We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous.
But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world.
For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small.
We were born to express the glory of god that lives in us.
It is not in some of us, it is in all of us.
While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others."

Why not make it a purpose today to make sure the box does not fit ... push yourself out of your comfort zone in trying something new ... find out more about people around you ... break those sterotypes and discover the REAL potential that everyone has

My first day!

It's been the hot topic for the past few weeks. It was the issue that was a distant cloud hanging around throughout my trip to USA. It was the reason why I got all organised, filled in paperwork, contacted security & uniform shops. I lost sleep over it ... mainly last night!

And then I turn up & orientation for my new RN job is: in my old classroom with a large percentage of people from my old class!! I ate at the same cafe & I am able to walk to my job (just like when I was in uni!). All the information that they gave us on our first day, I have heard throughout the past 3 yrs! Kinda ironic, I reckon!

But I am 100% certain that as much as this feeling of "I know what I am doing & what this machine does" will last as long as I am physically NOT on the wards! So, when orientation stops & I actually start the work side of things, I will PANIC!! Yipee! :P