Still counting down

School's still going okay, slowly crossing things off my list of things yet to do. I'm still kind of dragging around but I have managed to keep up with my workouts (nothing special, just a jog/walk of 3-5miles three times a week), work is still great and I always look forward to that, just wish I could fit in more hours for a bigger paycheck but if I work too much then drop in grades in school then that would'nt be worth it. I also signed up for a on line speech class this summer that I'm really not looking forward to, but I know I won't have time next year and I have to have it done before graduation. Anyways, I'm just kind of BLAH and tired from lack of sleep, so please forgive my very boring posts. Three more weeks, three more weeks!

Three more weeks

I am getting so burned out and having a hard time studying. I've got three more tests, three more careplans, one lab simulation, one group presentation, and four more articles to turn in and then I'm DONE for the quarter. I just need to stay on target and get my head out of the clouds!
Still love my job, and feel lucky to be there.
I'm also relly trying to keep up with the working out thing. I want to go for a one hour walk/jog three times a week and so I'm back on the wagon after having a bad run of sickness and pretty bad weather outside. Darn this Washington weather, it's middle May and I could count on one hand the sunny days we've had so far. Cannot wait for our California vacation this summer!

Work

Started my new job today. I really like it so far. Everybody's nice and it's low key enough to not be overwhelming, but fast paced enough to keep me busy and not bored. Today I got to insert my first male foley (by myself with no nurse in the room:))D'cd two IV's. Of course lots of vitals and blood sugar checks. Dang those patients that have poor peripheral circulation, had to poke one guy three times! The nurse taught me that I should use the IV arm for those because the force of the fluid is moving things along better. I'll remember that! Learned how to get the food trays from the robot that brings them up and all those little details,and oh yea set up the wireless ECG monitor by myself. Yea Me! Anyways, I'm so tired, was up at five for work and now at 2300 still studying my ventricular dysrhythmias, heart blocks, MI, chest pain, angina, pacemaker and CAD disease stuff for big test on monday. Wish me luck!

Finally starting work!

I talked to my new nurse manager yesterday and I 'm going over on Friday right after clinicals to start my orientation on the floor. Then I'll be working every saturday 0600-1400. So more for the one day that I get to sleep in. Oh well, It will be nice to get some kind of a paycheck. I really hope I get to do some fun stuff along with the normal CNA type duties like vitals and transporting and of course help to the bathroom.
I'll try to talk the nurses into letting me do lab draws and IV's as much as possible.

All kinds of craziness

So much going on right now! I had a day in the ER yesterday and loved it. I had always thrown around the idea of ending up there but now I'm really confused. I love the chance to practice skills like foleys, IV's, blood draws, 12 lead EKG's and so on. Up on the floor, a lot of that is already done so you don't have as many chances to get good at those. I'm thinking of asking for ER for my preceptorship to get a good couple months in, then hopefully having my residency in a CCU or PACU area. I'm lucky that I will be starting my new job soon in the CVshort stay and will hopefully have an edge on getting into a good residency.
I've pushed back the goal of doing OR for now. I think it would be in my best interest to advance my skills in a critical care area, then I can always transition later into OR. I hear it's a lot harder going from OR to floor nursing as none of the skills are the same.
This week my research paper rough draft is due, my third theory test is on tuesday and I'm planning to try to get onto the official schedual at work then of coarse picking my patient and care plan on thursday and friday clinical.
Kids have been sick:( Daughter is getting better, but poor son has been throwing up since midnight. I hope he gets better soon, I feel so bad for him. (Early 6am run to the store for gatorade and pedialyte). Okay, back to studying!