The Time Has Finally Come!!

That's right, I will finally be starting clinicals in January! I went to an orientation type of meeting last week and they said I was all set and ready to go, go go!!! Seems like I have been waiting forever. Now I'm scared. Now I'm questioning whether or not I can do this. I have heard many horror stories about various instructors, how they want to weed people out so badly that it doesn't take much to the one dismissed from the program. I've heard how the program can be the end all of marriages and how friends are lost......gulp.

I have to be ready for this. I have worked too hard and waited too long to start this program. I have just over 2 months to mentally prepare myself for this. I'm stubborn, smart and strong, I can do this.

Breathe..................................................................

Let's Talk About Evil Nurses

I know it has been a long time since I have posted, but I would like to talk about an evil nurse.

To start, I work in a large hospital. The other night I worked in the ED as a float aide. I was transferring a patient from the ED to the cardiac floor. She was in her 90's, confused and in a lot of pain. The nurse that I was handing the patient off to apparently doesn't like her job or she wouldn't be such a biotch. The patient was trying to explain to the evil nurse why she was apprehensive about transferring from the ED gurney to the bed. See, she broke her hip, twice. Both times from falling. The evil nurse wouldn't listen, the more the patient tried to explain, the nastier the nurse got. Finally the nurse told her "keep complaining, see what kind of care it will get you". HOLY SHIT BATMAN! I was MAD. I wanted to say many, MANY things to this evil beast that shouldn't be caring for fragile people in their time of need. Saying something to the evil nurse would have just made matters worse for the patient, as well as for myself being that I am very new to this hospital. So I had to clench my jaw (as well as my fists) and walk away. But one day, there will come a time when nasty nurses like the aformentioned will get theirs. Once I am better established and have my feet firmly planted, the nasty evil nurses will have to deal with me, and it wont be pleasant. I will not tolerate patient abuse, in any form.

Oh, and by the way, I am back!

Quick Update

Well hello! Are you looking for me? Sorry I haven't been around, man, life has been crazy! Here is what has been going on.

1. Semester is finally over! I have nothing left until clinicals. Feels good to be almost there!

2. I got another job. I am still working at my old one, for now. I am trying to decide if I should keep them both or just my new one. Decisions, decisions.

3. It's almost time for baby. He is due to get here any minute now! Hello! I am going to be a grandma ANYTIME NOW! Me.....a grandma! How do you become a grandma? Is there a class for that? Does it require a degree?? *sigh....*

4. I am still not smoking. BUT, yes, there is a downfall to that. I have eating issues now. I have put on 15 lbs since I stopped smoking. I know, I know, I can lose weight but I can't replace my lungs...yada yada yada...but it doesn't take the suckiness out of gaining weight. Everytime I think about dieting, I take a huge dose of chocolate.....sigh....

So that is what has been up with me. Doesn't sound like much, I know, but I have been busy, busy, busy. I'll try to post more regular updates. Now that school is temporarily done, I *should* have more time.

Wow, It's Been A While!

Sorry about that. Life has been uber busy. I am mid-way through my nutrition class (boring), been working and getting ready for grandbaby.

There have been a lot of changes at work. The boss got fired (WoOt!) No kidding, they gave her until the end of the day to clear her office. Um, I think things weren't working out or something. In fact, a lot of people got the boot, and I wasn't one of them, thank God. Did I mention that we were purchased by a larger company? Oh, my bad, forgot to mention that. The take over began at the first of the year and let me tell you, they cleaned house. I like the new company. I like knowing that as long as I keep them happy, I will be able to move to almost any state and still have a job with them. They will also pay for my clinicals, if I were to work for them full time. I am contemplating it. We will have to see what happens.

I love my new boss. She is the bomb! She listens to us, she also cares deeply about the same things I do. I think she is a keeper! She does have a few bad points, but who doesn't, and well, her good points weigh out the bad. Like I said, she is a keeper.

So anyways, that is what I have been up to for anyone that was wondering.

Dear Boss,

Dear Boss,

When you hired me, you hired me to provide top notch patient care. I do that. I love that. I love every aspect of my job. There is nothing more fulfilling to me than taking care of those in their last days. With that said, I challenge you to interfere with my patient care. Patient care is ALL that I am about.

Here are some things for you to consider:

1. My patients come before laundry, cleaning toilets and any other house keeping chores, period. DO NOT expect me to drop the hand of a dying patient and walk away to wash or fold a load of laundry. That laundry can wait, my patient wont.

2. Don't expect me to stop feeding a helpless patient just because they are taking a bit longer and the trays haven't been returned in sufficient time. I will return the trays at MY PATIENTS CONVENIENCE, not that of the kitchens. The only reason that we have a kitchen staff is because we have patients and the patients come FIRST.

3. Do not threaten to write me up for not taking my breaks on time. I will not leave the side of a fall risk patient until I am satisfied that they are safe. I will take my breaks at MY PATIENTS convenience. Thank you very much.

4. Don't preach to me about patient safety when I have come to you several times about alarms not working and you have done nothing to ensure that they get fixed. And don't ask me why the patient is lying on the floor with half of the alarm still attached and why it never went off. I told you why, fix the problem. I am within inches of inviting a state safety investigation.

When I hired in, you were impressed by my will to advocate for my patients. You expect me to keep up my end of the bargain and I expect for you to keep up with yours.

Thank you,
The Patients Advocate

Life Is Good

That's right. One semester left before the nursing program. Woot! Yea, life is good. I think back to all of the struggling with *some* of the pre-reqs and am so glad it is over. I will be forever scarred from the brick walls that I have banged my head on, the tests that I almost failed, the instructors that gave me more gray hairs and the screw ups from the financial aid department.

Yea baby....I am a survivor!

I'm not as worried about nursing school, well, not today anyways. Maybe tomorrow I will worry, but today, life is good.

I found out that my grandchild is a boy. Double Woot! He will be here in 19 ish short weeks. I have been online shopping for baby boy stuff. Ahhh, life is good.

I am still loving my job. I work as often as they will let me, which lately has been a lot. I am so blessed to have gotten such a good first CNA job. My patients love me (of course, what's not to love?), my coworkers tolerate me (heh heh heh) and I look pretty darn good in my scrubs! Life. Is. Good.

So the new semester starts in a few weeks, giving me some, er, recovery time. I am taking Health and Nutrition. How hard can it be? I mean, really. I am so ready to do this and get er done.

Yea, life is good.

Semesters Almost Over!

Thank GOD school is almost done for the semester! This semester has had me laughing, crying and beating my fists on the floor in a fit of rage! It has been a very, very tiring semester. Every year I go through this. The semester starts and I am so gung go, excited and in tune with my nerdy side. Half way through, I am feeling the pain. The temper tantrums start to rear their ugly heads and I start feeling overwhelmed. By the end of each semester, I am a basket case!

The devil on my left shoulder tells me to quit. She says that I have bit off more than I can chew. I should just apply for a career flipping burgers or become a Walmart door greeter. The angel on my right shoulder tells me to keep on keeping on. That I am doing so well and I am almost there. She tells me to get off the floor and stop throwing my three year olds temper tantrum, wipe the tears away and be proud of myself. After all, I get mostly 3.5's and 4.0's. I usually listen to the angel on my right shoulder.

I have one more grueling semester left, with just one more class. I think it will be a piece of cake. I THINK! We will see.

Off to study for my last exams for the semester.