Clinical rotations are posted

Woohoo! I just looked at the nursing website for school and found out that they (our instructors) have FINALLY posted our rotations! I am sooooooo excited! Of course, I absolutely have no idea what I am in for, but still. Am VERY EXCITED!

Okay, so I found the posting, looked at it, found my name (mind you, after ALOT of looking....we have almost 300 in our class), and I got the clinical instructor I was wanting. Oh Yes! I am so happy about that too! Anyway, I take a look at it (the posting) and realize that I have no idea what the little acronyms mean. Why post something for the class when they have no idea what it means?? Really?! Anyway, I am hoping to find out tomorrow.

My blog will be more exciting in the near future, I promise......

Another day closer to clinicals

I will be starting my first clinical rotation in October. The closer it gets the higher my anxiety level becomes. Is it really as bad as I think it will be? Should I be as nervous as I am? Please, please someone let me know. Our instructor in class Monday, said "Fake it until you make it". He of course was referring to auscultating a patients circulatory system, but I'm sure that would work with a few other skills also. For instance, paplating the lymphatic system. Where are they?? How do you know when you are actually in the right place if they are not papable until they are swollen? I suppose that all is well UNTIL you find one that is swollen?!

Time to start the coffee pot and I'm off to engage in some light (hehe) reading.

Have a beautiful day, everyone!

5 years ago today.....9/11/01

Suzanne Kondratenko, a Chicago resident was tragically killed on September 11, 2001 while working at the World Trade Center. Though most of us did not actually know her, we mourn the loss of her life along with the people that did.

She was the third daughter of eight and was very close to her youngest sister, Paige (born with Down syndrome). Aimee, one of Suzanne's older sisters, said the Paige was one of Suzanne's greatest joys. Paige (age 8 at the time) had just learned to walk right before Suzanne's death. Aimee said that when Suzanne's parents would let her know when Paige accomplished something new, Suzanne would run around the office and tell all of her girlfriends. Suzanne and Paige were similiar in many respects, they both enjoyed reading and had a silly sense of humor.

She graduated from St. Mary's College (Notre Dame, IN) in 1996. John Shinners spoke about her here.....he said "She embodied what it means to be a St. Mary's woman: liberally educated, open to the world and to making it better, big-hearted, graceful -- in the best sense of that word -- in love with learning and with life, an inspiration and a delight to anyone lucky enough to know her."

She was a senior consultant for Keane Consulting Group. She was in a window-less conference room meeting with 6 Aon insurance executives on the 92nd floor of the south tower. They did not see or hear anything until the commotion and screams interrupted their meeting. Sadly, they did not make it out in time. Suzanne was 27 years old.

Today, as you go about your daily routine, think about those that lost their lives 5 years ago. Pray for their familes. Be thankful for your lives and for your familes and don't take anything for granted.

Live everyday like it may be your last.

Thank you Suzanne for making this world a little better.

What a day!

I didn't realize it had been so long since my last post. I've been super busy since school started! Reading, reading and more reading!! I knew there would be alot to do and learn in nursing school, but really.....I had NO idea!! I am exaggerating a little bit, but I have been reading a lot lately.

Our fundamentals class has been just that....the basics of nursing. The lovely bed bath, bedpan (honestly, I'm not looking forward to that, but I know that patients/clients (pc) are not looking forward to having to use one, so I can deal if they can), and the ever challenging ambulation of patients. Oh, this is funny.....on our first lab day our instructor was showing us how to "correctly" perform this skill. She proceeded to show us how to correctly position our feet to protect the client in case the client passed out/fainted. One of the students volunteered and she asked her to pretend to faint and she would show us how to let her slide down her (instructors) leg and gently lay her (student) on the floor. The student starts to go down and my instructor does everything she is supposed to then all of the sudden......bang! On the floor they go! Both of them fell and I mean HARD!! Of course the whole class started laughing, but thankfully neither one of them were hurt. Then my instructor says "this is why you don't wear heels when you work in a hospital". Apparently, my instructor's shoe slid on the floor as the student put her weight on her. She was finally able to show us the correct way after she took her shoes off.

We had our first check off today. If you know any nursing students or are actually one yourself, you will know exactly what I mean when I say "anxiety". Did any of you other nursing students want to take a Xanax as much as I wanted to today?? I don't know if I have ever had that much anxiety in my life!! The whole day in class yesterday, the instructors kept saying "Be prepared. Don't think we won't send you out of the room if you can't perform these skills!". Did I mention my anxiety level?? Holy Crap! I came home and proceeded to practice on my husband....(by the way, he's been very supportive and didn't mind the bed bath....lol). When I got to class this morning, I walked in the lecture hall to see several of my fellow nursing students practicing on each other. It was funny to see, but I was thankful to see I wasn't the only one with an anxiety problem! Suffice it to say that I made it through with flying colors today. The key is just to relax and use your common sense. That is basically what nursing is. All we have to do is treat our patients the way we would want our loved ones or ourselves treated. It's very simple. Treat them with the utmost respect. They are in the hospital and some of them are very sick maybe even dying. They don't want to have a bath given to them by a stranger, nor do they want to use a bedpan instead of using the toilet. Just give them respect.