Friday, September 18, 2009

Good bye summer

Life is pretty crazy these days. I haven't been the greatest friend to my long distance friends, I owe 4 people a phone call. It's a little overwhelming really. My friend Rachel keeps calling me from Iraq to talk but I seem to miss all her calls and I feel badly because I can't just call her back, ya know?
Fridays are student teaching days, so when I'm scheduled to work it gets a bit hairy. I have a co-worker who has volunteered to cover my four hours I need to be in the classroom. So, I start my day, leave at 1230 to teach, then I rush back to work to finish my shift. It usually is crazy because of the charting I have to get done and coming back in for a quick end to the shift. The first half of the semester is gonna be crazy and I'm wondering how I'll approach the second half.
The student teaching is fun, so far I've only had the opportunity to attend one class but today is my second day. It's not like I'm doing the teaching, I usually observe and help with the lab portion. But I really enjoy teaching the kids, it's fun.
I'm also taking 5 credits this semester, which takes a little getting used to again. The last year and a half of school I've only had one class and it's different making time for two instead of one class.
Anyway, I need to get moving, get ready for class today and post something for class by tonight.
Excited for fall to arrive, it was a cooler morning today, I actually could see my breath when I was running.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Propofol and other crazy things

Can I tell you how much we use Propofol at work? Can I tell you that most, if not all, ICU RNs love this drug because of its ability to sedate a patient so quickly yet when turned off allows them to awaken in a short time span. The small but extremely important detail is that a patient should be intubated or being prepared for intubation or under direct and constant supervision of a medical team when using and infusing propofol. I used propofol at work on Sunday all weekend in fact. It's still wierd to me to see it in the news surrounding Michael Jackson and his death. You know what Michael was missing when his doctor gave him that injection? A nurse and a respiratory therapist, hello? One of the huge effects of propofol is respiratory depression, hello?! Any way, enough about Michael.
September 1st is upon us. Phew. I think I'm getting motion sickness from the speed of this year! It looks like the last time I posted was in the middle of July, I could swear that was yesterday or at least the day before...
School starts tomorrow, I'm student teaching this semester. Woohoo! With a prof from my undergrad days, we had our first class last Friday and it was a lot of fun. I really need to work on my language, don't worry, I didn't swear but "sucks" came out of my mouth at least 3 times (that I can remember). opps. Is that still bad form? gulp, this might be more challanging than I thought it was going to be... I'll keep you posted. I thought I was going to be rediculously nervous and have trouble getting my point accross but I really got into it and Sister Linda (with whom I'm learning from) was very laid back about it all. We meet weekly, Fridays from 1-4 and it's a health assessment class. These kids (and I do mean kids) are young! For my nursing friends who still read my blog (thanks), this is the first semester of them being together. I said to them, at some point in class, that they would be together for the next three years whether they like it or not. I wanted to say, by the end of your degree you'll love everyone you've gone through it with but want to vomit from needing a new environment. Graduation comes at almost the exact right point. Nursing school is tough, we'll see if I make that easier or harder! hee hee... it is quite different being at the front of the room, remembering what it was like to sit behind the desks. sigh....
Well, I turned down $35,000. I'll let you re-read that sentence and please note that yes, I meant $35,000 not 3500.
If you recall (which you don't have to) my July posting, I was awaiting a decision from the state. Well, I received it. It was a scholarship that my advisor at MSU asked if I had an interest in back in July and had the monies gone through and the contract been mailed to me, I would have signed that thing faster than you can sneeze. But then they delayed, and delayed again. And while they were delaying I got to thinking about what I wanted to do with myself post masters. These monies would require (contract remember) that I teach full time in a 4 year or 2 year university setting in MI for no less than 5 years. Now take a minute and realize why I would sign that contract immediately back in July. Because $35000 would take care of the loans I've taken out in the last two years plus cover most of the remaining loans from undergrad. It would have been awesome, still would be. But then reality slowly creeped into my mind, "do I really want to jump into full time teaching?" "what if I don't like it?" "am I done with bedside nursing full time?" "do I want to get my PhD already?" "I feel like I'm in my prime at the bedside, considered a profficient RN that people come to with their questions am I really ready to be done with this?" And the thoughts persisted. It was really difficult when the actual contract came in the mail on Friday and I saw that the $35000 was in a living stipend while there was some $17,000 for tuition that wasn't included in the $35000. Making the grand total much to high to even comprehend turning down! Man, even thinking about it now, again, makes me wonder if I did the right thing but I know, in my heart I did. Signing a 5 year contract too is not a short time, it sounds like a short time but then I think, I haven't been an RN for 5 years yet... So, I turned it down. And I feel good about my decision, I think. (c:
Reeds Lake Tri September 12th, come one, come all! I'm off to have a long bike, thanks for reading!