XMAS UPDATE!

WELL!!!!........i've been a stranger! finishing out those training classes was exhausting. I learned a lot but i was definately ready to get some hands on. To finally apply all of the knowledge i've learned.

This past thursday was first day on the floor.  I LOVED IT. I started 4 iv's and did some other cool procedures. Its so funny how when you're in nursing school, these things are so daunting and scary and now I feel so much more confident doing things. I'm still a novice and have so many questions, but I feel empowered by my knowledge and feel like i will become a great nurse sooner rather than later!

I already saw some sad things, some happy things, and some overwhelming things. This will be my life from here on out. I cannot wait.

Well its christmas eve.....i had a lovely dinner at April and Marcos' house. A real italian feast :) I thank them for letting into their family celebrations xoxo

I miss my family so much but times change and there was no way for me to go home. Being away from them has really opened my eyes to so many things. Distance truly does make the heart grow fonder. I have seen christmas in a new light this year. I am hyper aware of all the smiling kids, happy families and love all around me. It has made me realize that I am healthy, I am happy and I am loved. Life is good....christmas will come and go and my family will always be there.

To my immediate family-- Mum, Dad, Sally, Andy, Lys, Ethan, Caitlyn, Mike and Tom: I Love you all and wish you nothing but joy and laughter this upcoming year.

To my urban family--Dean, Evan, Lauren, Shawna, Sean, Hayden & Matt: I could not survive without you guys. You make me laugh everyday and keep me sane. I wish you guys so much happiness.

To my new nurse family: Natalie, Rebekah, Nat, Betsy and Alex...here's to saving lives and to laughing our way through night shifts!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT xoxoxoxo

i cannot wait till tomorrow

test day. no more of these ridiculous online modules. 100 questions and I have no clue what to study. I am so overwhelmed.

I have to stay calm, use my common sense and trust my knowledge.

After tomorrow I will be doing clinical certifications, cool stuff like trauma hawk helicopter and robot simulation. I can't wait to not be reading out of a textbook!!!!!

Here's to tomorrow..................

christmas in november

Canada!

Happy turkey day to all my americans!

I am safe and sound in canada with the family. I'm waiting patiently for sally and the kids to come over so we can play!
I miss them so much.

Saturday Xmas dinner shopping done :)

craniotomy...hannibal lector anyone?

should have been a brain surgeon....fascinating

brain worm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJCh7bR1Nf0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

fascinating.

Personal note

well we had our first 9-9 at Flanagan today. We all felt very inspired and the ideas kept flowing. We decided on our show theme and I feel soooooooooo excited about it. I think people are going to be shocked and intrigued by it. I wrote some work, sweat a little (or a lot) and watched the kids really make it come to life. Strap in. This is gonna be a good one.

Change of subject : I cannot wait to see my beautiful niece and nephew Ethan and Caitlyn!!!!! 5 more sleeps!

 I miss my family so much and haven't seen my brother and sister since last xmas! I am headed home nov 23-28!  I need some good family time. So much has changed since i was home last. I envy people who have their family around them all the time. They don't know what a special gift that is.

New topic lol : I have started getting to know someone. Someone i've known for a while but never really talked to. I am interested to see what it all means and where it could go. I don't think he's available (just my luck) but i'm hoping perhaps soon he will be. Time will tell :)

The ER team

how to strengthen your vagina?

VAGINAL WEIGHT TRAINING: Small weights are held within the vagina by tightening the vaginal muscles. These exercises should be performed for 15 minutes, twice daily, for four to six weeks.

ok i've heard of a lot of things....but this is the most amazing/revolting thing ive ever heard of.

todays lesson! Lung issues :)

chopped my hair off! i feel like a new woman!!

read read read

getting ahead!

This training is long and intense but i'm loving it. I'm in class right now. shhhhhhhhhhhhhh :)

We have so many online assignments to do but i've gotten two weeks ahead so i can have a life for the next two weeks! I'm flying to canada and i'd rather be playing with my niece and nephew than studying :)

I am trying to balance teaching and work right now and this week will be a good indication of if i can handle it. I want to do both but i have a feeling i will have to sacrifice some teaching for my career.

Money has started rolling in.....i plan on saving for my first house. It's gonna take a long time  but i am excited about the prospect! I want a 3 bedroom on the water...too much? lol ...i can dream big.

Back to class!!!

Emma xoxox

zzzzz

i am too mentally tired to write.

i will write this weekend at some point between studying, reading and trying to remember everything under the sun.

but today was a good day. i knew stuff. i felt smart.

good night zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The week ahead

Wow! what an amazing weekend I had in atlanta. I jumped on a train after work on friday and headed to the Bands of America regional championship. Our goal was to make the top 12 finals. Well......not only did we make finals, we came 2nd in Prelims! We cried, we screamed, i did a few fist pumps lol. We had such a great time and i flew out at 9am this morning. I was/am exhausted but got some sleep this afternoon. So...they rest of the band and staff are at disney for two days and i'm home alone preparing for my training all week. I wish i was there with my friends making disney memories but real life comes first.

So this week....Monday and tuesday are EKG training days-learning how to read, interpret and analyze heart rhythm strips. After those days i will be certified.
Wednesday and thursday are ACLS-advance life saving course.
Friday? i can't remember lol. I'm sure something that will tire my brain and blow my mind.

Gotta get some binders/notebooks etc. Maybe tomorrow after work.....there needs to be more hours in the day :)

A summary

where do i begin?

Monday: orientation to the hospital from 8-5. Boring meetings on policy and procedure but wow....everyone was so NICE! I met all of the directors and everyone was genuinely welcoming and kind. I felt instantly at home. Oh and the food they served us was unbelieveable. Bravo to the hospital chef.

Tuesday: More meetings, but only to the new nurses and guess what? There were only 3 of us! The meetings were intensive, everything from scheduling to payroll to Emergency room protocol. These meetings were more engaging because they were directed specifically at us, the nurses.

Wednesday: Computer training :( Very overwhelming. Very fast. Very crammed into 8 hours. Oh....funny story...We are sitting at our computers and I smell smoke. I'm looking around thinking doesn't anyone else smell this? I start looking under the computer for something burning, I look at my new BFF natalie and we both mouth the words " are we on fire" lol? We told the professor our concern and he just continued teaching! All of a sudden you see smoke in the air and the smell now is crazy strong. Then... the fire alarm goes off!!!!!! WE FREAK OUT AND GRAB OUR STUFF. We walk in the hall and there was a legit fire a couple doors down the hall. We had to evacuate! How crazy?! I wondered what they would do with the patients...good news....they didn't do anything lol. They stayed in their beds. Thank god everyone was okay :)

Thursday/today: Today was awesome! We got to spend the day in the ER with the director. We watched in awe as the staff moved so fast in and out of rooms, dealing with the ambulances, doctors, tears, laughter. I thought to myself: I cannot wait to feel so confident in my job that i can react so quickly. I had a wonderful moment with a doctor. He was very friendly and i felt comfortable asking him questions. We had to stop a patients heart and i wanted to ask him why and how etc  etc. So I did! I named the drugs I wanted to give the patient and described the EKG i saw. He said i was right! I was thrilled. I am proud of myself for speaking up and am determined to maintain that sense of wonder in the near and distant future.

I cannot wait for tomorrow. We will spend another day learning our way around the ER and learning the in's and out's of survival.

I feel so encouraged. I know this is where i'm supposed to be. It just feels right. 

tomorrow!

okay, 'business casual' clothes laid out ready for the meetings.
closed toe shoes....thats an issue i have to figure out. who in florida has closed toe shoes???

i'm ready...am I ?............breathe...............stay cool................and pray that I connect with my new coworkers :)

More tomorrow................

two days away...

Just getting everything ready for monday. Its so crazy to think that after a lifetime of preparation...i'm two days away from starting my dream job. Monday is orientation so i don't really have to do much except sign papers, check my blood work, and absorb how busy i'm actually gonna be for the next 3 months.

The crazy part....Bands of America Regional is next weekend and the Band is leaving on thursday and coming back monday. I wanna go! I will have to wait and hear my schedule before i can decide if I can or can't go and if i'm gonna have to book a last minute flight. I want to be there for the kids! I want to go party with the staff. But........being a grown up comes first.

I will accept whatever the outcome. To band or not to band...... :)
bottomline.....I start work on monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so it begins...

I've decided that since I am about to embark on what might possibly be the greatest journey of my life, I should probably document it.  Becoming a nurse changed my life; changed who I am and who I'm about to become. Everyday brings new stories, memories and adventures and I promised myself that I will write them down. Not only as a release for my emotional and mental well being, but for the years ahead when I look back on my naive self and laugh.

I hope this blog gives my family and friends a sneak peek into the life of an ER nurse and helps them to appreciate, as I have, the healthy life that we have: here and now.

Here's to the journey ahead.....