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 :)
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
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................
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................
Friday, October 21, 2011
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
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.....
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.....
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