Oh the things...

Hey! Don't worry I am still alive (barely).

I think that teachers think that their class is the only thing we students have the whole semester, so they just pile on all the homework. Read this, read that, take this quiz, then go take this test. It just goes on and on and on. It's never going to end!

Ah thank you for reading all my venting. I feel much better now.

Clinical are going great. Sometimes I wish I didn't have two in a week, but the more time I spend actually practicing my skills the better nurse I will be when I actually graduate. EIRMC isn't as bad as I expected. Things just run a little differently, especially the computer system which, in my opinion, was written by a robot. Using the mouse isn't really an option, I have to use all the F function buttons, and it only likes to read capital letters for some odd reason. I also have two different clincial instructors, one for Monday and the other for Friday. I like Friday's instructor better. I have been told I need to practice my documentation more. I need to right in more detail and leave out certain words that really don't need to be in there. If I can get that down, hopefully I can get a decent clincal grade.

Still no man in my life. Apparently I look to well put together. I know my major and I am going for it. These factors seem to repel men. I was told this in high school and I was told this the other day by my roommate.

P.S. If you have any questions about nursing things feel free to leave me a comment and I will answer to the best of my knowledge. (which means I will mostly likely go look it up in a book).

IV's...

I can officially do IV's on a person now. Yahoo!!!

There are many steps to inserting an IV and it is a lot harder then it actually looks. When I get to do this in a clinical setting I only get one chance, then the real nurse will take over. (unless my patient will let me try again).

Step 1: Gather all the supplies. (IV pump, IV fluid, Insertion kit, tape, j-loop, gauze, alcohol wipes, and a saline flush.

Step 2: Enter patients room

Step 3: Wash hands

Step 4: Introduce Self

Step 5: Identify the patient

Step 6: Inform patient what you are doing to them. Especially tell them that a needle really isn't left inside their arm, it's a little catheter.

Step 7: Select the proper site (usually the non-dominant hand)

Step 8: Place the tourniquet on the arm and palpate for a vein. Once the vein is found RELEASE THE TOURNIQUET!!!

Step 9: Make sure that all the supplies are ready. (ie... saline flush is attached to the j-loop, tape is ready.. things like that)

Step 10: Gloves on

Step 11: Apply the tourniquet again

Step 12: Clean the site with cholorahexidine or alcohol wipes. Wait for it to dry.

Step 13: Warn the patient that a stick is going to come, pull the skin taut and stick the patient with the needle bevel side up. Go in at and angle (slight angle) and then make the needle parallel to the skin. Insert until blood return and then insert 1/4 of an inch more.

Step 14: Push the catheter in while pulling the needle out (not all the way though or blood will come spewing out).

Step 15: RELEASE THE TOURNIQUET!

Step 16: Apply firm pressure above the insertion site to stop blood flow while needle is pulled out.

Step 17: Attach the j-loop to catheter. (release pressure above insertion site)

Step 18: Flush the IV and attach the actual IV line to it.

Step 19: Apply the occlusive dressing and tape it all down.

Step 20: Remove gloves and ask patient how the IV feels.

After clean up all supplies and document.

And that folks is the first official thing I have learned this semester.

School...

School has officially started.

Now if you saw my schedule this semester, you would be like "how cow, how in the world does she have any time to do anything?" My answer would be that I really don't have a lot of time to do things. Now for the dreaded schedule:

Monday
-0600 to 1300 Clinical
Tuesday
- 0900 to 1045 Nursing 104
- 1130 to 1230 Family Foundations
- 1245 to 1345 Middle East
- 1515 to 1645 Child Development
Wednesday- Absolutely nothing. (except on the occasion we do something or I go to the dialysis center)
Thursday
- 0730 to 0845 Nursing 103
- 0900 to 1045 Nursing 104
- 1130 to 1230 Family Foundations
- 1245 to 1345 Middle East
- 1515 to 1645 Child Development
Friday
- 0600 to 1300 Clinical

HOLY COW!!!

Moving...

According to my dad, Nicole, Russell, and a few other random people, I have way to much stuff. I would agree but I need everything that I bring to school.

I am not fond of sleeping in hotel rooms. I never seem to get any sleep. Mom, Nicole, and I stayed in the Motel 8 down the street from my apartment. We thought the room had two beds, when it in fact only had one and a pull out bed in the couch. I decided to sleep on the couch, then decided to pull out the bed. I layed there for about two hours when I concluded that the pull out bed wasn't comfy. I then got up and put the couch back together. Now this couch was soft and comfy and I should have stayed there in the first place. I might have gotten a better night sleep if I would have, because I woke up without fail almost every three hours. Around 5:45 I decided that I wasn't going to get any more sleep, I got ready, ate breakfast, and headed to my apt. I arrived at my apt ready to check-in at 7, to bad check-in's didn't start until 8. So I waited. Now you may ask why in the world would I be there that early? Well my dear person reading this, I wanted the exact same room back that I had the previous semesters. I know a little crazy, but I wanted it. I was the first one in the apt about and hour, so I really didn't need to be there that early.

Now the agenda for the next few days is going to the Kimball and then going to the MC to buy all my lovely textbooks that I need for this next semester. Classes this next semester are going to be tons of fun (not really). All my classes are on Tuesday and Thursday with clinicals on Monday and Friday. I go to class from 7:30 in the morning till 4:30 at night. I am nuts!

Posts will becoming regularly now (I hope). I will actually have something to really talk about, instead of this random stuff.