Much Better....

Shiny Leggings

I have shiny latex looking leggings (black) that I found at Target for $12.99. I was PSYCHED to find these, because the ones at Expressess were around 30-40 dollars.

Tonight is halloween. the party I'm going to is a halloween party, but nobody is dressing up (what the hell is up with that??) AND it's BYOP...bring your own pumpkin to carve. huh? why are we carving pumpkins on halloween??? In my humble opinion, the BYOP party should have been last weekend and the halloween party WITH COSTUMES should have been tonight. (although I am super excited about tonight anyways!)

so I am insisting on wearing something that's different, but not a costume. I think I'm going ot wear my shiny leggings, my skull & crossbone "diamond" studs, and possibly a black wig (only if I can get my makeup to look good...dark dark eyes, possibly with fake eyelashes).

The problem is the shirt. What to wear with leggings? One classmate wears leggings all the time with cute shorter tops (tops that end at her hip bone/above her butt). she looks adorable in them. I feel if I wear a shorter top, people will be looking at me.

Although let's face it...that's kind of what I'm going for (isn't that why we get dressed and wear what we do? we can wear jeans and t-shirt and blend in, or have fun with sylish and edgy outfits and express ourselves (cue Madonna). I'm always much more energetic when I'm wearing something fun that I love)...back to problem:

I don't want to people to think I look slutty (When I first showed the husband the leggings (the express pair), he said that if I wore those people would think I worked on the corner). I'm going to run to Kohls now to see if I can find some sort of knit long shirt that ends below my butt. My dresss are all dark and I want something lighter color to offset the leggings. tell me what you think...I love it and would wear it in a heartbeat, but the whole working on a corner comment....please please please give an honest opinion....

She's Alive!

It seems like the past 10 days have flown!

I was sick at one point (still on antibiotics) and haven't gone to the gym or jogged in just over a week. The lingering cough is nearly gone, so I should hit the road soon...because.....

I have this crazy idea of trying to run a full marathon this next time next year. I realize that might be kind of crazy, so it might not be for another two years. The goal: a marathon by 30.
This past weekend was the Mairne Copr Marathon -don't want search engines to pick up, sorry-and we went to see our friends from charleston run. My friend's husband ran this marathon last year...this was her first time running a marathon and she did a terrific job. She's quite the motivator right now.

Finally, the last day of psych has arrived! As much as I initially hated this rotation, I really am going to miss the patients on my unit. My partner and I puroposely put ourselves on the geriatic floor because we figured while they might be able to spit on us, yell at us, and smack us, they wouldn't be able to out run us.

And naturally, nobody spit on us, yelled at us (um, scratch that..some did yell), but nobody smacked or chased after us. My heart goes out to some of those patients who are in the state facility because the have no family, or the family essentially abandoned the patient.

Unrelated to psych, (or not as I keep replaying the events in my mind), the first job interview has come and gone. It was like speed dating in slow motion...I went from nurse recruiter to the nurse manager of one department to the nurse manager of another department. At two hours, it was probably my longest interview, and I'm not really sure how it all went. I had woken up early that morning with a splitting headache that reappeared about an hour and a half into the interview. Hopefully I hear something, but it won't be for a couple of more weeks. I'm still keeping my eye out for some of the larger teaching hospitals in the area.

and tonight is halloween! More on that later. What are you all doing for the Halloween??

Stressing

NCLEX is stressing me out! It's a test that we take in order to become licensed as a registered nurse. The test is taken at a testing center on a computer. You answer one question, and if you get it right, the next question is slightly more difficult. If you answer it wrong, the next question is slightly easier. If your computer shuts down during the test, it can mean one of three things:

(1): you answered enough questions correctly to show that you are competent.
(2): you answered enough questions incorrectly to show that you are not competent.
(3): someone pulled the plug and the electricity is out. Just kidding. Hopefully this doesn't happen.

Your computer can shut off at 75 questions...meaning, "Congrats! you passed!" or "Ain't no way in hell you're going to pass." The maximum number of questions to answer is 265. I'm not sure if there's a percentage that you have to make in order to pass. If this information is available, I can't seem to find it.

For an optional assignment in one of my classes, I've been spending one hour each week answering NCLEX questions in the computer lab on campus. As my professor said, "It's ass time in the chair."

I've also been answering questions at home, about 10 a day.

And about once or twice a week, I try to complete two chapters in this gigantic NCLEX review book. These chapters are outlines that feature major points about more than you ever wanted to know about a given topic.

The problem is that I'm not seeing any sort of improvement. In the computer lab, my scores have ranged from 61% to 74%. Today I answered 180 questions from a CD rom and got a 66%.
My 10 a day questions have gotten better, but I think that's because the questions are easy (a few scores have been as low as 40%, but I have quite a few that are in the 70-80-90% and a handful at 100%).

Some questions I answer because I didn't carefully read the questions (which usually results in some serious ass kicking). Some questions I just don't know. A lot of those have to do with orthopedics (different types of tractions). I vaguely remember learning about those in med-surg, but there are only two things I remember:

1. there's something out there called Bucks Traction. I don't know anything beyond that.
2. the weights must remain off the floor

So obviously I know thati have to review some ortho. I'm kind of ok with pharm....there's definitely some reviewing that I need to complete. I haven't even tried to look at cardiac issues.

Anyways....I realize this post is more cathartic for me than juicy gossip for you. so here's something: I scored a job interview for an ED position at the small community hospital! Interview is next week. I better be feeling your good vibes!

Homework

For my psych rotation, we have to complete a weekly verbatim. Basically, write out the conversation you had with a patient and document the therapeutic responses with a rational.

It's done from memory....we aren't supposed to write things down when talking with the patients, and we don't use a recorder. If you don't get things word for word, that's ok.

Last week I had no problem with this.

This week, with the full moon and the changing weather (darn winter fall), the patients were a bit agitated. Somewhat off. The conversations were so bizarre, and I'm not sure how they got from Point A to Point B in the conversation so I'm having trouble making this verbatim comprehensive or coherent (although the conversations were anything but).

One patient told me yesterday, "I'm going to move over there. Everyone's a bit nutty today."

Omens and Cynicism

I just can't watch the debates anymore. I feel like we've been watching debates for over a year now.

News:
the open house last night. Apparently a success. I sent thank you emails to three key people associated with the hospital.

The nursing director replied to my email and said that I should receive a call for an interview from a nurse manager! YAY!

THEN...

I saw that our phone voicemail light was blinking. Apparently my name was 'picked' in the raffle drawing for a GPS thing-a-ma-jig! I don't think I've ever won any sort of raffle...a positive omen? or something else?

I'm torn between possibly working for a large teaching hospital (although I haven't submitted my application yet) or working for a small community hospital in a different state (possibly meaning more taxes). What do you all think? Unfortunately, the large teaching hospital requires a two year commitment after a 16 week internship (which starts at the end of Feb). All you military bloggers understand my weariness...

Jobs Baby Jobs!

With graduation rapidly approaching, it’s time to start looking for jobs. This I can’t believe. Was it really just a year that I started my Pathophysiology and research classes? Did I really start-and survive-that hellish spring semester? Are there really no more labs?!

And even harder to believe: I only need to take three more classes to graduate! We’re going to take them over a “5 week session” that will really last about 8 weeks since we actually begin the classes between fall semester and winter session.

THREE more classes?? Wait. That means…GRADUATION?!

But oh no…if graduation is around the corner….that means NCLEX is pretty darn close. And oh yeah…how about a job?!

So, the million dollar question is: What kind of nurse do I want to be?

There is always med/surg nursing. A LOT of people (all of our guest speakers) believes, “You MUST do a year of med/surg before moving on to a specialty. This is where you gain your confidence and basic skills.” Med/surg wouldn’t be the end all-be all, but it’s certainly not a dream. There are three aspects of nursing that have captured my interest: pediatrics, hematology/oncology, and emergency.

There is no particular order of which I like best, and I would love to combine peds with hematology/oncology or emergency.

Unfortunately, the local children’s hospital hired two new graduate nurses last year. I think someone needs to die in order for a spot to open. Not that it’s going to stop me from trying to get a job there.

The local cancer center wants experience and oncology certification.

The emergency departments want experience and certifications. BUT…there is something called an internship program, where, “…Yes, we can take YOU and CAN become an ED nurse in ONLY 6 months!”

The program has a 6 month orientation program and following the orientation, you are required to commit 20 or 24 months to the hospital’s ED. I think I’m going to try and apply for the program. Downside: I have NO hospital experience outside of clinical. Our program is so fast paced and compact that there really isn’t time for externships or working.
The worst that they can say is, “HA! Who does she think she is? Let’s throw the application in the NO WAY pile!”

Tonight I’m attending a job fair/open house at a small, private community hospital in a rural area out of state (it’s only 25 minutes away). I definitely would rather work at a larger teaching hospital, but if this is where the jobs are at, I’ll take it!

Where’s that crystal ball when you need it?