Word of the Day

Penumbra.

Doesn't that just sound cool?

Is It Just Me

or is shock one of the most interesting subjects ever?

I Can't Even Begin To Tell You

how much I love Coldplay.

Just love them.

My favorite band.

I know it's not really related to nursing, but I am listening to them as I study, so they are indirectly related :) Just thought you should know.

Week 2

Well, I've reached the end of week 2. I have to say that while some parts of this week were long, drawn out, and boring, parts of this week were not.

Today, for example, was great. I had simulation this morning and this afternoon I had a lecture on sepsis. I swear, I've learned so much today alone. Six simulation scenarios, two mini-lectures and then the sepsis lecture. Chock full of knowledge. These instructors are geniuses. They know SO much. It's hard to imagine/see myself knowing even half of what they know.

I am still trying to wrap my head around the amazing information I learned today about sepsis. The body just amazes me. When you sit and really think about everything that happens, its just.....amazing. Well, not with sepsis, but in general. There's just so much detail, so many compensatory mechanisms, its really just awesome.

At anyrate, I won't bore you with my fascination with the human body any longer. The six simulations went well....er, mostly well. Two of the six simulations ended up with a dead patient, but that's what the simulations are for- for us to learn from our mistakes in a safe environment so that we don't make those mistakes in real life. The instructors were really impressed with the morning groups in simulation today (there are 4 groups of 4). They said that we all had great communication with our teams and that our level of anxiety was decreased from last week. They also said we looked how the groups usually look on week 4. I really enjoy the simulations. Especially when they end well. :)

That's all for now. Next simulation is Wednesday. I can't wait. I love it, and the best part is, I get paid for it! How great!

First Simulation Day

Today was simulation day. We were first split in half, and one half had lecture while the other half did simulation for the first half of the day. Then, after lunch, we switched. I had lecture in the morning and simulation this afternoon. Within our "half" of the class, we were separated into 4 groups of 4.

First we had a small orientation to the lab. Then we talked about doing good CPR. Then we were given a scenario and we had to take turns being a Team Leader (the person in charge), the nurse doing the assessment on the patient, the Scribe (the person who is writing down all of the info regarding the case) and the floater (the person who does whatever is needed). The first 2 scenarios were more for getting us acclimated and working on our assessments. The patients were "sick" but nothing potentially fatal. Then we watched the instructors run a code. After that, we broke into our groups and we were given another scenario.

This time I was the Team Leader. YIKES! (Yes I know its not real, but its nerve wracking all the same. Plus we're being video-taped and watched from every angle by all the instructors).

I ran my first (simulation) code. It was crazy. I have a loooonnnnggg way to go, and to be honest I felt like a train wreck most of the time. There were some things (ok, maybe a lot of things) at the beginning, small things, that I missed/forgot, but I did recognize what was happening early on, so I was glad for that. I also think that once the mannequin patient "coded" I knew what to do, I knew the patient's rhythm on the monitor, I knew that the patient's rhythm needed a defibrillator and CPR and meds. I knew what meds to give and how much to give and when to give. But like I said, I need some work. A lot of work.

He survived, my mannequin patient, in case you were wondering. :)

Tomorrow and Friday- more lectures. Next simulation is next week, Friday. Stay tuned....

So Far

These are the books I was given for my course.

(I took a picture next to a standard size coffee mug because its really hard to get the full effect of the size of the books in a picture)

The binder is a 3 1/2 inch binder, filled with double sided pages. I guess if they were single sided I would end up with a 7 inch binder. No thanks. It's already too big.

Over the next 4 weeks I will need to know that binder. All 1096 pages. I will have 11 tests in the next 4 weeks on that binder.

Fun, right?

Anyway, I'm not complaining, because I truly feel blessed with the amazing opportunity I am receiving. I still can't believe it. I will say, however, I do feel slightly overwhelmed at the moment. But I know that will pass and I just need to take things one step and one day at a time.

And I hope that all of that knowledge will stay in my brain.

Simulation Lab

Here is the web page for the simulation lab we're using during our training program. I am SO excited, I can't even tell you. It sounds so amazing. It looks amazing. Its amazing (yes, I've said that word a few times now) the kind of technology available to us today. It's just astonishing to me.

Anyway, click on the link and it will take you to the page. You can read that, and also check out the video if you have a few minutes (its on the menu on the left side labelled "See Us In Video.")

http://med.fau.edu/medicine/simulation_center/

Week 1

Well, folks, that concludes week 1 of my training. I did an EKG and an ACLS course and I am now certified in both.

Thank goodness.

ACLS was hard, but interesting and I will be doing it a LOT in the simulation lab that I will be going to at least once a week for the next 7 weeks. Even cooler? We will use a REAL defibrillator and deliver REAL shocks to the simulation patients. Like, in real life.

Seriously awesome.

Mainly though, I can't wait to not be so nervous anymore. In ACLS as part of our testing we have to go through a mock code as the leader. And boy, its so easy to know all the correct answers when it isn't your turn, but once it is, everything goes blank. I can't wait to NOT go blank anymore.

Until then, I'll just continue to learn and grow. Stay tuned.

EKGs

I can read them.

Ha! But really, taking an EKG course, as well as an ACLS course, were pre-requisites for the ER nurse training program I am in. Which, I'm not OFFICIALLY in until I pass both courses.

Today, I passed the EKG course.

Phew. I thought for a second I had failed, but I got a 91% (needed 80% to pass). Like I said, phew!

Now onto the next........Thursday and Friday is ACLS.