A New Year...A Continued Adventure

Hi Friends & Family,

Sorry for not keeping my blog updated. I was reminded this summer by Dr. Avakoff that I hadn’t updated my blog in some time. It’s been a busy & exciting summer to say the least. Most of you know all the updates so I’ll keep it quick. I’ve been blessed with meeting my love Anthony, very happy & everyone else seems to be just as happy as well. =) I spent most of my summer with Anthony, his son & family in the Bay Area. Took a trip up to my Dad’s house in Lucerne and also see my Mom & Step-Dad a few times this summer. As well as, working in Bay Area & taking a summer course at main campus in San Bernardino, so lots of flying involved. I also moved to Rancho Mirage with a fellow student Johanna, who was nice enough to take me in after some family drama. That pretty much raps up summer & so another school year begins.

I have now begun my 2^nd year of nursing school. The 1^st year flew by, can’t believe we are starting our 2^nd year. June 2014 will be here before we know it. I’m taking 15 credits/units this quarter so I’m going to be a busy girl. We are doing maternity for nursing & will be getting to work with brand new babies! I can’t wait, so exciting although I’ve very afraid as well! I’m also taking a Spanish literature course & a Latino culture course to fulfill other requirements to graduate.

This next quarter will be tough, adjusting to new instructors, taking a larger load of courses & also having a boyfriend who lives up North. I’m confident I can make this all work! Wish me luck. I will try my best to update my blog as much as possible.

Hope everyone is happy & healthy!

GOOOOOOOOO NIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNERSSS!!!!!!!!

~Shana

So horrible about updating!!!

Hi Friends,

Sorry!!! I'm so bad at updating my blog. These days it seems like there's never enough time in the days nor am I doing much besides studying, studying, studying, class & the gym. I'm exhausted! I've run out of silverware again this week, I hate to wash silverware by hand & my dishwasher broke last quarter. I know it's bad for the environment but I think I'm asking for paper plates and plastic silverware for xmas! haha

We are at a new hospital this quarter and I got to see 3 babies come into the world last week...was one of the most amazing experiences ever. Even though I didn't know the patients, it was still a special event to witness. I've seen both of my younger brothers be born and til this day, thinking about the day each of them were born brings happy tears to my eyes. I love being in an environment that has different forms of nursing all in the same day. I think the OR might be a place for me. Diverse in duties and experiences.

Last week I took the day off from school stuff and knocked something off my bucket list, I shot a gun for the 1st time. I shot several guns actually, loved it. Great adrenaline rush.

I was thinking that school has been holding me back from a lot of life experiences I could be having, like knocking more things off my bucket list until I realized, the biggest thing on my bucket list was to be a nurse. So, although I may be missing on on minor bucket list checks, I'm on my way to fulfilling one of my life dreams.

Until next time...be well friends!

~S

Hi Friends

Saw this quote & I loved it! Had to share!

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." ~Winston S. Churchill

Hope all is well, S

I'm BACK

Hi Friends & Family,

I AM BACK! As I sit here studying for my finals, I realize that I have not updated my blog this quarter. A quick recap of this quarter…we went to a new hospital (loved it), able to give medications (loved it), and now the quarter is coming to an end and it’s time for finals. This quarter was a little crazy because not only did I have nursing classes, I also took an upper division writing course which was a ton of work. Now in finals week, I got the worst toothache, went to the dentist and was told I needed a root canal. SO today, I had my first root canal. I have to say, dentistry is pretty interesting. And for anyone in the desert if you ever need a root canal David Li in Palm Desert was AMAZING! I didn’t feel a thing.

Here is a picture of us all squished in the elevator at the hospital.

This quarter I got observe different parts of the hospital. First stop was the GI lab (Gastrointestinal Laboratory) which doesn’t sound fun at all. I have no desire to look up anyone’s butt and into their colon. I was surprisingly shocked, I loved it there but I did not have to see the insides from the bottom up. I got to see the inside of someone’s lungs, the inside of the throat down to the stomach and also a bone biopsy. I went to the “cath lab” where I got to observe an angiogram (looking at someone’s heart vessels) and see a stint put in place. I went to the OR and got to see a feeding tube placed. I also got to go to wound care and learn about hyperbaric chambers and how they are using them to help heal wounds.

As I explore the hospital setting more, I’ve come to realize that I love procedures. Even though everyone is convinced I’m going to be an ER nurse, I think I like the OR. I still can’t figure out if being told I’m going to be an ER nurse is a good or bad thing but my instructor is an ER nurse so it has to be a good thing. I like to stay busy, I hate to be standing around, so wherever that takes me. We shall see.

Here's a photo of us at post conference discussing the experiences of the day & on the patio of the hospital.

I really enjoyed this quarter at the hospital, I should have written weekly so I could really express how much I enjoyed everything I’ve done. Next quarter I promise to be better at it. I feel like things are finally making sense or more sense anyway. OK back to studying, have to pass these finals Friday.

Here's a little funny to make you smile!

Hope all is well, until next time…S

Happy New Year - 2012

Hi Friends,

Wishing everyone a blessed 2012! I'm excited to see what this year holds. 2011 was so good to me, getting into to nursing school, finishing my 1st quarter, meeting new friends and now considering them family and feeling healthy! I don't know how this new year can get any better, I can't wait to continue my journey!

OH & the best part of 2011-2012, my SF 49ers are going to the playoffs! Woooowhooooo GO NINERS

Hope all is well with everyone!

xoxo, until next time....S

Last week of school is DONE...

Hi Friends,

Sorry if the link below doesn't work. Over the break I'm going to freshen up my creative skills and hopefully start posting some cool videos. I think I need to ask for a video camera, one of those tiny ones, for xmas.

WE JUST FINISHED OUR LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! Doing the happy dance!!!

Next week is finals and then we get a few weeks off! YAY, then only 8 more quarters left til we are nurses.

This last 10 days or so have been the hardest. I'm so thankful for my classmates, if it wasn't for them, I'm not sure I would have gotten through this tough time. Thank you everyone!!!! Big thanks to Ms. Fry too! Crazy how I feel so cared about by people I didn't even know a few months ago. Feels good! =)

Wishing everyone a happy weekend, go do the happy dance too but not recommended with a cocktail in hand...unless you're a professional! ;)

Until next time, S

Cosmetic Nurse

Hi Friends,

Below is info on the cosmetic/aesthetic nursing field.

http://sn1-pptbroadcast.officeapps.live.com/p/PowerPointBroadcast.aspx?pptbid=87ab4ba8-c228-4417-af16-0f3023db2fb7

Thanks Shana

I love Rev Run's tweets

Thought this was a great quote from Rev Run tonight & wanted to share!

"Mediocrity never congratulates excellence.. #bedope!" -Rev Run

Happy Thanksgiving Friends....

Hi Friends,

I'm back, updating my blog at midnight! FUN! My mom told me this week "I have to read your blog to see what you are up to!" Good thing for this blog. It was a great idea and I will continue it through the rest of my schooling.

Happy EARLY Thanksgiving!!!! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Today, myself and a few other nursing students, went and purchased 10 turkeys and delivered to one of the food banks here in the desert. They feed something like 300 families on Thanksgiving and are short turkeys, so we helped out. Thanks to my Uncle & Auntie we were able to purchase the turkeys. Here's a picture of all the turkeys in my trunk. Why are frozen turkeys so heavy compared to none frozen turkeys? I'm sure there is some great chemistry explanation but honestly, I hated chemistry.

OK, so this weeks topic. Is nursing a career or a profession???

A great nurse is a multi-tasker, critical thinker, good on their toes, educator, advocate…and on and on and on. Although, those are all important traits of a nurse, they do not distinguish nursing as a profession over a career. To me, nursing is a profession. I believe this because a nurse has to be formally trained by an accredited institution, meet educational and clinical requirements as well as take and pass a state board exam. This is the difference between a profession and a career. A career is a job such as a waitress, nothing is wrong with being a waitress it’s just an example. In California, to be a waitress, you don’t need be licensed or formally trained. You may be an amazing waitress and be considered a “professional” by trade but there is no qualifying merit that distinguishes you from someone else doing the same position. You get trained and do the job. I asked a few friends on facebook what they thought, here are a few comments I enjoyed or supported my claim.

Question for my friends, except if you are a Nurse or nursing student...Do you consider nursing a CAREER or a PROFESSION??? Please give your reasoning to why. Just curious what you all think. Thanks!

“It's a profession because you’re receiving specialized training.” ~Rosa Vega

“A 'career' is a job/occupation. A 'profession' requires extensive or specialized education. I believe you fall into the latter.” ~Ahi Ting

Once again, I believe nursing is a profession and not a career. I'd love to hear any comments if anyone has any.

I am thankful for all my family and friends that have been so supportive since I've went back to school. :) Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday!!!

Until next time...xoxo~S

Only a few more weeks left....

Hi Friends,

We only have a few more weeks left then it's finals and we are DONE!!! YAY! Plus next week is Thanksgiving, so exciting! Stress level is at a 1, have a few things due but feeling pretty good right about now. I took this last weekend off, flew home to SF to work Friday. Felt really guilty but it was needed but I definitely used my new knowledge when seeing patients and assessing our new lil guy. They say you can't get a carotid pulse in an infant, see me trying below to assess a 1 month old. (No babies were hurt while taking this pic!) They were right, couldn't feel a carotid pulse, did however find his brachial pulse, so it was pretty cool to test out some new skills.

While in SF I also went to a boot camp class and did this cool machine called a jacobsladder. I put on a 20 lbs weighted vest and did the machine, it was pretty intense. Maybe that's why my stress level is so low.

Goal for this week, to continue to keep my stress down by handling future assignments now instead of waiting til last minute and getting in some gym time. Oh, Bridget and I signed up to do the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning to represent Coyote Nurses! I'm excited except not sure I can run 3.1 miles but I'm going to jog and give it my best shot.

Below is a few pictures of my clinical group after clinicals last Thursday morning. See my "boy" scrubs, I swear I look like a boy in them. I don't know why but our outfits aren't very flattering scrubs. Oh well, I'm getting used to them.

My flight home last night was oversold so I volunteered to take a later flight. I got to have dinner with my Grandma and got a $400 credit voucher to another flight on United. I think I'm going to use that credit to take a trip over winter break. :)

OK, until next time... 





Happy Wednesday

Hi Friends,

The last week has been good! Got 86% on my last midterm and although that's still below a lot of the class, I'm happy. Wish it was a 90% but that's ok. Have a project due this afternoon, plus I get to register for next quarter around lunch time and have a care plan due tomorrow am. You will hear me mention care plans over the next 3 years. A care plan is a nursing plan of care for one of your patients. Sounds easy but it's a lot of work. OK enough of that let's get to the good stuff! Last Saturday I invited my class over, 21 of us, for a potluck. I made spaghetti and everyone brought something. It was a good time. It was nice to spend time with the people I see everyday outside of the school setting. It was also good to meet some spouses, put a face to the names and also little ones. David, one of 2 males in our group (poor guys), brought his 3 year old daughter. She was adorable and very well behaved, not used to being around behaved children! ;) Unfortunately, I didn't get too many pics and all came out a little weird but here's a few.

My stress levels have been great. There's a lot things to do and remember but I'm doing ok. I think I make things harder than they need to be by overthinking everything. Being flexible really has helped. I only went to the gym 3 days last week so I'm not too happy about that but I guess that's how some weeks will be. This week will be a 3 day gym week too. We have Friday off for Veteran's Day so I'm flying home Thursday afternoon to work on Friday, I'll be seeing patients. Yes, I get a day off school and what do I do, fill it will work! I'm just crazy sometimes. I'm excited to go back home and see my friends and some family. It will be a nice little break from school. Although, there's never really a break. I'm trying to figure out what books I absolutely need to bring.

OK, well I have about 100 things to do so I have to run. Oh here's another pic. There's a sports stadium in palm springs and they put flags all along the lawn for Veteran's Day. The site is overwhelming and made me miss my friend Rossi who is overseas. I tried to get a photo as I drove by (yes I was taking pictures and driving through a busy intersection) but the picture just doesn't do the site justice. If you live in town, you have to go see it. It's off of Diana Shore behind Cat City HS, sorry I'm not sure of the cross street.

Hope all is well. Til next time....S

Midterms are done!!!

Hi Friends,

Well our midterms are over along with our 1st week at the hospital and we all survived. I got an 80% on one of the exams, not sure about the other one yet but I think I did ok. In our class though it almost seems the 80% is failing because everyone does so well. :( I definitely need to get a test taking book because nursing exams seem to be very different than what I'm used to.

The hospital is an interesting place. Definitely different than Dermatology, way more dynamics than a private practice. I ended up working with an "older" nurse who said she "didn't like to teach students" but agreed to take me on. I call her an "older" nurse because that's how she referred to herself. Instead of helping just one patient, who didn't want to be bothered, I followed the nurse and helped her in anyway I could with all 5 of her patients. Although this nurse said she didn't like teaching, she was a great instructor. She literally told me step by step everything she was doing and why. I even surprised myself at how much I understood what she was saying. My patient who didn't want me to do anything for her later apologized and told me "you are going to be a great nurse, you are good with people because you handled me great this morning when I was being a bitch." Even though I know I didn't help her in anyway, still felt good. The "older" nurse told me to ask for her next Friday because she "feels comfortable" working with me.

I'm exhausted, totally not used to this quarter system yet, an intense 10 weeks. So different than a 16 week semester. This week has been an emotional one. A nursing student at the main campus passed away this week, even though I didn't know her, it put a sadness in the air. It's interesting how there's an instant connection to the nursing community once I started school, it's almost like a secret society. Especially with my fellow classmates, I feel like I now have 20 extra family members I can count on if I needed help or support. On that note, I'm hosting a potluck this Saturday at my house for our class. I think sharing a meal is such an important part of bonding. When I have my own family I always said I wanted to make a tradition of Sunday family dinner. Since I don't have a family yet, I'll host Saturday family dinner with my classmates. Should be a good time!!! I will take lots of pictures to share.

Speaking of eating ;) I dropped that extra weight! YAY! So excited. Not sure why the picture is sideways but there it is!

Goals for this week. Keep being flexible, it seems to be working. My stress is still down even though I have a paper due this afternoon and procrasting on it.

Talk to you later.......

Ten ways to love

I saw this and thought it was a nice reminder on how to love and treat one another.

Hi Friends

My stress levels have decreased, so excited. I realized I can't change how things happen, I can only choose how I react. Every time I get frustrated I just say "flexible" a ton of times in my head til it passes. So far it's working. 

This weeks goal, since my stress is under wraps, clean my house. My goodness it's such a mess. A pile of clothes so huge it looks like a mountain is growing everyday in my room. Today's goal is to put all those clothes AWAY!!! 

One midterm done another one on Halloween, officially half way done with this quarter. I get to go back to the bay area in 2 weeks and see my friends and also work to make some money so I'm looking forward to that. 

Below is a funny pic one of my friends posted on his fb, it cracked me up so I thought I'd share. Laughing is a great tool to relieving stress.

Bye for now...

A little funny...

Top 10 reasons to become a nurse

1. Pays better than fast food, though the hours aren't as good.
2. Fashionable shoes & sexy white uniforms.
3. Needles: It's better to give than to receive.
4. Reassure your patients that all bleeding stops....eventually.
5. Expose yourself to rare, exotic, & exciting new diseases.
6. Interesting aromas.
7. Do enough charting to navigate around the world.
8. Celebrate the holidays with all your friends.....at work.
9. Take comfort that most of your patients survive no matter what you do to them.
10. Courteous & infallible doctors who always leave clear orders in perfectly legible handwriting.

STRESSFUL!!!!!!!

Hi Friends,

Well since my last post, my stress level has increased a HUGE amount. I even considered dropping the program and I'm not the only one. Out of 22, it looks like we have already lost 1 person! :( It's not that I don't want to be a nurse or don't think I can do the job, it's that I'm not sure I can handle the structure of nursing school. Last week was just bad. It was so bad, I gave up Friday and went out and drinking. Drank WAY TOO MUCH. Which left me sick all day Saturday and unable to study and in turn made me feel horrible about myself. Lesson learned, alcohol isn't the answer. Didn't I learn that a long time ago away? Duh!

I have realized that I don't do well when things are disorganized, which seems to be how a lot of things in nursing school go. For example, sometimes it takes 20 minutes just to figure out what we are supposed to even be reading for that week. After the 20 minutes I get discouraged and I haven't accomplished any reading yet. So then I get distracted, do something else and end up getting nothing done. This Sunday I just told myself, oh well, it's not organized just read. I read and read and read and finally I just went with it. It helped because I got 5 out of 5 on our quiz Monday! YAY!!!!!!!!!! But then only got 3 out of 5 on our quiz today. Man, I'm trying, that's all I can do. Trying my best and doing my best.

At this point, although I know working out helps me keep my sanity, it's not really on the top of my todo list. I don't really care how much weight I gain as long as I make it through the 3 years. Last week I went to the gym 4 days, hopefully this week it will be back to 5-6 but we'll see. I can't keep beating myself up about not meeting the personal goals I set for myself. I need to just go with it, need to be flexible. Goal for this week: BE FLEXIBLE!!!!!!!

I'm exhausted, feel like I'm about to pass out typing this blog and still have work to do so I have to go...BYE FRIENDS!!!

Weekly Update

Hi Friends,

I wish I could say this last week was easy, it was not. We took our 1st quiz and I'm pretty sure I failed, took our 2nd quiz and I'm thinking I missed 1 OUT OF 5! Wow this is going to be rough!! Oh and about watching my weight, I'm watching it increase...see lovely photo.

I'm blaming a new medication I'm taking for the weight gain. Seriously, how can I gain 5 lbs without even eating anything fried or fast food in a week?????? That seems so unfair. I did have some hard candies last week but geez, I can't sit for 4 hours and not snack on something. Goal for this week, try not to eat anything I didn't prepare myself. So far, today sucked. Spent 12 hours at school so it was hard not to eat something someone else made but I still didn't cave and eat fast food. YAY! I did eat a yummy brownie that someone made for the speaker tonight though. BAD SHANA!

Today my instructor said I'd make a great ER nurse, I think it's cause I yelled at Bridget something like "no more talking" while I was trying to exam her lungs. hahaha Below is a few pics of Bridget and I doing an abdominal exam to each other. Bridget is smiling while I'm so serious and trying to hear that noise in there.

Stress level is pretty much still at a low, for some reason I'm not freaking out yet. Getting to the gym 5 days last week probably helped. If my weight continues to increase and I keep failing quizzes, you might see me start to freak. YIKES! Why does it feel that the only thing that will make me feel better is See's candy? OK enough about food. This week my goal is to step up my gym time to 6 days and continue leading a semi-stress free life. I'm also trying to fit in a bikram yoga class, Bridget and I tried a class last week since there is a studio close to campus. I'm not sure I like it but I'll continue to try anything that's supposed to keep my stress down.

I wish I had something more interesting to say but until next week kiddos....

My New Personal Intervention Blog

Hi Friends,

My University Studies course requires me to keep a personal blog journaling my stress levels and how I will accomplish staying CALM even in times of extreme stress aka 300+ pages of reading a week not including studying or homework. I love the idea because every week I will have to take responsibility (publicly) for how I handled my stress and what I did or didn't do to help my stress levels. I feel it will motivate me to continue on the healthy path that I vowed to stay on once starting classes. I promised myself I would continue to eat right and go to the gym 5-6 days a week no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT!!! I refuse to gain the 20 lbs they said we would gain in nursing school. Although, I already see how easy it could be to gain the weight. Every night on my drive home, fast food just seems to be so much easier to grab than actually cooking something healthy but I've been good. No fast food yet!!!

Going to the gym and eating healthy is currently my way of coping with stress and staying sane. I also love to cook and bake! Cooking and baking, making my family and friends smile with my food or sweet treats, is another way I keep my stress levels down. My goal for this school year is to create a yummy protein packed low fat/calorie muffin or cupcake using my favorite protein powder. Wish me luck, all of you will be my test kitchen bunnies. I know, I'm thinking big, I have no clue when I'll have the time to figure that one out but it's on "the list" hahaha.

Well it's only Monday and officially our 3rd week of classes and my stress level is measuring at low. I've managed to eat healthy and keep my gym routine since classes began. There is a lot of reading but the biggest thing stressing me out is trying to make this blog look pretty!!! Oh and having to rush my mom to Desert Regional's ER yesterday. She came to visit for the weekend and ended her trip at the ER. I will try to attach the picture she asked me to take after she got a shot of morphine to kill the pain...awwwh the power of pain medication. Poor thing was in so much pain I thought she was going to code. I kept praying, please don't let her code and my mom be the 1st REAL person I have to give CPR to! Funny part is, I almost made her copy her records, I was thinking CARE PLAN OPPORTUNITY. Guess I'm already thinking like a nursing student. Thanks to the staff at DRMC she's feeling much better and made her flight home today.

To be continued next week....or sooner if I have something interesting!!