Still adjusting to the Pittsburgh way...

Just a couple of concerns I'd like to voice having now lived here in Pittsburgh for close to 2 months. First of all, Pittsburghers think that I have an accent. I've had at least three people ask if I'm from Minnesota. And the rest are just curious as to where I am from, since I have such a "thick accent". The funny thing is, I think they all sound pretty normal. It troubles me. And my second concern has to do with some ill-designed traffic lanes. I can't tell you how many times I've been driving along, enjoying whichever David Gray album is in the CD player, only to realize that, without warning, my lane has turned into a "left turn only" or "right turn only" lane. On the ride home from the hospital, I am often forced to turn onto some unknown street, suddenly finding myself lost in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. It makes me very anxious, since I now am constantly worried about whether or not I should be in the other lane. I miss those Michigan lefts. Don't get me wrong, I still love Pittsburgh and its friendly residents, but I guess I'm just a Michigander at heart.

We're going to Maine!

Yesterday I found out that my family is planning a trip to Maine next August to celebrate my graduation from nursing school (hopefully!!). I have a feeling they would have used any excuse to plan the trip. But it really does give me something to look forward to after a year of not venturing very far outside of the Pittsburgh area. One of the exciting things about this particular trip is that it will be Blake's first time in Maine. I think that I actually may be more excited about him going than he is. He's not much of a camper, but I'm determined to change his mind. And after experiencing my emotions over this next year, I'm pretty sure he'll be able to handle anything! So I've included some pictures from some of our past trips, just to give you a glimpse of where we go and what we do while we're there (lots of relaxing and eating!).

But until August 4th (the official graduation date) I have quite a bit to experience. Today was a pretty good day at the hospital. I had a patient who was alert and oriented, able to vocalize what she needed, and very kind. I spent much of the day emptying her bedside commode, but I am happy as long as I am busy. She was very thankful, as was her roommate, who put me to use even though I wasn't assigned to her. At least I got a little experience working with more than one patient (which still sounds difficult at this point). After lunch we attended a conference about Professional Liability Laws. It was interesting, but pretty much convinced me that someone will sue me at some point in my career. Regardless, it was a good day at the hospital. Hopefully tomorrow will follow suit!

I just have to warn everyone that I only have clinicals on Thursdays and Fridays. So Mondays through Wednesdays, I'll generally only have dull stories. These are the days that I sit in a classroom from 8 am to 3ish pm. Yes, seven hours in one seat, listening to a very long lecture. Some days I leave convinced I've developed a pressure ulcer. Anyway, as much as I'd like to discuss the test I took this morning, and explain what I learned about the cardiovascular system, I realize it's not good blog material.

The more interesting moments on these days occur during my bus rides to and from school. Although nothing too crazy happened today, these last weeks have been filled with adventure. One of the more interesting moments was my conversation with a seventy-something-year-old man who confided in me that he's been placed here in Pittsburgh by the FBI. I often wonder if he ever found his way off that bus. And of course, I fumbled my way through those first few trips, getting change stuck in the meter, missing stops, and chasing after buses. But all in all, I've really enjoyed taking the bus, and will probably have many more good bus stories to share.

Anyway, in a couple of days, I'll hopefully have some good, gross stories to share!

Time to grocery shop, maybe??

This
is
what
happens
when
you're
in
nursing
school.

Some Outdated Pictures

Here are some pictures from our first day of Orientation. Just thought you might like to see some of my classmates. The young woman sitting next to me at the table is one of the people in my cinical group, as is the gentleman on the far right in the picture with the podium. These are the people I spend much of my day with, and by next August, will have spent most of the year with!

One Point Five Months In/Ten Point Five Months to Go

I've decided to start a blog to recount my experiences in nursing school. Everyday, so many new and interesting things happen (well, most days). But I've found that as the days pass, these experiences fade into my bad memory, and are lost and gone forever. So I want to share as many as I can with those who are willing to listen. If you're willing to listen, I'm excited to share! And I'm going to share everything, so be prepared for some "interesting" stories (i.e. gross, sad, happy, frustrating...everything).

As of right now, my daily activities in the hospital include providing bed baths and taking vitals. While these may sound like easy tasks, they are rather difficult for novices like me. My first few patients were all unable to do anything for themselves, so bathing each and every one of them was a learning experience. And I still look back and worry about the patient whose teeth I forgot to brush, or the catheter that I didn't clean properly, or that blood pressure that I had to take 3 times and still didn't get an accurate reading. But all the patients have been patient with me (they have also all had dementia, so it may just be that they weren't fully aware of what was going on).

I have been able to do some more interesting things though. Like follow a body down to the morgue, and spend a couple hours shadowing an ER nurse. At this point, I've remained upright and conscious through the insertion of IV's and PIC lines, and the dressing changes on at least three amputated toes (we are on a floor with many diabetic patients).

Thusfar, it's been a good, motivating experience. I have had frustrating days, but I am still excited for the day I can call myself a nurse.

Hopefully I will keep this blog updated. There will be many busy days, but there will also be many experiences to share. And I look forward to sharing them with you all!