tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90608216552842831132024-03-29T00:30:46.485-07:00RN: Real Newbie, a nurse's blogA new trauma nurse's journal about being a "Real Nurse", life and all the stuff in betweenAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-42628228981565721782015-05-26T16:41:00.000-07:002015-05-26T16:42:54.405-07:00Confessions of a Hoarder (plus a Giveaway)<div style="text-align: left;">
So a little confession, I'm a bit of a hoarder and I happen to hoard samples. Oh how I love getting little, tiny sized offerings of all sorts of stuff, and I can't turn them down! Nordstroms is an absolute nightmare for my poor husband when we go shopping as they are WAY too happy to offer you a little sample of anything your heart desires. </div>
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Then I found BirchBox, oh dear I don't even have leave the house to find my tiny treasures! They ship them right to my house! Suffice to say that I have accumulated quite a stash of sample products that I have no interest in or won't ever use. What to do with it all?</div>
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Turn it into your gain! </div>
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For no reason at all I decided to gather all the goodies </div>
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I have never used, or opened, sniffed and said "nope" to. </div>
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Now 2 lucky gals can have them!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HGwAW5I0Y8o/VWT_3NG9iKI/AAAAAAAAAvM/_S9dKIs0wyg/s1600/20150526_155046.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HGwAW5I0Y8o/VWT_3NG9iKI/AAAAAAAAAvM/_S9dKIs0wyg/s400/20150526_155046.jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have been hoarding the pretty boxes that my Birchbox sample come in too, so I have put together two packages of sample sized happiness for two lucky readers to win. These boxes are full of stuff that any girl will enjoy, most of the sample are entirely unused but one or two may have been opened to investigate but only about a single spritz has been used to decide that this product wasn't for me. If that doesn't weird you out it's yours for the taking and my husband will thank you.</div>
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<b><u>Pamper Box</u></b></div>
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This box contains a bunch of sample sized goodies that will help revive and revitalize you! Any nurse or nursing student could use a little pick me up and this is full of great stuff that will help you feel like you had the time and money for a mini spa day. And who knows you may love the products so much you might just go hunt them down.</div>
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<b><u>Primp Box</u></b></div>
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This box is stuffed with goodies for the nurse or nursing student who still wants to look good, even if it is only during long 12 hour shifts or at clinicals. There are a bunch of samples and full sized products in here that will help you look great whether you are heading out for a much needed break or just wanting to look like you actually have enough time to get made up before heading to work or school. </div>
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<b><u>How to Get a Box</u></b></div>
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<li>Leave a comment telling me if you are a nurse or nursing student, which box you just have to get your hands on, and why one of these boxes would make your day. </li>
<li>You have until <u style="font-weight: bold;">June 21st, 2015</u> to enter, one entry per person, please leave an email address so that I can contact you if you have won.</li>
<li>2 lucky gals will be chosen at random.</li>
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Good luck!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-3569213796311717332015-05-07T10:24:00.000-07:002015-05-07T10:24:00.862-07:00Happy Nurses Week The other night was the big kick off to Nurses Week, the pot luck was set out and delicious smells rolled out of the galley and were making my stomach growl. I wanted to run out and grab something hot, but I was stuck. Stuck in my room with a patient who was in a very very bad way and a family who didn't dare move from the room. I don't know why but whenever a potluck is set out, my patient crumps. I stayed in that room for most of the night unable to step out for supplies let alone for food, but at the end of the night I couldn't feel happier.<br />
That night was a blinding example of nursing at its absolute perfection, the team pulled together, nurses in and out of the room helping me with supplies, an extra set of hands or just whisking away the accumulating mess of tubing and wires and surgical instruments. Cups of coffee were cheerfully delivered to the family, reassuring smiles flashed their way and somehow, somehow they knew everything was going to be OK.<br />
At the end of the shift I was exhausted, but not as exhausted as the family who sat and watched helpless to do anything and having to put trust and faith in absolute strangers. When I left that morning I saw tears on their cheeks but hope in their eyes, I received hugs that conveyed so much more than any words.<br />
I walked out the doors that morning exhausted yet somehow renewed and revived. It's because of these moments I am a nurse.<br />
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Happy Nurses Week to all of you who have felt what I felt that morning.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-44326062880790410482015-04-20T22:33:00.001-07:002015-04-20T22:34:20.595-07:00Do You Know Where Your Urethra Is?<div style="text-align: center;">
I found this video trolling on Facebook today, it is both hilarious and profound.</div>
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I think every nurse both new and old should watch this and take a trip down memory lane.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_2NJHLcoxJQ" width="459"></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-16773971877172422972015-02-13T14:56:00.000-07:002015-02-13T14:56:21.918-07:00Turn the Other Cheek <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've heard somewhere that it's more effective to just turn the other cheek, and I will tell you in nursing I have learned to do it not to say that I like it, but is it really more effective? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The other night we were getting killed and PACU sudden calls in a panic, no surprise they are bringing over another patient and it's mine, of course.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They come over and I am trying to triage the situation when I hear my charge nurse talking to someone with a very loud voice outside my room, a very loud, angry voice. I step in and introduce</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> myself as this patients nurse and proceed to get blasted about the lack of communication and how we have kept the very worried family out in the waiting room way too long. I bite my tongue and swallow the tart response that wants to jump up, I take a deep breath and then another and explain in my calmest voice that the unit is very busy, their family member just arrived 20 minutes ago, all of which I have spent at his bedside trying to stabilize his condition. I tell them if</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had had someone who could have gone out to update them I would have and apologize but we are a bit busy tonight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What I wanted to say was that I <i>wasn't </i>sorry, I have been working hard to fix your loved one and if you think my time is better spent talking to you then at their bedside then they wouldn't be here! I wanted to tell them to look at the board, see all those spots filled up and not one empty? That means we have a <i>ton </i>of sick people here who are more important than you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But I didn't, I turned the other cheek. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I settled their fears and sent them home knowing their family member was safe and cared for. As is often with these sorts of encounters I promptly forgot about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A week later my charge nurse handed me a small white envelope while making her rounds someone had left it for me a few days ago. Curiously I opened it to find a small pastel card inside with an unfamiliar handwriting. The card was addressed to me, thanking me for my care of their loved one and my ability to make myself available to them in such a busy time. It also apologized for their "terrible" behavior and explained that not too long ago a family member was in the same situation and did not have such a good outcome, so if I could please understand they were very very emotional, and since they knew I worked long nights please have a coffee on us. Inside was a gift card to Starbucks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suddenly I knew who this was from.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is turning the other cheek more effective? I don't know, but in this instance I am very, very glad I did. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-36966439477428210962015-02-09T00:29:00.002-07:002015-02-09T00:29:31.136-07:00Old Timer?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Yesterday I asked my director about some education pertaining to "new hires" and if I had to take it or could I just submit the completion certificates I have from Community Hospital. She laughed and told me I was way past that new hire stage in fact I was "old" now. I had to stop and think about it, old? Me? But I <i>just </i> got here, or maybe I didn't, but it feels like I just started and then again it doesn't. I get the feeling that didn't make any sense, OK let me explain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> There is still a ton of stuff that I don't know, and patients in this unit I simply have no way of handling myself. It's amazingly scary to me to feel this, for lack of a better word, <i>new </i>again. I have relationships to build with the doctors, and there are SO many of them now. I have given up pretending like I know who belongs to which specialty anymore, I just flat out ask in report. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Uh what does he do again?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Right. Then there are the nurses, breaking into a new unit I have learned is like going back to high school all over again. You learn who the "cool" people are, who to and not to associate with and who the class clowns are, and just like on the first day of high school, you belong to no group or crowd and everyone is just watching to see what you do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> On the flip side I've had time to settle in, I at least have learned where most of the supplies I need on a daily basis are located and have determined who I would prefer to be sandwiched between for the night. I am learning who I want with me when a patient goes south and who won't lift a finger to throw you a line when you are drowning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The thing is now to become a part of the unit. It's happening slowly, there are some who come to seek me out when they need help and a few who actually listen. I've made a couple friends who think of me when outside the building and away from work and a few "work friends". While I may be labeled as old by HR and my director I know I have much to learn and hopefully in time I'll figure it all out.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com68tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-49771541222975403992014-05-07T14:35:00.001-07:002014-05-07T14:35:43.235-07:00Nurses Week<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This week I lost a colleague, co-worker and friend. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This week that is for celebrating nurses and all that they do, the world lost a great nurse. There will be news stories devoted to her, but it rocked the worlds of all those who worked with her, knew her and loved her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This week while many of us will be enjoying food, prizes and gifts to say thank you for all the sacrifices we make, one group of us while be mourning the loss of a friend and drawing close one another for comfort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can I tell you about her? She was a nurse. She cared for her patients, not always in the tender, gentle, stereotyped way that TV and books glorify as the hallmark of a "good nurse". But always with her patients best interests and well being in the very fore front of her mind. She cared for people with great skill and a good heart always. She volunteered for disaster relief even though it pulled her away from her family at times. She always helped those around her with good nature. In the end she was a good person and she was a nurse, in every embodiment of the word and was proud of that title.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> On this week when you are celebrating Nurses Week, remember those around you and celebrate them. Not this trumped up idea of what the "ideal" nurse is, but the people that they are. Who they are and what they do, because you never know if you will not be able to tell them how amazing they are tomorrow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This Nurses Week I will celebrate who she was, a colleague, co-worker, friend and a nurse.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-84265386347099895872014-04-20T08:44:00.002-07:002014-04-20T08:46:31.646-07:00Pinned It, Tried It: Sharpie Mugs<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We've all seen pictures of these cute, personalized mugs floating around on Pintrest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like this one.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://img1.etsystatic.com/013/1/7198629/il_570xN.452381353_ppgq.jpg" height="291" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mug sold on Etsy by<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/130326098/coffee-mug-fill-line-mug-coffee-cup-tea?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share"> RevellHouse</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> There are also a million tutorials telling you that this can be easily and cheaply at home with only a few supplies. Ok this sounds like the sort of thing that is right up my alley, and after some research I gathered up my supplies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u> Supplies:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-White porcelain mugs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Oil based Sharpies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">according to my research normal water based Sharpies do not work as well because they tend to fade over time)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Oven</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Timer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I cleaned the mugs well and began my doodling. For anyone under the impression that this is a clean craft, think again. The oil based ink takes time to dry, and on more than one occasion I ended up putting some part of my hand into my half finished design and mucking it and myself up. Good news, the oil based ink comes of easily with rubbing alcohol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I let the whole lot dry and then put them into a cold oven, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and then cranked the heat up to 350 degrees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NO08h3rxGfc/U1PleZfZFOI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/j9YICL91Rhg/s1600/20140419_184314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NO08h3rxGfc/U1PleZfZFOI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/j9YICL91Rhg/s1600/20140419_184314.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When the oven reached 350 degrees, I set the timer for 30 minutes and left them to bake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the timer went off I turned off the oven and let mugs cool completely, which turned out to be overnight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Now came the big test, could they be washed without any parts of the design washing off?</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twXWH_yLjgY/U1PldW5D8cI/AAAAAAAAAnI/JDQTkAFCAPA/s1600/20140420_074019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-twXWH_yLjgY/U1PldW5D8cI/AAAAAAAAAnI/JDQTkAFCAPA/s1600/20140420_074019.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newp.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did "use a no scratch" abrasive pad on my mugs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fairness only some of the extra heavy areas that had very thick ink did chip off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any of the mugs I had that had a thin layer of ink stay put no problems.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Conclusions:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Sharpie mugs are not as straightforward as many of the tutorials will lead you to believe. You do need a special type of marker which does kind of defeat the original premise of being able to grab a mug and a Sharpie and make a cute coffee mug.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The craft is also a lot messier than anyone lets on. Since these oil markers will stick to just about anything just remember to put down something to protect your work surface.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Even though a couple of my mugs chipped I still think this is a cute and worthwhile project. Later I did simply touch up the areas that did not stick and reheated the mugs. I would recommend keeping in mind to keep your layer of ink as smooth and thin as possible. The mugs that I did this with had much better outcomes.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I'm also going to attach a "Handmade" tag to these when given as gifts and recommend they be hand washed, just to be safe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In the end these mugs were a ton of fun to make and turned out to be very cute.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOjFeplLoAE/U1Pla41SMPI/AAAAAAAAAnA/H8GaYukcgdo/s1600/20140420_074207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xOjFeplLoAE/U1Pla41SMPI/AAAAAAAAAnA/H8GaYukcgdo/s1600/20140420_074207.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who wouldn't be thrilled to get one of these?</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-55030574440596096712014-04-16T18:51:00.002-07:002014-04-16T18:51:47.510-07:00Separation Anxiety<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Do you ever throw a resume at your dream job? Even when you know you are horribly under qualified, you'll never get an interview and you just don't stand a chance of even getting looked at?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well you should.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I did just that recently. I had no interest in really leaving my place of work, I have friends there and have been taking on more and more responsibility. All in all things have been good. Then one day one of those stupid job websites sent me an alert to tell me that a hospital very close to me had an opening in the Trauma ICU. I have always wanted to work in trauma and on a whim I threw my resume at it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A week later the craziest thing happened, I was offered an interview and then I was offered the position. My dream job.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Now I'm into my last week at work and I am going through some serious separation anxiety. I know this is the right thing to do, Trauma Hospital is 10 minutes from my door and it ends a 35 minute commute. I now have the opportunity to go back for my Bachelors and be more of a presence in committees. It also means I have more time for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So why am I so sad?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have all I could want coming to me and yet as I walk through the halls at work I am often hit with waves of sadness when I realize that soon I won't be be taking the familiar strolls down the faded halls that I have come to call my home away from home. When I see the familiar faces I have come to call my other family I have sometime felt suddenly lonely knowing that they will not be there anymore. Yes we fight and get on each others nerves, but I have grown to love everyone and to count on them in a crisis personal or work related.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Don't get me wrong, I am giddy with excitement, but it's almost like that first day of High-school. You are so happy to be moving up in the world, and yet are so over come with all the "what-ifs" that it can be paralyzing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What if no one likes me? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What if I hate it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What if I screw up?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In the back of my mind I know that my safety net will be gone, all the relationships developed over 3 years will no longer be there, all of the security of knowing exactly what to do will be replaced with uncertainty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Yep, exactly like the first day of high-school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But just like the first day, there is no going back, no running and hiding. The best I can do is make those of me that I am leaving behind proud. I can only take what everyone taught me,all the knowledge and skills they passed on to me and do my best, and learn again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So as I say my good byes to, with each hug I give and receive, I make a promise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I will do my best and never forget where I came from"</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-58178433090868621592014-04-03T12:25:00.001-07:002014-04-03T12:25:10.110-07:00Growing<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It's been a nearly a year since my hubby set up my garden.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The growth that I have seen has been incredible,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and has </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">made me see </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> how much my garden has mirrored my journey in nursing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things start out slow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Small things are both exciting </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">intimidating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then things start to take shape.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You begin to see amazing things in places you never imagined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things begin to blossom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You find beauty</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in the everyday</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">appreciate what you took for granted before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The smallest, mundane things </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">become the most satisfying rewards.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy the journey,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">find wonder in the small things,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reap all the rewards no matter how small.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grow your garden.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-24812908849062035442014-03-26T09:29:00.000-07:002014-03-26T23:06:26.478-07:00Hello Again...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3iaTUN1gQeE/TzLmNHsRYQI/AAAAAAAAAdo/6rSbr4z6ETE/s1600/overdue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3iaTUN1gQeE/TzLmNHsRYQI/AAAAAAAAAdo/6rSbr4z6ETE/s1600/overdue.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking at my last post I feel a little sad, wow it's been a long, long time since I have had the time (and the drive) to sit down and write. Something that gave me great pleasure not so long ago. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> With spring having sprung I decided to start on some spring cleaning, closets have been swept clean of 10 year old clothing, the garden has been cleaned and reseeded and I have decided to return to blogging. I find that now that I am deeper into this world we call nursing that there are times when I need to sit down and really think about what happened and how I feel about it and sometimes seeing my thoughts in the form of words is helpful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> To all the new nurses and students who may stumble across this post, I suggest that you make time to sit and just think. I know this sounds silly but in reality in school and in the working world it is often so hard to find a moment to sit and just go over things in you head, sort them and file them away. I am the type who is always on the go, moving on moving up, but eventually things caught up to me and I began to feel overwhelmed and I had no idea why. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I stopped to "think" because I had to, something inside me broke and I <i>had to </i>stop and ask myself what was really going on, and it was hard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Things are better now, and one of the things I decided was to return to blogging if nothing else to "journal", for a lack of better words. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So here we go, a lot of things have stayed the same and a lot of things have changed. There are changes coming, I know that because nothing in this crazy world I have chosen ever stays the same for long, but that is why I love it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So thank you to those of you who read along and welcome to my corner of the nursing world.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-7314803695348771012013-05-21T12:49:00.002-07:002013-05-21T12:49:52.642-07:00Shift Stories: Timberland Photo Contest<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=bd7ec2e2da&view=att&th=13ec72bf9821cafa&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.499999046325684px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Timberland PRO Renova </b></span></div>
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has launched a new contest in honor </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Nurse Appreciation Month!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Renova Shift Stories- A day in the life of a nurse</span></b></div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_503073281" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 6-June 7 2013</span></span></div>
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Each week (Mondays) we will be announcing a new theme related to nursing lifestyle. Fans may upload photos to our contest tab on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram following the weekly theme. Fans may submit their entries using the hashtag #RenovaShiftStories for a chance to win a pair of Timberland PRO Renova shoes! </div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TimberlandRenova?v=app_448952861833126&rest=1">Enter Here</a></div>
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If you would like to see my entry for this week</div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/10MRVQ8" target="_blank">Check it Out Here</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-17913522428135563572013-02-28T09:57:00.001-07:002013-02-28T09:57:15.067-07:00Stuck in a Rut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> There hasn't been a lot of posting because there hasn't been anything, in my opinion, to talk about. I get up, go to work, come back and sleep a coma. It's been the same old same old nothing seems new and fascinating and cool any more. Perhaps that is where the problem is, I am stuck in a rut.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It's not like things aren't happening around me, but perhaps the problem is lately the same old issues keeping popping up and they never seem to get fixed. I have been reading a book written by a nurse, her story spans from the mid 1980's to present day and it was stunning to see that even in another country and another time that the nurses are plagued by the same problems we are to this day. It was both affirming and frustrating to see, it was nice to know that it wasn't just my unit or this city that these problems keep cropping up. At the same time it is frustrating to know that we, as nurses, have been fighting with the same issues for over twenty years!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I'm not sure what the right Tx for this little "mood" I am finding myself in lately. I've been trying as hard as I can to separate myself from work when I am not there, which is challenging when your phone is ringing everyday with messages from staffing cheerfully asking if you could find some way to work<i> just one more night. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A friend at work gave me a little bit of cynical advice, <i>"Take care of yourself because in the end you are all you have to rely on and no one is going to do it for you."</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>A little mercenary, but when I sat down to think about it she was right. I see it everyday, the bewildered spouse who suddenly finds themselves hovering over a loved ones bed in my unit. How many times have I gently told that person that they should go home and take care of themselves while we take care of their loved. I know what my friend is saying is in the end we all need to know how to rely on ourselves. There is no crime in leaning on a friend or spouse, but to be able to stand on your own when needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So I'm taking her advice and finding better ways to take care of myself. The first step to that is turning off the ringer on my phone, and picking up a good book and a cup of coffee. After I get done with my book, I'll try and figure out the rest of the plan.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-45860097363862260182013-02-04T16:26:00.000-07:002013-02-04T16:26:08.514-07:00Hello, Is It Me You Are Looking For?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQELB0Dz-29Zx3kZzV4lSPZINk-qkzXXQVG3eYojCexryHAa59Nug" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQELB0Dz-29Zx3kZzV4lSPZINk-qkzXXQVG3eYojCexryHAa59Nug" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Yep, it's been a little while. I can't say that I am sorry for being away from my computer for so long, there have unfortunately been a ton of things that have taken priority lately, but I am glad to be back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The New Year came and went for me almost un-noticed in the midst of a couple crazy nights on the unit, short staffed and crazier then usual and it has been full steam ahead ever since then. It seems like there hasn't been a night I've had off that my phone hasn't rang with Staffing begging for some help. Some nights I've had the energy and the mental fortitude to do it, other nights I have literally ignored the phone all together and deleted the message without listening to it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> With the new year has come new challenges and goals, I am, according to my charge nurse, no longer a newbie nurse and I have been pushed to step up to the plate and accept more challenging assignments and more responsibility on the unit. My director has also echoed the sentiment by pushing me to write for my Critical Care Certification. I am now staring at a dauntingly large pile of books that sit here next to my computer. Contained in these pages are all the knowledge that is somehow supposed to reside in the head of a CCRN and I am expected to somehow cram it all in there and NOT lose an ounce of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It is funny because I don't feel any wiser, stronger or smarter yet and I keep waiting for that magical moment when everything will click and I will <i>know </i> that I have it "all down pat", then at the weirdest times I have a sudden moment where it feels like I am standing outside of my body watching myself. It's at these times that I watch my hands move smoothly through the task at hand and it hits me, I see <i>just </i>how far I have come in this past year. I have learned by watching the people around me that in nursing you can never know everything, a good nurse never has "everything down pat". The real skill is to learn how to learn and adapt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So there is a ton of "firsts" still to come and I look forward to everything that has yet to happen and is still to come. So onward and upward as they say.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-22035948549105386662012-12-25T16:38:00.001-07:002012-12-25T16:38:37.679-07:0012 Cranial Nerves of Christmas<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merry Christmas!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you remember the order of your cranial nerves?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are your struggling to remember them?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out this cute video,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q9VM0I4NPHY" width="420"></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-33865194681391788322012-12-24T10:26:00.000-07:002012-12-24T10:26:11.525-07:00My Christmas Gift<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Things have been horribly busy in our unit. Normally around this time of year we see a drop off in census as everyone anticipates the holiday, but this year we have been running nearly full with a really high acuity. We have some seriously sick people. This combined with the holidays being around the corner has made all the nurses a little high strung and grumpy lately, myself included.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Thus, I was not overly happy when I was assigned a patient who was a total care and she was huge. She took up nearly the entire hospital bed and was in such a bad way that she couldn't even move herself, it took 3 nurses to turn her and change her sheets. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> After another nurse and I settled her in at the beginning of my shift, my back was already starting to ache and I could feel a foul mood set in. I looked up and I saw I gentleman quietly slip into my room. As per protocol I got out of my seat and introduced myself as the the night nurse. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The gentleman smiled at me and shook my hand with a warmth that I am totally unused to seeing on a family members face under such circumstances. He asked me if I was the one who has made his wife look so pretty in bed, and then thanked me for doing such a wonderful job. I was stunned and my heart melted a little that night, I offered him a cup of coffee and stayed to chat with him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I found out that night that they had been married for nearly half a century, that they had one child, a son. He came by later and was just as sweet of a soul as his father. I also learned that they were preparing to withdraw care on their loved one, Hospice would take over in a couple of days, they were just waiting for the rest of the family to arrive so they could all be together. My heart went out to this father and son, to make such a tough decision any time is hard but to have to make it so close to Christmas was heartbreaking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The unit heard and for the next two night the entire unit kept an eye on the family. Some one would always make sure a coffee cup was full, we brought food up for the family from the hospitals annual holiday dinner to share with them, any holiday baking was offered up for sampling. The father and son were always gracious, insisting they wanted to be no trouble and thanking us profusely for anything. Every night they left, they would thank us for watching over their loved one and every morning they came in they would tell us how lovely she looked and thank us for all our hard work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> My last night I came in and asked the outgoing nurse how my lady was doing and he showed my a heart monitor strip. Flat line. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Hospice had come in earlier that afternoon and they let her go, easily, without pain or </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">suffering. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Hospice nurse came out and spoke quietly with me, he let me know that all that was left was to wait for the mortuary. He said the family would like to dress her before she left and if I would be willing to help, to which I told him it would be fine, we'd make it happen. I sent both the Hospice nurse and the day nurse home, a couple of the other nurses had caught wind of what was going on and volunteered to help.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Her husband wanted to help, and I had no heart to tell him no. He helped us bath her and then brought out the clothes he had brought, a beautiful scarlet dress with silver embroidery, he shoes and her favorite wig. We dressed her and he helped all the while talking to her, teasing her for being no help and reminiscing about all the places they had gone with her wearing this outfit. I brushed out the hair piece and settled it on her head, asking for his style advice we settled on the curls just under her chin, just the way he remembered. At the end he shyly took two lipstick tubes from his pocket and asked me which I thought would go better with her outfit, we settled on a bright red and I applied it to her lips. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When we were all done he stopped and looked at her, then grabbed me in a huge bear hug. I could feel tears on his face for the first time, he whispered in my ear</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "Thank you, now she looks like herself again and I can say goodbye to her."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I'm not sure how I didn't start crying. The family stayed with her waiting for the mortuary to come, they laughed and told stories about her, they held hands and cried together. When they left, they hugged us all, the son told us that he knew what we did was hard and that we should never forget the good that we do, even when it feels like no one else notices. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The husband gave me a hug and thanked me for everything I did. I hugged him back and thanked him, when he looked puzzled, I told him that to be asked to be part of the beauty that I had seen today and to be made part of his family for even a few hours was an honor. He smiled, gave me another hug and told me he wouldn't forget what we did for him and that he would come back and visit us, under better circumstances.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have no doubt that he will, and I look forward to that day,</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s4IPo6Ge9DQ/UJ0YnLYVnYI/AAAAAAAAA2w/SXMLIF3VIzk/s1600/6a00d83456027569e200e54faf83dc8833-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s4IPo6Ge9DQ/UJ0YnLYVnYI/AAAAAAAAA2w/SXMLIF3VIzk/s320/6a00d83456027569e200e54faf83dc8833-800wi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thank them for what they gave me that day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They reminded me that </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peace, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Faith</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">still remain the cornerstones of our lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Merry Christmas.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-84007903455890673322012-12-11T06:00:00.000-07:002012-12-11T06:00:00.769-07:00A Nurses Christmas Link Up<center>
<a href="http://www.hello-anna-and-mo.com/"><img border="0" src=" http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/annarodr/decemberbutton275x.jpg" /></a></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again I'm linking up with </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anna @ <a href="http://www.hello-anna-and-mo.com/">The Days When I'm Not a Nurse</a></span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Renee @ <a href="http://wonthurtabit.blogspot.com/">This Won't Hurt a Bit</a></span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Girls want to know what my Christmas plans are.</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year I am lucky enough to have Christmas Eve off!</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I will be chilling with family.</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in the meantime,</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the holiday is in full swing!</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every year I make every nurse I work with a small handmade gift,</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this is what I came up with this year.</span></center>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uD9LYh0pJW8/UMY6dKGugpI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/p11UtWhTpeA/s1600/P1000640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uD9LYh0pJW8/UMY6dKGugpI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/p11UtWhTpeA/s400/P1000640.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Handmade bath bombs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which I made in a variety of scents.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got the idea <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/39617671693562650/">here</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/39617671693569836/">here </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on Pintrest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then ended up combining the "recipes"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and making my own</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iGZiYZqth5Q/UMY6dGnDBTI/AAAAAAAAAfc/E5yo0I0JRRo/s1600/P1000639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iGZiYZqth5Q/UMY6dGnDBTI/AAAAAAAAAfc/E5yo0I0JRRo/s400/P1000639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which seems to have worked out pretty darn well!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They smell great </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> when I tested one in my bath </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it really made my dry skin feel soft.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think all the stressed nurses need these!</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I made a whole bunch of them!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eAEbvOjuvjQ/UMY6eG4FnNI/AAAAAAAAAfg/UWyjvtgvWAM/s1600/P1000642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eAEbvOjuvjQ/UMY6eG4FnNI/AAAAAAAAAfg/UWyjvtgvWAM/s400/P1000642.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There should be enough for every nurse,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plus the Respiratory Therapists,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phelbotomists, X-Ray Techs </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pharmacy Techs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that works on my unit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hopefully it will spread some holiday cheer!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-25122426156563472032012-12-06T09:06:00.000-07:002012-12-06T09:06:02.944-07:00Happy Anniversary to Me!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It's been a crazy busy week with very sick patients in our unit on top of being short staffed. I worked four nights this week and in all the rush and stress I nearly over looked one very important day, December 5th.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Yep, one year ago now I stepped into my scrubs and became a "real nurse". It was one heck of a ride, full of ups and downs but I have never regretted my decision to join my unit's team and I have not looked back once since.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> There is still much to do, like go back for my BSN, write my CCRN exam and get the courage to float to a CVICU one day. I have a ton more to learn, and as I sit here in my jammies looking back on my journey this far I am amazed at how far I have come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> All this reflection is going to last for only a short while, there is so much to do, so much further to go and so many more things to learn that I can't wait to get moving again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I'll try to share some of the many things that have come to me over this year now that I have had to think, with you my dear friends. Thank you all for sharing this journey with me and for continuing down the road.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-8010206294110774382012-11-24T16:15:00.000-07:002012-11-24T16:15:00.378-07:00Giving Thanks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bookstorepeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/being_thankful_card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.bookstorepeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/being_thankful_card.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanksgiving has come and gone,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the turkey is nothing but </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a bag of carefully kept scraps now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With all the festivities over </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've had more time to reflect over this past year</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and what I have to be thankful for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year at this time,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was stuck in Canada nervously waiting for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the paperwork I needed to get approval for a work visa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My husband was still in the USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">finishing up his Bachelors degree.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We barely had $50 in the bank account </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was afraid that another delay in my start date</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">would result in my employer letting me know </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that I wasn't really worth the trouble.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am thankful for:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> An employer who thought </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">enough of me </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to push my start date back three times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A team of co-workers that have done nothing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but make me feel welcome and supported</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">since I have started</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A career that I am passionate about</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and wouldn't trade for another in a million years</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A husband who has been my rock for 13 years</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The food on my plate, the roof over my head,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the bed I sleep on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what am I thankful for this year?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Everything I have.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy Thanksgiving everyone,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">thank you for reading....</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am thankful </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">each and everyone of you!</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-83010243291280079892012-11-17T11:17:00.000-07:002012-11-17T11:17:20.981-07:00Dreams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.ecg-professionals.com/images/GE%20patient%20monitors,%20patient%20monitoring%20systems,%20vital%20signs%20monitors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ecg-professionals.com/images/GE%20patient%20monitors,%20patient%20monitoring%20systems,%20vital%20signs%20monitors.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night I had this weird half waking dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd half wake up and think to myself,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"OMG the monitor in this room is not working!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are no vital signs on this patient,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is he alive or dead?!?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then realize that I am in my own bedroom,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">there is no dying patient,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and go back sleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This happened several times last night,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">can you tell I have had crashing patients A LOT lately?</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-22923044776600400602012-11-16T11:03:00.000-07:002012-11-16T11:03:31.055-07:00Here Comes the Train!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRIzaFwBDD8qz-9bVxK8NCk6XoRRPLL3EgfzRlGl13G9aBdEeog4g" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRIzaFwBDD8qz-9bVxK8NCk6XoRRPLL3EgfzRlGl13G9aBdEeog4g" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope everyone will forgive the lack of posts in the last few weeks, but it is that time of the year again! The unit is getting admits and most of them are train wrecks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Normally a typical assignment in our units for a single nurse consists of one vent and one "walkie talkie" this way the nurse only has one total care patient. A stable vent requires q2hr turns, a full bed bath etc, so they take up a little more time so you don't hit a nurse with two vented patients unless they ask for it,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This past week there was not a single patient in the unit that was not on a ventilator, meaning every nurse had a double vent load and some of us ended up with seriously unstable vents that had us hopping all night. Top it off with a code, a couple of emergency bed side procedures and it made for a very busy week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> On weeks like this you will find that it is the team you work with that makes or breaks the shift. Lucky for me we had a great team and even though it was a rough three in a row we found time to laugh and although we were beat up and tired at the end of the night we walked out smiling. These are the sorts of nights where I am so thankful for finding the job that I did (or it finding me) and where I really, really love my job.</span></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-37518970442542259732012-11-07T14:25:00.002-07:002012-11-07T14:25:57.936-07:00Get to Know Me Link Up<center>
<a href="http://www.hello-anna-and-mo.com/"><img border="0" src=" http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/annarodr/November2012button-250x_zps92ee8223.jpg " /></a></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I am linking up with fellow nurse bloggers</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anna @ <a href="http://www.hello-anna-and-mo.com/2012/11/nursing-link-up-get-to-know-us.html">The Days When I'm Not a Nurse</a></span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Renee @ <a href="http://wonthurtabit.blogspot.com/2012/11/attention-all-nurse-bloggers.html">This Won't Hurt A Bit</a></span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This link is aimed at helping our readers get to know us a little better, </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so here goes.</span></center>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DBHvF1eanU/UJrQqw08BlI/AAAAAAAAAe8/_pw2a0b-o8M/s1600/cuddling+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2DBHvF1eanU/UJrQqw08BlI/AAAAAAAAAe8/_pw2a0b-o8M/s320/cuddling+cat.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> My given name isn't Kitty, </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it's a nick name that my husband gave me years ago when we first started dating. </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He said I act like a cat, </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he's right </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love napping in a good sunbeam, </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">watching birds at the many feeders around my yard </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and cuddling up close to on a cold night.</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I am a brand spanking new nurse who took her first job in a small community hospitals ICU. I float from time to time to the ER when the unit is slow and enjoy experiencing the different kind of insanity that is ER nursing. </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I love my job in the ICU, when I started my job a number of people told me I should have held out for a job in one of the big, glamorous teaching hospitals in town, but I am glad I stuck with my little community hospital. I work in a unit of only 16 beds in a close knit group of nurses. I have never felt like I was alone when stuff hit the fan, I know I can always rely on my co-workers, we're like a family and we never leave one of our own out to dry. There are a lot of stories out there of nurses eating their young, but never once have I felt that way since I arrived to my unit. Every night I walk down the hall to work I am so thankful that I work with such a great team.</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> My husband and I have been together for 13 years now,</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and it's felt like we've known each other forever </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">at the same time it never feels like that much time has gone by.</span></center>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-NiiHPIxY0/UJrO3IFFR1I/AAAAAAAAAe0/cGBahlO0sYU/s1600/vacation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-NiiHPIxY0/UJrO3IFFR1I/AAAAAAAAAe0/cGBahlO0sYU/s400/vacation.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I could not imagine a life without him, he was my rock during nursing school. </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He patiently let me practice my assessments and vital signs on him, but he drew the line at IV's which was such a pity, he has the most amazing veins ever!</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> He continues to support me through this last year, </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">letting me vent every morning when he picks me up from work </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and celebrating my little victories with me. </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn't have a better partner,</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> together we can do anything!</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I love to work the night shift, I am NOT a morning person, I hated getting up at 5am for clinicals. It's not for everyone but it certainly works for me!</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm coming up on my one year anniversary in nursing,</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't wait to see what the future has in store!</span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for following along with me </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></center>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I look forward to sharing more experiences with you!</span></center>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-77707863341417550182012-11-07T13:20:00.000-07:002014-03-26T09:10:35.238-07:00Medical Scrubs Collection Review<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When <a href="http://www.medicalscrubscollection.com/" rel="nofollow">Medical Scrubs Collection</a> contacted me asking if I would review a set of scrubs for them I jumped at the chance! I had been contemplating buying some new scrubs since the ones that I bought when I was hired seem to be getting a little dingy looking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I went to their <a href="http://www.medicalscrubscollection.com/" rel="nofollow">online store</a> and was blown away with the selection of scrubs that I had to chose from! They carry a ton of brands and many different cuts, colors and styles. The first set of scrubs that I chose actually didn't fit, but no worries they were wonderful about exchanging them and getting another set out to me pronto.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I chose to try a set of scrubs from <a href="http://www.medicalscrubscollection.com/store/pc/showsearchresults.asp?pageStyle2=H&resultCnt2=100&keyword=urbane&submit2=GO%21">Urbane</a>, a brand I have never tried before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went for the </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.medicalscrubscollection.com/store/pc/Urbane-Sport-V-neck-Crossover-Top-9004-16p183894.htm">Urbane Sport V-Neck Crossover Top</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and for the bottoms I went for the</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.medicalscrubscollection.com/store/pc/Urbane-Sport-Knit-Waistband-Pant-9301-25p200985.htm">Urbane Sport Knit Waistband Pant</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The scrub top has a nice tailored fit,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plenty of pocket space for all the stuff</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I accumulate over my shift.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I usually wear a Medium in clothes but found</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that a Small fit me perfectly in these scrubs.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpaaTR1Wy3g/UJq-gpnGE8I/AAAAAAAAAeM/TMb7gUTqVWg/s1600/scrubs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpaaTR1Wy3g/UJq-gpnGE8I/AAAAAAAAAeM/TMb7gUTqVWg/s320/scrubs2.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The waist band on the pants is my favorite feature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's made to fit low on the hips and fold over </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">much like a pair of my yoga pants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">VERY comfy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall I would totally buy another pair of these scrubs,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> </span><a href="http://www.medicalscrubscollection.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Medical Scrubs Collection</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">made my return so easy the last time</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">I'm not worried about any hassles if I have to send anything back.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll definitely be shopping with them again</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclaimer: </span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This post is sponsored by Medical Scrubs Collection.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> While the opinions in the above post are mine I have received compensation for the above review.</span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-10643134588458583142012-11-05T00:00:00.000-07:002012-11-05T00:00:07.140-07:00Medical Monday Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uk1Lt_WMpJg/UGY4n4dv0AI/AAAAAAAABMI/_BTbj3vDK_w/s1600/MedicalMonday+button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uk1Lt_WMpJg/UGY4n4dv0AI/AAAAAAAABMI/_BTbj3vDK_w/s200/MedicalMonday+button.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Hooray! It's Medical Monday! <br />
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<br /></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Are you confused if you qualify for the party?<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Do you work in healthcare?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Doctor? Nurse? EMT? Chiropractor? Vet? Dentist? Therapist?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
MA? NA? PA? DA?</div>
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Are you the spouse or SO of a healthcare worker/student?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Are you a nursing student? Medical student?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Intern? Resident? Fellow?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
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You get the picture, right? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
LINK UP YOUR POST!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Our once a month bloghop for bloggers like yourself, where we can build a community of support and friendship, learn from one another and share our stories.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<br />
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Here are the rules:</div>
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<br /></div>
<ol>
<li>Follow your co-hosts via GFC.</li>
<li>Link up you medical/med life blog. If your blog name does not clearly state how you fit in to the med/med life world, please write a little intro or link up a specific post which clearly demonstrates your connection.</li>
<li>Visit at least 3 other link ups, comment, introduce yourself, and tell the your stopping by or following from MM! </li>
<li>Help spread the word by using our button on your post or sidebar, tweet about Medical Monday, or spread the word on Facebook! The more the merrier for all of us!</li>
</ol>
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And here's a helpful tip. . .</div>
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<br /></div>
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If you haven't turned of word verification, it's ON. Please turn it off. We'll all LOVE you!!</div>
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Not sure how? Click <a href="http://www.athometake2.com/2012/09/5-steps-to-get-rid-of-word-verification.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AtHomeTake2+%28%40+Home+Take+2%29" target="_blank">here</a> for instructions.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Complete step one by following your co-hosts:</div>
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<br /></div>
<ul>
<li>Emma at <a href="http://www.yourdoctorswife.com/" target="_blank">Your Doctor's Wife</a></li>
<li>Jane at <a href="http://fromadoctorswife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">From A Doctor's Wife</a></li>
<li>Heather at <a href="http://heatherandtylerdraney.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Life Unexpected</a></li>
<li>Nurse Kitty at <a href="http://realnewnurse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">RN: Real Newbie, A Nurse's Blog</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<br />
Want to be awesome? Help facilitate the hopping by grabbing this button and insert it on the post you link up. . .<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.yourdoctorswife.com/p/medical-mondays.html" target="blank">
<img src="http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r494/fromadoctorswife/MedicalMonday-001edit125x125.jpg" />
</a>
</div>
<div align="center">
<form>
<textarea cols="20" readonly="readonly" rows="6"><a href="http://www.yourdoctorswife.com/2012/10/medical-monday-3.html" target="blank">
<img src="http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r494/fromadoctorswife/MedicalMonday-001edit125x125.jpg"/>
</a>
</textarea><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Want to co-host next month? Shoot Emma an email at yourdoctorswife@gmail.com.<br />
<br />
Now, link up below and have fun! The link up is open through Friday, so be sure to come back during the week.</div>
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</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-10823159016294571782012-11-04T18:12:00.001-07:002012-11-04T18:12:09.450-07:00Get Hopping!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey all!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just wanted to let you know that </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yours Truly</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is hosting a Blog Hop right here tomorrow!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fromadoctorswife.blogspot.com/p/medical-mondays-blog-hop_7.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="blank">
<img height="200" src="http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r494/fromadoctorswife/MedicalMonday-001edit125x125.jpg" width="200" />
</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have a blog,</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you work in healthcare,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are a Doctor</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nurse</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">EMT</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chiropractor</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vet</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dentist</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Therapist</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NA</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PA</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DA,</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you the spouse or SO of a healthcare worker/student,</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you a nursing student,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Medical student</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px; text-align: start;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Intern</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Resident</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fellow,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then stop by tomorrow to link up your blog and discover new ones,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">maybe find your new favorite blog or rediscover some old ones.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Either way,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope to see you there!</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9060821655284283113.post-70866643092833148942012-11-02T12:49:00.001-07:002012-11-02T12:49:27.502-07:00Influenster: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/influenster-starter/uploads/badges/160x160/2c9df1c2867dec4e9101dba32aa5f7884a6fa368.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/influenster-starter/uploads/badges/160x160/2c9df1c2867dec4e9101dba32aa5f7884a6fa368.png" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have I told you about </span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.influenster.com/">Influenster</a>?</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a community of people who are invited to try products for free </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and then spread the word about what they like and hate about each product.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A number of themed boxes go out several times a year</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to lucky members who have qualified by earning badges</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that are related to your individual interests</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take a look at the brand new site,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.influenster.com/">Influenster </a>recently went through a makeover that </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has made it WAY easier to find everything.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love receiving their boxes of goodies, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which are kept top secret until the lucky recipients unveil </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the contents.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why not take a look, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you may end up loving it as much as I do! </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06445658633039107417noreply@blogger.com1