Still Recovering

Wow - the new year is bringing lots of new babies!! I don't quite remember this time of year ever being quite so busy. The last day that I worked we ran around for a full 13 hours like crazy...patients were everywhere. I think we did 15 deliveries. I had 3 of the nicest patients, cute babies and not a single epidural. It was exhilarating to say the least. It takes more energy and time to help a mom get through her labor when she does not have an epidural ~ but my patients all successfully birthed with very little medication. Even if they had wanted an epidural I am not sure the anesthesiologist would have got to them for there were c/sections going on and just plain craziness. It was one day that I was glad I was not in charge. One day I was glad I was at the bedside and not directing things or getting stomped on at the desk!

I tried to help others when I could, sent a couple of patients home ~ and even took some time out to do a film interview on what "Magnet" means to me and how our hospital being a magnet facility has changed or helped my professional practice. Not sure how I ever got off of the unit to go do that filming piece....for those of you that don't know what "Magnet" means....it is an award per se - a certification process and hospital site evaluation of good practice. It means we go a step beyond, we do research, we practice off of evidence and we strive to do things better.

Working in a Magnet awarded facility gives me, as a nurse, more control over my professional practice and challenges me to keep learning and trying new things.

Filming aside - I went back to the unit and continued to help birth new babies. I even met someone from Biola who knew my daughter Erika ~ small world, huh?

We had two "crash" (emergency) C/sections at almost the same time. I have always wondered how we would function if we had two emergencies going on at once. But somehow we made it work - got both moms to operating rooms on different floors and had healthy babies in the end. I decided I don't want to have to move an emergency case to the main operating room again for awhile - that elevator ride was an eternity!!! Or at least it felt like it to me....just imagine~ a teary mom, a stressed dad and 3 nurses praying the elevator doors close and we get where we need to go in time. UGH. And there is me - the most experienced nurse figuring out the plan...

"Ok - when the doors open we are going right".

" We need to move quick and go through the second door - not the first",

"You take the foot of the bed - I'm pushing from this end"

Oh and "it's ok mom - we are going to do everything to help your baby"....try doing all that and still sound reassuring -

Needless to say, we could barely walk down the stairs at the end of the shift. As we dragged our weary bodies home we shared our stories of the day. I hope my patients had good experiences despite the chaos we felt as nurses. I think they did. And now there are 15 more little people having an early January birthday!

Two days later I still feel as if I am recovering...

Yet, life moves on...

I met with a new hospice patient yesterday afternoon...she is heavy on my heart - I can't go in to the specifics (good ole HIPPA laws) but if you could just lift up this sweet young girl in prayer. It is going to be a tough delivery as she is attempting to cope with such a life altering thing. Pray we can help her, help her have a good delivery, help her make memories with her baby, help her not to blame herself, help her to go on and live well in the future. I'm hoping to meet her for coffee or something - just to talk, not talk medical but really try to gather who she is and what she needs...

Last night I also had orientation for my BSN program. Class starts next Tuesday night. I have chosen to do the program at Vanguard University. It is a bit more expensive than the state college option but I just felt it was a better fit for me. They seem to care about us as people and seem to really want to see us succeed. Our co-hort has 16 people in it. We will be doing the 2 year program together, working on projects and learning new things. I met people from 4 other hospitals and one rehab center. I am one of the oldest in the class. I think there maybe 2 other who are my age..the rest are younger, less experienced nurses - should be interesting....

For some reason I am really nervous about the whole thing. Not sure if it is the challenge of writing papers, the challenge of finding time to fit in school work, or just plain nervousness about starting a new venture. I know that I want that final piece of paper that says I have a BSN...but the work to get there is going to be hard. This much I know. Maybe if I weren't such a perfectionist it wouldn't be so bad...but I want to do it good if I am going to do it at all.

I have yet to look at the books - I just brought them home last night and set them on the table. I'm trying to gather the nerve to open them and see what is in store for me....

Our advisor also asked me to be the 'class rep'. At first I told her I didn't think I wanted to take on anything 'extra'. Then she came to me and said that the person who had agreed to do it couldn't anymore and she really felt it would be a good leadership position for me. HA! She thinks I need more opportunities to grow I guess. It really isn't a big deal - I just need to arrive 5-10 minutes early, pick up our class folder, take roll and distribute any papers, gather things at the end of the night and hand out evaluations at the end of each class. Not a big deal - right?? I'm normally early anyways and it will be a good way to get to know the people in my class. Looks good on a resume too I suppose.

I came home from orientation and spent some time searching for scholarships last night. I'd really like to find a way to fund this adventure. There sure are a lot of random scholarships out there! Just takes time to search through them!! I've applied for a couple and plan to keep on looking - you never know what might pop up. Even though I am nervous about this whole BSN school thing I guess you could say I am excited too. Excited to learn new things and grow. Excited to meet new people. Excited to finish something I started years ago. It is going to be a long road - and I will try not to complain too much along the way. One day I will have that degree - just you wait and see :)

Debbie