I have been pretty busy trying to collect the data for my thesis for which the deadline is screaming into view. It wouldn’t be too bad, except for the fact that looking through papervision records is very tedious. I am finding the patient’s home med list mixed into areas that it doesn’t belong.
It took me 4 hours to go through 25 charts. Only 100 more to go… Whew!
Count down to April and then to start the interview process. I was asked what I thought that I was worth as a new NP. I told him that regardless of what I thought that I was worth (I’m priceless baby!), all that mattered was that the employer didn’t try to low ball me. I’m not stupid by any means. I told him that a lot of factors are involved. I have 6 years of in-house hospital nursing experience.
Hello there everyone! I was poking around at the idea of putting some podcasts on this site. What are your opinions about it? Do you prefer to just read your blogs or would you like the option to listen and or download as well?
Since most of my posts are short, it may not really matter but I would like to post material for students that is just too long to read. Some students prefer to listen in their car or while doing some much needed other activities.
Please leave a comment and let me know. Meanwhile, I will be dusting off my vocal cords for the premiere episode.
Studies show that there is a new MRSA superbug that is a rapid killer. Most people die within 72 hours after acquiring this strain because of the destruction of the tissue is so extensive.
I can not stress enough the importance of patients, families, and health care professionals washing their hands. I still continue to see doctors and nurses who don’t wash their hands and break technique. I am sure that I am not saint myself but I am way more diligent than I used to be.
We all get a little lazy out here and it’s showing in the numbers of cases of infections. I always think of my children when I come home and don’t allow them to touch me before I get my uniform off.
Please protect yourself and others and please educate the public about this infection!
I had a wonderful day today at one of my new clinical sites. I am currently doing some clinicals in an oncology office. It was very interesting and I learned a lot. I’m still not sure if I will go into primary medicine practice or if I will go into a specialty like oncology. It interests me because my Dad died of brain cancer and I have had a few friends diagnosed over the years.
I think the doctor was impressed when I asked the patients how they were feeling. I asked why and he said that so many doctors don’t really ask that question in the right context.
He said in oncology it is very important to make sure that the patient is “feeling well enough” and that it can make or break whether a person continues treatment. This includes a person’s mental health as well.
One patient that I saw had been recently diagnosed with colon cancer with mets everywhere. He didn’t tolerate chemo and was in the hospital about to go to Hospice care. He decided to give it one more try and did better the second round.
I was privileged to see the expression on his face when he was told today that the PET scan was completely clean. No cancer. Pure joy..
It doesn’t get much better than that!
Check out the newest Change of Shift at Emergiblog! As usual, a great compilation of nursing stories has been submitted. One day I’ll be able to host and I can’t wait!
Notice the new tab at the top of my blog? I am now a member of Nursing Voices. Check it out when you get a chance. There is a link on there to qualify for a nursing scholarship.
The following story illustrates one of the important uses of nurse practitioners in the hospital setting. Our hospital has utilized nurse practitioners in our emergency room in the Fast Track setting. I have done clinicals in this area and have really learned a lot.
Three months after introducing a nurse practitioner at James Paton Memorial Hospital’s emergency department, staff at the hospital are saying the role has reduced the often overbearing workload of emergency room physicians.
That’s according to Stephanie Winsor, nurse manager of the intensive care unit and the emergency department.
Ms. Winsor told The Beacon a shortage of family physicians in this region resulted in more people relying on emergency room visits for non-emergency type medical attention. That, in turn, created an overwhelming amount of work for emergency room physicians at the hospital.
As an example, Ms. Winsor said in one 24-hour period in late December, the department treated 85 patients.
“That is just so enormous for one physician to handle,” she said. “… Our ER is just being so overburdened because of the GP shortage that we had to come up with an innovative way to help address not only the ER physicians’ burnout from seeing the demand of that many patients, but also to ensure health care to those people out there without a GP.”
Thus, a nurse practitioner was brought onboard in the fall to help ease that burden.
Click here for the rest of the story….
I have been working on preceptor contracts for my final semester of nurse practitioner school. It’s hard to believe that I will graduate in April. My youngest son is so excited that Mom will not have her face crammed into the evil laptop anymore (except when I’m blogging of course)!
Maybe now I’ll be able to post some information that is relevant to the site in a few months. Until then, you will have to be satisfied with personal stuff and a few nursing articles smattered in.
I also plan to get some blog surfing done myself and hope to find a few new blogs to add to my sidebar!
Off I go!
Grand Rounds is up and it’s a really explosive issue! Check it out.
