Week 2 Fall 2011

I couldn't come up with a better title for this post. Sorry! My brain is sort of mushy and I am pretty gosh darn tired!

My second week went well! Yesterday was a hectic day, and that is why I never posted last night. :-O Sorry! I was at school until 12:30 (went to the sim lab to practice my blood pressures). By the time I got home it was 1:00, I ate lunch, did some school work and before I knew it the kiddos were home! Kindergarten Open House was last night 6:30 - 8:00 and Third Grade Open House was tonight from 6:30 - 8:00. Both kiddos are doing great so far! But being out for those hours really messed up my school work schedule!

Yesterday I learned to do a blood pressure. No more fancy machines or dopplers to help me out -- just a blood pressure cuff (SPHYGNOMANOMETER) and a stethoscope. I had a hard time hearing in the classroom which was noisy but once we went to the lab it was much quieter and was easier to hear. Andy gave me a hard time because he learned to do blood pressures in the Dominican Republic last year and couldn't understand why I had such a hard time. So my project manager/architect husband is better than me at taking a blood pressure -- I assure you this is only temporary and it won't be long before my skills exceed his!!! ;-)

I took my first quiz today in 223 -- 86. Not bad. I have decided that 8:00 am is not a good test taking time for me. My brain is not fully awake. The mistakes I made were retarded and I knew the right answers but my brain didn't let me answer them correctly. Maybe more coffee next time? Hee hee. I saw something in Walmart the other day called "40 hour energy". I didn't even investigate it further than the cover of the package because, quite frankly, it scared the crap out of me! 40 hour energy??? Sorry, I digress.

Today was very cool. We got to practice using lifts in the lab. I got to use a Hoyer lift (one of the coolest things ever!), a sit to stand lift (also very cool), an overhead lift, and we got to practice moving a patient from a bed to a stretcher. We worked in our clinical groups of eight and took turns being nurses and patients. This is the stuff that I like!!!! Hands on! It was great fun! We also got to learn how to use a walker, cane, crutches and a gait belt (gives patients a handle!) and we practiced aiding a patient who is falling. All very cool stuff. I love my clinical group and we are all really "gelling" and getting to know each other. It's a great group!

Tonight I am zombie tired. It's 9:15 and I am seriously contemplating going to bed! My brain would like some time off. I just had to pop on here and make sure that I updated for all my devoted followers. Until next week. . .