Confucious say

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."

I am half way through my senior practicum at Seattle Children's Hospital, and despite being completely perplexed about when to sleep and eat, I am absolutely in love with my "job." I've been working twelve hour night shifts twice a week with my nurse preceptor. Last night, for the first time, the all-nighter did not kick my butt. I'm sure that was because I managed a full 6 hours of sleep during the day yesterday thanks to my new friend, Ambien, and my favorite person, Kolby, who worked from home to make sure Gabby did not bark and wake me up. I've heard enough Ambien stories to know that all it would take was an ill-timed barking episode from Gabby and I'd be mowing the lawn in my underroos.

I'm sure that Kolby is tired of hearing me say "I love this so much!" But I do. My senior practicum has been an amazing experience. I adore these little patients. I love their families. I love going into work and learning something new every second that I am there. I make a list of goals for each shift, knowing full well that none of them may be achieved since I have no idea who my patients will be until I arrive at the hospital. And yet most of the time I've been able to achieve them. I've had an ongoing long-term objective to practice a list of skills I've either not done IRL (that's in-real-life for ya'll not in the know on language the kids are using now'a'days) or skills I haven't had much practice with (or completely messed up when I have). When I made this list, I thought I would be happy to check off three or four of these skills by the end of my practicum. I have checked off all but one of those skills in the last three weeks, and I've added several new skills to the list (by watching other nurses do them) that I didn't know I could do. Lab draws, tube feedings, suctioning, inserting tubes thru noses, inserting urinary catheters (TMI? Ha! I'm full of internet acronyms today!), and just the opportunity to frequently assess little people who would rather do 100 other things than let me listen to their hearts and lungs. Every patient is a new challenge, and every shift I feel like I'm improving my assessment, critical thinking, and psychomotor skills.

None of this has improved my blogging skills though. Over a month since my last post? Sorry 'bout that.