Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The End of January

Work is good. I'm learning a lot about the form and function of the STICU. I feel more comfortable with a ventilator now. I was terrified of them when I first transfered. I've had a few classes over Swanz-Gantz catheters, hemodynamics, and the various and sundry ICU-only drips. It's really facinating. I hate all the paperwork that goes along with an orientation, though. Trying to keep up on all the little check-offs is a real pain.

School's alright, though I've fallen behind a bit already. I enrolled late into an internet Gerontology course. I'm trying to get caught up on the posts and skimming the readings. Healthcare research is a so-so class. I think I'll pick up some details about research methodology that I missed in Stats, but I'm not sure how much attention I'll be able to give it. English is a total waste of my time. I have to write meaningless papers and listen to condescending lectures. The whole idea of a composition class is shady anyway. How can you tell someone how to write? Who is sitting on the throne, dictating to us how the English language is to be used? You cannot formalize language. If I want to use seimi-colons in place of commas, there is no law that says I can't. I know that in actuality we all share an unwritten standard of what is and isn't good writing, but the whole thing is so subjective. My biggest and favorite class is pathophysiology. We are reviewing all of the things we have already been taught, but more in depth. It is a lot of reading, but it is interesting.

I really want to get a lot out of school this semester. In the Associate's Program I did what I had to do to pass, but this time I want to really absorb the knowledge. I want to have a more informed practice now and be ready for graduate school in a couple of years.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Spring 08!

Yeah, so I've started the new semester, the new job, and being a father (expectant). School is cool. Pathophysiology promises to rock me to the core. Basically it's stuff we learned back in Nursing 115/116/224 but more in depth. We started with a quick rehashing of cellular A&P/metabolism blah blah blah. Then we got into Fluid & Electrolytes. I used to hate F&E. Anymore I think it's kind of cool. When I was a student it was just a bunch of pointless numbers to memorize, but now that I'm a practicing nurse it has context. It seems very relevant. People's lives may depend on whether I recognize their hypocalcemia or not. Knowing what the IV fluids are doing to my patient at the cellular level is so important, but the AS program only scratches the surface. You have enough time to memorize the words Hypo/Iso/Hyper- tonic and then it's on to something else. Dr. Kaskel rules. She is intelligent, but makes an honest attempt at teaching us.

My new job is cool. Or will be soon. I've been doing ECCO, Essentials of Critical Care Orientation, computer training. It takes at least a week to get through it all. It goes through each body system, outlines the A&P, diagnostics, and major Patho issues, and quizzes you on them. I guess it's just to dredge up the things you flushed out after boards. I'm also starting my ICU core classes, hemodynamics classes, and dysrhythmia classes for work. My brain may explode. Monro-Kellie hypothesis: explain that. Expanding brain matter? Maybe increased ICP from irritation.

So yeah, I'm the father of a 21week old, gestationally speaking, baby ____. We had our ultrasound, but asked them not to reveal the gender of the child to us, however, after looking at the images I think it is a boy. They're posted on my MySpace/Facebook pages.

SAD NEWS: I have to drop my music minor........ ARG! On the up side: I'm working full time and approaching fatherhood. I still plan on taking classical guitar lessons, though.