Psychiatric nursing

Woo - Long time no post but I am still here. Thanks for hanging around. I've finally gotten my life a little more under control and can post more frequently (hopefully).


So - I am working as a nurse. It was not easy to find a job. I graduated at a time where all the fiscal years were ending and that was not a good time to enter the job market. But, I was offered a job in psychiatric nursing, and while that was not my FIRST choice, it's going well. It's only part time so the flexibility is there for other offerings. However, I would like to say, that I like my job. Now, I got a lot of negative feedback from all over the place about accepting a job in this field at the start of my career. It has been a little difficult for me. I have gotten everything from "I'm not doing real nursing" to "You won't be marketable after that". Kind of tough to take. But, I appreciate everyone's stance on what I am doing but I will not be discouraged by such comments. Bottom line is I have to work and I have to work now. I fully and truly believe that I landed here for a reason although that reason is not clear to me.

So - with that said - I already have a lot of stories and I must warn you, they are sad as I am working with children and adolescents. But, patient outcomes are what it is all about in nursing. I will start sharing these with you so please stick around dear readers.

No an rnsomeday Anymore!!!!!

I passed! I'm a licensed registered nurse! I'm overwhelmed and relieved. I'm grateful and a little sad. School was my life. Now, onto the real world. It's about time!

NCLEX - Check!

I took the NCLEX yesterday. I thought it was hard. I got 75 questions and like everybody else, I feel like I failed. I check the state department of health website every hour on the hour to see if I have a license number although I know it's too soon. Tomorrow I can check my results online. I wish I had something more exciting to say but I'm freaking out right now.

Sorry dear readers

I've been away far too long. The last semester took the wind from me. I promise to catch you up - but for now - I must prepare myself for the mighty NCLEX which I am taking on October 7th! I'm terrified.

Shocking episode at work!

Nursing is a field where you really need to put your biases aside. You see and deal with all types of people and it is really important not to let your own personal beliefs get in the way of the care that you give to your patients. I saw some serious bias the other night and I was so shocked by this nurses behavior.

The patient was very large and edematous from a non functioning liver. An alcoholic, the patient had end stage liver disease and some serious electrolyte issues. The patient was coughing up blood and having black diarrhea and a GI bleed. Not a pretty picture. This patient had so much excess fluid they had blisters on their feet. I Have never seen anything like it in my life. Going through withdrawal from alcohol, the patient was nearly impossible to understand. Well, this patient required a lot of care and assistance was needed by many to be able to turn them to clean them up about every hour on the hour. I really like the nurse that was taking care of this patient. I witness this nurse giving excellent care on every shift I have ever worked with her. There were two of us assisting her in cleaning the patient up when the patient became combative. Oh I forgot to mention his scrotum, which was the size of a cantalope (no lie!) biggest scrotum I have ever seen. I'm not sure why but he had some skin tears on his scrotum (ouch). He was in a lot of pain and confused from the withdrawal. Well, the nurse smacked him on the leg and yelled, "stop it!" then - she proceeded to say "I hate alcoholics, they are just going to go back and start drinking when they leave!" Man, I was shocked and thought about what I should do about this. I wanted to tell the charge nurse but she was the charge nurse. What the hell - I felt bad for the guy.

I hope and pray I never do anything like that.

14 weeks

I just started my last semester of nursing school! 14 weeks to go. I am scared and excited. I am overwhelmed. We are starting the semester out with psych, although we have no clinical in psych and then onto critical care. This is goign to be a busy semester as there are numerous tests and we should all be doing NCLEX questions to get ready for the big test in the end. Wish me luck!

Recap Spring 2008

I have done a bad job of keeping up with this blog this semester. The semester of OB Peds seemed like kind of a vacation but I spent an awful lot of it feeling guilty about the work that I did not do. I tried really hard to do the readings but they were really unrealistic. I scathed by with a 89.47 - ridiculous - 3/100th away from an A-. I'm embarrassed. I made the worst grade ever on a final for me - 84 - spring fever had been hitting hard and I have been unable to turn down the allure of the outside for studying (although I would usually have my books with me, just got distracted by the lovely spring). Done now! Some highlights of the semester -

Live birth witnessed!
Awesome Pedi clinical instructor!
Got to play with darling babes!
Bonded with my nursing friends! Friends for life!
Lost 20 pounds and started exercising and liking it!
Feeling confident as a nurse (some of the time)

So much more. I am off for a little vaca and will be back for the last and final fling of this thing called nursing school!