mursing

Well first, I’ve been hijacked. By a silly game. Yes, my incredible capacity to make good grades and graduate on the dean’s list won the argument with my wife to allow us to purchase a gaming system. Not that it matters which one, but Guitar Hero is an amazingly addictive game. And a few others could be included but if I allowed myself, I could spend inordinate amounts of time mindlessly playing games. Thankfully I have matured some and now know when to turn the thing off (hence my blog going to the wayside). My wife all too often reminds me the bachelor days of spending days on end trying to conquer the likes of Halo with the old roomie are over. She however will not confess to the fact that one snow-filled day that shut down Austin a couple of years ago, she kicked me off the Playstation and proceeded to sit in front of the boob tube for 6 hours in a land of fun filled fantasy fights and conquests.

Second, I am working nights and having a hard time adjusting to screwy schedules. Enough said.

Third, back to the main reason I haven’t written lately. I guess I can call myself an author. It’s incredibly difficult to write original material. I have always thought myself to be a creative person and for the most part, all of us have some sort of hidden talent that if we do not try to tap into the potential then something could be amiss. I hit a wall when I realized that I had originally though I was only going to write about nursing and all the things that male nurses seem to struggle with in the industry, etc. No biggie. We struggle with the same things that female nurses tend to, but we’re just much less expressive about those things. Silly bosses, goofy management and administration are relatively the same at most hospitals. Guys tend to roll with it much better and not get into cat fights about all the hubbub. So the stories from nursing blog to nursing blog tend to run together. We can all gripe about the same thing but where would that get us? Blogs do allow for venting and I will still use this as outlet from time to time but I want my blog to be creative and thoughtful. And I certainly DO NOT want this to turn into something like a Twitter update or a status post on Facebook where (some) people live out their boring existence from day to day hoping that someone cares about what they are doing every…5…minutes… of the day. So stay tuned to those 3 of you my audience as I try to get the creative juices flowing again. In the meantime, I need to unlock another level so I can be my wife’s Guitar Hero. Rock on!

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For the first time in the 6 presidential elections I have been a part of, this one ’scares’ me the most. You stupid morons who think those of us with conservative leanings were afraid because he is a black man?! Get a grip of yourselves! It’s his policies stupid! The fear I speak of is the utter blindness of the those wanting to elect this socialist pig for a president. There is evidence in the words that have come from the man’s mouth and yet the stupidity of the masses is prevalent channel surfing and seeing his supporters on the tele.

1 Thessalonians 5:3

³While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

The interesting thing about politics is that the same principles applied to Christians can be applied to those who have fallen for this morass that spills from this puppet’s piehole:

 2 Timothy 4:3-4

³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

My encouragement comes from the confidence in this present situation is that regardless of what happens in the world, it is all part of God’s good plan.

Proverbs 16:4

⁴The LORD works out everything for his own ends- even the wicked for a day of disaster.

http://www.biblegateway.com/

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I may have said it before but I try not to dwell on politics but it’s crammed in my face of late and every thing I hear seems to send my blood boiling. I listened to the two monkey puppets we have in place and it scares me. I think, “This is who we really have to choose from for our highest office?!” The more saddening fact is the blinding stupidity of those who cannot see Obama (forthwith, Sorry Sack of Bones) for the socialist he is. Socialism is not a new idea! Look at what it did to the U.S.S.R.! Please! Both candidates tout their records and you look at them and SSOB is a freaking communist. He even says so through what he proposes and people are taking it hook line and sinker.

The debate last night about made me puke. SSOB is willing to reward those in this great nation to not strive to work hard and tax anyone making over $250k. What an absolute moron! wah! wah! wah! It’s not fair. wah! wah! wah! I know he’s trying to target folks like me that as a nurse will not come close to making $250k a year but I am not stupid like a large number of his constituency. Heaven help them…and us. I look at the entrepreneurs in my family. The parents owned a construction company, the brother has a couple of start ups and my wife and girlfriend have started their own bakery business. Not to forget other friends that have their own businesses. What pray tell would cause them to strive to achieve financial freedom under SSOB?! They will work their heart out right up to $250k and then stop?! They go above that number and under SSOB’s plan; he takes money from ‘the rich’ to give to ‘the poor’. Don’t get me wrong I am all for helping those in true need but SSOB’s definition of poor include those that have bilked the system already, not willing to get out and work but would rather suck from the teat of free governmental handouts. Supposedly it’s only a 3% tax increase, but when will the government stop at taking more to reward those who are not responsible? The recent bailout is a perfect example.

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A friend of mine sent the following:

“When it’s OK to say Oh sh#t.”

“

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Yeah, I passed the NCLEX. I am legit. I am surprised that I am not more excited. Actually I am more surprised at the whole anti-climatic aspect considering the feelings and emotions that I experienced through nursing school. I may address the stupidity of the NCLEX and how it DOES NOT test nursing knowledge but purely test taking skills. I think it’s just another bureaucratic sham crammed down our throats from nursing boards. Needless to say that was not what I am writing about today.

I wanted to rant about one of our own for those that are in our extended family. I was off to work the other a.m. and an ambulance passes on a call, lights blaring, obviously in a hurry to get to the hospital. Out in front is some stupid jackass in a Mini-Coop not yielding the right-of-way. Having had aspirations to be a firefighter in my previous life, I rode out with the fellas on a few occasions. I have more respect for those nuts that will run into a burning building because it obviously takes a level of courage (not insanity) many of us are unable to fathom.

At some point in their lack of common sense, said Mini-Coop decided to pull their dumb a$$ out of the way and let the ambulance pass. Interesting to see that Mini-dumb-a$$ pulls into the parking lot for the physicians at our hospital. I can see why said resident emerging from the Mini-Coop has garnered little respect among their peers and why the nurses that daily interact with them, have little to no respect either. And some doctors wonder why nurses call their intelligence into question.

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2: government characterized by specialization of functions, adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority

3: a system of administration marked by officialism, red tape, and proliferation

A.K.A. stupidity.

I had to write about it. The ‘burden’ placed on our current cost of medical insurance in this country is certainly NOT the medical industry. It is the vast paper pushing bureaucrats in the insurance industry itself that is the cause of these dreaded financial woes.

Cutting out the middle man of TPA’s would create so much less a hassle. Let me build this incredibly exciting scene. Yeah…right. So I recently accepted my new job at General Hospitals Are Us. Your (a)typical County Medical, largest employee in the area etc. HR says, “Well all you need to do is show our TPA your records that you had credible coverage and you will not have to proceed through medical questionnaires proving that you had coverage for you and your spouse while you were in school”.  The onslaught of the paper wave tsunami hit the house. Granted it didn’t help that we had 3 changes of coverage while I was in school but I am sure it is a HIPPA initiated requirement that every time any smidgen of information is changed or requested in your coverage, you are to be notified. So along with the 3 changes, I think we received them all in duplicate. From each provider. As well as from the TPA. Seriously. I have a stack of paper requesting the same information 3 times and getting letters from the TPA that inquiries have been made regarding coverages. So the TPA is sending letters, the previous providers are sending letters. You get the picture?

So I receive a final letter from the TPA indicated that now they have received my (patch worked) proof of coverage over the following year, but yet they need the medical questionnaires anyway. WHAT?! Egg sucking, mother trucking, gosh for saken *&%$#@! You mean to tell me this could have been nipped in the bud 4 weeks ago when I specifically asked the TPA which would be easier, filling out the medical questionnaire or sending in proof of coverage?! We could have saved a couple of trees during the process. I swear it must be a set-up between the insurance industry and the postal service for job security.

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On my honor, I will do my best - to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the law; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

Well, I have plenty to write about, however, I have had little time to express the things that running through the vast amount of grey matter I have added over the course of nursing school considering I have been on orientation and studying for the dreaded NCLEX.

During the absolutely mind blowing (ahem) orientation where it seems the nurse educators are trying to cover the entirety of nursing school in 5 days, I realize that nurses should do more for themselves when it comes to preparedness. We are the Boy (or Girl) Scouts of the medical field along with our First Responders. It’s required that we show up with our pencil, pen, eraser, calculator, stethoscope, scissors and especially our brain. I want to thank the Civil Air Patrol for providing the following suggestions for creating your own emergency pack. However, if you don’t want to spend a bazillion dollars, here’s one that an incredible nursing instructor from the beloved state of Arkansas suggested:

Suggestions?

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Your perspective seems to be different when death affects someone other than those close to you. Does that mean I don’t care? Am I already cold hearted because I (may) appear unfazed by death? Am I a slug when I am emotionless while taking care of someone that means nothing to me other than from what I have seen from them lying in a comatose state in a Rotorest? When I see they have been told repeatedly over and over about their lifestyle and yet continue down a path that involves terrible choices or they refuse to accept the information provided, how am I supposed to feel? Futility can be humbling.

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Watching the athletes that have sold themselves to their dreams and desires makes me think about the impact the nursing profession could continue to have with the numerous people that have chosen this path as their profession. What if we strove to reach our fullest potential? This brings me to the point of my post. I can be a sap. I watch the Olympics and get emotional. Hey, guys are allowed. Especially watching athletes strive to do their best. Ask any man that has ever fought in the trenches in some sport and then have them relate the camaraderie they have experienced to the movie Brian’s Song. Ask any athlete that performs in an individual sport and ask them why it is they seek the joy that causes them to strive through all the hurt and pain for their achievements.

We are designed for relationship. The frustrating thing about nursing is that many of us have to forego those emotional ties when dealing with our patients. The constant struggle I have had in completing nursing school is that I thought I would become some automaton with no emotion. There is some logic that needs to be taken into account when dealing with our patients. We can’t become some illogical, emotional sap because we would then be pulled in numerous directions but we wouldn’t have chosen this unless we had some amount of heart. I am ready for the real education, the process of nearing but not crossing the fine line of losing my caring abilities in this crazy career of nursing.

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I am now a GN. What an anti-climactic finish to school. We had our exit exams last Friday and it has still taken a couple of days to sink in since we had our ‘official’ graduation back in May because the medical and nursing school I attended only has one graduation annually.

I think the angst has I was feeling towards the current administration of our program has lessened because I have actually slept since the exit exam. The requirement to graduate from our program is much higher than the national average and the amount of nonsense that we have had to put up with has certainly given us the wherewithal to get past the NCLEX. It makes me wonder if the method to the madness in the program is designed to prepare us for any situation in the medical profession.

Heaven knows I didn’t sleep before the exit exam and I say it again, I am amazed at the amount of pressure that we (I blamed the program earlier) put on ourselves all over an exam. I realize that some folks believe that this is the end of the line if they do not pass but I we are taught to be an encouragement to patients as well as classmates. Regardless of what the challenge may be, we have the capability within us to bounce back from what is thrown at us, even if you didn’t pass. It’s not the end of the world it’s just a delay in your road trip of life. I heard recently that experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want but continue towards your goal. The resolve that nursing students rely on to get through nursing school should be an encouragement to those of you still wading through the morass. Kudos to my fellow classmates of ‘08 for surviving.

p.s. I passed. That will sound so much better after the NCLEX.

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