12/31/15: What I learned this year

[ixchel]

Happy New Year, friends, colleagues, and nurse enthusiasts!

It's been a busy, challenging, and thought provoking year à chez Ixchel. Certainly a lot of lessons learned. Here's a summary of what I can recall at this moment:

1. "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger," said no nurse, ever.

2. Night shift takes 2 full days of recovery time.

3. Never, ever, ever utter the word "bored" on the full moon on a holiday inside the walls of a hospital. Don't even do it in the parking lot. In fact..... If you have ever in your life received a paycheck from any place that offers medical care, never say the word "bored" on a holiday during a full moon regardless of where you are.

4. I cannot believe how much blood can pour out of a healthy young person while pouring nonstop fluids and blood back into them before you lose their pulse.

5. It is not "helpful" to have the in laws pick up the kids at noon for lunch after a very sleep deprived 3-night stretch. (No matter how absurd he may think that sounds.)

6. It actually is normal to take a couple of days to recover from these long and brutal shifts.

7. When I compartmentalized my patients, thinking of them as science in my nurse brain, I can give compassionate/empathetic, yet unemotionally involved care. The second my mom brain turns on, it brings me to my knees.

8. The charge nurses I was warned about turned out to be worth the warning. This was so disappointing to discover.

9. I survived my first year after licensure and I've realized I'm a good nurse.

10. You should still never remove an African American woman's wig. I'm pretty sure that story will never die.

11. The human body WANTS to live. This helps me stay calm when the patient is crashing.

12. I love code team.

13. I suck at IVs and I'm not sure this will change.

14. After having three patients with life-long, life threatening complications after a surgery I will hopefully be getting soon, I'm afraid.

15. It takes at least 4 days off work to feel fully recharged to go back.

16. Day shift is hell.

17. Some shifts, success depends on having a great tech.

18. I'm still thankful for an intact and fully functioning rectum.

19. I have a terrible, overwhelming fear and hatred for progressive neurological disorders, which doesn't help me be an impartial nurse or granddaughter.

20. Being a nurse has changed me. I am sad more frequently, and I have less patience for what people perceive as problems (when in all actuality, these "problems" are more minor inconveniences).

21. Sometimes I forget that the people I am close to aren't desensitized to the same things I am. This has required a few heartfelt apologies.

22. I used to go all out on cooking as a SAHM. Now that I am working? No. I have no effs to give.

23. My children are genuinely interested in the lives I touch as a nurse and will actually ask me what I saw and did at work each week. Sometimes I wonder if my daughter pictures me with a cape and superhero mask when she pictures me at work. Honest to god I love this and wish I could keep them at this curious, interested age forever.

24. This is the most lucrative year my husband and I have ever had as a couple and we have nothing to show for it because baby sitters are expensive.

25. I am ready for grad school.

26. The friendships I've made here have gotten me through quite a bit. Thank you all, and best wishes for a beautiful and awesome 2016!

U2 > New Year's Day

[No Stars In My Eyes]

I learned I need to go back to working a full-time schedule. Fortunately I have a neat 97 y.o. lady I'm doing PD with and that makes it a little easier.And I guess I'll say yes to any extra shifts with two other patients I have filled in for before if the office tosses some my way. But I'm 66 and I had a month of being semi-retired, just doing 2 shifts on the W/E .

It was fun while it lasted, having 5 weekdays OFF, all in a row.

Oh effing well, that's life.

Could be a lot worse.

[nurseactivist]

I learned that I can keep my identity as a nurse even after retiring.

I learned how grateful I am for my 19 years as a union nurse and defined pension benefit. I also learned how great it is to live in a state with nursing ratio law, although not a perfect law. I learned how many hardworking nurses are being treated so poorly.

I learned that losing my last living parent means I am one of the oldest family members (at 62). I learned that we as a family are successful in keeping past family traditions.

I learned that is ok not to have every moment of my life planned.

I learned that new friends on AN can make the transition to retirement easier.

Thank you all!

[A&Ox6, MSN, RN]

1. I learned that I have an identity crisis on here because I identify with the COBs more than my contemporaries. I was always more comfortable with a more mature crowd.

1. I learned that so many college students want to understand suicide and its prevention, we just need to give the resources.

2. I learned that the private school at which I used to work hired the tall skinny blonde with no experience and who is very open about not planning on staying at the institution over the experienced "frumpy" nurse. Because, well, appearances.

3. I learned that a two hour commute to and from work is totally manageable.

4. I learned that I actually wonder how I will handle not having classes this Spring.

5. I learned that there is a beauty in seeing a 4.0 and BSN on the transcript.

6. I learned that no matter how many times I tell my god-daughters that I am a nurse, they will continue to call me a doctor.

7. I learned that said god-daughters want nurse costumes so they can dress as me for Purim (Jewish holiday in March when the kids dress up and give out gifts).

8. I learned that my siblings still don't understand why I am graduating now If I have been a nurse for two years.

9. I have learned that I have a major AN.com addiction and cannot trust myself to even explore the blue side.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

9. I have learned that I have a major AN.com addiction and cannot trust myself to even explore the blue side.

But the AN Anonymous support group meets on the blue side. Join us... join us...

[Farawyn]

1. I learned that I have an identity crisis on here because I identify with the COBs more than my contemporaries. I was always more comfortable with a more mature crowd.

1. I learned that so many college students want to understand suicide and its prevention, we just need to give the resources.

2. I learned that the private school at which I used to work hired the tall skinny blonde with no experience and who is very open about not planning on staying at the institution over the experienced "frumpy" nurse. Because, well, appearances.

3. I learned that a two hour commute to and from work is totally manageable.

4. I learned that I actually wonder how I will handle not having classes this Spring.

5. I learned that there is a beauty in seeing a 4.0 and BSN on the transcript.

6. I learned that no matter how many times I tell my god-daughters that I am a nurse, they will continue to call me a doctor.

7. I learned that said god-daughters want nurse costumes so they can dress as me for Purim (Jewish holiday in March when the kids dress up and give out gifts).

8. I learned that my siblings still don't understand why I am graduating now If I have been a nurse for two years.

9. I have learned that I have a major AN.com addiction and cannot trust myself to even explore the blue side.

I like it all. I really do.

Come play with us Danny... For evah

And evah... And evah...

(creepy twin girls from The Shining)

[A&Ox6, MSN, RN]

I like it all. I really do.

Come play with us Danny... For evah

And evah... And evah...

(creepy twin girls from The Shining)

I am a real grammar/writing geek. So, when I write that I literally just laughed out loud, I mean it. By the way, I just wrote a storybook called I have an itch. About, well you know... You can take the nurse out of the school, but you can't take the school out of the nurse...

[Farawyn]

I am a real grammar/writing geek. So, when I write that I literally just laughed out loud, I mean it. By the way, I just wrote a storybook called I have an itch. About, well you know... You can take the nurse out of the school, but you can't take the school out of the nurse...

PM me!!! I want to read it!

Please.

[Mal88]

I've learned that the strange limbo between graduation and taking boards is mind numbing. I've also learned that losing a parent is harder than I could've ever imagined it'd be. :/ I've learned that I really need to focus on myself in 2016. Lastly, I've learned that ortho (where I'm currently a tech) is NOT where I want to begin as a new grad...even though I do love my coworkers!

Losing a parent is the worst thing I have ever experienced. I miss my mom everyday. Hugs to you

[Kiki1970]

I'm so sorry to read this... I've found his to be true in many areas of life. I don't understand how people can be so awful. Yes, you are more important than the job. Take care...

[nonnocere808]

I learned that even though I feel stressed out and crazy at work, I feel empty when I have too many days off. I guess that means I am supposed to be doing this.

I learned that as an outpatient infusion nurse, seeing the same patients over and over is much harder when they start to deteriorate; And I realize how much I truly love them all.

I learned that when I retire many years from now, I want someone to provide me an infusion pump so that I can wait for it to beep with "upstream occlusion" and then smash it into a million pieces.

[citylights89, BSN, RN]

As a HUGE U2 fan, I just have to say that I am grinning to see a link to "New Year's Day".

I also have learned A LOT last year, 2015. However, I won't go into it.

[citylights89, BSN, RN]

I've learned that the strange limbo between graduation and taking boards is mind numbing. I've also learned that losing a parent is harder than I could've ever imagined it'd be. :/ I've learned that I really need to focus on myself in 2016. Lastly, I've learned that ortho (where I'm currently a tech) is NOT where I want to begin as a new grad...even though I do love my coworkers!

I'm soooo sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, I know all too well what it means to lose a parent. Losing my Mom was single handedly the most hurtful thing that I have ever had happen to me. I lost her 2 days before her 58th birthday last year (2015). I'm still in shock. It's like "she should be here, why isn't she here?" I'm trying to get peace from that. It's a process. During the preceding year (2014), I had to grow up real quick to take care of her responsibilities due to a debilitating autoimmune disease. At 24 years, that was a lot; I learned as I went through the days, weeks, and months. Still, I had her. Now, I don't.