It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas weekend! I was busy, for sure!

I had my first 12 hour shift on Thursday. I hadn't been assigned a permanent preceptor yet, so I was paired up with an experienced nurse, but had just finished orienting to the ER herself. Amazingly, the day started slow (although the first patient I helped with had a conscious sedation procedure for a closed ankle reduction), which was great since it was my first day. I asked if I could just help my nurse with all her patients in general since it was my first day (then take on 1 patient on my 2nd day, 2 on my 3rd, etc). So she was pretty cool about that and teaching me everything! As expected, the ER pace picked up mid-shift with patients like depression, syncope, appendicitis, abdominal pain, and so forth. I did encounter my first screaming mother of a patient (although thankfully she was screaming at my nurse, not me -- I was helping the patients in our other room). Overall though, still an awesome day! I'm loving it!

I had to work the morning of Christmas Eve (which unfortunately meant no holiday bonus, as it only starts with night shift that day). I imagined it would be quiet considering it was a holiday and a weekend, but of course, not my ER! My new permanent preceptor (and I'm so blessed she's amazing too!) didn't assign me to just one patient like I planned for my 2nd day, but basically all our patients! She just coached me through things, helped me when I was lagging, and watched me document. Also had another experienced LVN quizzing me on the spot with random things like central lines. Surprisingly, even after not being in school for over 6 months, I knew the answers (nursing school did teach me something after all!) Also, although it wasn't assigned to my rooms, I got to see a full arrest come in (sad, Christmas eve!), but we did get him back! Then right before my shift was about to end, two patients came in at the same time from a car accident. Luckily I got all my assessments, documentation, and end of shift reports (with the help of my preceptor) done by the end of the shift, and rushed home in time for Christmas Eve dinner with the family!

All in a Day's Work

Officially started my first day as part of the full-time workforce! I attended orientation Thursday, Friday, Monday, and it's the last day tomorrow. Here are the highlights:

1. Orientation can be really boring, let's face it. Between hospital history, administration, mission/vision, resources, services, equipment, policies, procedures, protocol, and other miscellaneous powerpoints and presentations, sitting in a classroom listening to all this merits a lot of coffee. Maybe it's a hospital conspiracy so employees can't wait to hit the floor.

2. Tests don't end at NCLEX, which in terms of continuing education I think is totally appropriate or if you're learning about hospital-specific equipment, policies or procedures. They gave us a bunch, I suppose to prove competency or acknowledge we went over the material. I did get annoyed with a med test we had to take (which I actually breezed through). I just feel that having an active state-regulated RN license should be enough to prove competency. It's almost like those halfwit organizations that ask RNs to take an IV certification course. We have our RN licenses--we can start the IV, we can pass meds!

3. Employee goodies received! ID badge, parking sticker, ability to buy discounted amusement park tickets... definitely makes everything feel that much more official! Attempted to get my fingerprint scanned (used together with the ID in order to access things), but the machine couldn't read my thumbs :( I'm on the "No Fingerprint" list, so all future impersonators need is my ID!

4. Free food! Enough said.

5. Meeting the team! It was cool to have the hospital CEO, CNO, and other executive team members and managers come talk to us, as well as clicking with three other nurses that will be starting in the ER with me. Having a great team to support you makes all the difference in the job!

Ultimately, I have no doubt that the job will still be challenging, but having learned about the hospital these past few days has actually made so proud to work here! Last orientation day tomorrow learning about the computer system and taking a hospital tour, and then I start a six-week preceptorship. I can't wait to get on the floor!

The Nurse Wears Prada

The Eight Must Haves They Didn't Tell You to Get in Nursing School

When you start nursing school, they give you the usual list of supplies to have for clinicals: pen, pen light, scissors, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff (Protip: Don't buy this one, they'll have them at the hospital or your skills lab. I don't know why it's even on the list, I never used it!). Those supplies are all good, so I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to tell you the little secret items nurses need at the hospital to stay efficient AND chic!

1. Stethoscope Holder
2. Supplies Organizer
3. Coffee Mug
4. Cute Lunch bag
5. Cute ID/Stethoscope Badge
6. Watch
7. Nursing Shoes
8. Drug Book Phone App
   

1. Stethoscope Holder

I own a Littman lightweight stethoscope and it's at least 2 oz lighter than the classic. I wear it around my neck, but eventually, it still starts to hurt my neck. Not to mention when I lean over to help with the patient, it starts dragging around everywhere.

Problem solved with Prestige Stethoscope Holders which are less than $5 and you can clip on to your scrubs pants. And they come in fun colors like pink and purple, or you can just get plain black or white.

Another solution is to buy a strap of velcro from a fabric/craft store like Joann or Michael's and sew it on to your scrub pants like I did.

2. Supplies organizer

It's great to buy scrubs with lots of pockets! I love my cargos. But I still end up scouring around my pockets for the item I need. I'd try to limit what I carry so I wouldn't have to scour as much -- but that still worked against me because sometimes you really do need that eye chart! During my Rehab rotation, I saw my nurse using a little organizer bag and it could carry everything in a quick easy to spot way -- pens, penlight, markers, highlighters, drug book, scissors, eye chart, alcohol swabs, and so forth. I'd be rummaging through my pockets and she could just pluck an item out of her bag and be like, "Here!" I would recommend something that looks like this super cute $15 Allegro Baroque cosmetic tote or $13 Lexie Organizer.

3. Coffee Mug

It goes without saying that we nurses need our coffee to function! The Contigo Coffee Mug is my personal pick for a coffee mug, with an Autoseal lid that automatically seals between sips to ensure no spills, double-wall vacuum-insulated technology that keeps coffee hot for approximately 4 hours (or cold drinks cold for about 12 hours), AND it comes in this wicked hot berry pink color!

4. Cute Lunch Bag

My parents never bought me a lunch bag when I was a kid. They figured why buy that when they can recycle an old plastic bag for free. When I got to nursing school, I finally decided to get one for myself. The $8 Raya by Thermos coolers have the most adorable designs! I especially like them over tote-style bags because I can lay my tupperware flat instead of vertically to prevent any spills. They are insulated inside to keep food fresh, cool or warm, and have a little pocket on top where I keep a napkin or utensils. My only complaint is I can't fit bottles or my coffee mug, although it can fit soda cans just right.

5. Cute ID/Stethoscope Badge

Unless you're a Hello Kitty or Betty Boop fan, I've never particularly liked any of the usual ID/Stethoscope badges in the regular medical stores. Then I came across Reeldifference.com and they have absolutely fabulous badges from $25-30! Whether it's animals, sports, Hello Kitty, or holiday badges, you know it is going to be one-of-a-kind! They also make $10 beaded bracelets which you can ingeniously wrap around your stethoscope instead of using a normal stethoscope badge.

Protip: Go to a fabric/craft store like Joann or Michael's

to buy beads and make your own!

6. Nursing Watch

I'm not entirely sure how decided I am on what kind of watch to recommend wearing at a hospital. As much as I would love to wear that diamond Rolex, I'm not sure how much I would trust myself with that kind of jewelry around a ton of diseases, then bringing it home and out to private parties. I do remember one of my professors wore a Burberry watch, so it might actually be the way to go. For the sake of utility, I bought myself a Timex Sports watch in the color purple--gotta throw in a hint of style somewhere! I did do a quick survey (and by survey, I mean I asked four of my friends), and the most important thing about watches for the job is that they show the seconds. Another great suggestion was using a watch with military time. Ultimately, whether it's a cute sport watch or a feminine silver watch, just make sure you sync it with your hospital time!

7. Nursing shoes

Like the watch, I am not completed decided on what kind of shoes to buy for nursing. My first pair was from Sketchers, mostly because of how slim and stylish they look, and I figured they had to be comfortable if they were sneakers. After a 12 hour shift though, my feet still hurt. A friend has recently suggested Merrell to me, which prides itself in providing comfort, support and stability. The full grain leather styles are also waterproof (hopefully that means bodily-fluids proof too?), which make it easy to clean. When it comes to my feet, comfort is definitely the way to go! I just wish they came in more cute colors too!

8. Drug Book Phone App

I know most nursing schools probably don't allow phones in the clinical setting. But honestly, almost all the nurses I worked with used their phones. Secondly, even if phones are against hospital policy, we need to take advantage of technology! Imagine if nurses could have all patient charts on iPads? And to think some hospitals still use paper charting! How can we be pioneers and advocates in the medical field if we cannot even incorporate simple phone apps that will help us be more efficient in our work? In the words of Dr. Spencer Johnson, change always happens, so adapt to change quickly and be ready to change quickly again. If new technology comes out, use it and be ready to use even newer technology again! There's my quick spiel on that.

As for the Drug Book Phone App, I unfortunately haven't found any good ones that are free. McGraw-Hill Nurse's Pocket Drug Guide does have a 7-day free trial, then costs $12.99. However, I would recommend buying the Nursing Central app because it comes with five different apps in one:

1. Davis's Drug Guide
2. Taber's Medical Dictionary
3. Davis's Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests
4. Diseases and Disorders
5. Medline Journals

Everything you need for a quick reference at your fingertips! I do admit it's extremely pricey at $159.95 (buying each app separately is at least $200), but with all the nursing books I had to buy in school and some I barely even touched, I think this is actually worth it!

Do you have any essential tips for the nursing fashionista?

*Disclaimer: None of these websites/companies have paid me to advertise these products. They are just things I've discovered on my own or are my own preference.

See You on the Battlefield

Ten days left of playing video games all day before I officially begin my first job as an new grad RN in the emergency room. Here are some of my final thoughts.

What Success Looks Like

Starting my career, I thought it would be fitting to set goals for myself:

1) Incorporate the nursing process into my practice

2) Hone my technical skills

3) Don't kill any patients

4) (and most important of all) Succeed!

With all the shiny promises recruiters say to bait prospective nursing students, I started to think, "I wanna be a billionaire so freaking bad, buy all of the things I never had. I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine, smiling next to Oprah and the queen" ...to quote Bruno Mars. Is that what success looks like at the end of my career? SWEET! Let's get cracking!

Nursing Process Step 1: Assessment

Assessment is what a good nurse should do before embarking on any such endeavor while on the job. What kind of area is my hospital situated in? What are my patient demographics? Unfortunately, I sold my Community Health book last year so I could have money to take a trip to Vegas buy nursing books for the next semester, so that's all I can remember on community assessment questions. But anyway, let's start with those.

I looked through the Inglewood demographics: majority Hispanic 51% followed by African American 43%; Families with income below poverty for 12mo is 16.3% (vs. CA 9.8%); Adults with a Bachelor's degree is 17% (vs. CA 30%), Adults without a high school degree is 29% (vs. CA 20%). Basically a lot of non-white people with less income and education than the rest of California--which really just sounds like back home in the Philippines to me. I couldn't find any comparisons on the city being less safe, so I don't know what my family was trying to warn me about, or what my future co-worker meant, after I told her I got the job, when she told me to "put on my running shoes."

I do understand the challenge posed to me as a fresh new grad in this environment. Actually, given that the last time I was in the hospital was back when I graduated six months ago, I'm not even "fresh". I'm just "new grad." Which is worse. Anyway, in the unlikely situation that I'll run into an emergency in the ER, I at least have several qualities that I can turn to: the vast nursing knowledge and experience shared to me by my wonderful professors, my knack of adapting quickly to new cultures, people and situations, strong critical thinking skills, and when all else fails and what I'll probably be counting on most, God's divine providence.

A Purpose Driven Life

Before nursing, I really didn't know what I was doing. I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was a kid. I wanted to be a writer, a businesswoman, or a lawyer when I first got to college, but I ended up becoming a dancer and a bartender. I wanted to travel the world. Literally I was scatterbrained all over the place.

Then I went through nursing school and got to take care of patients, of families, of people. I wasn't there to make money for myself, a name for myself, or anything for myself. That's when I realized that nursing wasn't about getting that new Coach bag or Mercedes-Benz that I saw all my preceptors own. Nursing is one of those unique professions that allow you to serve and give back others, the community, and to God as your job.

Happily Ever After

I know that I have no job experience as a new grad. I know, on a scale of 1 to 10, my patients are going to be an 11. I know I'm going to be running around the ER the second I get on the floor until my shift ends 12 hours later. There are probably going to be days I'm going to cry and think I'm not a good nurse. Hopefully there won't be too many days (knock on wood) when I get hit, yelled at, cussed at, or urinated on by patients. I know this job is not going to be easy in any such manner.

However, if I make it, if I succeed, my true success will not be in fame or fortune, but rather in the success of my patients--touching their lives and the lives of their families, helping them heal and be whole, getting them through some of the worst moments in their lives. President Barack Obama once advised, "Find somebody to be successful for. Raise their hopes. Think of their needs" (2009). My only real goal as I start my career is to address the needs and raise the hopes of my patients. If I can accomplish that, and then some, then I know I have truly been successful in my nursing career. Making the front cover of Forbes will just be a bonus.

Make-up

You always hear that guys say they don't like makeup on girls. But guys actually just say that so they can look cool and down to earth and non-douchey. Or maybe when they say that, they may be imagining the prosti shit load of make up kind--and who wouldn't look fugly in that. But I'm talking about nicely and properly put on makeup.

Coz in reality, if you put two pictures side by side, I guarantee they will always pick the girl with makeup vs. the girl without make up when it comes down to it. When used appropriately, make-up does incredible wonders.

Sure there are the elite few who look gorgeous and beautiful without make up. But lets face it, most people DON'T look that good. Just like how society expects all women to look as skinny or beautiful as magazine models. Again, most people don't actually look that good.

So what should us common folk do?

Put on make-up!

Girls can even achieve that amazing "natural look" guys "want" way easier with makeup (foundation, powder, natural/brown shades, lip gloss), than grueling numbers of facials, proper beauty sleep everyday, yoga, detox diets, bubble baths, scented candles and so forth--all great stuff, but which normal people really have time for all that on a regular basis?

And frankly, it's really not about what society dictates. It's about what makes you feel good, feel happy, feel like a woman.

Tip: Do not buy the Hello Kitty/Barbie makeup. They will just crumble, mess up your skin. You'll hate them and wish you never bought them. But you'll feel bad throwing them away coz they should technically still "work" and its barely been used, so they just end up crowding your makeup kit and aging to an even more sad crumbly state.

Save yourself. Buy good quality make-up even if it might cost you more. It'll be worth it. You'll actually use it, it will actually look good, and last.

Granted, there are select good quality cheap pieces that DO exist sometimes. Amazing bargains! (imo: $1 falsies, revlon waterproof liquid eyeliner...)

Once you have your basic makeup pieces, feel free to experiment with different pieces. Buy that cheap convenience store eyeliner instead of your MAC one. Buy a fun bright turquoise color instead of the usual brown hues. If it sucks, you'll know. If it actually works just as well, you'll know. That's how you'll really know what you'll like and what works for you.

Sky Diving

A couple months back, I was out at the Mai Tai Bar in Long Beach with some friends. I checked my phone at about 11pm and noticed my friend texted me, "There's a groupon for skydiving. Let's go!" ...well that gives me an hour to decide if I want to jump off a plane. I reply, "I'm out drinking, I don't think this is the best time to make that decision!" My friend insists, "That's when the best decisions are made!" I then turn to the counsel of the friends I'm with, who are of course drinking as well and they all cheer, "DO IT!" So I agreed to buy the groupon.

On October 7, I drove down to San Diego at 6:30am with my friends to go sky diving at Skydive San Diego. We drive to what seems like the middle of nowhere. After signing our lives away and ability to sue, we were off for a quick orientation and getting strapped up.

I heard the worst part of jumping off a plane was actually seeing people jump before you. I wanted to be first. Of course with my luck, I ended up jumping last out of all my friends. So I saw them go out the plane, one at a time, and my instructor and I slowly scooted closer and closer to the open door. When I get to the door, it finally hits me: there really isn't anything holding me or the plane up. My instructor jumps out anyway with me strapped along him.

Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. No falling stomach feeling like you get on a roller coaster or Tower of Terror. I actually screamed coz in my head I thought I should be screaming, and for the camera. The fall was really quick, and before I knew it, the parachute was back up. No butt-landing for me either--my tall guy instructor landed smoothly by himself, and I just plopped my feet down when he was done. The worst part was definitely the motion sickness from turning the parachute left and right.

All in all, great life experience checked. Makes me want to create a bucketlist.

http://www.lifepursuitvideo.com/asppublic/Video91935.aspx?VF=69471#.Tp5bF96ImU9
Email: camconcepcion@gmail.com
Zipcode: 91709

Working Out

Needless to say, I should be working out everyday for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer. If I could, I would just go to the amazing dance studios that is in North Hollywood. Unfortunately, I live in Chino Hills. I do, however, have a 24 Hour Fitness Membership.

Ultimate Goal: Get back to 105 lbs

I think I should utilize the Wii Fit to keep track of my weight. I do enjoy how it records weight and puts it on a graph that's easy to see. I should also buy more work out clothes -- particularly a sports bra and a sauna belt. That way I have no excuses.

So far my routine is mainly cardio with a treadmill, stairmaster & sometimes the elliptical. For another 20 minutes, stretching -- which is just really sad at the moment how much I've lost my flexibility. I did do a weight training class today that was extremely challenging--I should continue with it at least once a week to change up my routine. I end the gym experience with the sauna, and sometimes, a hot bath at home.

Hopefully I locate my iPod as well. Music (especially if I know choreography) is a lifesaver when I'm on the endless treadmill.

Clubbing

Tryst, XS, Surrender, Pure, Cathouse, LAX, Jet, Marquee, Eve, The Bank, Tao, Lavo, Vanity, Haze, Cabana Club, Area, V20, Drai's, Voyeur, Level 3, Mood, Boulevard 3, Kress, Social, Les Deux, and many more! Suffice to say, I am an avid clubbing fan!

I LOVE dancing! If I get an amazing dance partner, it is the best night ever! Minimal grinding, real dancing please. Great music and lots of alcohol help a lot too! Hiphop is preferable, but recently, my friends are slowly making me listen to trance/house music since that is what big clubs play these days. Unfortunately, all you can really do to house is bounce to the music, but at least the crowd and music is awesome.

I also get a kick out of cutting the line (not just getting on the guestlist, but literally cutting the line), and getting free drinks. I know I tell people I go out a lot and get these hookups, but seriously, sometimes even -I- wait in line, pay for drinks, or pay for entrance fee. Getting the connections to cut in line, or the art of getting free drinks without being a slut takes work! It takes a lot of going out, meeting people, resourcefulness, innovation, and learning tricks of the trade!

Long Distance Relationships

Long distance relationships are really difficult. But it is possible to make them work. First, you need a great way to communicate -- good internet, phones with wireless messaging apps. Second, you need a common goal in which someone eventually has to move to where the other person is.

I know a few couples that have made it work. One was long distance for 1-2 years until the guy moved and they got married. I know another couple that's been long distance for 6/8 years that they've been together -- although the girl has come visit for up to 6 months, so in total, they've probably only been long distance for about 3 years total.

Personally, I've had a long distance relationship with two of my three boyfriends. I also happen to get along with foreigners in the States, being a non-citizen myself, and they all never live in the city I live in (and if they do, they eventually move away). I'm getting tired... can a guy I can get along with on a long-term basis for once just live where I live too?

Online Dating

Online dating has a really bad stigma to it. Although after asking around, I have actually found that many couples have gotten married after meeting through Match.com and other such sites. It really works!

I personally moved to the States in 2006 and didn't know anyone. With my line of work -- teaching dance to children and nursing -- there are really no guys around to meet. My friends now (except for my nursing cohort) were total strangers that I met in really random places.

I love going out, so I do meet guys at bars/clubs -- not that this crowd is generally boyfriend material either, but it does work every once in a while as well! Now, if you were to go out with a guy you met at a club vs. a guy from Match.com think about it: through Match.com you would already know their occupation, religion, age, education level, and whatever other screening questions they have on there. Even compared to someone you met at a library or coffee shop, Match.com is still more legit! And since the guys on there actually PAID to subscribe, they are, more likely than not, serious about finding someone.

As a girl, I am very anti-paying if the guy can pay for me. (Hey, if females get downgraded in society, why not make the most out of it?) So I figured, yeah this dating site is going to cost me $20/month, but if I can get just ONE free movie date and dinner to Fogo de Chao, I'm totally getting my money back. Make it TWO dates/month and I'm actually MAKING money! Brilliant, I know.

And if you go on these dates, you don't have to kiss them or even hold hands with them. You can just enjoy the pleasure of meeting someone new, learning something new. And who knows, they'll surprise you with something new to do that you haven't done before -- snowboarding, salsa dancing, hiking, or even just new restaurants/places in general. And, for those who don't date at all, it opens you up to the dating scene.

There are only upsides to online dating.

Bartending

I knew I would have a little lag time after graduating, taking my boards, and finding a job. So I decided to take a 2 week bartending course for fun, after which I would even become a licensed bartender.

Halfway into the course, I am having so much fun and I am learning so much about alcohol. Seriously, I go out so much, I don't know why I never bothered to learn about this stuff. For example, did you know most alcohol is based on where they are made from? There are only certain areas they can be made, and if they're not made from that area, it's not given that name anymore. Scotch, for example, IS whiskey, but from Scotland. Bourbon is whiskey from Kentucky. All other whiskey is from America, Canada, or Ireland. Cognac is ONLY from Cognac, France and all other "Cognac" not from there is called Brandy. Tequila is ONLY from Tequila, Mexico, and all other "tequila" is called mescal.

When I'm at a table in a club, there's usually Grey Goose with assorted juices/energy drinks. It's up to us (or the waitress) to mix them together. I can actually name these mixes now. They're not just a random mix anymore.

I didn't even realize how played down bartending is. I think it is a secret they keep so they don't let everyone know they are hustling a lot of money, waking up late, listening to great music at work, meeting people when they're having a good time (which is when you want to meet people), and just having the time of their life at work!

At first I wanted to do bartending for fun, and if ever, MAYBE on the side. But now that I think about it, I should do bartending full time and NURSING on the side. On slow nights, bartenders will make maybe $300/night, or $1,000 at a really good place. $1,000/night x 3 nights/week x 4 weeks/month x 12 months = $144,000. That's a SLOW night. Seriously, what the fuck am I doing with my life?

Nursing

I recently graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and now studying to take my board exams. I definitely have a much better idea of nursing now that I've graduated. Thoughts:

1. When they tell you not be a nurse unless you love it, they were NOT kidding. I suppose I had somewhat of an idea coming in that nursing was stressful -- 12 hours of work, waking up at 7am, working until 7am, undergoing blood, guts, poop and urine... that I can actually handle no problem. Except no one really warned me how stressful nursing actually is. The reason it is the most stressful thing I have probably ever done is because I can literally kill a human being if I make a mistake or miss something. And if not, you can lose the license you worked so hard to get and never work as a nurse again. There is no step-by-step protocol to follow. You are on your own.

2. Nurse's make a good steady income. But when people say we make a lot, we actually don't. Which is why you may as well not be a nurse unless you love it. And by A LOT, I'm thinking anything greater than $100k. We only make a lot for a starting job, but after that, there's no where to go (unless you do something else -- management, teaching, other business -- in which case you're not a nurse). Nurses on the floor relatively make the same period for all the years to come.

3. When you think it's easy for new nursing graduates to get a job, it's not. Hospitals may need nurses, but in this economy, they don't have the money to hire us -- especially new graduates who they need to train.

4. Nursing is one of the most fulfilling careers I can think of. When I do other things -- dancing, partying, traveling, studying, working, business -- it's really just all about me. Helping people and giving to others gives life true meaning, that's definitely the number one reason I love nursing.

5. Another reason I love nursing is it is absolutely flexible. I can work in a bunch of different departments, areas, places, cities, countries, times, days.... And we get 4 days off to do whatever else we want. Amazing.

6. I was so lucky to be in a nursing cohort with people very similar to me -- a little older, transfers, open-minded. And we were much smaller than the usual cohort, which made us a lot closer. I love them to death. We will definitely be friends FOR LIFE. I can't wait to see us a decade from now, all successful, specializing in different departments.