What does a nurse actually do?
I know there are all kinds of nursing, but a large portion of nurses are employed in hospitals. I really love my job most of the time, but it is also a job that you just can't spend too much time thinking about or you just might quit.
Some of us "older" nurses have been talking about the fact that nursing schools don't seem to be preparing younger nurses properly (or else the students just aren't getting it). Nursing is a profession, and nursing schools seem to be really trying to get their younglings to understand the professionalism of nursing. The reality is, however, that we do a lot of things that do not seem to be of what would commonly be viewed as "of a professional nature". A lot of the younger nurses do not seem to be prepared for the reality of nursing in an acute care setting.
So I laughed and laughed today when, on facebook, one of my coworkers summed nursing up so nicely: "We're
just over utilized. We're caught between elevating our profession and
living the reality that is butt wiping and booger viewing"
Well said.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
Date #1
This evening Deacon went to a birthday party. Due to various circumstances it worked out very nicely for him, after the party, to accompany Noah and I on our dinner date.
He is growing up and a little bit obsessed with his kindle and his sudoku puzzles. (Maybe he takes after his Grandma?)
In the restaurant I tried to point out to him all of the couples we saw where both parties were on their phones instead of interacting. I want him to see the ridiculousness of that, the futility. At least be on the same side of the booth, both looking at the same phone!
Anyway, we worked on a Sudoku puzzle together while we waited for our table, and then the three of us played the game "Spot It" while we waited for our food. He seemed a little miffed that he didn't get to pick where we went for our "date", but I think he secretly enjoyed his time with just us, and we enjoyed being with him.
Going out to eat with a 10 year old is actually a perfectly pleasant, non-stressful outing.
The restaurant that we were at serves hot rolls with cinnamon butter. He really liked them, but wanted to make sure that we had some left over to take home to share with his brothers and sisters. I love how they are never far from his mind, or his heart.
At the bowling alley for the birthday party, he got some "points" that he could buy prizes with. He got a small piece of candy for himself and then used the rest of his points to buy 2 rings for his sisters. He has such a sensitive spirit, and I pray that God will enable us to encourage those traits and help him to always think of others.
I definitely want to make sure to go out with just him more often!
He is growing up and a little bit obsessed with his kindle and his sudoku puzzles. (Maybe he takes after his Grandma?)
In the restaurant I tried to point out to him all of the couples we saw where both parties were on their phones instead of interacting. I want him to see the ridiculousness of that, the futility. At least be on the same side of the booth, both looking at the same phone!
Anyway, we worked on a Sudoku puzzle together while we waited for our table, and then the three of us played the game "Spot It" while we waited for our food. He seemed a little miffed that he didn't get to pick where we went for our "date", but I think he secretly enjoyed his time with just us, and we enjoyed being with him.
Going out to eat with a 10 year old is actually a perfectly pleasant, non-stressful outing.
The restaurant that we were at serves hot rolls with cinnamon butter. He really liked them, but wanted to make sure that we had some left over to take home to share with his brothers and sisters. I love how they are never far from his mind, or his heart.
At the bowling alley for the birthday party, he got some "points" that he could buy prizes with. He got a small piece of candy for himself and then used the rest of his points to buy 2 rings for his sisters. He has such a sensitive spirit, and I pray that God will enable us to encourage those traits and help him to always think of others.
I definitely want to make sure to go out with just him more often!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Snapshots From My Day
*Evie coming downstairs all proud of herself in her new outfit, which she (with a little help from Berean) managed to get on all by herself!
*A couple minutes later heard the bath water running and ran upstairs to find Evie, in her new outfit, giving herself a fully clothed bath.
*Appliance man coming and verifying that it is, in fact, a huge leak from our dishwasher
*Helping Berean write her name, and finding that she, for some reason, is completely opposed to capital N's. This is a new hatred.
*Walking around the house wearing one slipper. I should write a poem about this.
*Listening to 'A Little Princess' in the Suburban and seeing my boys' sense of justice take root.
*Teaching the Awana Sparks about gentleness, and realizing that I could use more gentleness in my life.
*Having a friend ask me a question that made me realize that I am a significantly different person than I used to be.
*Trying to carry on a conversation with another 'mom of many'.
*Finally got the invitation to the birthday party that Deacon lost. Thankfully the party hasn't happened yet.
*Letting Berean call Noah and her Grandma on the phone just so that she could give a play by play of our day to someone other than me.
*Running 4 miles at the Y next to a friend while discussing homeschooling, sickness woes, needing locks on our doors and our children.
*Realizing after my run that I am still not completely recovered from my recent illness. My energy levels are subpar.
*Doing pushups multiple times.
*Finding my planner/calendar in the garage after searching the entire house for it multiple times.
*Driving my new Suburban and comparing pros and cons of it compared to my minivan.
*Giving multiple spelling tests.
*Learning about the Arctic Circle. Anyone know who was the first person was to make it all the way across the Northwest Passage by ship?
*Talking Berean into going to craft class when her daddy had accidentally told her she was going swimming.
*Hauling 5 kids out of the house twice in sub zero conditions. At least it was sunny!
*Telling the kids that they were going to have a new cousin and hearing what they would name a baby. B would name a baby "Honey" and Deacon thinks that "Red" is a cool name. Lincoln is partial to his own name.
*Cleaning up apple juice spilled by a baby who doesn't yet understand open cups and straws.
*Washing dishes by hand and walking on subflooring.
*Laughing about bitstrips on facebook
*Discussing our days with Noah
*Informing a child that they can't fall asleep in our bed because they are too heavy to carry back to their bed.
*Reflecting at the close of the day and looking forward to tomorrow!
*A couple minutes later heard the bath water running and ran upstairs to find Evie, in her new outfit, giving herself a fully clothed bath.
*Appliance man coming and verifying that it is, in fact, a huge leak from our dishwasher
*Helping Berean write her name, and finding that she, for some reason, is completely opposed to capital N's. This is a new hatred.
*Walking around the house wearing one slipper. I should write a poem about this.
*Listening to 'A Little Princess' in the Suburban and seeing my boys' sense of justice take root.
*Teaching the Awana Sparks about gentleness, and realizing that I could use more gentleness in my life.
*Having a friend ask me a question that made me realize that I am a significantly different person than I used to be.
*Trying to carry on a conversation with another 'mom of many'.
*Finally got the invitation to the birthday party that Deacon lost. Thankfully the party hasn't happened yet.
*Letting Berean call Noah and her Grandma on the phone just so that she could give a play by play of our day to someone other than me.
*Running 4 miles at the Y next to a friend while discussing homeschooling, sickness woes, needing locks on our doors and our children.
*Realizing after my run that I am still not completely recovered from my recent illness. My energy levels are subpar.
*Doing pushups multiple times.
*Finding my planner/calendar in the garage after searching the entire house for it multiple times.
*Driving my new Suburban and comparing pros and cons of it compared to my minivan.
*Giving multiple spelling tests.
*Learning about the Arctic Circle. Anyone know who was the first person was to make it all the way across the Northwest Passage by ship?
*Talking Berean into going to craft class when her daddy had accidentally told her she was going swimming.
*Hauling 5 kids out of the house twice in sub zero conditions. At least it was sunny!
*Telling the kids that they were going to have a new cousin and hearing what they would name a baby. B would name a baby "Honey" and Deacon thinks that "Red" is a cool name. Lincoln is partial to his own name.
*Cleaning up apple juice spilled by a baby who doesn't yet understand open cups and straws.
*Washing dishes by hand and walking on subflooring.
*Laughing about bitstrips on facebook
*Discussing our days with Noah
*Informing a child that they can't fall asleep in our bed because they are too heavy to carry back to their bed.
*Reflecting at the close of the day and looking forward to tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Encouraging Words
I was reading Deacon's Awana book with him yesterday and helping him with his verses. Yes, the kid can read but he is one who loves to be read to. I mean, he will sit next to me for hours listening to me read. Well, sometimes he is pacing and throwing a football into the air, but he is always listening.
He is a very social kid, so I don't know if reading with someone makes it a more enjoyable social thing or if it is just still so much work to read that he would rather listen.
Anyway, the book was talking about how we have so much power with words to make someone's day a little brighter or a little stormier. We briefly talked about how true it is that words are powerful.
After every present that Berean opened, she came running over to me to ask, "did you give me these pants, Mom?" I would say "yes" and she would hug me and say, "oh thank you, Mama, you are the best!"
She frequently will use those words, even when it is not Christmas. Hearing her appreciation always makes me happy, and I find myself wanting to do things for her.
I have been trying to be better about being encouraging, especially at work. You can not believe the smiles I get when I tell a coworker, "thanks for helping, you are the best!"
Today I got a facebook message from a coworker that thanked me for all the work I did the shift before she came in. She indicated that my effort had made her shift much better. Well, do you know what? Her saying that to me on facebook- took her probably 30 seconds to write- made my day.
I got another email from somebody else indicating that they appreciated the extra effort that I put into a little task. Not a big deal at all, but the fact that they noticed and took the time to commend me made me feel good.
This is something that I want to work on in 2014. I want to be encouraging in my words, and not discouraging. It is easier to do at work than at home, but I am going to try!
He is a very social kid, so I don't know if reading with someone makes it a more enjoyable social thing or if it is just still so much work to read that he would rather listen.
Anyway, the book was talking about how we have so much power with words to make someone's day a little brighter or a little stormier. We briefly talked about how true it is that words are powerful.
After every present that Berean opened, she came running over to me to ask, "did you give me these pants, Mom?" I would say "yes" and she would hug me and say, "oh thank you, Mama, you are the best!"
She frequently will use those words, even when it is not Christmas. Hearing her appreciation always makes me happy, and I find myself wanting to do things for her.
I have been trying to be better about being encouraging, especially at work. You can not believe the smiles I get when I tell a coworker, "thanks for helping, you are the best!"
Today I got a facebook message from a coworker that thanked me for all the work I did the shift before she came in. She indicated that my effort had made her shift much better. Well, do you know what? Her saying that to me on facebook- took her probably 30 seconds to write- made my day.
I got another email from somebody else indicating that they appreciated the extra effort that I put into a little task. Not a big deal at all, but the fact that they noticed and took the time to commend me made me feel good.
This is something that I want to work on in 2014. I want to be encouraging in my words, and not discouraging. It is easier to do at work than at home, but I am going to try!
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
Christmas Programs 2013
The boys were in 2 Christmas programs this year. Their choir sang with the adult choir at our church in GLORIA! and then they, along with Berean, also participated in the Sunday School Christmas Program. They each had a line to say (B just spoke in unison with all of the preschoolers) and they did great!
Thursday, January 2, 2014
2014!
It has been a rough couple of months, and an even rougher last couple of weeks! The kids got hit with the stomach flu, and then caught influenza. I had 9 days off between Christmas and this coming weekend, and I have essentially been sick for all of those days.
It is unfortunate because I had a lot of home projects that I was hoping to get done while I was "on break" from work and homeschooling. Alas, that was not to be, and so I am facing the jump into the second half of the school year and the first part of the New Year already feeling behind and frustrated.
I am trying to rectify that by formulating a plan! Instead of making yearly goals or resolutions this year, I am going to make my goals on a month to month basis.
January
Fitness:
Run/Walk 100miles
300 push ups
Home Front:
Finish B's bed (Noah!)
Go through B's clothes
Go through E's clothes
Create some space in girls room for toys
Deep clean upstairs bathroom
Go through everything in bathroom and purge
Clean and sort through our closet
clean and sort through our room
clean and sort through our office area
clean all upstairs carpet
delete pictures to have manageable computer files
scan in pictures, memorabilia for kids files
back up files!
pictures up on our bedroom walls
All Christmas stuff down, packed away and THROW out the stuff I don't ever use!
Finances:
stick with budget
eat out/pizza only 3 times this month
Social:
have people over 1 time
mini dates with each kid
Date night with Noah
fun with friends for me x1 (lunch with coworkers, shopping with friend...something)
Blog 20 times
MISC:
Dentist-me
Make 2 well child check up appts
take kids to well child check ups
make all kids dentist appts
I have some other more personal educational/spiritual/marriage goals, but writing and publishing the above ones should help me accomplish some things that I really need to get done - for example, the picture/scanning stuff that has been put off for far too long!
It is unfortunate because I had a lot of home projects that I was hoping to get done while I was "on break" from work and homeschooling. Alas, that was not to be, and so I am facing the jump into the second half of the school year and the first part of the New Year already feeling behind and frustrated.
I am trying to rectify that by formulating a plan! Instead of making yearly goals or resolutions this year, I am going to make my goals on a month to month basis.
January
Fitness:
Run/Walk 100miles
300 push ups
Home Front:
Finish B's bed (Noah!)
Go through B's clothes
Go through E's clothes
Create some space in girls room for toys
Deep clean upstairs bathroom
Go through everything in bathroom and purge
Clean and sort through our closet
clean and sort through our room
clean and sort through our office area
clean all upstairs carpet
delete pictures to have manageable computer files
scan in pictures, memorabilia for kids files
back up files!
pictures up on our bedroom walls
All Christmas stuff down, packed away and THROW out the stuff I don't ever use!
Finances:
stick with budget
eat out/pizza only 3 times this month
Social:
have people over 1 time
mini dates with each kid
Date night with Noah
fun with friends for me x1 (lunch with coworkers, shopping with friend...something)
Blog 20 times
MISC:
Dentist-me
Make 2 well child check up appts
take kids to well child check ups
make all kids dentist appts
I have some other more personal educational/spiritual/marriage goals, but writing and publishing the above ones should help me accomplish some things that I really need to get done - for example, the picture/scanning stuff that has been put off for far too long!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)