Fun Fact.

I hate applying for jobs.

I hate being rejected by jobs due to lack of experience, well...why do you think I'm applying for this position?

I need to find a job in t-minus 6 days.

Does anyone want a diligently hard working CNA to be at their hospital? Please. I will make it worth your while! Promise.

Guess what I found out today!

Next January, 2013. I will be traveling and studying abroad for my Senior Seminar Course: Global Search for Justice: Women in Zambia - in Zambia, Africa!!!

    

Well right now the itinerary is tentative, but what I do know is that I am going to take full advantage of the experience and all that it has to offer. The people, culture, food, smells, everything! I am so excited and yet it's so far before I get there. I will for sure be updating this blog as much as I can to let you know my experience along the way! 

Academic Overview

This course offers students the opportunity to explore an interdisciplinary and global understanding of justice issues, and to examine alternative approaches to actions/strategies designed to remedy injustice. Through reading, discussion and reflection in the US and Zambia, and through interviews, field observations, shadowing, service learning in Zambia, we will explore how worldview, spiritual quest, ethical dilemmas and the forces of modernization interact to shape personal identity resulting in moral action on behalf of others. Our focus is on women, their daily lives, education, work and role in society.

 Tentative Itinerary

Day 1

Minneapolis Departure

Day 2 - Day 10
{Lusaka}

Day 10 - Day 11
 Livingstone {Victoria Falls}

Day 12 - Day 16
Chobe, Botswana {Safari}

Day 17 - Day 20
 Lusaka

Day 21
Return home

This was probably the best Monday of the entire semester; I am going to Africa!!! 

Sure enough when I looked {here} through my history of "music monday's"; before you say anything I know I haven't kept up with it, that's not the point. I have indeed already posted on the song that has been playing through my head on repeat, "Our hearts are wrong" you can see my post {here}. Or if you don't prefer to visit the link the youtube is below, enjoy! {Along with the other song in my head lately...} I promise life is good, but the past week and future 2 will be stressful, I'm done being mopey promise.

Have a fabulous remainder of your weekend!!

Another long day.

Well I am right on schedule to finish my TNC in plenty of time. However, this day was long and draining. I have a feeling it won't be the last of that either.

TNC Check List:
- Finish interactions
- Care Plan
- Journal article summary

I can do it, I know I can.

Best part is; after this there's only one more left!

Running on pure exhaustion

...especially today when there's a major rain storm going on outside...

13 days until schools out for summer!....not that I'm counting or anything.

Hip, Knee, Iliac crest; Dressing Change X3 [4 of 5 ortho clinical]

As I have referenced many times before, following every clinical we have to write what is referred to as a TNC, "Thinking Nursing Care" - Plan. Basically we look at our patient, analyze everything humanly possible, and explain what we did, and why we did it. Well we have clinical prep Tuesday night, Clinical from 6:30am - 3:30pm, and the TNC is due at 6pm on Friday. . . Can I tell you a little secret...even though there's a lot to do and little time to do it on Wednesday nights I nap, eat dinner out, do my self-evaluation and email it to my professor, take a break; AND all I do for my TNC on Wednesday's are my data points and edit my prep to be pertinent to my patient, and find an article. FACT.

One should have time for themselves in order to be able to be successful and for me I need this time to debrief and clear my head. I do believe my grades reflect that for the better.

ANYWAYS enough about that sort of stuff. 

Rule #4 of Orthopedic Post - Op: 

Double check, triple check, and quadruple check! {& SLOW DOWN!} Errors happen, we're all human, but if you slow down enough then you can make errors not as life altering as possible. As well as don't assume anything, I was able to advocate for my patient after finding a medication she is prescribed 5 times a week wasn't on her MAR because the pharmacist canceled it then I followed up with my supervising nurse and changed it. But if I wasn't looking closely enough at the orders I could have missed it, and in reality, if I had more than one patient I could have missed it if the patient hadn't spoken up. It's all in the little things.

Well another successfully busy, and tiring day. I don't think I've felt this tired after clinical since the first week....I think that I'm getting burnt out from school. But I know I can do it, take one day at a time!!

Happy May Day?

Well I'll be honest; I have not ever really celebrated May Day/ really even know the origin or what it's about. But regardless, happy almost summer! Supposedly there's a storm supposed to happen later today so that's awesome; I love thunder storms, they are definitely one of my favorite things!

Well this post is long over due, actually nearly 2 months past due...my final college banquet was Sunday, March 4th, 2012. The biggest problem had more to do with me actually getting the photos off of my moms camera and less about me actually writing this post.

St. Catherine University's Varsity Swim Team 2011 - 2012 Swim Season

It was an afternoon filled with a bittersweet nostalgia amongst the senior swimmers & diver. There were six of us and we all had put in 4 years of hard work, dedication, and spirit into this team and truly made it our own. It's always hard to know how you're going to react to goodbyes, and the unknowns of the future, and even two months later I'm still pondering this reality. As I look at our swim team we truly have 20 individuals come together as a unique piece to our puzzle and I have to say it was hard sometimes, but I am learning to look back and appreciate every moment of it. 

I love these ladies, like another family, and I can't for a second regret the hours and dedication that it took us to get to where we ended up. Even though we are moving on, I know this team has a lot to offer in the coming years, and coaches that are ready to bring them there. 

From Left to Right Seniors of 2012:

Sarah V., Bridget, Reba, Mary, (me!), Sarah M.

  Coaches & I (Nicole Hempler & Shana Erickson)                                              Seniors and Coaches!

A few other steals of photos from MIAC that I downloaded from my mom's camera:

 

One of the last times I wore one of these crazy fast suits!

 

Coaches pep talk after one of my races :-) My lucky TEMPORARY butterfly tat 

Team cheer before one of the sessions!

 One of my favorites of Shana and I; my coach :)

On a slightly different note: an important petition YOU should participate in!! Super easy; takes like 30 seconds....

GO {HERE} NOW!!

We need more functioning pools in Minneapolis that have potential to change lives, like swimming has done for me! Take the 30 seconds, I mean it, sign the petition! 

....seriously just follow this link {NOW}