half-way there!

Is it really mid-October?  Where have the days gone...?  I find myself sitting in my room at the end of yet another week, just trying to process everything that I'm experiencing and learning... sometimes I feel that everything is speeding past me... I try to reach in and grab bits and pieces here and there, attempting to make sense of everything, but at times I feel like I'm not seeing the bigger picture.  It's been a bit frustrating.  I am trying to focus more on the underlying concepts, which will help me to grasp and understand the overall issue at hand, but it seems as though my brain is a bit overloaded right now.  I need a breather!  It's the middle of the semester, and I feel like I could use a vacation... can't wait for Thanksgiving in a month!  Until then, I'm trying to buckle down and continue to push forward...

It's been a few weeks since my last update, so what is there to mention?  School has been intense, as is to be expected... we just got through our second round of exams for midterm evaluations.  I really have been enjoying Pharm, learning more about the drugs and how they affect the body systems.  It fascinates me.  One little pill can cause so many changes in the body... it's amazing how predictable chemical processes can be.  I just wish that I had more time to sit down and study the drugs we've covered!  As soon as we learn one class, we turn our attention to the next group.  It seems a bit overwhelming at times, but I feel like I'm keeping up with the pace as best I can.  I also enjoy attending the Patho classes, even though I'm not officially enrolled in the class... it's a helpful refresher course on disease processes.  I really do love learning how the body reacts when faced with illness... whether it be renal failure or HIV or respiratory distress.  I just hope that I can learn how to incorporate this knowledge into the assessments of my patients!  That's the big challenge that we face... it's one thing to regurgitate information onto the page of an exam, but a completely different test altogether to recognize it in our patients.  I just hope that I can develop a more confident outlook on my abilities to recognize the important nursing diagnoses in those I am asked to care for!

As this is the first end of the first 7 week of the semester, I finished my Psych rotation on Friday, which was bittersweet.  Our group LOVED our instructor and our site, and we will miss it!!  The staff were all so willing to help us and answer our questions, and gave us a great first impression of the Psychiatric unit.  It was much different than what I expected, and I actually really enjoyed having an opportunity to really talk to my patients and connect to them on a more personal level rather than focusing on treating their symptoms.  It's a real test, to see what you can offer a patient without the assistance of any medical interventions.  I wouldn't be opposed to working on a Psych unit, with adolescents... I'm keeping an open mind.  But now it's on to Labor & Delivery... we start at our new hospital site this coming week, and I'm a bit anxious!  It's been a couple months since I learned all the basic nursing skills that I will have to use while I'm working with the mothers and their newborns.  I know that we are going to go over all our expected duties before we are asked to perform them, but it is still a bit intimidating... the infants are so tiny and fragile!  I look forward to our nursery assignments, where our main assignment is to hold the babies... I don't think I'll have much to worry about with that.  I know that we'll also be in the delivery room, so that will be quite the experience to look forward to!  Definitely new for me.  I know that I'll adjust to this new environment, but it's going to require a shift in my critical thinking skills... I developed more confidence in myself while working on the Psych unit, and I hope that it will translate over to L&D!

Although life seems to revolve around school, I really have found a niche for myself in this city of Baltimore.  It amazes me how comfortable I am in my surroundings now, and I am very happy with how I have transitioned to living on the East Coast.  I will say that I am not looking forward to the winters here... we've had a bit of a cold spell the past few days, temperatures in the mid-40s with a light misting rain.... quite miserable actually.  Thankfully it is supposed to warm up to the mid-60s this week, so I can defrost before the real winter weather sets in!  I have been trying to get out and explore the cities that I can, so this past Monday I made my way up to Philadelphia with a friend.  It was a fun city to get out and explore - saw Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, had a Philly cheesesteak from Geno's (and Pat's), and ran up the museum stairs like Rocky.  It was quite the blend of history and culture.  I stood in awe of Independence Hall... standing in that room where our country was conceived in the last 1700s... I don't think I will ever comprehend how much I appreciate those men and their sacrifices.  They risked their lives and they did it all on faith that they would be successful in their attempts to develop a country that would stand for the freedom and rights of its citizens.  Sometimes I wonder if we've lost sight of that dream... but I'm not about to get political on my blog! haha.  But I am forever grateful for their efforts.  And with that said, I'll leave you... for now... wish me luck this week!!