A Little Bit of....Contemplation

This post may have a little bit more introspective quality to it than some of my other posts. As all of you well know, I'm nearing the end of nursing school (at least this part of it!). This week we were given our "preceptor" assignments. This essentially means that for a certain amount of time during the semester I will be "working" in one specific area of nursing. I am going to be in the ER at Alta View Hospital in Sandy, Utah. This is the area of nursing that makes my heart flutter just a little! I LOVE the acute side of nursing. I love the feel, the flow, and the pace of the ER. So as you can imagine, I'm quite ecstatic about this upcoming adventure! I'm also terrified beyond words, and that's saying a lot for me, most of you know I'm not usually short on words! You go through nursing school gaining a MASSIVE amount of knowledge and continually trying to convince yourself that when the time comes you will be able to pull that particular piece of knowledge you need out of your head and apply it to the vulnerable sick person lying in front of you, always being reminded in the back of your head that this person expects you to know what you're doing and know the answer to any question they can come up with. I don't know about you, but to me that is incredibly intimidating! And while I know that the basics of nursing and the fundamental knowledge I have will not fail me if I use it right, I cannot help but feel quite inadequate. And while I also know that it takes nurses YEARS to gain most of their knowledge and expertise, and with that confidence, I cannot help but feel just a little frightened for what lies ahead of me. Just writing this post is causing my heart rate to increase because of the stimulation of my sympathetic nervous system and the release of a little bit of adrenaline! But despite these fears and feelings of inadequacy, I am extremely excited and know that what I have chosen to do is what I was meant to do. I love nursing with every drop of blood that runs through my arteries and veins and cannot really imagine doing anything else.

Pottery....The Greeks Invented Pottery!

I am by no means an artsy person. I probably should be seeing as how I'm Greek, but alas, that gene hopped right over me! However, this does not stop me from making an honest attempt at it! So my amazing friend Becca and I have decided that we are going to start doing new and fun and amazing things. So as the first act in our new found zest for life, we decided to go to "Color Me Mine" in the Riverwoods in Provo and paint some pottery. It was fantastic. Two hours of channeling our inner "Van Goghs", listening to music, and laughing-can't get much better than that! I would highly recommend it to anyone contemplating broadening their creative horizons.

The End of an Era

Tonight a small chapter of my life will write its' final words. Tonight is the final episode of ER. I have been watching ER since it first aired in 1994. Yes, you read that right, this show has been a part of my life for 15 years. I was 10 going on 11 years old when I started watching with my daddy, and here I am, 25 and saying goodbye to Country General. If someone were to ask me why I became a nurse, I would wittingly reply, "Dr. Ross and Dr. Carter." While each individual character has had a special place in my heart and can evoke any number of memories, it is these two doctors that will always bring a smile to my face. Dr. Ross with his bad-boy antics will always make my heart skip a beat and Dr. Carter with his innocence and slightly geeky smile will always bring butterflies to my stomach. The adrenaline rush I feel while watching the drama in the ER unfold is nothing short of watching a highly intense soccer match. And so, I cannot help but feel a deep sadness wash over me as I prepare to say goodbye to what has become a small part of who I am. Farewell Country General, may your Epi and crash cart filled drama continue for years to come!