Dying Good

This new class is really something else. Now let me start by saying I don't even think it does it justice to call it one course; it's really four courses.

1. Community Nursing
2. Advanced Pediatrics
3. Advanced Mother-Baby
4. Leadership

Each section has it's own clinical sites. Each has it's own APA-style research paper and associated online tests I need to complete. There's also a massive group teaching project as well. This course really feels like they are cramming about one year of a Bachelor program into 12-weeks.

I did my clinical yesterday at an inpatient hospice facility. I thought it was really awesome. I mean really awesome. Patients were comfortable, not stressed, and it was very peaceful with the exception of family members not coping with their impending loss well. I mean seriously, if I'm gonna go, this is how I want to go.

I've seen patients, even some at my work, that I truly believe need this kind of nursing. I had a 90-year old patient with a gangrenous leg a few nights ago who was a full code status. The only reason she still had the leg was because she wasn't a surgical candidate... she would have died during the amputation. So instead of placing her on hospice care, the family felt it was best to admit her to a intense in-patient rehabilitation center where she was forced to complete 3 hours of physical therapy a day. She'd cry and say she just wanted to stay home and drink coffee and watch talk shows. I'll be damned if someone 90 years old in that poor of a condition shouldn't be able to do whatever the hell they want to and spend there last weeks or possibly months in comfort. You gotta love idiot MPOAs that can't see anything beyond their own selfish needs to hang onto someone's life with no regard for the quality of it.

I'd never seen hospice before yesterdaty, but I'm telling you, my patient from the other night could have drank all the coffee she wanted and watched all the TV shows she wanted and not had to deal with the ridiculously intense pain of muscle death in her gangrenous leg. If you're going out, that's how you want to go: pain-free, but not sedated, with plenty of time for inner reflection and meaningful goodbyes to your friends and family. Truly an amazing thing hospice is.

As far as the class, it's fairly insane the rate at which it goes. One thing after another, and another, and another... But I'm actually kind of used to it and not really shocked at this point.

Anyhow, until next post!

Arrangements for Next Semester

Ok, first and foremost, I got out of my living situation. Left the wife and now am living with my mom, who needs a little extra help due to some health issues. This is great in some respects, kinda crappy in others. Basically, I miss my son...

Continuing on and beginning to think about school again, I had to have a damn background check done (again) to have clinicals in a particular retirement home. Passed with flying colors!!

This semester really will be the last of the RN portion and I'll done! Complete with a degree, an RN license, and all that. I really want to get back into night school for my BSN and eventually MSN in FNP. I can't hardly wait.

This semester is essentially my "miscellaneous" course. There's going to be rotations in school nursing, advanced peds (NICU), and taking over an entire wing of a nursing home. This one is historically much easier than the class I just passed which was the advanced med-surg class.

I really feel like I'm on the home stretch. This is great all my work seems to be paying off; I just hope my living situation doesn't cause too much of a distraction for me; it's a tough situation to be having going on while wrapping up nursing school.

Until next post, and thanks for all the great advice I received last post!