Another manic Monday...

Clinicals are in full swing and going about as well as can be expected. It's been a challenge to even do the things I used to feel competent doing as a nurse. All of a sudden, starting IV's, putting on EKG pads and writing orders seems like rocket science! I could have sworn I was an ICU nurse for two years! We've had so much information shoved at us in the past 5 months, it's scary to realize how little I knew. Trying to retain all that new knowledge is another story....

Dealing with the different personalities has definitely been interesting. The sad thing about the medical profession is a lot of practitioners "eat their young". Don't get me wrong though, there are plenty of wonderful, knowledgeable, friendly CRNA's and MDA's out there, but many times the bad ones overshadow the good. I can understand how frustrating it might be to deal with a new group of students every year, but you think these people would realize that before they sign a contract to work at a "teaching" hospital. I try my best to just take it with a grain of salt, smile and nod, and check any ounce of competence I may have at the door.

Research is one of the most pointless, useless, time-wasting classes I have ever suffered through. What have I learned? That I hate research. Enough said. (I also advise anyone who is reading this that might be considering going to UTC to take this class before starting anesthesia school and also take it somewhere else!! just make sure it is the 4 hr. class)

The other 3 classes are bearable, but studying is a constant in my life. I feel guilty if I sleep past 8 am on the weekends, take more than a 10 minute shower, or spend more than a few hours away from my books/notes. I don't even think I have any clothes to wear this winter, but I have no time to shop! (I will have to make that a priority in the next few weeks)

Sadly, we have already lost two classmates due to personal reasons. If the rest of us can just make it through to January, hopefully things will begin to look up. Everyone always asks how school is going and my answer is usually some version of "it sucks". Then I get the dreaded "It will all be worth it in the end"....I know that, or else I would have quit already, seriously. I just try to remind myself that this too, will pass.

Back to the books!

Not enough time to think of a snazzy title!!

Clinicals are in full swing and with four classes on top of that, our plates are pretty full! My first week in the OR in children's was much better than I anticipated. I actually liked working with the little ones and the fast turnover meant there was never a dull moment. I intubated several kids, mask managed a few and even got to do a caudal (pretty much an epidural for a child). Although I wasn't sure of what I had done until it was over with and I started breathing again!

Last week and for the next 5 weeks I'm in the main OR at Erlanger just trying to learn the ropes and figure out all the crazy personalities....and there are lots of them! I think most of our anxiety revolves around our CRNA/anesthesiologist team that we are assigned to for the day. Let's just say that some are less intimidating than others. I've mostly been doing hands-on "skill work", IV's, intubations, mask ventilating and a little bit of charting. Once we get deeper into our pharmacology class and start learning more about the anesthetic drugs we can focus on the 'big picture'....until then I just try to get the tube in the right place and stay out of the way!