December 2011

A lovely thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory,

like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.

                                                Garrison Keillor

Season's Greetings

Season’s greetings to you and yours! We are sitting in 21 degree weather, with what feels like a foot of snow – supposed to get up to 16”. School’s out for Christmas break, and there’s nothing to do today but hop on the elliptical and watch it snow. I’m glad I don’t have the commute ahead of me today…

Snow - good excuse for work-out

In Nursing Leadership, we had group presentations regarding Sentinel Events. These are life threatening events, and it is our mission to find out what they are, why they happen, and how to prevent them. This is where Evidence Based Practice comes in. There is a ton of great nursing research on the web, and it is easily accessible. I enjoy watching the presentations, as my classmates demonstrate their knowledge, with grace and maturity.  I am continuously impressed with this awesome group of disciplined, driven and caring cohort.

Med-Surg II and Health Care Ethics are over also.  Luckily we have been given some great study tools, and ATI online offers a focused review. So, I can take a closer look at the areas I need most to concentrate on. I suspect this will be the most valuable tool in studying for NCLEX – it is tempting to dwell in the familiar places, but I know that it is more beneficial to dive into the less familiar territory.

Health Care Ethics has proven to be an informative and interactive class. Our instructor emphasizes participation from all, and it leads to some great discussions. We conducted a Simulation, where we are assigned roles on an Ethics committee. We are given an ethical dilemma, and are expected to research our area, gather and discuss, then submit our opinions. As every good health care agency has an ethics committee, it is important to know about this valuable resource.

My husband and I got to see West Side Story at the Denver Buell Theater – luckily it was the night before the big snowfall. It was terrific to spend some time with him, and to be without a textbook for a bit! Denver is bustling with holiday shoppers, and there are many exciting and lovely things to see – the theater district, Larimer Square, Denver’s City and County building, the Denver Zoo and Botanic Gardens are beautifully decorated this time of year.

Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Zoo Lights

Buell Theater

We will embark in January on our spring semester – half of us will be completing our senior practicum. The other half will be learning about nursing in the community. Then after eight weeks, we’ll switch. I have been appointed to the VA for my senior practicum, on the Med-Surg floor. I am so looking forward to this rotation, not only to practice the skills we’re learning in class, but because I love the VA! I can’t wait to see our Veterans, and get to know the nurses there.

Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of man you are.

Thomas Carlyle

My father’s birthday is this month. He passed away in 2003, my mother died in 1995. I think of them often as I study. Their values were clearly laid out to us kids – maybe it was being raised in the Air Force – Study hard, pay attention to your teachers, work hard, help your fellow man.

My father was a cheerful man who never met a stranger. In our travels here and abroad, I watched as he interacted with people from all walks of life. He made them all feel special. I want to do the same. My mom sang opera studied overseas, and would do anything for anyone. She hated to see anyone in need, and was fearless in her measures to alleviate suffering.

I am proud to be my parents’ daughter.  I carry their lessons with me, and want to honor them in all that I do. Nursing is natural choice for anyone who wants to help their fellow man. We may serve in so many capacities – direct patient care, teaching, leading others. It is a profession to be proud of, and it will never go out of style!

It’s funny, as we prepare for our holiday season, I find myself anticipatorily grieving – This year is flying by, and I will miss my classmates, the campus, and these awesome instructors who are so dedicated to their craft – to nursing, teaching, and to their students.

Thanksgiving 2011

Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.  ~Theodore Roosevelt

There are so many reasons for giving thanks this season. On a personal note, we are closing in on the end of our fall semester. We are learning lots of helpful information on how to provide quality care to our clients. We will apply these skills for the rest of our lives, so it is important to ingrain them now.

Autumn in Colorado continues to take my breath away. There is one advantage to working 12 hour shifts. You get to see the sun rise and moon set at the same time! There was a particularly beautiful drive west on I-70, and I snapped a quick photo on my phone camera.

Moon is setting over the Rockies, while the sun rises in my rearview mirror

Sunrise followed me to PSL

In Med-Surg II, we are currently learning cardiac, GI and musculoskeletal care.  In class we divided into groups and were assigned a cardiac emergency case. We had to draw our patient (remember we’re nurses, not artists ha ha), and list the various assessments, diagnoses, orders, and concerns. It was a fun and interactive time. We then presented our patients. It was a great time!

Our cardio gingerbread man

I love practicing NCLEX questions – the online quizzes are especially helpful, as this is the format we will be using when we take the real deal. I like the one that gives immediate feedback. I’m forcing myself to read the rationales for the questions I don’t feel totally confident about. Many questions have more than one correct answer, but one answer is the MOST correct.

This helps in a few ways – it explains not only the MOST correct answer, but why the other options are wrong. I use a notebook to write notes on questions I’ve missed. That way I’m reinforcing the information – it’s tempting to concentrate on strengths, but it’s more useful to spend time in the weak areas.

Ta da! Clinical instructor Laurie Rippen, MSN John Schmitt, Me, Katrina Mierkey, Stephanie Lindel, Uma Sitaula, and the shy Maggie Castro in front.

We completed our clinical rotation for Med-Surg II at Pres.-St. Luke’s (PSL). The time flew! Even 12 hour days didn’t seem so long, with helpful staff to guide us. The nurses are terrific, hard-working and caring. Nursing can be a thankless profession, and we have to count on our own fortitude and commitment to persevere in the little things. I read Ronald Reagan had a quote hanging over his desk for years, “There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” As nurses, we perform thousands of unwitnessed tasks and kindnesses. We stand in the gap for our patients and their families. There is truly no limit to what we can accomplish.

I was cleaning up a client’s room after discharge, and noticed this beautiful view of the Front Range… We are on the 10^th floor, and every room has a unique and awesome view.

A view of the Rockies from 10th floor room at PSL

Thanksgiving is this week, and we have so much to be thankful for. I am particularly thankful to my family – my husband who supports my all-hour, full-out study style. My son Jeremy, who has grown up watching mom sit at the table with books and computer. Jeremy is now a college freshman, and is doing plenty of his own studying! The salary I make as a Bachelor prepared nurse will help to better afford the education he deserves.

My heart - my son Jeremy

I am also thankful every day to study at Regis, the university I always dreamed of attending. I love the old buildings, the dedicated professors, and my awesome cohort. These are the good old days!

Veterans Day 2011

“Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.” — Adlai Stevenson

Soldiers of the 353rd Infantry near a church at Stenay, Meuse in France, wait for the end of hostilities. This photo was taken at 10:58 a.m., on November 11, 1918, two minutes before the armistice ending World War I went into effect. (US Dept of Veterans Affairs)

Happy Veterans Day! This day was first celebrated as Armistice Day in 1918, at the end of World War I, “The war to end all wars”. The name was changed to “Veterans Day”, and has been celebrated on 11/11, no matter what day of the week it falls, to commemorate the day in 1918.

The VA serves a special population, including Veterans from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, the Gulf War, and OEF/OIF (Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom)

I discovered a Veterans History link through Library of Congress’ website, where you can click to see and hear videotaped recordings of Veterans’ experiences, from WWII, through Viet Nam, to Afghanistan and Iraq. These stories help us to reaffirm our commitment to our Veterans, and to remember what sacrifices they have made on our behalf.

Poppies in memory of Veterans

Read poem “In Flanders Field”

It is a joy to witness excellence practiced every day, the commitment and discipline of my cohort – I can see that we are gaining confidence by the day.   It seems like last year is a blur, we learned so much, both from books and from our instructors – a dedicated group of highly qualified individuals with a passion for both nursing and teaching. It is an honor to learn from these fine folks. And fun to learn from each other. I’ve discovered the joy of study groups. We fill in each others’ gaps – where some of us are visual learners, others are auditory. So while I may remember reading something in our textbook, a classmate may recall hearing something from a lecture. It completes the picture, and has helped me through some tough lessons!

We are embarking on an adventure this 2^nd ½ of the fall semester, delving into Adult II, or Med-Surg II. We are studying the various body systems, and practicing in clinical what we learn in class. This is a great balance, getting to see firsthand what is described in books or films. It helps to reinforce our lessons also, so that hopefully when we take the NCLEX-RN, it will be etched in our memory banks!

We are also participating in a Simulation lab, where we are assigned various roles. These labs are exciting and nerve-wracking, as we don’t know what to expect once we walk into the room. We talk to a simulated patient, and hear back through a speaker in the
mannequin. The vitals change on the monitor, and there are various things we need to assess. It gives us the opportunity to deal with some urgent issues on a simulated patient, before encountering these with a live patient.

I’m enjoying the clinicals at PSL (Pres-St.Luke), and getting more and more comfortable there. Seems like we get our feet under us, and it’s onward and upward! It’s great to have had the opportunity to spend time in various organizations though – even though it would have been easier to stay within the VA where I know the charting system, and the staff, etc. – it’s interesting to compare facilities, and have the opportunity to see how nurses deliver care. It’s usually a reminder of how much we have in common, even though we work for different facilities, and in different areas. Nursing is a broad canvas, allowing many different artists, each with their own brush strokes, to add their interpretation.

“Make your life a mission – not an intermission” — Arnold Glasgow

November 2011

“Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality,  whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public.”

Epictetus

Estes Lake

I was so impressed with the staff at Children’s – the Magnet designation is personified in the fine nurses employed there. I got to spend 6 shifts in the PACU, and was fortunate to learn from the best. The PACU nurses demonstrated how a team should work – paying close attention to their individual patients and at the same time listening and watching for any problems their teammates may be managing. Their actions were exemplary, and I’ll never forget them and the lessons they taught.

My clinical instructor Megan Riccolo, MSN, yours truly, and my preceptor Trish Montano, BSN

We had a brief mid-term break – I returned to my job, enjoying the company of a wonderful group of co-workers. These nurses and admin staff are second-to-none in their commitment to serving Veterans. Many of them are Veterans themselves.  They work hard, and cover me while I’m in school.  They remind me of our ongoing mission, “to care for those who have borne the battle, and their widow, and orphan”. (Abraham Lincoln)

We got up to the hills a couple of times, and reminded ourselves that there is nature changing by the day, and seasons changing too. The elk were in abundance, and the trees were breathtaking. My husband graciously read from my textbook (again) on our trip to Estes. I’m discovering the joys of auditory learning! And he’s learning a thing or two about ARF (Acute Renal Failure) – it was a great road trip. To grab a cabin for a night, and sit and watch the elk and mountain sunset enriched our senses and souls.

October trees in RMNP

Then it was back to class, beginning now our Adult II rotation. I’m spending my clinical time at Pres/St. Luke’s. This is a cool medical center, with a rich history in Denver, including nursing pioneers:

“In February of 1892, 17 young, bright women blazed a trail for HealthONE-Presbyterian/ St. Luke’s Medical Center (P/SL) as the first class of the St. Luke’s Hospital Nursing School. In celebrating P/SL’s 125th Anniversary, we pay tribute to these early St. Luke’s nurses and their present-day P/SL colleagues who are among the best and brightest in the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions.

St. Luke’s first nursing class graduated in 1894 to monthly salaries of $8 and primary job responsibilities including managing the wards, cooking, and cleaning the hospital.  On-the-job-training really defined the two-year St. Luke’s nursing program in the 1890s, with more academic studies and rotation into specialties, such as obstetrics and surgery, introduced in the early 1900s.” (http://pslmc.com/about_us/history.htm)

Spending my first few days in clinicals, I am again reminded how hard the bedside nurses work. This can be thankless and difficult work, and we are so fortunate that there are people so dedicated as to report to work at 0700, get ½ hour for lunch, and leave at 1930. And return to do it again and again.

It is an honor to have the opportunity to spend clinical time in such a wide range of medical settings. Each clinical experience has been unique, and yet tied together with a similar theme – nurses caring for people, with professionalism, warmth and pride. We have many fine examples to follow.

October 2011

“Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.”

Kent Nerburn

The more I learn, the more I realize I do not know. Is this the beginning of wisdom? I vacillate between a fire to devour new information, and sadness at knowing I’ll never learn it all.  Is this more wisdom? Learning what is important, separating it from all of the other stuff.

I am so impressed and proud of my cohort – and of Regis students in general. I will not criticize other universities, but Regis stands apart, because one of our main goals in getting an education is so that we may serve others in the best way possible. Regis is very values oriented, and the standard is held high by our alumni. This makes me proud to be here, and reinforces my decision to attend this fine institution.

And speaking of fine students, I just read our co-blogger Mary Fiore’s final blog.  She has passed the NCLEX, and deservedly so! She shares many fine preparation tips, and I plan to utilize many of them.

I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with Mary last June. She then introduced me to a cool shop in Cherry Creek, called “Ten Thousand Villages”. It’s a fair-trade shop, offering handicrafts from around the world. It’s inspiring to see how every-day and unusual objects are crafted into works of art, or jewelry. It was a fine morning, and a friendly reminder that there is a big world out there, beyond nursing classes and studying.

Mary & Colleen at Ten Thousand Villages

I also meant to include a photo of my clinic teammates, taken last month in a classroom at St. Francis Elementary School. (With a lovely reminder that we too are called.)  That day was so fun, with the 4 and 5 year olds bouncing through the steps of school physicals.

Clinical Team at St. Francis Elementary School

I stopped by City Park on my way home from class this week. The view is awesome, incorporating city and mountains. I was surprised to pass a dinosaur in the parking lot!

The park setting is conducive to studying, daydreaming, and enjoying the Colorado sunshine (averaging 300 days a
year!)

This academic year is flying by as quickly as last year. Here we are at mid-terms already! We are finishing up Nursing of the Child and his family, and are mid-way through Nursing Leadership and Health Care Ethics. I continue to marvel at how these subjects weave themselves together in the mind of a nursing student. They are all equally important in the grand scheme, as we need the clinical skills for sure, but our practice is nothing without ethics and good nursing leadership.

Our clinical group at Children’s Hospital got to present our education tool. We had fun coming up with a teaching device for children. I’ll never forget chuckling in the hospital library, as we composed a song to help children overcome their fear of IVs. Brainstorming can be very entertaining! Or perhaps we were slap-happy because of the early-arrival, and 12 hour shifts.  Our classmates presented their group projects as well. There were some great teaching tools, and I know some of them will be used at their clinical facilities.

Our Leadership class is employing group dynamics also. We are discussing delegation, conflict and cultural diversity. Ourgroup put together a “Sim”(short for simulation) exercise, utilizing mannequins and technology, to address the need for cultural sensitivity in health care. In our ever-changingand increasingly diverse world, examining this issue is pertinent and timely.

Health Care Ethics is a brain-expanding class, (especially at 6 pm!) and I’m glad to be learning more about philosophical theories and principles. It is interesting to see how man has been struggling with the same basic issues since time began. But as we gain greater technological capabilities, the need for ethical dialogue is increasingly crucial. Just goes to show that no matter how much you feel you may know about a topic, there is always a deeper level, or higher goal to achieve. This brings me back to my first thought, which is philosophical in itself, right?

September 2011

“Start by doing what’s necessary;

Then do what’s possible;

And suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

St. Francis of Assisi 

Nature cross at wetlands

So, here we are! Summer’s just a memory, and fall is in the air. The trees will slowly turn then let loose their leaves. Time’s flying and so are the laptops and books – as we sail from subject to subject. The seasons are changing somewhere in the background, as we sit behind desks, or steering wheels, and read until eyes blur, or minds wander.  The weather has been so beautiful, it’s fun to sit outside and feel the breezes float over our textbooks. The breezes were balmy in Mexico last month, now cooler in Denver.

Mexico - Summer study spot

Guanella Pass above Georgetown, CO

The subjects we’re studying this semester include Pediatric Nursing, Nursing Leadership and Healthcare Ethics. Most of my classmates have taken Healthcare Ethics already, but I’m taking it now, here at Regis – since I’m a transfer student, I didn’t take it on the outside, and Regis is the only university I’ve found that offers a full semester class. It’s actually a very interesting topic, and pertinent to the field of nursing. Basically we’re taking philosophical principles and theories, and delving deeper into health care ethical situations and dilemmas. It’s sort of like learning a new language – challenging but so necessary in our litigious world. It also forces us to examine our own beliefs and motivations, as we will definitely be challenged when we work as nurses. It’s good to have these tools to take with us to the workforce.

Clinicals have been exciting, fun and touching. Pediatrics affords us the opportunity to participate in a Simulation lab, assist with physicals for pre-k and kindergarten students at various elementary schools – our group was stationed at St. Francis de Sales in Denver.  We had a blast! Children are cute at every age, but I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for the little ones.

Pediatric eye chart

We also spend a day in either the ER at Children’s hospital, or at their Medical Day Care program. I chose the latter. This is a terrific program that allows students with illnesses to attend class right in the hospital, without losing time from studies. The staff at Children’s is phenomenal – very dedicated to their mission, and to teaching us! I get to spend time in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, (PACU) and do what I love to do – that is watch little children (and some big children) sleep. We take children in after surgery, and insure their airways are working properly, and that there are no complications. Then we transfer them to either the discharge unit, or to inpatient rooms. Children’s is a beautiful hospital, full of professional, caring and dedicated staff. I am proud that they are in Aurora, where I live.

In leadership, we are learning about the dynamics and principles of leadership in nursing. This is a subject dear to my heart, as I have been involved with nursing for a long time, and had the opportunity to work for a vast assortment of leaders. It is refreshing to read about some of the newer techniques good nursing leaders employ, and how nurses are unique in that they provide both patient care and leadership. We are walking into the midst of an exciting movement of nurses advocating for their profession, and we should be proud to be a part of it!

April 2011

“The seasons are what a symphony ought to be:  four perfect movements in harmony with each other”   ~Arthur Rubenstein

Well here we are, just about finished with spring semester, and our junior year! We are definitely coming down the home stretch. It’s hard to believe we’re so close to the finish line. If next year goes as fast as this year, we’ll be graduating before we know it.

This last 8 week session sped by particularly quickly. We’ve been writing papers for dear life, going to clinicals, and studying for exams.

In Mental Health, we’ve been learning about dysfunctional families, domestic violence and substance abuse. These issues are pertinent to every area of health care, and we will use the training every day.

In Nursing Research, we delve further into evidence-based practice. I’m finding research to be really interesting! It’s cool to be learning about cutting-edge standards of practice. It is also empowering, to know that we can effect a change on the way we deliver nursing care, or staff our units, etc. We will be well prepared when we begin our work as BSN prepared nurses. We have papers to write for this class, and journal club research projects to present.

Nursing Roles continues to help us examine how we care for our patients, and each other. One of the books we are reading for the course is titled “The Art of Nursing”. It offers nurses’ stories, addressing qualities of good nurses – compassion, caring, spirituality, advocacy, and presence. It is important to explore these qualities now, as well as after we begin our work in the “real world”. 

Our mental health clinical at the VA is winding down. It has been a unique experience, and one I won’t forget. The inpatient psych unit’s nursing staff is second to none! They made us feel welcome and useful, allowing us to participate in groups, spend time in 1:1s with patients, and help with vital signs, dressing changes, etc. This reminded me that often we nurses address both medical and psychiatric issues in our patients.

The VA MH Clinical group: Me, Jamie Mann, Kelly Rawlins, Alma Chavez, Sirina Loya, and Jenny Oilar

Ann Patterson, SW at VA, presenting a quilt at PTSD Graduation

We also got to attend a patient graduation ceremony on the PTSD unit. This was touching, and made me proud to be a nurse, as I was reminded again of how much our Veterans have sacrificed for us.  During the ceremony, Ann Patterson, a VA Social Worker who works with the PTSD program, presented each graduating Veteran a hand-made quilt, designed and sewn by a group called “Quilts of Valor”.

Our Nursing Research class also attended an awards ceremony sponsored by Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing honor society. One of our own Regis nursing instructors, Linda Campbell, PhD, R.N. received an award for research, “A Case Study of the Clinical Nurse Leader Role”. The meeting was held at The Children’s hospital, and we also saw a presentation by Anne Hovasse, BSN, RN, and BC. Her topic was entitled “Nurses Eating Their Young, Our Need for Dietary Reform”. It was both entertaining and enlightening. Good information for us to know now, before we head into the trenches! It felt great to dress up, and meet with other nurses and CU nursing students.

Linda Campbell, PhD, R.N.

Classmates Tifany, Stephanie, Brittany, Joy and Aaron @ TCH for Sigma Theta Tau presentation

Sara, Leah and Emily @ Sigma Theta Tau presentation

I’ll be taking a religion course this summer, and reading what textbooks I can, in preparation for the fall semester. Can’t wait, though – to take some time off and relax by the beach. We’re going to Cabo in August! Have a good spring, and a relaxing summer~

April 2011

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day.     ~W. Earl Hall 

Daffodils on campus

 Spring has sprung, and beautifully too! So much so, that it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay on task. I find myself daydreaming out the window, watching the daffodils dancing on the breeze. Instead I should be digging in to my Evidence-based-practice (EBP) paper. But the sunshine is irresistible, and therapeutic, and I could rationalize on and on.

We are down to just a month until school’s out! This is unbelievable – seems like yesterday I was sitting in orientation, hearing about how much time was going to fly… I remember seeing a guy skateboarding down the sidewalk on campus, while reading a textbook. I can definitely relate – seems like I’ve had literature of some sort or another tethered to me since last August. I now feel empty-handed if I don’t have a book open, or my laptop humming nearby.

I helped at the Channel 9 Health Fair, held this year here (And many others) on campus. It was a great experience, and I was astounded to see how many people came from the community for health screening. This was terrific, as this year’s theme was “Own your health”. I was assigned to the foot screening room. This idea did not initially excite me, but the professors were enthusiastic and kind. I also got to work with PT (Physical Therapy) students. This made the morning interesting and meaningful. I was also reminded of Jesus’ words “What you do for the least of these, you do unto me”. So, as we were inspecting the feet of our neighbors, we were inspecting the feet of Jesus. Humbling, no?

Classmate Mary Sokolowski and Regis PT Student performing feet inspections at 9News Health Fair

9News Health Fair, Portable Mammograms!

 Mental Health nursing is wonderfully familiar, and I love the opportunity to review material, and to learn something new also. Our instructor Galen Wiese is awesome, and stresses to us the importance of therapeutic communication. She has a tremendous wealth of experience to draw from, and shares insights she has gained from “the field”. This is always interesting and useful. I’ve learned to look for the positive measures our patients are taking, and it has changed the tone of my interactions.  Sounds simple, but it’s an occupational hazard, to turn into the “teacher” rather than a teammate for our patients.  The psych clinical rotation at the VA has been awesome. There are many fine nurses, performing excellent care for our Veterans. It impresses me that the VA is full of dedicated nurses, with little turnover. It is not unusual to talk to nurses who have worked there for decades. This is indicative of the passion they share, and of the VA’s mission – to recruit and retain quality nursing staff.

There was a Winter Sports Clinic for Disabled Veterans at Snowmass; unfortunately I didn’t get to attend, but this is an annual event (since 1987) that inspires everyone who attends. Our Veterans are awesome in their own right, but to see how people with various disabilities are able to compete is a whole other inspiration!

Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic

 Nursing Research has become surprisingly interesting also. I think I could have been a librarian, if not a nurse. The word “Research” initially scared me, and conjured up images of dry, dusty and dull work. It has actually ignited my natural curiosity to dig deeper into issues, and find out WHY we do things. I know EBP (Evidence-based-practice) will serve us well as nurses, and spur us to question procedures and policies, rather than blindly following them because “That’s the way we’ve always done it”. EBP also reminds us that we are partners in the multidisciplinary healthcare team, and not subservient to doctors. This is a big paradigm shift for me, but a welcome one! I’ve been plenty vocal as an LPN, and now plan to continue as a BSN, armed with lots of new knowledge. Watch out world!

In Nursing Roles class, we continue to discuss current trends and issues in nursing. It’s important that we know about Nurse Practice Acts, standards of care, legal and bioethical issues, collective bargaining, leadership and advocacy. We are writing literature review papers on various social injustice issues impacting the elderly. We are dealing not only with the issues themselves, but having to learn and utilize APA format. This is a subject unto itself! But onwards and upwards. I know we will apply what we learn now, to lessons next year. It’s all useful!

Until next time, go out and watch those daffodils…

April 2011

“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted

according to the graces we have received and

let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”
                                                                     ~ Mother Teresa

 

I am reminded once again why I love nursing. We began our Mental Health clinical at the VA. This is double honorable duty, as we tend to our Veterans with mental illness. I believe that folks battling mental illness are warriors already. It takes so much stamina to withstand the rigors of disorders that affect so many areas of one’s life. Many psychiatric diagnoses come with a lifetime enrollment – our patients may have long periods of illness, followed by brief and sporadic moments of clarity. We as nurses are obligated to present a healthy reality, and unconditional positive regard. This may be challenging at times, as people may not act as we expect them to. Our training is so valuable in these circumstances. We are discussing in class, facilitators and barriers to communication. These are helpful tools in all of our interactions, with patients and with our own families.

 

Speaking of humility, some of my Traditional BSN cohort went to India over Spring break. The photos are just a prelude; their stories will be posted next blog.

 

We are working in Nursing Roles on papers about social justice issues related to the elderly. This is a field so ripe with issues; I’ve changed my mind three times since I started my paper. Just get me started on elderly abuse! Or cultural diversity, or sexuality, loneliness or affordable long-term living. What I like is that we address not only the problems, but the solutions. Seems like as long as this old world has been around, we would have, as an advanced society, done away with these issues by now! Call me Pollyanna – my optimism and idealism have been with me a long time, and they are my favorite coping mechanism. What’s really cool is that I’m surrounded by classmates who feel the same way. It is so refreshing to talk to like-minded people, who still see the glass as half-full, and want to fill it even more.

 

My most challenging class for the moment is Nursing Research/Evidence-based practice (EBP). I’ve certainly heard the term, and have been involved in projects over the years. But not to this degree. And not to this length! Luckily, we have broken into groups for projects, as well as working individually. It’s sort of like learning a new language. This gives me deeper admiration for some of my classmates who are studying a career in nursing, with English being their second language. I’m doing well to learn this stuff in my primary language! The other helpful aspect to this difficult subject is our instructors’ awareness of our struggle. They really try to explain these theories with humor and sympathy for our plight.

 

It truly is important though, to know why we perform skills the way we do, and not just because “That’s the way we’ve always done it”. And I have seen things done “That way” in many settings. Evidence-based practice is the way of the future, and I’m glad to be learning it now.

Brittany and friends

Cassy Gerving, Brittany Booton & Friends

Regis Library exhibits artwork to celebrate National Women's History Month

Regis students, 1968

March 2011

“There is no language like the Irish for soothing and quieting”.

~John Millington Synge

Happy St. Paddy’s day! My married name is Murphy, which makes me an Irish Colleen (from the Irish cailín) so I celebrate this holiday as an honorary Irish. Denver is famous for its St. Patrick’s Day celebration and parade. It’s one of the largest in the country! There is also the 23^rd Runnin’ of the Green, a 7k run that benefits Volunteers of America – they help the elderly, homebound and victims of domestic violence.

Irish step dancers

We have many things to celebrate, including the beginning of spring. I can definitely feel the warmth infusing our afternoon air. Even though we’ve had a mild winter, I am certainly ready for spring!

It’s hard to believe that we’re half-way finished through our spring semester. We say farewell to pharmacology, and hello to mental health nursing. We are also completed adult 1, and begin nursing research and evidence-based practice (heretofore referred to as EBP). This is again an opportunity to broaden our horizons. I am not so much wired for statistical analysis and research, but know how important it is to explore our methodology in nursing, and strive to improve patient care.

Evidence-based practice lecture

 A great way to do this is to perform research and present the evidence, and perhaps change the reason for doing something from “Because that’s how we’ve always done it” to something new and improved. Being a “lifer” nurse, I know how difficult it can be to try new ways of performing care, especially if I base it on personal experience. It’s also an important reminder to keep my eyes and my mind open, and be willing to change.

As far as mental health nursing, I look forward to swimming in warm, familiar waters. I have practiced for years in psych nursing, and love it! My MH clinical rotation will be at the VA, which is also familiar. I look forward to embracing all of it, and helping my cohorts feel at ease. Education is one of the hallmarks of the VA, and the staff is wonderful, dedicated and invested in helping students learn.

Our Med-Surg 1 Rose clinical team.

In nursing roles, we are covering compassion, and next week will do group presentations on a nursing theorist. My group chose Jean Watson, who is a marvelous human being, and a local legend. She practices out of U of C Denver at Anschutz, and created an international nonprofit Caring Science Institute. Her theory has been chosen by many hospitals worldwide for a framework for caring.

We celebrated my step-son’s birthday on March 13^th – hard to believe, Rich is the same age as my classmates! His girlfriend Carly is bright, sweet, and definitely a member of our family. Our son Jeremy is 17, done with high school, and looking at colleges. I’ll be a senior next year, and he’ll be a freshman- who would have thought! Just goes to show that you’re never too old to follow your dreams.

The younger Kissinger-Murphy clan - Jeremy, Carly and Richard

Mine are coming true – hope yours do too~