Rachel RN, BSN: Popsicles, fingerprints, and Duke Basketball

The last part of our Gero lecture (the last 2 hours) on Monday was devoted to various clinical groups presenting a topic. The first 5 groups were presenting and the next half are presenting next Monday. I was in group 3 and let me just mention I HATE PUBLIC SPEAKING. I wasn't the only one in my group that felt this way and I am so very thankful for Jeff to volunteer to speak in front of the class. The only thing the rest of us had to do was explain how we benefited from the various protocols with our own patients. Our presentation was on acute pain (in the elderly of course). It can be very difficult sometimes to know if our patients are in pain if they cannot verbalize it to us. There are different ways you can measure how much pain they might be in just by looking at them. Are they grimacing? Is there heart rate elevated? Respirations? Do they moan? Are they combative? These are all different ways to assess someone who does not speak.

Anyways, when my turn to speak up came....I turned bright red, but I got through it. All done.

I could focus on the next two presentations with no problem. I noticed that my CI had been sitting in the classroom to listen to our presentation. It was so nice of her to do that.

The next presentation was on hydration and Jen passed around popsicles...SCORE!

After class, I had two meetings with two different groups.

First, I gathered with 3 others and we passed our NPA papers to our left and had that person edit it. We have to have someone edit our paper and edit someone else's. You can't edit the paper of the person who edits yours....thus the passing in a circle thing.

I apparently suck at forming sentences. This would be my paper post edit:

I met with my second group for my research class. We distributed who would read what articles. We each had two to read and fill out a matrix table. We each needed to have that done and emailed to one of the group members by Saturday.

That was all said and done...so I finally got to go home and relax.

You guys...I'm in trouble.

Just kidding!

We all got fingerprinted on Tuesday with the help of campus police. It's one step in the long process of getting our nursing license.

I attended the first "Dr. Relf NCLEX School for Success" class of the semester. It is a NCLEX review class that is offered to us between 2 of our classes on Tuesdays. It is required for some and recommended for others. I decided to attend because it can't hurt and what else am I going to do between classes? I figured I would try it out and see how it went. I loved it! Just reviewing everything brings things from first semester back to the front of your mind.

I had a hard time getting motivated after the NCLEX class (that ended at noon) and my Honduras class (that started at 6). I tried some coffee, but it really didn't help.

The only thing I got motivated to do was go to the grocery store. I bought enough groceries to get me through to Tuesday (I'M GOING TO HOUSTON TO SEE LANCE FOR 5 DAYS, YIPEE!)

We learned more about global health in my Honduras class. There was an Alumni mixer going on at the same time out in the atrium and they offered us leftover food and drinks (wine!). I felt very awkward grazing the food while the dean was standing 3 steps away from me.

We learned some Spanish phrases that we will use during our assessments in Honduras. This was the first class I didn't have to speak in Spanish out loud, by myself. Whew.

I did go out for a run on Wednesday. I am so sick of the cold. SUMMER COME EARLY!

I cooked up some chili and watched the premiere of a new show, The River, on Hulu.com.

Oh, and I watched a little game of basketball between Duke and UNC.

and guess what?

WE WON WE WON WE WON WE WON!!!!!!

Austin Rivers scored a 3 pointer 1 sec after the buzzer and we won by one point!

GTHC!

My clinical group decided to brighten up the dining halls on our last day of clinical. Some of the lovely ladies in my group gathered money and went shopping for decorations.

This is what they came up with.

So Spring-like!

The ride in was so beautiful on Friday morning.

We got out a bit early and celebrated being done with Gero clinicals. PS: I don't have another clinical until after Spring Break!

We went to Tyler's Taproom in Apex.

I tried a new cider.

I got to see Jordan Lake in the daylight. Well, Winter daylight.

When I got home I started the application process for licensure. I had to register on two different websites and pay two different fees.

The one below was $75 and the other was $200.

I can't wait to make money.

When I woke up, I had originally planned on running and then seeing The Vow with Stesha.

I ended up watching a Research Lecture and then she called me. She wanted to know if I wanted to go to the Duke Basketball game. I asked her who we were playing and she said "Maryland". "UM YEAH"!

I got ready and made my way over to her place and Garrett picked us up.

I'm kind of impressed with myself choosing a sporting event over a sappy love story.

We arrived 40 minutes earlier than the last game we went to. Yet, we were further back in line. I was number 211.

It was around 55 degrees. I decided to have a beer to warm me up in line. Yes, it was the "coldness" that made me drink...I swear!