Merry Christmas!

This morning I was grateful. I try to be grateful every morning, but this morning was especially different. Not just because I was able to wake up without an alarm, but because my body instinctively knew that I did not want to sleep in.

Or maybe I'm crazy.

I tried to turn over and sleep longer, aware that this would be the last time in a week, and potentially after next week not until mid-May, that I would be able to sleep without an alarm.

But I could not do it. I was a little stressed that work would call me in, a little stressed that I had fallen asleep earlier without meal prepping, for whatever reason, I am grateful. I am grateful for the opportunity to work to build my dreams.

I got my meal prep in before my work out, I went to my beautiful wonderful 24-hour bro gym and pumped out an awesome leg work out thanks to Neil Hill, and I even got a compliment on said pump.

I am sitting here, not stressed about time, letting my hair dry, thinking about seeing my wonderful parents, grandparents, and anyone else who decides to join in our fun.

Even more exciting, my best friend will be released from the hospital on Christmas Day and be able to enjoy her day with her fiance and puppies at home.

2016 is ending well for me. But I might be lying to you if it hadn't been good to me all year, I just wasn't listening.

Why do we wait until the holidays to say I love you? Why do we wait until someone gives us a gift to say we're grateful for their being? Why did I not feel the Christmas spirit until this morning?

I have to spend time today to say thank you to everyone who has taught me anything, and if you even passed me for one second, I'm sure if I was listening there was a lesson to be learned. But I also need to apologize if I was too busy to be present. I need to apologize for putting myself first.

If I can help you, I want to. Stewardship gives me life.

So Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Day Off Work. I appreciate you and your being. Thank you for allowing me to know you.

 When your bestie says she's going home, but you're in between sets.
 Butt sweat.
 I have literally saved this shirt for a whole year...
 All the sets.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Perioperative Nurse Residencies

Great! You got the call back and they want you. Whether or not you start before you take your NCLEX, there are a few guidelines for nursing residencies, especially in the OR. First, this is a real-life nursing job. Whether you’ve had a real job before, had a nursing job before, or never worked a day in your life besides school, this is completely different. Now that you’ve finished with school, you’re back in for more! This time there’s more at stake and there are a whole lot of relationships, connections, and bridges you need to harness. This is where life gets tricky. How many times did you procrastinate and do that assignment late because you knew you could? Now every day you have something due, and it is mostly mental and physical muscle memory, not a tangible paper essay. How many times did you sleep in a little, roll into class late, maybe talk to your professor once a month? Now every day you must be on time according to the clock, every day you
Read more

Critical Observation: Part 6

Critical Observation Critical observation is problem the biggest part of your job that is very difficult to teach. When I precept and my student is pretty confident in their skills, I’ll sit and think out loud. The issue with OR precepting, is that we are always thinking about the entire room, and it gets exhausting talking through all of it. And we don’t know where the student is, in terms of how much information is too much. When my student asks more questions or looks at their phone, it indicates to me that they’re ready for scaffolding to the next phase. So challenge them. What do you notice? What can we do to make the next step easier? What do we need for the second case? Is there anything we need for the second patient? Streamline the process, be grateful for the time to reflect on what you’ve done – could you have done anything differently or better? How is the room looking right now? How much blood is in the bucket? Are the surgeons joking? Is
Read more

Open Communication in the OR

Open communication is mandatory in today’s world. Employees will not follow leaders who work behind closed doors with no shared vision. But neither will patients. Strive to be ahead of the curve. You are getting paid to treat one patient at a time. Act like it. You may not like the idea that the hospital is a hotel, however in the OR, you should make your patient the king or queen of that room. When you open, get everything ready like you’re expecting the biggest celebrity of all time. Each time. Each patient. They deserve the best. When you go speak to your patient, look them in the eyes. Give them a handshake. Rest your hand on their side rail if you’re not sure touching is appropriate in their culture. Ask them how they are. You already know that they’re scared, anxious, tired, exhausted, worried, in pain. And that’s all because of their condition and plan of care. Honestly, they have no idea what’s in store for them on the other side. Even if t
Read more