Thursdays

Are my Sundays. I work in the operating room as a nurse on the weekends, so Thursdays are the last night where I can veg a little and have to make sure that the next 4 days are set up to kick ass.

Today was my first real day "off" in a long time. I didn't get enough sleep, thanks anxiety for kicking into high gear at 0300 and not settling until 0500, but I jumped out of bed at 0609. Tuesdays and Thursdays I work out with a personal trainer I have had for years.

He just makes me happy. Not all the time, not always, some days I curse him more than I smile.

But the challenges he has put me through and his ability to believe in me when I did not think I could do a simple box jump, much less the training we do now, I could not live without that elation.

This post is two-fold.

Remember to find time to plan and prepare when you know that upcoming days will be difficult.

Remember to thank the ones who support you.

Remember you're worthy.

-MAA

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

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

Teamwork: Part 3

Teamwork One of the most intense feeling in the OR world is when STAT is called overhead. I always ran in, a soldier ready for battle. It was easier as a resident, knowing that there were very few things I would be asked to do, if anything. I even messed up the first time I witnessed a code blue, before I knew what was happening my preceptor was yelling for me to call the front desk, but the blood rushing to my ears, the fear of the anesthesia resident’s eyes, I couldn’t hear. I wasn’t there. But when you’re alone, everyone else is in a case, you have to prioritize and make the best decision at the time for your patient. You can delegate, but there’s no one to delegate to, they’re all doing their own tasks. That fear either paralyzes you, or ignites a fire. After a few situations, the fear usually takes a sidestep and allows you to focus, laser-in on what needs to be done. That’s when you know you’re ready. But sometimes, you get the summative report b
Read more