Things I Learned This Semester: Three Down
I’ve just completed the third semester of nursing school, and I’m back with some more little things I’ve learned, in no particular order.
On Maternity: The nurses in the maternity ward think they have the best job in the whole hospital! And there’s something to their opinion: the overwhelming majority of their patients are fundamentally well. No other part of the hospital can claim that.
On Level of Consciousness: It is not normal to sleep through a blood sugar check.
We All Need the Duhpartment of Research: Yes, sometimes we do need scientific proof of what seems to be perfectly obvious. That’s because sometimes the perfectly obvious gets proven right, and sometimes it gets proven wrong.
On the Passage of Time: It’s just as well I didn’t study back in the 80s or 90s. I might be one of those nurses who say things like “We’ve always done it this way!”
Sometimes Questions are Opportunities: When you can’t easily find that somebody has answered your question, there is room for you to run a study and find the answers for others.
On the NICU: When I arrived in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, I was prepared for a depressing day. Instead, I found the tiniest humans showing fierce fighting spirit and overcoming the odds every day, with help from extremely caring nurses… and of course a lot of equipment. It turned out to be a highly satisfying experience where I felt like I made a difference.
Preemies Need Coffee!: Well, not really. But a bit of caffeine does help them breathe better.
Magnetic: There is such a thing as a Magnet Hospital. Such hospitals are supposed to “promote excellence in nursing and healthcare.” Sounds very buzzword compliant, doesn’t it? However, it turns out that such hospitals do have lower mortality rates and brings in more revenue than it costs to attain. That last bit is why you’re likely to see more of them in the future.
And that just about wraps it up for my third semester of nursing school. Stay tuned for the final edition at the end of June!
Conference
Music Monday: A Late Valentine
Shorties Forever
Hi folks! Late next week I should have another one of my semester end roundups, but for now, enjoy some freshly dismembered Shorties for Valentines Day.
Speaking of St Valentine: He was beheaded on this day around 270 AD.
Like Sand Though the Hourglass: A picture of sand under a microscope. Pretty cool, huh? Here’s the source.
Hillaryvision: Hillary had a pretty bad week by most measures. Even things that were supposed to help her — Kissinger advised her! Albright not patronized us but matronized us! — weren’t helpful. But at least she realizes that people on Social Security won’t vote for her unless she promises not to slash their benefits.
In Other Research, Water is Wet: “Hospitals with more registered nurses and doctors per bed can reduce patient death by as much as 20 percent….”
News from Harvard: The United States can’t control encryption.
News from Princeton: He who counts the votes controls the election.
Bundy: Would the whole thing in Oregon have gone on as long as it did if the Koch brothers weren’t involved?
On Welfare: Some interesting facts.
And Finally some Good News out of Washington: Budget Surplus!
Odd Vegas Tourist Attractions
Yes, this is actually the wall from the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. It has been reassembled in the Mob Museum.
Forty Days
It is the 40th day of 2016. Mardi Gras, in fact.
Forty days.
We’ve already lost musicians Glenn Frey (of The Eagles), Maurice White (of Earth, Wind, and Fire), and David Bowie (The Sovereign — is anybody else concerned that Dean is now in charge of the Guild of Calamitous Intent? Or is he?). Over and above that, we’ve lost impressario René Angélil, conductor Pierre Boulez, and producer Robert Stigwood.
In addition, we’ve lost actors Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), Dan Haggerty (Grizzly Adams), and Abe Vigoda (Fish) — this time for real. Oh, and voice actor Joe Alaskey.
And truth be told, that’s just a few of the people who have already left us in the last 40 days.
So hey, all you great actors and musicians out there: Be careful.
Happy New Year!
Chinese New Year, that is.
Save a Life or Two
One donation of whole blood gets processed into both packed red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma, often also other important blood products as well. An hour of your time may mean a lifetime to somebody else.
In Closing: sex sells, but more slowly; construction revolution; the freaking TPP has been signed but not ratified (still time to call your Congressmice); Sesame Ventures?; Bleeping New Yorkers freaking out over the bleeping crane falling into the bleeping street; Hillary wants to help; Kitty!
The Original One Cup Coffeemaker
No electricity required. No proprietary pre-filled cartridge systems. Use any grounds you like. Filters are biodegradable. Environmentally friendly! Both filters and the units themselves are inexpensive — just a fraction of the cost of one of those big fancy cartridge coffee makers. Dishwasher safe.
And it makes a good cup of coffee!