Being a newbie

I've been preparing to be a nurse for several years now.  I figured out at the end of my sophomore year at Purdue that it was where I wanted to focus my skills and efforts, but decided to push out my science degree so I could do an accelerated program afterwards.  When I started the accelerated program for nursing I walked into a whole other world that I was ignorant to before. I really had no idea how my perceptions would change, how I would observe people differently, and how I would even learn how to communicate with people differently as a nurse.  I get to comfort people in an unfamiliar environment, teach about the knowledge I've acquired, and challenge myself with putting the puzzle together of disease introducing change into a human body. Not only have I been preparing to be where I am now, a real live RN behind my name nurse, but I've also been trying to prepare myself mentally for the inevitable: being the newbie (uggghh).

Nursing graduation May 2011 with the fam.

Being a newbie is scary in any situation, I'm sure you can agree with me.  You always get that sinking in the stomach feeling on the first day no matter how excited or nervous you may be.  I face that feeling when I go to my 2 twelve hour shifts in the intermediate care unit I work a week where I touch real patients with real problems and quite frankly I just hope and pray that I survive the day...and that they do as well.  BUT I am so lucky to have friendly and helpful co-workers and a structured 12 week residency that will make me a more confident, safe nurse.  My residency not only includes the 2 shifts on my unit that I mentioned earlier, but also a day per week of lab practice and online modules that I do on my own time to give me more specific teaching about skills like ECG interpretation and the different body systems in the critically ill patient. My props and sympathy to the nurses of the past that were thrown to the wolves.  Seriously. That is insane.

This past weekend Tom and I were newbies in two other things: going to Indian pow wows and making strawberry jam.  A friend I went to nursing school with who is from Seattle and lives here now is part of an Indian tribe.  We were lucky enough to be invited to her tribe's pow wow about two hours south in Toledo, Washington! It was a fun day of enjoying an Indian taco ("fry bread" with a bean chili, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream), smoked salmon, drum group performances, Aztec dancers, and a salmon dinner.  There were vendors selling crafts and native art, and a live bald eagle!  The gym it was held in didn't have very good lighting for my pictures, so I have included some plus a youtube of a past Grand Entry (2010) to give you a feel of what we experienced this year!  In addition, the site of the pow wow had a great view of Mount St. Helens. Thanks to Lindsey for the fun and unique experience!

Drum group

Mount St. Helens

Being a newbie at making strawberry jam and canning in general, Tom and I were excited to learn from an old pro, Megan. It was way easier than I thought, and it was so nice to be able to control exactly how much sugar that went into our jam so to not get the gross pink guck that was my latest sugar-free jam purchase but not a super sugary jam! No pictures of that, unfortunately, but our pantry is now 4 jams of low-sugar strawberry jam deep! Tom is also interested in making and canning his Grandma's spaghetti sauce, so stay tuned for that!


New recipe tried this week:
Split Pea Soup with Ham Hock
The weather has gotten cold and the rain is here.  This soup was very appropriate for that reason and...amazing.  I use the "skinny gina" recipes a lot, and this one didn't disappoint.  Finding a ham hock was awkward when I had to say the name out loud to the butcher (YOU try saying ham hock to a stranger and see how that rolls off the tongue), but it ended up being very accessible and cheap.  It gave the soup great flavor.

(This is where I would put a picture, but quite frankly it looks like a murky green swamp.  So just picture that...but also picture it being delicious.  Like a murky green swamp of amazing. MMmm)


Keep on saving for a vacation full of being a newbie in the Emerald City with wonderful hosts! Tom has become very good at reciting commercials in the exact voice and inflection of the actors, so with him along we can do things outside the apartment with the feel of watching TV just like you've always wanted (until it starts to annoy you, which coming from a person who knows, that happens pretty quick)! So, GO WEST YOUNG PEOPLE (and young people at heart)!

It can be challenging and fun to be a newbie washINgton!