'Tis a happy Friday, indeed

See I didn't run away forever! I'm back. It was wonderful traveling to a place that is so unlike the Hades RehabLand has become in the last week. I sure miss outdoor air conditioning.

I didn't have to go to work today, but being the type A personality I am, I had to go see something in my office. First, I spilled my coffee all over and made a huge mess. Then I found it.

At 1150 something last night, one of the service chiefs read her e-mail. She found out what I was going to share with the bigwigs when I got back to work, because they sent her an e-mail.

Yes, yours truly won a prize. Mostly bragging rights, but big enough. I won the top poster contest at Mongo nursing conference. Not just a regular local, state or regional outfit...nosirree, I won a prize in the big leagues, almost Olympics: an international conference.

What was my reaction? Shock really. I hope no one taped it, because at first, I couldn't see the screens at the front (since I was sitting with my new traveling partner Lucita in the back having a good time) with my poster, my name and my employer, Madison General Medical Center on it, either.

My advisor actually gave me the stand in certificate, since they're sending the printing of the real one to Geneva or somewhere and it will come in 6-8 weeks. "RehabRN, you're shaking" she said. "Sorry," I replied. "I just can't believe I won. I went through hell to get to go to this conference."

And she knew that I did. I was rejected by every level of official I talked to at Madison and elsewhere in order to get funding to go to this conference--local, state, district, service line--you name it. Madison couldn't give me time off because my presence was not "of substantial benefit to Madison." (Yes, that's what the Chief Educator said) But, there I was with the lady who gave me the courage to keep going. She got me partial funding, and once I saw the program where she and several other PublicU instructors would be there, I told her, "I don't care. You got me some money. I'm going. I'm going to meet Bob (the other instructor)."

However, in a long career, SK has always looked to make nursing better. And I'm damn proud I could return the favor by winning a big prize in the name of PublicU. Bob even gave me a hug. (He's a prince, really.)

And as Kay, one of my local mentors told me to do, I said hello on her behalf to several of the superstar people (she gave me a list of who I should talk to). They were a bit startled that a nobody like me would seek them out, but since they all know her, they laughed once I relayed her message.

"That's something Kay would do...send a student with a message." one said, chuckling. "Tell her we miss her when you get back to RehabLand."

And so I did. Kay just smiled.

Happy Friday all wherever you are. Dreams sometimes do come true. Stay on them like glue until they do!

International affairs

I have always said I have an international stomach. There isn't much food I don't like, so lots of my nursing school friends (from many countries of origin) used to drag me to go out with them to some of the ethnic restaurants close to Private U.


Ethiopian? Check. Pakistani? Check. Nepalese? Check. Vietnamese? Check. I've been just about everywhere.

In an effort to broaden Bubba's horizons, we took him to a Vietnamese restaurant, since he really likes Chinese food. He enjoyed it immensely, especially twirling noodles in his soup with chopsticks. He's been to a Chinatown nearby and loved it, so we guessed correctly that Vietnamese might work.

On the way out the door, we saw a sign for a lunar new year concert. Bubba remembered what that was from social studies class and chimed in, "Mom, I'm going to get some money, right?"

The perils of raising a kid who likes social studies...

Benefits of being a student

1. You get to read lots of magazines that have absolutely nothing to do with nursing, but are interesting when studying the US healthcare system.

This FastCompany article on Medicare fraud was very enlightening.

2. You get an international perspective from more than just your classmates on privacy issues, whether it's HIPAA or some other national protocol.

Word to staff: Don't try this one, even if she is cute.

3. Another plus: idiots exist wherever you go, just like the MD and her husband in this article.

Thank you Vince Ciotti for posting these links via HIStalk. You make being a student very interesting, indeed. Keep up the good work!

Off I go to work. More later...

Shout and Out!

Yes, it's time for a shout out section again thanks to sitemeter, so here goes...

The international section

Yes, to all those folks in France, especially in Paris and aux alentours who keep meandering by...j'arrive...je suis un peu fatiguee a l'instant! Le cours d'info m'echappe!

Hello to all the other folks coming by from India and the Philippines. I have to mention the people getting here from Under the Mosquito Net out of beautiful Bangladesh. Thanks Randall for the link by which they got here!

In the western hemisphere

I'd be remiss if I didn't thank maha from Call Bells Make Me Nervous. So many people lately come by way of your blog. Many, many, many thanks, and if I'm ever in your neck of the woods, I'll have to stop and say hi. Kim at emergiblog also sends lots of people here, so I am very, very grateful. (I'll be jumping up and down when I have 10% of Kim's traffic!)

And all the readers from Kansas City, MO; Atlanta, GA; and all sorts of good folks around Houston, TX, especially at the Health Sciences Center, thanks for coming by.

So now more stuff...

Lately, I almost feel like doing a gutteral scream and yelling, "Out!" Out to the dog who goes from sleeping to sick...all over carpets and flooring. Out to kid who says, "Mom, can we change the channel to the Kid channel?" about 40 times at once. Out to all the stuff I have stuffed around the house that I really need to get rid of, once and for all. Out to all of the computer demons who have been inhabiting two of my oldest computers. Not viruses, mind you, just plain old out-of-resources, maxed-out memory craziness.

Recently, I really wanted to tell a patient, "Out!" Said patient is getting ready to discharge yet again after the latest of said patient's plastic surgeries. Multiple issues I really can't discuss abound, but as usual, patient likes to have fun with the nurses by causing psychosocial issues. One minute, patient makes you look great in front of providers. Next minute, patient is telling you how his/her legs were moved incorrectly during transfer and that popped the colostomy bag.

To save time and patient satisfaction scores, I excused myself and took a time out. I got some labs that were needed and said patient talked on the phone. By the time I got back, I was accused of not listening, but I got patient out of bed and out of the room. Thankfully, patient took self off the unit outside, which got rid of some of my angst.

I have a plan, folks. It shall be implemented fully any day now. It's called vacation. I'm not going anywhere, but I will be doing something. Homework in multiple senses of the word. I've got my assignments, now I just have to produce the papers.

Finally, since it's 09/09/09, I'll just twist and shout over to the record store. Today is remastered Beatles release day.

More to come...