If you thought you had a bad day...

Then you haven't seen this article (or the compelling pictures).

My day may seem crappy, but in retrospect, it's actually pretty darned good, thank you very much.

Hope your Super Bowl Sunday is going well, whether you're celebrating it on the unit or at a party.

Here's this weekend's Sunday Stealing below, since this is the All who wander are not lost (one of my favorite quotes) edition.

Enjoy!

1. Put your music player of choice on shuffle and list the first song
1. Relax, by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
2. If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? Would you take anyone with you?
1. Right now, it would be somewhere warm. Otherwise, I'd take my husband and son to Paris, France.
3. What is your preferred writing implement? (eg. Blue pen, pencil, green pen)
1. Black pen. Always, and forever. It's legal!
4. When did you go on your first trip alone (without your parents)?
1. When I went to camp at 10.
5. Do you have connections to any celebrities (even minor)? List them.
1. Only drive by ones. I'm related (by marriage) to a pharmaceutical inventor. I went to high school with a girl whose sister is a nurse on a reality show.
6. Name 3 items you could pick up from where you are.
1. Phone, paper, pens
7. How would you describe your sense of humor?
1. Offbeat
8. Do you ever play board games or other non-computer games? Got any favorites?
1. I like Monopoly
9. A musical artist you love that isn’t well known.
1. Johnny Clegg and Savuka
10. A musical artist you love that is well known.
1. Paul Simon
11. What is your desktop background currently?
1. A graphic of leaves.
12. Last person you talked to, and through what you talked to them
1. My husband. The milk was sour.
13. What do you carry your money in?
1. Wallet
14. What timekeeping devices are in the room you are currently in?
1. My phone and my watch.
15. What kind of headphones do you use?
1. All kinds (mostly earbuds)
16. What musical artists have you seen perform live?
1. Midnight Oil, Stevie Ray Vaughn, TMBG, Air Supply, all sorts of bands, really.
17. How often do you clear your browser history?
1. All the time.
18. What’s the best job you’ve ever had?
1. I like the one I have, thanks. 
19. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
1. Burger King at 16. Got burnt on the fry basket.
20. What magazines do you read, if any? 
1. Lots. Fashion, computers, nursing, you name it.

Weekend follies - travel wrap-up

Yes, if you travel, you get to do lots of things.

Here's a few of the things I did:

1. Walk. I went over 10,000 steps on my pedometer every single day walking back and forth to various sessions. That's not including the to and from to the conference.

2. Eat. Lots and lots of restaurants (and some nice receptions) with loads of food. I tried to stay away from too many bagels (aka meeting room food).

3. Drink. Lots and lots of coffee--every kind you can imagine. Also had some of the local beverages which were quite tasty.

4. Chat with presidents. And vice presidents and marketing directors, as well as our sales reps. I was enlisted to do a demo with one of the products I use regularly for one vendor. She didn't know how to use it.

5. Collect swag. I got a gallon Ziploc full of pens for the nursing staff: light up pens and even the  new pens with stylus ends for your tablet. I also got a purple dragon and mints, among other things. Wish I could have gotten a fedora (yes, one vendor gave those out) for S.

6. Meet. Met lots of fellow nurses from around the country. Had lots of fun discussing everything we do in the SU. Was almost tempted to show up in scrubs when the dress code said "business dress".

Yes, even in the SU, scrubs are business attire. However, I caved and wore my "I could be a banker" suit.

And now, I get to do one more thing: prepare an expense report. It's all worth it. I learned a lot, walked a lot and had a lot of fun.

Stay tuned...

So glad it's Friday!

I have to say, I like Fridays. Not just because they signal the end of the week, but because, overall, since I've started this gig in the SU, Fridays are usually the least obtrusive and most easy-going days of the week.

Today was one of those easy-going days. I got to talk to patients and teach, which, incidentally, is one of my favorite parts of the job. (Guess I missed my calling!)   I led an in-service for the unit staff for patient education. It seems since there's been turnover, a lot of the newbies are still learning. I wasn't planning on educating the newbies, but the nurse manager insisted. So away I went...

My secret: props.  I like props. So I brought mine: handouts and I rolled in a COW (or WOW if you're politically correct) to do a live demonstration. I also come with prizes, because people tend to pay better attention when they think they'll win something.

I brought  the usual goodies: pens stolen, er given out at the best conferences in interesting hotels at some of the places I went to last year. The good prizes (bags, books, journals) this time went to the two lucky people (each shift) who got the copies with a special mark or photo (I had Florence Nightingale on one page hidden among the pages.)

When I was done with the in-service, I was able to talk to one of the regulars. He/she was in for therapy, so I got to bug him/her about one of our new programs. This regular has a plan: to get more education so he/she can do more work suited to his/her functional ability right now.  I really admire this patient. He/she keeps progressing and keeps on moving forward.

Finally, I finished the day with an appointment with another patient. He loved our technology. While it may have been cold here in RehabLand, it was sunny and bright, and so were most of the folks on the unit.

Happy weekend all! More to come...

I had to do it...

I broke down and bought a clipboard, so I could keep my paperwork arranged when seeing patients.
Guess you can call my a clipboard nurse now.

At least, I'll never lose my pens and paper again!

The beginning of the end

No, it's not the end of blogging as Monkeygirl is doing, it's the end of the year. And what a year it's been!

In the news today, I saw an article about the vaunted rumor that there will be no more free pens at some of the conferences because of perceived conflicts of interest. What, oh what, I ask, will the docs and NPs bring to impress the floor nurses with now, since there is no more swag? An old, leftover pizza from that drug rep's lunch just doesn't make the same impression as the light up pens and the pens with highlighters AND post-it notes attached. I guess we like them because they're things we can actually use.

As the year counts down, I'm thanking my lucky stars that I came to the VA from Saintarama Rehab. The top three reasons: no low census, no low census, no low census! Some of the things that go with the job aren't the greatest, but that benefits package is great considering everything in these recessionary times.

Finally, I'm thankful that I still have this blog. It keeps me out of trouble and keeps my mind humming. I have so many ideas for next year, I ought to be busy!

The end is near, but this is just the beginning...so stay tuned and have a great night!