One Semester Left...

I'm sitting in the back of my nursing professional conference while writing this (deep down I know I should be ashamed of myself, but I guess my conscience doesn't get pricked as easily now I'm in my last semester :) ).

Life is wonderful...and busy (I don't say I stressful anymore; busy sounds so much nicer and it makes me feel like I have things under control). After months of searching, I finally found a job at a nursing home working as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse). I love it. The patients are amazing, they constantly shower me with compliments (in their eyes I am all things glorious and good) and they crack me up. I take care of all 34 patients after the wound nurse leaves...so I basically run the entire time, but someday I'll have crazy time management skills.

This is me in front of Country View Manor...woot for being employed!!!

As part of my Capstone semester I am placed with a nurse and gradually she gives me more and more of her patient load until I'm basically doing her job. Mine is at an L-TAC facility called Utah Valley Specialty Hospital (see here). I'm on the High Observation Unit (so sort of a step-down ICU) and it's wonderful because I get to work as a nurse, but there's always back-up if I need it. Right now I'm at the half-way point: I've worked 117 hours and my preceptor, Liz, lets me take one patient (but I should be taking both patients by next week).

And Robb is still amazing. With work, clinical, and all the homework, I have little to no free time and he is pretty much the only reason I get fed on a regular basis and can see our living room floor. He listens to me moan about hard days, rubs all the kinks out of my left shoulder, and tells me that I'm going to be a wonderful nurse someday.

I live a charmed life.