My Weekend (9/27)

Fall weekends, to me, are all about the smell of hot sausage or chili cooking, football on tv, and candles burning. There's something about being bundled up inside when you know the air outside is crisp that makes you feel cozy and safe. This weekend, I was able to enjoy a lot of those things, as well as a quick trip to visit a college friend of my boyfriend. As usual, we finished off the weekend with the last episode of Breaking Bad, complete with good friends and good snacks. I hope all of you were able to enjoy your weekend, and for those of you who were working, I hope you can take time this week for yourselves!

Fall Lips

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... like to go out of my comfort zone in the beauty department.

I have a little mouth. My lips aren't think, but my mouth in general is very small, which steers me away from dark lip colors. When my eyes were opened to Revlon lip butters, however, my opinion changed. I mentioned in a previous post my love for this product, but I didn't mention that I especially love their darker lip colors for the fall and winter seasons. They glide on like a chapstick, but they have the color payoff of an actual lipstick. You truly get the best of both worlds. 

I have now tried three of their darker, more bold colors, and I haven't been disappointed by any of them. They go on smooth, last for a while, and are easy to touch up throughout the night. Additionally, you don't have to mess around with lip liner or an additional lipgloss, because these (again) are more like lipbalms, and they shine like a gloss!

The first dark lip butter I tried was in "Raspberry Pie", and I loved it so much that I wore it multiple times last winter. It was the perfect color to make you feel a little festive, without taking forever to apply. I love the deep berry color, and it looks great with my fair skin and blonde hair.

I just recently purchased "Red Velvet", and was just as happy with it as I was my other colors. It's a deep burgundy red, which is one of my favorite fall colors. The best part about all of these lip butters is that they are also buildable, meaning you can go from just a small sheen to full-on color.

"Candy Apple" was the first lip butter I had ever tried out. While it isn't as dark as the other two, it is still a great fall color. I know that many girls try to search for the perfect red lip, and I found mine in this lip butter. Typically, red lipsticks were too bold for my fair skin and little lips. However, this color is glossy, and again buildable!

#Open Mind

Hello, everyone! I'm back with another #advicetobabynursingstudents, and this one can be applied to all aspects of a person's life... it doesn't JUST have to do with nursing students!

Keep an open mind about what area you want to work. You may be surprised at what you enjoy once you get some experience in it! 

I know that I found this advice especially true when I got into my acute care clinicals. At that point in nursing school, I had enjoyed everything I experienced. I loved working with both adults and children, and although I wanted to work with children, there wasn't really anything I hated. However, the one thing I swore I'd never want to do was work on a burn unit.

There was something about burns that got to me... I guess it was the pain that those patients were experiencing, and not really being able to do much to take that pain away. At that point, I had never been around someone severely burnt. However, the second semester of my junior year, my clinical group was assigned the trauma/burn unit, and I was going to be thrown into something I swore I'd never be able to do.

I loved it. 

Now, it still is not something I'd want to do for my career. However, I realized quickly that in any setting, my passion for nursing came from patient interaction. In the burn unit, I still was able to have those human connections with my patients. Yes, they were in severe pain. But if anything, they appreciated my presence and care more than anyone else.

Bottom line is, don't write off the unknown. You truly have no idea what you're going to enjoy until you actually experience it. Nursing school is the perfect opportunity to get a taste of various units, and decide for yourself what you want to or don't want to do as a career. I still want to work in pediatrics, but I know that wherever this life takes me, I will be able to enjoy what I'm doing because there is nothing I can't do. Think the same for yourselves!

I hope you are all having a great week. Thank you for continuing to follow along on my blogging adventure! Please leave me any comments or critiques-- I'd love to hear from you! Xoxo.

My Room

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... Like to redecorate things!

As I mentioned before, I have always shared a room at home with my sister. Now that I'm back living with my parents, I have been trying to decorate my room to feel a little bit more "me". I've been having a lot of fun, and wanted to share with all of you the progress! Of course, it will probably never be finished in my eyes, but here are some of my favorite things! 

Why Nurses Can Love Grey's Anatomy

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... like to watch medical dramas that some people think represents 

nurses poorly.

I've loved Grey's Anatomy since the beginning of the series. Before I even wanted to be a nurse, I watched Grey's Anatomy. I loved the drama and excitement each episode displayed, and I got so emotionally involved with each character, you'd think I knew them in real life. But, alas, I don't. I have never seen McDreamy on any of my hospital floors, to my dismay. And I do understand that it is the general opinion that my profession isn't well represented on this show. 

I disagree with this. I think that there are a lot of similarities between this television and real life, though they may be stretched. Of course Grey's Anatomy is going to be a little more unbelievable... it's a television show. Of course one hospital probably isn't going to face a bomb explosion, an armed gunman, and a plane crash of residents, but that doesn't mean it could never happen. Part of watching a fictional show is being able to suspend your disbelief, right?

I love Grey's Anatomy because over all of its seasons, the writers have been able to deeply develop each character. Whether they were on the show since the beginning, or came in sometime after, there have been special moments with each person that made you feel something towards them. Whether you hate them or love them, that reflects real life. Each character on the show portrays a different personality, and each character has something about them that any viewer can relate to. Sure, there are doctors like Christina Yang. Many that I've run into are medicine-focused, and sometimes come off a little cold, but she does ultimately care about her patients. 

My main point is that it does reflect real-life medicine, though far-fetched. The medical aspect is usually close to accurate, though sometimes wrong... but I'm not trying to learn what I do from a television show. And as for the nursing aspect of it, I haven't really seen much wrong with their portrayal of nurses. Sure, they are treated like they're not important, but on every episode in which a nurse is mentioned, they are there taking care of their patients. They are on top of a code, and the doctors wouldn't be able to do their jobs without them. It may go unnoticed, but sometimes that is how being a nurse works.

There are rude doctors in this world who will treat us like our job isn't important. But one thing I know, and one thing the nurses on Grey's Anatomy seem to know, is that my job is important. And I'll keep taking care of my patients to the best of my abilities, regardless of what the doctors think. So really, the show is only a stretched out version of the truth, right?

Now, I may be putting my foot in my mouth... I'm sure on this week's premier, something else totally unbelievable is going to happen. But like I said, just because all of these events are unlikely to happen to one hospital doesn't mean it's impossible! Just enjoy the tv show for what it is... a television show! 

My Weekend (9/20)

Happy Monday, everyone! I had an awesome weekend, despite having been sick last week. True, being out of town for the weekend wasn't the best for my health, but I had a great time with my friends! I was able to stay with one of my best friends (the one who moved away to start her big girl job), and see my sister. I hope everyone had a great weekend as well! Let's start this week off right.

Left: Berry Naughty; Right: Little Brown Dress

Panda Sweater from Asos.com

#Good Impressions

Hello, everybody! I'm here on this Friday with another #advicetobabynursingstudents... this can be applied to any point in nursing school, but should be especially utilized in the final years. It concerns being professional in clinical, and making lasting impressions on faculty and staff.

It's important to make a good, lasting impression on everyone you come in contact with during nursing school. You never know who will be interviewing you, writing your recommendations, and eventually hiring you!

I tried to be the student in nursing school who acted professional, friendly, and willing to work. I thought it was important to make that impression on people, both because I wanted to, but also because I knew it was going to help me in the end. I was right! Making a good impression on my professors and clinical instructors allowed me great nursing connections, and wonderful recommendations to list on my resume.

It's also important to make a good impression on the nursing staff and directors of the units you have clinical on. When you graduate, you may decide that you want to work on one of those units. If you've made a good impression on them, they will probably be more inclined to hire you, as they know that you're a hard worker!

So answer those call bells, and help those nurses. Be the best clinical student you can be, and always be willing to help someone out. Enjoy the time you have in nursing school to learn all that you can, and help as many patients as you are able to!

As usual, thank you all for reading. It's greatly appreciated. Xoxo.

Emotional Distance

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... walk a fine line between emotional connections with patients and professionalism.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm always professional. However, I think that part of being a nurse means walking a narrow line between therapeutic relationships and strict business-like interactions. As a nurse, it is our job to make the patient feel cared for, without crossing the line to something too personal.

The other day, I came across this article in the New York Times. Written by a registered nurse, it told the story of her experiences becoming close with patients, and knowing when the relationship becomes too personal. I encourage you all to read this article. It's not very long, but truer words have never been spoken to me. This is something I think about a lot-- the human connection nurses make with their patients, all while having to stay aware of the appropriateness of a personal relationship.

It's almost impossible to work in health care without forming human connections, especially in nursing. You will always think "that could be my sister" or "he reminds me of my grandpa". These thoughts are what urges us to provide better care, and make sure that the patients are receiving all of the physical and emotional attention they need.

Patient satisfaction is a major part of nursing, and the more attention given, the greater the satisfaction. I had many patients on the oncology unit I worked on who reminded me of my aunt. I made sure that all of my patients were well taken care of, but those patients kept me coming back... wanting to give them extra attention. I had one specific patient who had pancreatic cancer, and every time I went into the room, I'd give the patient's family a special smile. I never told them about my aunt, but I did make sure that they knew that I cared, and that I would be there for anything they needed.

It may cross a line to share too much of your own life, but understanding where a patient or their family is coming from helps to make the care more personal. By being there for people, you can make them feel cared about and provided for in their scariest days. That's why I continue to want a be a nurse. To be there for people who need love the most.

Butter Me Up

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... like to try out new beauty products!

I had been hearing about the NYX butter lip glosses for a while, but never was very interested in trying them. I'm a huge fan of the Revlon lip butters, and since they both had "butter" in the name, I assumed they were comparable. Turns out, they really aren't!

They are very different products, that's for sure. Revlon's lip butters are more like lipsticks, while NYX's butter glosses are more like lipglosses. While in Ulta one day, I saw the display and decided to try one out. They are extremely affordable, at $4.99 a piece, and they come in a wide range of colors. Soon after trying one, I wanted more. I now have three colors in my collection, which is enough to review them, I think!

Left to right: Maple Blondie, Eclair, and
Strawberry Parfait.

The packaging itself is cute, and each gloss is named after a dessert. Bonus: they all smell sweet, too!

Swatches on my hand!

The glosses are not sticky, but they are thick enough to stay on your lips for a good amount of time. They are basically the perks of a good lip combination without all of the applying work! One quick sweep of the butter gloss and you're good to go. Perfect for busy people like nurses! I hope you found this review helpful, and I hope you're able to try one out soon!

My Weekend (9/13)

Hope you all had an amazing weekend! Mine was spent doing a lot of reading, lunching, and simply relaxing. I hope you were all able to do the same, and for the nurses who worked this weekend, I hope you are able to have your own "weekend" this week! Thank you all for continuing to check out this blog... I'm having so much fun sharing my thoughts with you!

Lush "Twilight" bath bomb. It's awesome.

I love all of Bath&Body Works candles,
and this one is a new favorite.

Made pizza with my family!

Finished this book in two days.. So awesome. It's for younger
readers, but the message it sends is useful for all ages.

Found some 8th grade legwarmers and rocked
them under boots.

Sharing Spaces (Tips for Being a Good Roommate)

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... am required to share a room with someone else.

One of the most exciting parts of moving away for college is finding out which dorm you will live in, as well as who will share your room. It can be scary, though, and many people decide to room with someone they already know if that is an option. I chose to have a random roommate, and like I've mentioned before, we are still very good friends. I know that not everyone will have the fairytale roommate situation like I did (trust me, my sister had a terrible experience), but I do know some things that can help two people share a small space more effectively. Here are five of my tips for being a respectful roommate:

1. Set up the room (if possible) to be more like two separate bedrooms. It's hard to figure out a floor plan at first, but if you just take some time to figure out what works best, you'll be happier in the long run. I've been in tiny rooms with my roommate, and we still managed to have unbunked beds that felt private. Climbing on someones bed to get to your bed on top would probably cause some problems, and it's nice not to feel on top of (literally) each other all of the time.

2. Try to find a common bond. This can be difficult, because sometimes in random-roommate situations you may be completely different from the other person. My roommate and I discussed a lot of likes/dislikes the first night, and we found that although we had a lot of differences, we were both into fashion and makeup, and so we talked a lot about that. This allowed us to find more common ground.

3. Invite your roommate to do things. If you have other friends at school, it's important to invite your roommate to go places with you. He/she can meet all of your friends, and hopefully if they connect, you will be able to do more things together. This leads to a close friendship in the future.

4.Be mindful/ respectful of your roommate. This means trying to respect their privacy, and the way they like to live. In my experience, because our room was kind of split up, we kept our own things on our own sides. My roommate was very messy, and I'm very neat, but I had to respect how she wanted to live. She respected me as well, and was only messy on her side.

5. Communicate. Communication between people is probably the most important thing. If something is bothering you, mention it nicely. Don't let it get to the point where you want to blow up at them. If you don't mind sharing your food, that's great! If you do, be clear about that early. Good communication helps to stop any future resentment or anger.

Try to do things with your new roommate! It can be one of the closest relationships you have, and if you find a good one and learn how to live well together, you won't have to worry about getting a new one throughout college. I'm lucky to call my freshman year roommate a best friend, and I think it's because we were respectful of each others lifestyles. Hope you all have a great weekend, I'll see you on Monday!

#Focus

Back with more #advicetobabynursingstudents!

Find a planner at the beginning of the school year, and keep everything in it. This way, you have a master list of every event, assignment, presentation, etc. Transfer any individual calendar dates to this planner.

I never used a planner my first and second years of nursing school. This was probably the biggest mistake I made, and I'm so thankful I figured things out before I was done with school. It's important to have one planner that states everything you are responsible for the year, because otherwise it's impossible to stay focused and on top of homework and clinical hours.

I found this planner especially important during my preceptorship, where I followed one nurse and was responsible for scheduling and logging my own clinical hours. Without my planner, it would have been impossible to remember which days I was free, which days I worked, etc. 

Planners are everywhere, and they come in a range of styles and prices. I received mine as a gift (best gift ever), but it was from Barnes and Noble. I liked that mine was a monthly planner, because it helped me to see the big picture for each month. It's up to you how you organize best, but my greatest piece of advice is to grab a planner early, and use it!

Stay Strong

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... don't realize the struggle of others automatically.

As I sit here today, September 11, 2013, I am reminded of the fifth grade girl watching the towers fall in her desk chair. I was unable to understand what was really happening, at the time. It wasn't until returning home after school to find my mom watching the news and crying did I realize that something terrible had happened. My uncle lived and still lives in New York City, and of course, she wasn't able to get a hold of him.

I was fortunate to not lose anyone close to me that day, but I do know people that did. I was able to travel to New York a couple of months after, and to see the damage first-hand as a twelve year old is an experience I will never forget. Like I said before, I don't think I understood truly what happened until I was faced with people slowly cleaning up the rubble that was left behind.

Today, I think it's important to remember those that lost their lives, both innocent and brave. Whether you believe it was a conspiracy theory, or a terrorist attack, many of our fellow Americans (fellow people) lost their lives. That is not something that we should simply brush off. My aunt, who I mentioned in a previous post, spent her last living months (though unaware) working with the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund. I think about her everyday, but especially on this day each year.

Yesterday was World Suicide Prevention Day. I think it ties in well with this event; it reminds us life is so precious. We all should realize that fact a little bit more, and become more aware of the struggles around us. Basically, we all should just love a little more. I'm taking a challenge upon myself to let my friends and family know more often how much I love them. I'm also going to try to share a smile with a stranger more frequently, and be less hesitant to share a compliment. How often do we appreciate something someone else does, but we don't say anything because we "don't know them that well"? Sometimes, all a person needs to feel important is a nice word from another person.

As a nurse, we are taught to be hyper-aware of suicide risks, and take extreme precautions when we notice suicidal behavior from one of our patients. However, I know I let my guard down a little bit when I'm out in the world outside of a hospital. I'm going to try to be more aware from now on, and spread some love. A simple phone call to someone you haven't seen or talked to in a while may be all they need.

My heart goes out to the families and friends that lost loved ones on this day, twelve years ago.

Fool-Proof Chili!

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... Practice some cooking skills. 

I'm no cook. In fact, I think I've only prepare two real meals in my life. I've decided this year, though, that I would take it upon myself to start trying out different recipes and perfecting my skills. 

While in college, one of my roommates made a great chili that I loved. I'm a picky eater, so for me to like something that contained beans was a miracle. The smell of chili reminds me of fall and football, so I thought it would be perfect to make for my family at the beginning of September. The recipe is simple: 

1 large can of Great Northern Beans (I used 2 small cans)

1 can of chicken broth

1 jar of salsa (you can use any kind... The fresher the salsa, the whiter your chili will be. The medium salsa made a very spicy chili, but I enjoyed it!)

1 block of pepper jack cheese (I made mine with two... The cheesier the better! )

2 chicken breasts 

I simply boiled the chicken breasts and shredded them by hand. I rinsed off the beans. In a crockpot, I added all of the ingredients, ending with the cheese that I had cut into cubes. I then set the crockpot on "low", and cooked the chili until my cheese had melted. It was that easy! 

This recipe is perfect for those who have little time (ex: nurses). You simply throw everything into a crockpot, and it cooks! The best part is, you can play around with the recipe. There aren't any rules! 

I hope this recipe helps for a night where you don't know what to cook for dinner. It's a great game day treat as well, if you're into sports! 

Thank you all for reading! Xoxo. 

My Weekend (9/6)

I thought I'd do my "My Weekend" post a little differently today, because I didn't take very many pictures. However, I had one of the best weekends I've had in a while. On Friday, I attended my high school's football game. I used to be in the band (on the danceline), and being at the game felt very nostalgic. It was a perfect, early-fall night.

On Saturday, I went to my college city to visit some friends, and went to stay with my old roommate. Like I've mentioned before, we were paired randomly our freshman year and were roommates ever since. It's weird not to live with her, I'll admit. But my stay with her felt just like old times, complete with a walk to get snacks, and a movie. I cannot stress enough the importance of making an effort to maintain friendships, even when you can't be together all of the time. A quick visit is sometimes all that is needed to remember why you were friends in the first place! 

I had a wonderful weekend, and I hope you did too! I'm enjoying the beginning of September and I'm looking forward to what the rest of the month will bring. Xoxo.

#Tough Teacher

I'm back for another #advicetobabynursingstudents on this lovely Friday afternoon! I hope that this one proves helpful to you, because it is something that rang very true to me in nursing school...

Typically, the most difficult clinical instructor is the one you will learn the most from. Don't complain that you have to do more work, just listen to the information they provide you with!

My junior year of nursing school, the class was split up into different clinical groups and we had our first "real" hospital clinical. It was acute care, and we all had different clinical instructors for each group. I'd imagine this is pretty typical for each nursing school.

I had no previous experience with my clinical instructor, and neither had any of my classmates. We went into clinical the first day with no real expectations, but a great amount of curiosity. When my clinical instructor walked in on that first day, I could tell she was tough. She looked tough, she had years of experience in the emergency department, and was all around no-nonsense. In previous clinicals, my group was placed with the most maternal instructor you could imagine. So, of course, we were nervous with this abrupt change.

Throughout the weeks, it only became clearer how tough our instructor was. She made us do twice the amount of work the other groups had, and she wasn't nice about it either. She told us every day how she had to do more work than she was giving us, all while taking care of her baby through nursing school. I looked at other clinical groups with jealousy, for they seemed to be living the dream.

By the end of the year, my group realized we had it best. We gained so much knowledge and experience through having our instructor, and we were admittedly thankful for her. I believe that it's important to recognize that the more work you do in nursing school, the better prepared you are for the real world. Although it's no fun at the time, it's all worth it when you rock your first job. If it hadn't been for that instructor, I don't think I would have as much confidence as I do now! Just because an instructor has a reputation for being "hard" doesn't mean that they're impossible. They want you to learn as much as they can teach you, and they will if you listen!

Have an awesome weekend, everyone! See you on Monday! Xoxo.

Feeling Fall

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... like to make crafts!

Fall, or autumn, is by far my favorite season. I love the fashion, the weather in Ohio is just right, and the scenery outside is beautiful. There's something about the season that makes me feel cozy and nostalgic. I listen to the same music (John Mayer, Jamie Cullum, Ingrid Michaelson) at the start of fall each year, and the first season of Gossip Girl always gets me in the mood for fall.

With the weather starting to cool down, I swapped out my bright nail polish for darks and decided to create some fall-inspired projects. I have been really into triangle garlands, and I recently saw a video from MacBarbie07 in which she created a cool lyric craft! These two were simple to make, and helped my room to look a little more festive without being cheesy. 

I used metallic gold and white paint for my lyric project.

Simply paint a wooden board whatever color
you want the words to be.

Let it dry completely before placing sticker-letters in any
phrase you wish.

Paint over the stickers in your main color and slowly
peel them off before it dries completely. Be sure
your font-color has dried completely before placing stickers..
OOPS!

Ta-da!

I'm now obsessed with mini clothespins...

Easiest craft ever... just cut triangles from any craft paper,
and secure them on twine with mini clothespins! Instant
festivity!

I hope everyone is having an amazing week. If you're back to school-- good luck! Try one of these crafts for some fun... they're easy, and fairly inexpensive. Thank you so much for reading! Happy Fall! Xoxo.

The Human Connection

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... forget that each patient and each person I see in this world has their own story.

Now, I'm only human. Sometimes I focus a little to much on myself, and judge others too quickly. Though I actively try not to, it's a part of life and I'm pretty certain that we're all guilty of judging someone at least once in our lives. That being said, it is extremely important (as nurses) to try and see past the outside of a person, and remember that it's impossible to know everything about them. Every person is dealing with something in their own lives, whether they show it or not. It is up to us to show them respect, and empathy.

I saw this video a little while back, and thought it was so appropriate to share with other nurses. It's easy to begin to look at people as just another patient, but a person is so much more than that. They have families, and they have struggles outside of their illnesses. They are scared. They are nervous. They are sad.

Going into my first job as a nurse, I am trying to remember this every day. It's easy to look at someone and judge them without knowing their full story. I see this all of the time with other nurses and health care professionals; we see someone as a "pill seeker", or someone who comes into the hospital because they simply want pain medicine.

I've been guilty of thinking it, I'll admit. But then I remember my aunt. My aunt, forty-four years old, frequently went to the hospital with severe abdominal pain before she knew that anything was wrong with her. Nurses judged her as someone seeking pain pills, but the pain she was in was agonizing. It wasn't until she demanded that they run every test possible that they were able to diagnose her with pancreatic cancer... As a nurse, I know I would have been ashamed of judging her when her pain must have been unbearable.

Bottom line is, though it's so easy to let your mind go to judging, it's important to stop. I urge you to watch this video, and recognize that there are so many people that are dealing with things you know nothing about. We all need to treat each person the way we want to be treated (I know, cheesy), and share a little love with everyone we meet.

My (Long) Weekend (8/30)

I apologize for the holiday hiatus yesterday, but in spirit of American tradition, I spent the day relaxing with family. My uncle was in from New York, and my newly-married cousin was in from Colorado, so my time was well-spent in many places! I also attended my first college football game of the season as well as our local fair (which is a pretty big deal around here)! I hope every one of you had a great, relaxing weekend. It was a great close to the summer season, and although I'm envious of those going back to school, I'm ready to start working!

Second pumpkin spice latte of the season!

A little arm candy...

Details from my current-favorite skirt.