Fall Nails

I'm a nurse, but (frequently) I... paint my nails.

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for nailpolish. I'm the girl that repaints her nails over and over again, changing the color frequently. At the same time, I'm picky about the types of polishes I used, and have acquired a specific selection of nail polishes that I rotate. Just as I love nailpolish, I love the fall season, and the colors that come with it. There's something about dark colors on my nails paired with fall sweaters that makes me excited for the season. Below, I've gathered my selection of favorite fall colors that are most used as the weather cools down... 

This is a creamy, chocolate brown color that I like to use frequently. I love the way Essie nail polish applies, and this particular color has no shimmer or sparkle-- just a creamy, dark brown that looks great with everything.

Also Essie, I recently purchased this color. I love deep burgandy colors for fall, and although I believe this color came from a Christmas collection, I think it will transition well throughout all of the fall and winter holidays. This is definitely my most favorite nail polish for fall, and I have it on my nails right now!

Again, another holiday-themed color, but I think this works great for fall. It is a creamy, grey-blue color, and it stays true to the color in the bottle. Even with several coats, it doesn't end up looking near-black like most dark colors. 

This particular color is popular for OPI, and I wanted it for a while. It's a beautiful navy blue, with puprle/red shimmer. It's not chunky-glitter, but the perfect amount of shimmer that looks beautiful in natural light.

Finally, this color is a dark grey/silver, with silver shimmer throughout. Again, it is not chunky glitter, but just a fine shimmer. This color also stays true no matter how many coats-- it continues to shine as a dark grey/silver.

Here is my own hand with "Berry Naughty"... the more coats you put on, the darker the color. I typically like three or four coats, but this is only two. Two coats really shows off the beautiful cranberry color. What are your favorite colors to wear for fall? Let me know in the comments!

If a Doctor is Demeaning...

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... am treated disrespectfully.

Once upon a time, I worked as a nursing assistant on the Oncology unit of a small hospital. As an aide, I had very little contact with physicians, and I had never experienced someone being rude to me because of my position. Although the aide work was much harder (more labor-intensive) than anything I had done as a nursing student, it was definitely rewarding. I felt like my job as an aide was important, and many of my wonderful, sweet patients had confirmed that for me.

One day, however, I began my vitals in a patient in an isolation room. Any fellow health-care professionals know that process of gowning up, putting on gloves, and in this case, a mask as well. I was well into the room and in the middle of checking vital signs when this patient's doctor (I actually believe he was a resident) arrived. The physician entered the room, and after he introduced himself to the patient, I asked politely if he minded I check the patient's blood pressure while they talked. It was the last task I had to accomplish in this patient's room, and I knew that it wouldn't really disturb their conversation. I figured that I'd quickly perform the task and then quietly excuse myself from the room.

When I asked this, the physician turned to me with a look I've never received before. He stated "No. You stand there and watch me do my job. Maybe you can learn something. You people need to learn how to sit back and be quiet and watch me do my job." I wasn't sure if he meant aides, nurses, or women, but I was so in shock by his statement that I froze. I turned around toward the window while he resumed talking to the patient, and waited for him to leave. With all of my gear on, I couldn't wipe away the silent tears I had in my eyes.

I was confused because I had never been spoken to like that before, but I was also mad at myself for letting this man make me so upset. I knew what I was doing, and I hadn't asked that ridiculous of a question, so I really should have just brushed it off. But I didn't, and now I know that if I ever come across someone like that again, I have the confidence to ignore it.

I understand that people like this man are in all professions, not just doctors. I've worked with nurses who have this attitude as well. However, it is easy for some doctors to feel that they are better, or higher up than those in the nursing profession. For those that don't, I seriously applaud you. Nothing will get done if both professions don't respect one another. For those that do, remember that nurses are there for a reason, and you wouldn't be able to do your job without us.

This is a drawing I did for my Case Management class...
It doesn't really have anything to do with this post,
but I guess it represents how many different people and tasks
make up health care. We all need to work together!

My Weekend (10/4)

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope this post is finding you well after a relaxing weekend. Mine was spent enjoying time with my family and friends. On Friday, I enjoyed a night in with my parents and brother, eating pizza and watching home videos. Saturday I was able to see my best friend who was returning home, as well as celebrate another best friend's birthday. It was both relaxing and exciting, and I feel ready to start this new week. Only one more week until I can officially start work as a registered nurse! Enjoy the following pictures, and let me know what you did this weekend!

Favorite Things (Pink Edition)

To go along with my post from the beginning of the week, I decided to do a post on my favorite pink beauty items! As you all are probably aware, it is breast cancer awareness month, and pink is the color of the breast cancer ribbon. I'm a big fan of pink beauty products; it is my favorite color, and something draws me to pink lip colors and nail products. Here are some of my top favorite "pink" beauty items:

The first, of course, are Revlon lip butters! Two of my favorite colors are Sweet Tart and Strawberry Shortcake (left to right). Both are very pigmented, but not too bright of a lip to wear everyday. 

Revlon also has "Just Bitten Kissable" balm stains, that apply easily and stay on your lips all day. I have two, in the colors Cherish and Sweetheart (top to bottom).

Essie is by far my favorite brand of nail polish. It applies well on my nails, stays looking nice for a while, and comes in the prettiest colors. I love all of their pink shades, but the three I have here (and my most favorites!) include ballet slippers, peach daiquiri, and tour de finance.

Finally, I wore this body spray from Victoria's Secret a lot during college. It smells beautiful, although very hard to describe to you readers! (My apologies).

I hope you all have a great weekend, please let me know if you have any questions/comments/concerns... I love to hear from you!

#Stick Together

Hello, everyone! I've decided to make today another #advicetobabynurses day, even though that wasn't the initial plan. I was hoping to create a beauty post today, but since it's dark and rainy here, it's been hard to photograph the products. Stay tuned for that post (hopefully tomorrow!). Today's advice especially applies to nursing students, but I think it should be applicable to any major, as well as any life stage.

Find a group of peers who you trust personally and academically, and stick close by them. Nothing better helps a person conquer nursing school than a strong emotional and intellectual support group! Study with these people, and vent to these people.

Nursing school is tough, there's no way around it. However, I found it to be much easier going through it with a group of people who were experiencing the same thing. It could be argued that it's better to just keep to yourself, and get through it on your own. That may work for some, but for me it was much easier to have a core group of friends who I could go to when I needed help.

Surround yourself with people who are willing to help you if you don't understand something, and be willing to help them as well. If everyone works together, everyone succeeds! It's a simple idea. My group of friends in nursing school always worked to help the one person who was struggling in our group, and "that person" changed with each topic we covered.

Not only is it important to have people to bounce ideas and questions off of, it's also important to surround yourself with people who understand what you're going through. No one outside of nursing school really gets it, I promise. Unless they're a practicing nurse, they haven't the slightest idea what it's about, and even if they are a nurse, sometimes it's difficult to remember. Nursing school seems much easier once you're out of it!

Basically, keep your friends close, and utilize your resources. If you work as a team, you can accomplish many things. All of my friends from nursing school are now starting to work in the "real world", but we still keep in contact. I know if I need to vent about nursing, or if I have a question about something, they are just a phone call or group text away. In fact, I'll be going to a haunted house with some of them next week! It's important to work to maintain those friendships, and I plan on doing so.

I hope you all are having an amazing week. For those of you in nursing school currently, leave me a comment and let me know how it's going! Do you prefer to work alone in nursing school, or have you also found it's more productive (and fun!) when you have people to share it with?

Waiting Game

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... am unable to start work in one state because I'm licensed in another.

If you've been following my blog, you may remember that I went to school in Pennsylvania, but am currently living in Ohio. Because I went to school in PA, I took my boards there. I wanted to be licensed in both states anyway, and I had been hearing horror stories about the process of taking the NCLEX in Ohio after going to school in another state. I guess the board was especially slow this summer, and many still weren't getting their permission to test after months of waiting.

I'm extremely glad I made the choice to take my boards where I did, because if I hadn't, I probably still wouldn't have taken the NCLEX for the second time. Again, if you've been following my blog, you know I didn't pass on the first try! So deciding to take the test in PA was a wise choice. However, I wanted to work in Ohio, which meant the transferring of my nursing license. I had secured a job in my hometown at the beginning of summer, and knew that it was supposed to take 4-6 weeks to transfer my license. I thought this would be great... about a month of no studying or worries, a month to enjoy the summer.

So I waited.

After six weeks, I contacted the state board who informed me that the wait should be 6-8 weeks. Although this was a very long time, I continued to wait patiently. Upon the end of the 8th week, still no license. I contacted the state board again, and was able to get in touch with a very nice woman who helped me speed up the process (thank goodness!). So I am now currently licensed in the state of Ohio after what seemed like years of waiting.

Moral of the story, if you're going to transfer your license, be prepared to wait.

Because I've kind of felt like a grump about this waiting game, and I know that there are worse things that could be happening to me, I decided to list some things that make me happy right now:

1. I am employed by someone who was willing to wait all summer to have me as an employee. (Thank goodness for their patience!)
2. I have a wonderful family who has provided me with everything I need throughout this whole process, including a place to live.
3. It is fall, which is my favorite season. And it's October, which means I can start to listen to Christmas music without feeling too guilty.
4. Boots.
5. Comfy sweaters.
6. Watching movies in my dark room with lit candles and fairy lights.
7. The way my dog looks when she's sleeping at the foot of my bed.
8. My friends.

Seriously, the list could go on forever. I know that I'm so fortunate, and I try to remember that even when something like waiting for my license can bring me down. What makes you happy at this very moment?

Think Pink

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... Like to bring breast cancer awareness to people who are not my patients. 

Breast cancer has made a major impact on my life. My grandma passed away before I was born from Paget's disease of the breast (a form of breast cancer), and I have two aunts who are now breast cancer-free. Because of these women, I have always found it important to bring awareness to other people... With October being Breast Cancer awareness month, I couldn't think of a better time! 

I just want women, especially girls in their twenties, to realize that breast cancer doesn't just affect older women, and we need to be more aware. This means monthly self-breast exams, and making sure that we are keeping an eye out for any abnormalities. 

You should perform the exam around the same time each month, looking and feeling for any abnormal lumps. Any lump you may find does not mean you have cancer, but it is good to follow up with your primary wealth care provider. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website (nbcam.org) has a lot of quality information regarding breast cancer and Gould be checked out!

Take care of yourself. Know your body, and seek help when you think it's needed! I hope you all have a great October, stick around for some of my favorite pink posts, as well as some festive, Halloween-themed posts! Thanks for reading!