Well i have had an amazing week off. No school. I got to watch some movies, and eat popcorn, talk to my kids, and Hamilton. Sleep was also something i have induldged in. AHHhhhhh. I forgot what it felt like to not be tired all the time. I have taken on a new responsibility at NU, I am now the person in charge of organizing all the clinical rotations... or at least assisting with the organization of the above. This is no simple task, since we need to schedule 5 different areas with 2 groups each through dec 2011. plus fight all the "Big 'Boys" for time and space.

Next Friday I will be doing my simulations once again.. this time on kids. We will be doing one on broncholitis and siezures in kids.. I am planing another marathon day to get all the groups through and done. Then i need to schedule the MS 1 class for compartment syndrome, and initial PCN allergic reaction.

The rest of this week, I am trying to write my proposal for my thesis, do the research for my thesis, and also write another paper for my CNS class. So far I have been able to successfully distract myself from this assighment my fishing the web for cool youtube videos on 2nd life and health care, and writing on my blog.

My tiny new grandson, Beckett.. is doing better. He had surgery for a pyloric valve stenosis, loosing wt consistently... but now has been able to keep food down and mom and dad are breathing a sigh of relief.... Hamilton is just wondering what the big deal was all about?? but he too is glad to be back with mom and dad, and not with friends and neighbors.

Aaron and Dianna are settling in to their new home... and it is beautiful. Adrienne and Josiah are finaly doing better as well now that her kidney stone is gone, and she is no longer in constant pain. He is looking to the future and OCS.. where will they move to next?? Angela is looking forward to graduation and a possible new job.

Alan is excited.. after all the repentence and hard work studing, he was accepted to Cal Poly. We will be going to the open house for new students in April. This is something he has always wanted.. and i am glad that the door was opened to him. He learned alot about friends, choices, and consequenses... and focusing on what is important.

Adam is learning about female emotions and pregnancy. He is truly amazed at how different a pregnant wife is. He is great, supporting Karen and helping her with the mood swings. They are truly a great couple. Poor Karen is drowing in emotional swings and has been seriously thinking of taking out stock in Kleenex... She is due in the fall Sept i think. and our little blessing will be born in Texas.

Ashley has a new job with the CUSD working with a student as well as her restraunt job. Her husband is still looking for work... they mentioned something about moving in June, but I have no recent updates Thank goodness for blogs.

I have had to become tech savey to keep up with my kids and their lives. By keeping up with their blogs, I feel at least i am somewhat involved with their lives. Its so hard, they all scatter like leaves in the wind...sometimes I wonder if it is my Karma...

OH well, Its best to keep myself busy... then i dont think so much. Maybe that is what pharmacology is all about... distraction???

Nana Spjute & Company

Nana Spjute & Company

WEll, I survived this week. Lets see, I went to school on monday, did a presentation with demonstration and class participation on use of imagination in nursing education... while being RECORDED ON DVD!!!! the only good part of this experience was that after i introduced the activity-- which was genious if I do say so myself---- the camera was on all the participants, and not my FAT ______!!!! (use the body part of your preference to fill in the blank ;o). I have successfully put off reviewing the recording because I do not wish to be tormented in my dreams about just what a failure i am at wt loss UGGH!!! Age sucks!! and so does Menopause....

Ok, OK... ill let you know what the whole thing was about. I prepared a power point for the introduction, I prepared large post it notes... (we're talkin ginormous like 36 inches by 30 inches) with the outline of a torso.... then i broke the class into groups and made them collaborate with each other and draw the "innards" to proportion inside the torso with markers... now realize these are nurses with anywhere from 1 year to 30 years experience... It was hysterical... When they were done, I put a PP up with a torso and the correct placement of insides up. I then related it to colaboration in teaching, working together, compromize, listening, communication. I took it one step further and then drew a full term uterus on top of all the organs that they had drawn.... and asked the question-- how do you feel about the complaints this patient tells you about now?? The class got so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I reminded them that when she is pregnant, all these organs get pushed around, no wonder she is misserable... and encouraged empathy and understanding and realization that some of the "complaints" are valid. Then I composed a survey, which I put up in my PP with questions regarding the activity, and had the students text in the corresponding number of the answer they most agreed with. The results immediately showed up on the pp as they answered the questions with their cell phones. At this point, the teacher of the class was asking me how this works, how she can do it, how great an idea this was, ....etc... we spent the next 20 min with me expalining the technology behind it and teaching them how they to can do this with no cost or real tech savyiness.. (is that a real word??). And that was just the start of the week...

On Thrusday I created the power point(PP) for the introduction of the Simulation lab presentation (to be done on Fri), and on Thrus night i created the APA power point to be done at the same presentation... changed clothes, and went directly to the presentation. by 4pm I had completed both presentations, a tour of the simulaiton lab, critiqued my presentation as well as the directors presentation. Fri night, I wrote my next reflective essay regarding nursing research and education, then on Sat went to a seminar put on by an ABC personality regarding healthcare and change.. now i get to study for an impossible pharmacology test.... AHHHH... life is so boring......

Tampa Florida... simulation adventures

Florida was not quite what was expected. People were in wool coats and parkas. It was 50 degrees and the sun was hiding behind clouds most of the week. I had a wonderful time learing about simulation in nursing education and was really excited to see MPC college theree with a presentation on simulation.





Simulation in nursing education and learning and patient care in general is really gaining momentum. I can really see how much easier it is to learn when you are actually doing and interacting with a patient. Experiential learning is the way of the future. When you can make learing fun... now thats the trick. Sesame street all over again. Keep it moving, let them make mistakes and then discover the mistakes that they made. Allow the learners to self critique/correct and let the learing flow.... this is the stuff that really sticks with you.



Well I am back now, and drowing in homework for the masters program. It was a great fun filled week, but alas, I am now paying dearly for it. I have a make up test in advanced pharmacology, a 7 page reflective paper for CNS, and 3 chapters to write for my research project, my reflective journals for both the education and the cns class, and last but not least the presentation on "Imagination in learning" to be presented next mon. Now, add to that meeting with and organizing Simulations for Pediatrics and Med Surge for National U. and you can see what my answer is to my question posted above....hmmmmm..... sleep???