Mad Scribblings From the Life of a Middle-Aged New Nurse
In less than a week, life has changed for every American. Many of us are out of work. We have found our 401Ks disappearing before our eyes. We watch as our city's shops and cafes close -- many small business owners rightly worry that this will be the death knell for their companies. And that... Continue Reading →
[This is an updated repost of an earlier article. It was one of my first posts and remains relevant -- I get asked about this topic a lot.] Maybe you've always dreamed of a career in medicine. Medical school is too big a commitment, but Nursing -- caring for your patients on the front line... Continue Reading →
That's all I have left of my winter break. One week from today, it all begins again in earnest. My final semester of Nursing School. I've seen the schedule. I've seen the syllabus. It's gonna be a bloodbath. Our class is down two more students (to my knowledge). Hopefully we don't lose anyone else. Especially... Continue Reading →
... by the skin of my teeth, but I passed. 75-point-something. Just enough to squeak by. One of my teachers admitted he was unsure I was going to make it but was relieved when I did. "When you missed that assignment, you had me really worried." Me too, pal. Me too. All the demographics of... Continue Reading →
I'm a Facebook old-timer. I joined the ubiquitous FB way back in 2007 when it was still some little nothing-special website made up of mostly college kids posting photos of themselves and their friends. I joined to keep tabs on my acting friends, many of whom were college students or people in their 20s having... Continue Reading →
I want to take a moment to vent. Hah! As if that isn't what I normally do here. When did Nursing School become all about kowtowing to ATI or Kaplan or other such NCLEX prep companies? And why are nursing schools so controlling? Seriously dudes, take a chill pill. Last night, it was announced that... Continue Reading →
So I'm going into the final days of Nursing School Semester 3 a bit behind the 8-ball. I had high hopes that doing well on my Cardiac exam would put me squarely in the "Safe Zone" (mid-B) but it did not pan out that way. I got an 81. Fair, but not great. The exam... Continue Reading →
As we begin to wind down this semester, I am still surviving. Moreover, I have become increasingly certain that I have found my calling: Cardiac. I love cardiac medicine. I love it. Have I mentioned that I love it? I really do. The rest of the class sits in lecture baffled, and I'm eating up... Continue Reading →
This week I did an ER rotation. Keep in mind, this is only my fourth week on the floor of the hospital this year. The good news is I didn't totally flounder. I'm sure I looked like a nincompoop most of the time following my poor preceptor around the ER like a puppy on a... Continue Reading →
My summation of my first week of school: I loathe this (mostly). I have become super cranky this week and have come to the conclusion that I'm way too old for this bullshit. I hate everybody and everything. And I really need a nap. In the good news department, by-and-large, I like my two teachers.... Continue Reading →
Mad Margaret Diaries 