26 September 2011
Pretending to be a Real Nurse
Once again, another semester has begun which means a fresh new set of practice rotations to attend at the hospital. As fourth semester students, we have finally learned how to do IV stuff which has opened up a whole new world of things we can practice while at clinicals. During my first clinical alone, I pushed IV morphine, flushed an IV, flushed JP drains, gave an IM pneumonia vaccine, and gave a Lovenox injection which is almost more than all of the previous semesters combined. It's so awesome to (finally) be able to act like a real nurse. First semester we were glorified CNAs: we could do everything CNAs could with the addition of assessments. We couldn't touch meds at all. Second semester we could finally give PO and injected meds but the occurrence of injected meds was rare. Third semester was weird and I'm not even sure what we were allowed to do so I mostly didn't. I'm not even sure if we were allowed to do assessments--we were pretty much just at the hospital observing. I feel like almost all of my clinical experiences up until this point were a waste of time. I don't learn very well by just observing, especially when it comes to IV stuff. Especially when you don't know anything about them. Anyway, I'm excited for everything that I get to practice now--and boy do I need it! It's kind of discouraging when you think about all the practice I've missed out on during the previous semesters. :(
14 September 2011
Bill Nye! (9/13/11)
Today THE Bill Nye spoke at UVU. (Yes, the one and only Science Guy.) It was a dream come true for me just to see him in person let alone spend over two hours at this event with him! He spoke for over an hour about various topics. He began with telling us about his parents, their love of science, and how he inherited some of his zeal for it from them. His father loved sundials and, to this day, Bill cannot shake that love he learned from him. He mentioned many things that will "Dare I say it? Change the world!", both for the better and for the worse. Our generation will face new problems that will be completely unique to our time and we will have to be innovators to solve them. He pointed out a quote by Tex Johnston that I really like: "One test is worth a thousand expert opinions" and promised us that "there are things we are absolutely sure of that are absolutely wrong". I really like that and think that's a great way to think about things. Take what is accepted but always question and be open to try new things and experiment with innovative ideas.
After he spoke, the floor was opened up for a session of Q&A. The students presented great questions and Bill responded with equally great responses. You could clearly see that he is genuinely smart and genuinely excited and engaged in everything he does. He has been one of my heroes since a kid and today only increased my high regard of him. He's just an overall really awesome person! He followed his passion even though it probably wasn't the coolest thing at the time and transformed it into something that was. There is no other way to describe him than a super cool nerd!
After the Q&A, they let people line up to get their photo with Bill. Here's mine:
I still can't believe it! What a fabulous experience!
After he spoke, the floor was opened up for a session of Q&A. The students presented great questions and Bill responded with equally great responses. You could clearly see that he is genuinely smart and genuinely excited and engaged in everything he does. He has been one of my heroes since a kid and today only increased my high regard of him. He's just an overall really awesome person! He followed his passion even though it probably wasn't the coolest thing at the time and transformed it into something that was. There is no other way to describe him than a super cool nerd!
After the Q&A, they let people line up to get their photo with Bill. Here's mine:
I still can't believe it! What a fabulous experience!
12 September 2011
Timpanogos Hike 2011
Looking back over my blog, I realized that I didn't post about the first time I hiked Mount Timp. Shame! So I'll tell you about it now. :)
I first hiked Timp on Labor Day 2009. And it totally kicked my butt. I had terrible, year-old, $20 shoes from Payless with absolutely no traction and I did it on 1 1/2 hours of sleep. Going up wasn't too bad but coming down was painful with every step. On our descent, we slid down on the snow field just East of the summit. I was unable to control my speed so I went flying down the hard and rocky snow screaming in terror for my life. By the end I was bleeding, my shorts were ripped and completely ruined, my muscles were sore from struggling to grasp anything to stop myself, and I was completely shaken up. I definitely wouldn't recommend that method of descent.
This year's hike went much better. For one thing, I was prepared and I knew what to expect. I now own proper shoes (it's amaing the difference proper shoes can make) and I had a little more sleep. (Only three hours, but still an improvement.) We began our hike at 3:30 AM and this time we took the Timpanooke Trail (last time we took the Aspen Grove Trail) and it was fun to see some different, but also incredibly gorgeous, terrain. The scariest part of the hike this time was not on our way down but rather, on our way up. The trail crossed a large patch of snow that rested in a dip in between two hills on the mountainside with no other way around. At the bottom of the snow patch was a steep drop that, if one were to fall off of, would result in tremendous injury and possibly even death. Snow is slick, especially when it's well-packed and old. (It was especially slick for my dad who insists on hiking in flip flops.) Once across the patch of snow, if a hiker were to look back, he or she would realize that there was another peril beside the drop that they didn't notice before: some of the snow terrain that was just crossed was only a foot thick or less. This part of the hike was very terrifying to me, particularly by night. After my family and I got across, we saw one hiker slip ten or so feet down the slick face of snow towards the drop--totally terrifying! She made it across OK but it was freaky to watch her stuggle.
Once again, I was completely stunned by the beauty of the this mountain. Beautiful trees, rivers, and waterfalls on the lower parts followed by steep rock faces and shale rock slides on the ascent up to the meadow. In the meadow, there are vast amounts of wild flowers in every color of the rainbow followed by more rock face cliffs and then the saddle where nearly all of Utah Valley plus parts of Salt Lake Valley spread before you. After the saddle, the hike is very steep, the cliff face eroded into stairs. The final part is one of the toughest not only because of the quick altitude gain, but also due to the thin air. But it's all worth it when, finally, you reach the summit of Mount Timpanogos, the pinnacle of the hike where you have great views in many directions and, if you're lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) you might just encounter a few snow flurries as we did. Two years ago I said I'd never attempt this hike again but just a few weeks after our hike, as my body began to heal, it was this very beauty that I describe here that drew me back again. And after my second hike, I'm pretty sure I'm addicted! I love this hike! There's not much else like it and it's completely exhilerating.
At the saddle
On our way back, we didn't slide down the glacier but just walked. We were amazed with how much quicker we got down and with how much better the hike went. The glacier is definitely not the way to go--don't ever do it! Last time, every step on the way down hurt so much! This time I was tired but really my biggest concern was that I needed to go to the bathroom. :)
I first hiked Timp on Labor Day 2009. And it totally kicked my butt. I had terrible, year-old, $20 shoes from Payless with absolutely no traction and I did it on 1 1/2 hours of sleep. Going up wasn't too bad but coming down was painful with every step. On our descent, we slid down on the snow field just East of the summit. I was unable to control my speed so I went flying down the hard and rocky snow screaming in terror for my life. By the end I was bleeding, my shorts were ripped and completely ruined, my muscles were sore from struggling to grasp anything to stop myself, and I was completely shaken up. I definitely wouldn't recommend that method of descent.
This year's hike went much better. For one thing, I was prepared and I knew what to expect. I now own proper shoes (it's amaing the difference proper shoes can make) and I had a little more sleep. (Only three hours, but still an improvement.) We began our hike at 3:30 AM and this time we took the Timpanooke Trail (last time we took the Aspen Grove Trail) and it was fun to see some different, but also incredibly gorgeous, terrain. The scariest part of the hike this time was not on our way down but rather, on our way up. The trail crossed a large patch of snow that rested in a dip in between two hills on the mountainside with no other way around. At the bottom of the snow patch was a steep drop that, if one were to fall off of, would result in tremendous injury and possibly even death. Snow is slick, especially when it's well-packed and old. (It was especially slick for my dad who insists on hiking in flip flops.) Once across the patch of snow, if a hiker were to look back, he or she would realize that there was another peril beside the drop that they didn't notice before: some of the snow terrain that was just crossed was only a foot thick or less. This part of the hike was very terrifying to me, particularly by night. After my family and I got across, we saw one hiker slip ten or so feet down the slick face of snow towards the drop--totally terrifying! She made it across OK but it was freaky to watch her stuggle.
Thin snow similar to the one described above--so thin that it collapsed My dad's feet
Once again, I was completely stunned by the beauty of the this mountain. Beautiful trees, rivers, and waterfalls on the lower parts followed by steep rock faces and shale rock slides on the ascent up to the meadow. In the meadow, there are vast amounts of wild flowers in every color of the rainbow followed by more rock face cliffs and then the saddle where nearly all of Utah Valley plus parts of Salt Lake Valley spread before you. After the saddle, the hike is very steep, the cliff face eroded into stairs. The final part is one of the toughest not only because of the quick altitude gain, but also due to the thin air. But it's all worth it when, finally, you reach the summit of Mount Timpanogos, the pinnacle of the hike where you have great views in many directions and, if you're lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) you might just encounter a few snow flurries as we did. Two years ago I said I'd never attempt this hike again but just a few weeks after our hike, as my body began to heal, it was this very beauty that I describe here that drew me back again. And after my second hike, I'm pretty sure I'm addicted! I love this hike! There's not much else like it and it's completely exhilerating.
On our way back, we didn't slide down the glacier but just walked. We were amazed with how much quicker we got down and with how much better the hike went. The glacier is definitely not the way to go--don't ever do it! Last time, every step on the way down hurt so much! This time I was tired but really my biggest concern was that I needed to go to the bathroom. :)
07 September 2011
Update
Here we are again...it's been nearly a year and I'm posting one of those LAME updates! Ah well...
Life has been so full of learning experiences lately. I'm very curious to see what the Lord is preparing me for. I mean, it's been one thing after another: late last winter I had my first boyfriend...and then my first breakup. Then I moved out and just as I was adjusting to that, I got a new job. (I now work as a Patient Care Assistant at on the 3rd floor (also known as the Progressive Care Unit) at the hospital in Provo! Super excited!) At the end of the summer, I moved back home and you'd think the learning experiences would stop but no! I just got called to the Relief Society presidency as a secretary in my new ward! Yikes! I'm scared! And you know that little friend group I mentioned in my last post that goes country dancing? We now call ourselves Awesomeness and I'm basically the main planner/putter togetherer of our activities. That's been a crazy amazing learning experience as well! Life is so good yet so challenging at the same time. But I guess I wouldn't want it any other way!
Life has been so full of learning experiences lately. I'm very curious to see what the Lord is preparing me for. I mean, it's been one thing after another: late last winter I had my first boyfriend...and then my first breakup. Then I moved out and just as I was adjusting to that, I got a new job. (I now work as a Patient Care Assistant at on the 3rd floor (also known as the Progressive Care Unit) at the hospital in Provo! Super excited!) At the end of the summer, I moved back home and you'd think the learning experiences would stop but no! I just got called to the Relief Society presidency as a secretary in my new ward! Yikes! I'm scared! And you know that little friend group I mentioned in my last post that goes country dancing? We now call ourselves Awesomeness and I'm basically the main planner/putter togetherer of our activities. That's been a crazy amazing learning experience as well! Life is so good yet so challenging at the same time. But I guess I wouldn't want it any other way!
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