I went to the Nurse's Ball last week and it was fun...probably the best part getting ready and seeing friends! The cheesecake was quite delicious as well! Two things I have determined...I perhaps should not wear a dress with a train. The train on my dress was small, but got stepped on multiple times throughout the night. I'm feeling thankful the dress had sleeves! Beyond that, now that I wear scrubs (essentially pajamas) all the time, I find it rather uncomfortable to wear anything tight...needless to say...I had my sweats on about as soon as I walked in my door after the ball!
0 Comments
Can you believe it is almost summer! I went to the beach the other day and it was so pretty outside! I actually got a decent start on my tan (which I will have to earn this year since I no longer work outside) and then I went swimming in the Atlantic...a first for me! I fully intend to go back a lot this summer...and am thinking of bringing my audio books with me as well! Can you think of a better way to spend the lazy days of summer?! Since I wrote the above, I've been back several times and I love living near the beach! Could get used to this! So...my new hobby is riding horses! It is something I have always wanted to do and one of the benefits of being a grown-up is that I get to develop new hobbies. I started riding a few weeks ago and have learned a lot since then...mostly that I don't know very much about riding and it is a lot harder than I anticipated. I have done both Western and English so far. English was new for me, but I find that I liked it--perhaps better than Western because I get to keep both hands on the reins. Yesterday, my instructor said that she thought I was ready to canter...my goodness...that was kind of difficult. I felt like I might come flying out of that saddle at any time and getting my horse to slow down or stop is harder than one might anticipate! It was fun though and I look forward to the time when I don't have to hold on for dear life! I figure that if I keep going, I will get better and better. It is kind of relaxing in a way and I find it to be a good stress-reliever from the craziness of work. There is something about being in the country! Can you believe it is already mid-April!? I've been working a lot of hours
lately, but overall, work is going really well and I continue to learn new things every day. I may start cross-training to L&D soon...to make sure my name is out there and get some experience before I transfer. I spoke with my ADIVO (Assistant Division Officer) about that today and look forward to the chance to work in that department. What else?...I've been getting together with friends and getting errands done. I have also been preparing for my PRT (physical readiness test). I am signed up for the swim on Tuesday morning and look forward to getting that over and done with...we'll see how I do! I thought I would come to like push-ups if I got good at them...um...no...still can't stand them, but at least I can do them! My goal for Tuesday is 46 without stopping. Not too bad I think. The hardest part of the whole PRT for me are the curl-ups. My goal is 101 in two minutes...I'll fill ya'll in on my results next week. Beyond that, I have a mud run on Saturday with some of the ladies from my church...should be fun...and muddy! So...my coworkers recommended a number of beaches to me the other day when I asked which the best ones were. I went to all three of them last week on Wednesday! The first beach is at Fort Story and I enjoyed a nice long walk...beautiful! I've included pictures! Apparently, that is a good one to go to during the summer since it is on a base and therefore...not busy. The second beach I went to was also on a base (and apparently doesn't get very busy either). It is at Camp Pendelton...not the San Diego one if that is what you are thinking! It is hard to find, but is a little Army base...also a nice beach and I stopped and had lunch there. The last beach I went to was Sandbridge Beach...a public one, but huge and I ended up lying out in the sand and reading my books. All in all...a great day! I have decided that I love living near the beach! I know it's been quite a while since I last wrote. Life has been so busy lately...a poor excuse, but true! I was switched back to days and it is so nice being awake when the rest of the world is awake! The shifts are a little busier (mostly because there is more traffic in the hospital). I like it a lot and am working with a very supportive team! I feel very blessed because I still have a lot to learn. I was also floated again...this time to postpartum. My day went quite well and I even enjoyed it! For this past week, I had an extra class on my day off. It was a training course for giving SBAR on OB patients. SBAR literally stands for situation, background, assessment, and recommendation. It is what you tell to the other nurses when you give report and what you tell the doctors when you have to call them. Basically...it gives them the pertinent information and lets them know what is going on/what I think might need to be done. After that, I stood inspection last Friday morning before my shift. The official date that we can start wearing our summer white uniform is on the 14th of April. Each time we switch over to spring or fall, we have to stand inspection in either our whites or blues to ensure we are within regulations. My Commander (department head for maternal-child nursing), evaluated us and it was relatively painless. In six months, I'll do the same thing...only in blues :-). That's work...for fun...I hosted a couple from church last week and that was great...so nice to be able to host people in my own place! We had a great time just sitting around and talking and listening...was truly a blessing! The only other thing to let you know is that I found my new favorite hang-out...a little coffee house in Virginia Beach. The name strikes me as rather funny...BadAss Coffee! It is actually a cute place and has a lot of flavors you can add to your drinks. The atmosphere is perfect for doing homework or reading a book. I got a lot of reading done when I went last week! So...I was getting the shower ready for one of my post-surgical patients recently and I failed to notice that someone had pointed the shower head toward the shower entrance. You probably see where this it going. I was trying to be all nice and get the water the right temperature before my patient got in. You can probably guess what happened next...yes...I turned the water on full-force and got it right in the face! ;-)...What one can learn from this...always check to make sure the shower head isn't pointed toward you when you turn it on. If I ever f
I've been working a lot lately...feels like I'm just now coming up for air! This past weekend was such a nice break because I got three whole days off where I wasn't even on call! I spent the first night with friends and watching "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" which is kind of a ridiculous movie, but fun nonetheless! ;-) After that, I spent a large part of Saturday outside since it seems like I am almost never outside anymore--what with working night shifts. I went to Chick's Beach...a locally known spot near the Chesapeake-Bay-Bridge-Tunnel...super nice spot and I think I know where I will be hanging out this summer! Beyond that, I loaded up my bike and went down to the boarder of NC and VA to the Great Dismal Swamp Canal Trail where I road 11-12 miles. It was such a nice day and there were quite a number of other bikers and runners out. I enjoyed my ride and fully intend on going back when I have the chance. Beyond that, I got a chance to go to church this weekend...which was a welcome change...since I haven't been able to go for four weeks in a row. I love my church and am hoping to get more involved. Also, I am in the editing stages of my fitrep writing...can't wait till that is done. It's not particularly hard...there is just a certain way you have to do it and since I'm new...I find that part a little difficult. That's my update for now :-) It’s PRT season! That's Physical Readiness Test for those of you who may be wondering what PRT means. The military loves her acronyms. Anyway, I've been practicing my curl-ups (basically sit-ups) and push-ups. I've been running, but I'm planning on swimming since we have that option and I'm always better at it! Anyway...my goal is to the get the maximum score...we'll see ;-)! I have to turn in my Fitness Report (fitrep) this coming week. I think it is very strange that I write my own evaluation. My chain of command will look at it and decide if anything needs to be changed, but it is very unusual I think. At any rate...the thing looks rather confusing at first. I posted a picture of it, but it is kind of hard to see. It is short, but there is a very specific way it must be done. I was required to attend a training session in writing fitreps and brag sheets. The training was led by a retired Master Chief. He was super helpful and said that we could email our fitreps to him and he would help critique them. I emailed mine to him and it came back looking perfect! He was so helpful and I think I have a much better idea of how to write them! I'm going to keep a copy for my Navy binder...so that I will know what I am doing next year! What else...well...I'm tentatively going to the upcoming Nurses Ball in May! Should be fun because I get to wear something fancy...who knew being grown up could be so fun! I've never been to a ball before...kind of feel like Cinderella ;-)! Other than that...I am ready for a few days off...not quite sure why I am so tired, but I foresee some sleeping in this week...and perhaps a massage! This week has been really good...I again took the ferry over to Norfolk and went shopping. I really needed some jeans...my least favorite item of clothing to shop for. I actually had some success...a cause for celebration! I also saw Frozen and thought that it was so cute! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I've now had that song stuck in my head ("Let it go") and find myself singing it around my apartment! The weather is lovely here...blue skies most days and it's even warm enough to leave my windows open. I don't even have the AC or heat on in my apartment! Cool! Other than that, I had Bible study this week...always a highlight! And...I've been doing some reading in my spare time. My new goal is to read a book each week. I think I'm currently reading about a book every two weeks. I have this habit of buying books because I find that there are so many fascinating things to learn/know/understand...and have a whole bunch sitting in my room that I want to read. If I read one per week, they should get me through about half a year or more! Below are some pictures from this year that I didn't get around to posting until now...it's been busy! |
Prayer Requests...
That I grow in my role as a nurse and always do my best. That I would follow the Lord wholeheartedly. Friendships AuthorI'm Carolyn...am so excited to be starting my nursing career in the Navy. Who knows where this all will take me?! Archives
July 2015
|