Daily Journaling

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In nursing school, like most nursing programs, I was required to do reflections after each clinical experience. I want to carry on this practice to my nursing career. I have already been journaling weekly in a special journal meant just for RN-related thoughts, feelings, and experiences. If your are an RN or a student, I highly suggest this practice.

The picture below is available for you to use. Print it out. Carry it in your scrubs. Use as a bookmark in your own nurse journal. Please, if you use it, tell your friends where you got it from. Share the love.

Head Lice

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During my last week at work in Jersey, a girl came into my office with head lice. I was not prepared for that. Granted there was a lice outbreak my last semester in the dorms in nursing school... I tried not to have anything to do with it in order to keep myself clean. Being the appointed "school nurse" for the kids, that was not an option this time. 

While I was putting vaseline on a boy with very chapped, cracked lips, a teacher brought in a girl with possible head lice. Yikes! The teacher started spelling all sorts of words as not to scare the kids, but I was in no place to comprehend the spelling and deal with head lice at the same time. Kinda stressful. Anyway. The girl's sister and cousin were also brought in because they were very likely to have lice as well. I start searching through their hair, assessing, picking out little bugs, when the school secretary barges in the room, and without gloves, digs through their hair telling me that there are not lice in there. Hmm... then what are these bugs I keep removing? But she insists nothing is there bug dandruff, until "SCREAM! There are lice in her hair!" Yes... that is why we have her in here. Then she runs out of the room, leaving me in my tiny little office with three little kids, one with lice, and no toys or ways to keep them entertained. So my office gets torn apart, the weighing scale gets jumped on, and papers fly all over the place. Finally someone thinks it is a good idea to bring in crayons and color pages. After awhile the kids; ride comes to take them home. 

When I got home, I stripped to my skinnies, threw my clothes in the washer, and took a steamy hot shower. ... I still felt itchy for the rest of the week. 

I did some research on head lice. Here you go. Learn lots!

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Here is a handout about head lice for School Nurses (like me!)

NJ RN Application Process

(I made this.)

I have lived in New Jersey now for 3.5 months. Do I have an NJ nursing license yet? Umm.. No. Have I submitted my license application? Yes. Almost three months ago. This state is crazy when it comes to licensing. I am originally licensed in a different state. After passing my NCLEX, I had a license the next day. What a difference now! Who else knows where I am coming from?

Day # 1- sent in the 19 page application

waited. 
waited. waited.
waited. waited. waited.

Day # 14 - emailed the BON of NJ asking about progress. No reply.
Day # 17 - telephoned the BON of NJ asking about progress. "It takes about 30 business days to process an application from when we receive it in the mail. Call back in two weeks."
Day # 31 - telephoned again, "Sorry, we don't have you in our system yet. Call back in a few days."

Then Hurricane Sandy happened.

Day # 55 - email & telephone asking about progress... no reply.
Day # 57 - notice the check from my application fee was deposited.
Day # 60 - receive letter from BON of NJ with info about getting fingerprinted for the background check.
Day # 64 - get fingerprinted for the background check, lady tells me "You will receive your license in the mail 3 weeks from today"

Day #74 - decide living in NJ is not working out (unrelated to the licensing process) & move back to the state I am already licensed in.

Still waiting for the NJ license.

So much for that process.

Definition of Nurses

I am a new nurse, starting out and gaining new experiences and learning new skills. 

I went the unconventional route, and did not get a med-surg position right out of school.

I work for a preschool that serves kids with emotional & behavioral difficulties.

Basically I am a school nurse for 2-5 year-olds. 

And I love it.

I plan to be at this job for a year, so who knows what the future holds.

I want this blog to be about my experiences in nursing, questions for other nurses, and funny pictures.

I am not an expert blogger, but more importantly...

I am definitely not an expert nurse. 

So if you have any comments or tips, please send them my way.