So, Christmas Eve morning, my cat Tien was meowing at me at close range because it was time to eat, and I'm like "Dude...Something's missing!"

( Tien and Isabeau )

 Two cats, one calico the other gray tabby, lying side by side in the sunbeam, eyes squinted closed, looking content.

So, my new preceptor and the unit manager were conferring with me at work yesterday. My preceptor feels I've learned the basics of what I need to know, and now it's just a matter of practice. They asked me if I felt ready to move to the night shift. I said if they think I've learned as much as I need to, I was ready. I'll start late next week. I'm ( Read more... )

 I'm changing preceptors at work, tomorrow. I'm hoping I'll get a better handle on the speed and efficiency difficulties I've been having. The one other time I had this preceptor, I made some real improvements in that area, since he explains things in a way that makes sense to me, and really focuses on how I do things, and gives good feedback on ( Read more... )

It was a little miracle. Today, when I got home from work, I saw Isabeau and Tien getting along peacefully. In the past, Isabeau would get upset at Tien's presence, since it's feeding time when I return, and she gets posessive about food. Instead, today Tien and Isabeau were sitting side by side, with Tien licking Isabeau's head. She tolerated this ( Read more... )

A couple days ago, I had my first experience with an intensive care patient that really was intensive care, not immediately downgraded to post-intensive care, such as I have previously been getting.
I experienced my first real "situation" that required quick action (I needed to be prompted by my preceptor, but next time I'll know better what to do ( Read more... )

Your Love Life is Like Casablanca
( Read more... )

I have been noticing for a while that my new male cat, Tien, has ceased to cower before Isabeau when she growls and bats him in the head with her (declawed) front paws. And it has been a number of weeks since I last saw him hiding under the bed. In fact, Tien has recently been asserting himself by getting in Isabeau's face (literally, facing her ( Read more... )

I've survived the first week of work at my new nursing job...

The first day and a half was general orientation, being indoctrinated to the OSF way of thinking, and going over benefits, etc. The second half of Tuesday and all of Wednesday was clinical orientation specific to nurses. We learned some things about medications, checking blood sugars, ( Read more... )

Don't turn on the air conditioning ( Read more... )