Did you know.......

We have a Federal election coming up in a few weeks? If you didn't know news flash we do...October 14th is the date. I am just amazed at how little we are hearing about the election. I find we are still being inundated with the news south of the border regarding the US election.

Well I am sorry, yes I know it is important to know what is going on in the world around us especially with our neighbours to the south being the US, but should that negate us losing or taking interest in what is going on in our own country?

I don't know about you,but I am really not hearing anything from any of the parties about what their political party plans are for the future of this country. I have heard snippets of Layton saying he would scrap the Soft lumber agreement, Dion and his Carbon Tax....and well waxy mortician like Harper is just trying to make us believe he is a family man. Have you seen any of those adds with Harper sitting in his wing backed chair talking about his fond memories of being a dad.....well that's just great Mr. Harper, now would you get on with improving the health of this country.

There are so many issues that aren't even being talked about. Like health care, education, child care, seniors issues and the list goes on. Where is all the public debate I haven't heard of one in my area. Seems like everyone is just keeping a tight lip and not saying anything.....well what good is that. For example I haven't heard a word out of the current Federal incumbent in my area ....I have seen his signs but not a word about his position on any topic or performing public appearances and doing town hall meetings. Nothing, Nada, zilch. I was talking with my husband the other day and saying how I really didn't know anything about this man...I don't know what he has done good or bad.. he is a non entity as far as I am concerned...I honestly can't tell you what he has done for his constituency and I am suppose to vote for him....I don't think so...but then I look at the other candidates and again I don't have a clue as to what their position is on health care for example. That is not like me. I generally know who the candidates are what their position is on certain topics etc....but this time no one is really getting out there and speaking up...and that worries me.

I wonder how many of my blogging friends south of the border even know that Canada has a Federal election coming up in just 2 weeks.....not many I suspect. I bet you more Canadians know about all of the nuances about the American candidates than they do about the candidates in their own riding. I mean look how we are being flooded with news about Pallin and her bizarre background and her pregnant daughter and McCain and his forgetfulness and will Obama has been in the limelight for over a year now...goodness....I bet more Canadians know more about American politics than they do of their own. Could you imagine the Americans having an election for the President in under a 2 month period.....never....dear god it took them over a year to determine who was going to be the leader of a party and now the race for presidency is on...which is really anti climatic if you ask me.

This brings me to another topic. How is it that the Canadian government can announce and hold a Federal election under 6 weeks! Yes the announcement for the Federal election came on September 7th and the election will be October 14th! This doesn't leave us much time to really find out much and or challenge the candidates on issues. What the politicians are saying is so vague....it really doesn't make them accountable for anything...now isn't that convenient. If you are at all interested here is a little news clip regarding the announcement of the Federal election and a very brief synopsis of what the leaders of each party are saying they will do for this country of ours....Canada election-call .

Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt

This weeks theme is "View". The first thing that came to my mind was the movie "Window with a view"....which then gave me my idea for portraying the theme this week. Here are some photos of a bit of the wild life I have seen through my kitchen windows over the past year.

This is a view I see out of one of my kitchen windows (early spring)

Or the California Quail, male(the one with the tuff), female and baby....see from another on of my kitchen windows.

Or this lovely Pinesiskin just sitting in the tree just outside my kitchen window......yes I do feel fortunate to have such a room with a view.

If you would like to join in on the fun please check out tnchick for all of the instructions.....Happy Hunting all!

Nursing stuff......

Well it would appear that my blog has gained a little notoriety. Apparently it has been included in a post from RNCentral.com for nursing students....it's "100 Best Blogs for Nursing Students"
I found this to be quite an honour as included in this list is one of my all time favourite nursing bloggers Nurse Ratched. I am very honoured that my blog has been recognized by RNCentral, and I truly hope I can bring something to the table for our future nurses.

I have also been approached to review a book entitled "Reflections on Doctors: Nurses' Stories about Physicians and Surgeons" by Terry Ratner a Registered Nurse and Freelance writer. He says that "Reflections" is an anthology of stories by nurses across the US and talks about their experiences working with physicians and surgeons. He says the book provides situations and issues rarely discussed that arise in medicine and how the role of "nurse" has changed. It sounds like it would be a good read. I thought it would be appropriate to post it here as it seems to tie in with above. So if nursing students are going to check out my blog they may as well check out Terry and his book. So if you are interested in getting more information on his book you can get more information at: remy@mediamuscle.com

Something Shocking.....

As health care practitioners we are faced with many challenges and diversities. In previous posts I have spoken about Ethics and it's impact on health care. As as RN's we are often put in positions in assisting or caring for patients who are undergoing treatments or procedures that ethically and morally push some of our personal boundaries.

Case in point. I remember when I was a nursing student and my instructor told me how tired she was of treating people who came in to the Emergency department for attempted suicide. I will never forget what she said to me one day. She said that some days she gets so frustrated that if they really wanted to kill themselves she would show them the correct way to do it. This really took me aback, but it opened up dialogue with my classmates to discuss situations that we would all be faced with in our nursing careers that will push our personal boundaries. In our discussion some students expressed that they might have problems nursing patients who are drug addicts or alcoholics, others expressed concern about dealing with patients who had or were seeking information on termination of an unwanted pregnancy. I remember asking the instructor if we had a right to refuse to work with a particular patient if it really went against our morals....she basically told me no. She said we had to treat all patients with the same care we would treat any patient. If we really had difficulties we could ask a colleague if they wouldn't mind trading assignments but basically it was our duty and responsibility to treat all patients with the same respect and dignity and professionalism. That has always stuck with me.

I to get frustrated at times with some patients who I see using the health care system as a revolving door. Not taking responsibility for their health issues. This of course happens for a variety of reasons. Often it is basically that they don't have the tools to make healthy life choices. This is often due to their socio-economic situation or their mental health.

This brings me to my current challenge. One of my duty as a recovery nurse it to care for patients who have had Electroconvulsive Therapy(ECT). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure used to treat severe depression. It may be used in people with symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, or suicidal thoughts or when other treatments such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medications have not worked. It is also used for other psychiatric and neurological conditions, such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.

Before ECT, you are given anesthesia to put you in a sleep like state and medications to relax your muscles. Then an electrical current is briefly sent to the brain through electrodes placed on the temples or elsewhere on the head, depending on the condition and type of ECT. The electrical stimulation, which lasts up to 8 seconds, produces a short seizure. Because of anesthesia, the seizure activity related to ECT does not cause the body to convulse.
It is not known exactly how this brain stimulation helps treat depression, so why do it I ask. They believe that ECT probably works by altering brain chemicals (similarly to medications), including neurotransmitters like serotonin, natural pain relievers called endorphins, and catecholamines such as adrenalin.

ECT treatments are usually done 2 to 3 times a week for 2 to 3 weeks. Maintenance treatments may be done one time each week, tapering down to one time each month. They may continue for several months to a year, to reduce the risk of relapse. ECT is usually given in combination with medication, psychotherapy, family therapy, and behavioural therapy.

I can remember as a nursing students when I was doing my psych rotation at a very old psychiatric hospital where they did the ECT's down in the basement of the building....I found it distressing....the patients were like cattle lined up outside the door...taken into a dark dingy room...treatment performed and then they were moved into this open room where they were drooling and noticeably out of it....they would be observed for a short period of time and then sent back to their wards. I didn't think this was a very good experience for my first time seeing ECT's.

Now here I am now caring for patients who are still having these treatments.....I do question the validity for some of them....I mean we have this one patient that we have to use restraints on because when they come out of the sedation they are extremely violent. I understand the rationale for the treatment but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

Nursing, is a wonderful profession and provides us as individuals so many opportunities to experience and explore healthcare on so many different levels.

Sunday Meme

I like this meme....it provides me with an opportunity to show off some of the glorious sunrises and sunsets I see here in my Smalltown. These photos were taken in July on a evening we had just been out to pick up prawn traps it was a wonderful evening and the sunset set was spectacular and great ending to a day......
If you would like to join in on the fun please check out
Sunrise-Sunset meme for all of the instructions.

Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt

This weeks theme is "Road".....when I hear that I think of the song..." the long and winding road".....and then I think of the many "road trips" I have taken with my hubby......here is a view of what I saw on one of our everyday road trips....

So we are driving down the road and what do I see to the right of me but this....

I behold this spectacular Glacier....in actual fact this is an every day view for the folks living in this town....but I just work here....hubby and thought that we would like to take a plane trip up there to see the Glacier from a different vantage point, but we haven't done that yet. Many people make the weekend trek to the Glacier....it is truly something special....

If you would like to join in on the fun check out tnchick for all of the instructions.

Happy Hunting all!

The Learning Curve.....

They say that learning should be a life long experience, that we should strive to learn something new everyday, whether it be technical or simply a new way of doing something you have done before.

As most of you know I started my new job in PAR(Post Anesthetic Recovery)in August. My new employer has provided me with an excellent orientation, however the learning curve has been steep. I have never been a PAR nurse and that wasn't a requirement for the job. They wanted someone with Critical Care background and ACLS(Advanced Cardiac Life Support) training, all of which I have. I gather they thought I could learn what I needed to know on the job. Oh my gosh, there is so much to learn.

I don't know if you have ever heard the saying " A nurses is a nurse". I couldn't disagree more. Yes we all have the fundamental training....but that is where it stops. Saying a nurse is a nurse to me is like saying a neuro surgeon is cardiologist Let me tell you if I have a brain aneurysm I want the neuro surgeon operating on me and not the cardiologist. Well that is about how I feel in nursing. Nursing has become so specialized, and yes you must always remember your ABC's regardless of the field of nursing you are in. But nursing has changed and continues to change.

In years past, nurses would float from one ward to another. In one shift they could go from assisting in delivering a baby to defibrilating a patient in cardiac arrest. In remote areas this still holds true, the nurses have just become more specialized in their field.

I have worn many hats in my nursing career. I have been a student, teacher and student again. I have worked in the areas of Medical/Surgical,Palliative,ICU/Cardiac care and now PAR. The one thing that has stayed constant is that I find I am always the student. There is always something new to learn. It seems as soon as you get a grasp on something they come along and change it. Currently, not only am I learning a new form of nursing but a new way of delivering nursing care. In attempts to make health care more efficient we are being faced with new technology. New computers, and computer systems, out goes hand written nurses notes and incomes computerized nursing notes, slowly but surely they are eliminating the paper trail. I can't believe the changes I have seen in my career. I think about my colleagues who have been in the profession for 25 or 35 years and all the changes they have seen. Some for them good....some not so good. I digress.

I mentioned my learning curve. I am not a PAR nurse I never claimed to be one....I had the qualifications they asked for and I am eager to learn. I had no idea how much I didn't know. That is scary. I find myself after coming home from my shifts going on the computer researching surgeries why they are done, looking up answers to anatomy and physiology questions that have come to me....drugs and anesthetic agents that are used and what to expect....my head hurts, my eyes are heavy. I want to know.....I feel like I should know.....but I don't....and so the pressure is on....not so much by staff...as they have been really good with me...but with myself. I figure I should know it....but how can I...I can't expect to know all of those surgeries and treatments and anesthetic agents...not yet anyhow, hopefully with time I will have a better grasp. Today, was a very busy day, the OR slates were full I was on my feet my whole shift except for my lunch and coffee break(for which I was thankful). I am stressed. I wish things came to me easier. I seem to struggle...somethings I grasp faster than others...somethings....like programing machine to deliver a medication took me longer than I thought it should partially because I let my stress take over and my common sense went out the window. I know more than I give myself credit...I want to show them that I can do this and that I do bring something to the table and make a good team player. But right now, my nerves take over and I don't believe in myself and I know that causes me to block things that normally would come easily to me.

Anyhow, I feel like I am forever learning, my grey matter is over flowing and it hurts.

Sunday Meme

This my first time joining in on this meme....but being a lover of both Sunrise and Sunsets this seemed a likely meme for me to participate in.

These two photos where taken from my back porch, a wonderful sunrise in the spring

One of the many beautiful sunsets we see in my smalltown.

If you would like to play along please check out
Sunrise-Sunset meme

for all of the instructions.....Happy Sunday all!

Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt

This weeks theme is "Wild" so I thought I would share some of the wild birds that I have seen on my property over the last year.....

The American Golden Finch and Pinesiskin....

The Purple finch(male)

Downy Woodpecker

Varied Thrush

The Stellar Jay

The Northern Flicker(part of the woodpecker family)

So there you have it my take of the theme for this week...if you would like to join in on the fun, please check out tnchick for all of the instruction.

Happy Hunting all!!!

A sweet find....and my talented hubby....

Well it is TGIF day....not that Friday really means anything to me...I mean being a shift worker and all. But today is Friday and I have it off and my girls are coming to visit for the weekend. Yipee! So with that being said I have many chores to get on with.

We are hoping to get out on the boat on the weekend. Hubby has been busily making sure everything is operational. Cosmetically he has been working on it as well. He decided some time back that he wanted to get a new canopy for his boat. He went out and got pricing but the best price he could get was around $800 or more. WOW! So he thought that maybe he could do it.

So he went and priced out material on Ebay and got the material. Then he needed a sewing machine. Something heavy duty that could manage the heaviness of the material and could hand the task. Hmmm. Now that could be pricey. So we started looking in the Buy and Sell and on the web for used machines....even used were very pricey. One day I was out and about and came across this garage sale, so I thought I would just stop and see what they had. Looking around (and believe me there was a LOT of stuff) I was at this one table when I notice down on the ground this old sewing machine box. I opened it up and this is what I found :

It looked like it was in pretty good condition.........they had these as well.......

I love the box.....so vintage....and look at all the accessories it still had in it....almost like new.....I could believe it....I asked her how much.....hold your breath......$3......Yup, I couldn't believe it. Do any of you know that Ikea commercial where the woman leaves rushing from the store yelling at her husband to get the car.....she was so excited about the deal that she got she figured they must have made a mistake and wanted to get out of there before she thought they would change their mind. Well that is how I felt about this ....such a bargain. The one down side is that it weights a ton....very very solid machine. The other was it didn't have the instructions...but with a little tweaking and oil...this machine ROCKS!

So the other day when I was doing all my canning, hubby was cutting and measuring and sewing.....

He actually finished that canopy in a day! I couldn't believe it....his sewing skills put mine to shame....I told him he was making the Halloween costumes.......LOL! I need to get a photo of the finished project.....

Thursday Humour

Well I haven't done this in awhile so I thought let's keep things light and easy today........
The first one's are on a baby theme......

And Now some Nursing humour:

Two doctors in practice in a small country clinic had to hire a new nurse when the one they had won the lottery and quit. They interviewed Nurse Nancy and decided to hire her. She had only worked two days when one doctor called the other to his office and said that they would have to let Nurse Nancy go. "Why, we just hired her?""Well, I think she is dyslexic and gets things backwards. I told her to give Mr. Smith two shots of morphine every 24 four hour, but she gave him 24 shots in two hours and it almost killed him. I told her to give Mrs. Jones an enema every twelve hours and she gave her twelve in one hour."The doctor had barely finished his reasons when the other doctor rushed out of the room. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" the doctor asked. "To see Nancy, I just instructed her to prick Mr. Hill's Boil!"

Hope you all have a fantastic day!!!! Keep on smilin, they'll wonder what your up to.....

A Bountiful Harvest.....

Well I know it is not officially fall yet...and believe me I don't want to rush the seasons or anything like that. The sun was shining it was a lovely 20 Celsius that's about 72 F yesterday. And today feels like it is going to be another nice one. It truly does feel like fall. The leaves have already started to turn and fall. The blackberries are ripe and ready for the picking. Yes harvest time is upon us, and with that for those of you who like canning or preserving things for a later date to be used as gifts or simply for household consumption the time is right.

I have spent the past two days canning. I am not an avid canner, sometimes I wonder what the heck am I doing in the kitchen...who am I fooling. But lo and behold I did manage to can a few things with more to come. Yesterday I was busy canning beets, yes I know not everyone's favorite but my girls and I just love them. Mother in law gave me a huge baskets of apples from her tree. Originally I was going to make apple sauce or pies and freeze them. I opted to do neither. I made Apple Conserve instead(apple pie filling). I have never made it before so I am hoping it will turn out, it sure smelt good.

Yesterday, I set off early to the market to see if I could get some baby cucumbers to make pickles....no such luck. But what I did come home with was a couple of bags of beans and more beets. So I cut and cleaned the beans...I have pickled them as well. I think they might end up spicy as I added a red pepper to each jar that I had grown and dried and a clove of garlic....I am hoping they will be good to use as a condiment at gatherings or used for Cesar's...hmmm. So after the beets and the beans, I decided to make some pumpkin bread. I just love pumpkin bread. I have a recipe that makes five loaves. So that is what I did, once cooled I wrap them and freeze them and often give them away as gifts as well.

I bought a case of peaches, but I just ran out of steam(no pun intended). Hubby tells me he loves canned peaches so that is what I will do next. Canned peaches and blackberry jam. The tomatoes in my garden are bountiful so I might be making some tomato sauce as well.

I feel like a pregnant woman who is nesting, getting everything ready for the arrival of her baby. It's crazy. I've been cooking up a storm, cleaning, and now canning...gosh whats' up with that...Actually, I know this may sound strange but I find it very soothing and comforting.

Here are a few photos of my labour of love......

I am off to work this afternoon so I won't be doing much of anything except maybe using my stepper.

There's something else I have been working on. A couple of weeks ago I decided to start knitting. Again, I am not an avid knitter but I like to give it the old college try. I decided I wanted to knit an Afghan. Big aspirations I know....but because I like to keep things simple I went on the Internet and looked up ideas for Afghans. I found the simplest idea....just knit a square and crochet them together. Yes I can do this I said to myself. Last year mother in law gave me this huge bag of wool . I made a couple of styles of scarves but that was about it. So I thought you know Christmas is coming I could make something for a gift.

As most of you know I volunteer. One of the groups I volunteer with is the Community based Mental Health. I have a client that I go and do home visits with. She is really a very sweet lady but pretty much house bound. The only time she really gets out is when I take her to appointments or call her and ask her if she is feeling up to going out for a coffee. I know she likes the visits. Along with her mental health she has physical health issues...I think it's one of those situations which came first the chicken or the egg . Regardless, she lives alone and because of her medications shouldn't drive...so she doesn't and some days it takes all of her energy to get up off of the couch.

So as I was knitting it dawned on me. I could make this for her for Christmas....now I am on a mission. It's now given my knitting some purpose.

Then I got another idea. I know bloggers are such a generous group, I wondered how they would feel about knitting a basic square. I thought if I could get enough squares I could make maybe another afghan or maybe even two and then donate them to the Mental Health Society.

So what do you think. Are any of you interested in knitting a simple 8x8 plain old garter stitch square that I could make up into an Afghan? Please don't feel pressured I just thought, there are a lot of generous bloggers out there that might want to help out a cause. So if anyone is interested just let me know here or email me and I will contact you giving you the details(which will be pretty basic). I would love to be able to give the Mental health group a couple of Afghans for Christmas to hand out as they see fit.....and or if I get a real skookum response and am able to make up something a little more elaborate maybe they could use it as a raffle to raise some money for a project or something. Just thinking out loud here. Anyhow, I leave it with you my blogging friends.

To assure you all that I will do something with the squares I will take photos and have some letter of acknowldegment from the organization.

Just sharing the blogger love.......thanks all....have a fantastic day!!