Teaching

Who knew? So, I start teaching at the university! Psychiatry clinical to 3rd year nursing students-I have no idea what it will be like. I feel like it will be a good opportunity to promote the idea that mental health nursing is 1) not scary 2) found everywhere in nursing 3) a fantastic place to work. I don't think that everyone will agree with #3, but I should be able to reinforce #'s 1 & 2 and perhaps people will believe that psychiatry is Pretty Awesome.
It feels strange to be teaching-title is Clinical Associate. Maybe I need business cards?
I don't actually start with students until mid-Oct, until then I kind of hang out-go to some meetings and try to wrap my mind around what I will be doing.
I didn't think I would be teaching at this point in nursing, but I actually am quite excited about the prospect. I think it really does have to do with wanting to promote psychiatry as a great area to work in. People get so weirded out by it and there is a lot of stigma to overcome. As mental health professionals we don't do any favours by making comments at the nursing station that reflect poorly on our clientele. Honestly, I have been thinking about how to prepare students for that-appreciating humour and using it as a release while at the same time respecting patients all the time. Also to remind myself in the future that kind of talk is not appropriate-whether I am teaching or working as a floor nurse. Hmm, I already sound like a Matron.

Private health care

So, surgery done on my knee finally and at private clinic a few days ago. There was actually no difference in care or even really how it looked, I thought. Perhaps a nicer bathrobe to wear while waiting to go into OR. And the OR had this huge bank of windows looking out on a lovely view.
Because my surgery was work related I got my surgery done quicker-I must remember to ask Dr how long it would have taken at private clinic.
I don't feel bad at all about having it done quicker as I was thoroughly sick of using crutches-but don't know if it had been coming out of my pocket if I would have paid for it. I guess considering that my wage is being paid while I am off, it didn't affect me too much but if I had to be without income it might have been another situation.I would've had to do a cost-benefit analysis. Plus I also justify that the longer I am off, the more it costs as the gov't in essence pays my wage. If I had said no, will wait in line with everyone else-wouldn't have been covered at all. Rationalizations.
Nurse who saw me preop did not help my pre-surgery anxiety. Seemed nice enough, but too high energy and said 'oh my god' 'if your finger starts going blue then it's time to cut off the ring. Your finger will swell during surgery' when looking at ring finger as I couldn't get my rings off. Thanks, I knew that. Finger is swollen because joint does this weird double jointed thing, ring is bent and finger got puffy from me trying to pull the damn thing off. My pulse remained at 113-if she thought it would go down after that reassuring discussion it didn't. As it turns out finger was fine. didn't become gangrenous. The nurse who showed me into the OR was much calmer and nice. After the 1st anxiety-provoking nurse left the room after giving Richard and I a bunch of post op instructions, Richard turned to me and said 'what do we do?'. Teaching was not absorbed.