Good & Bad

As a self proclaimed 'almost'-nurse, I try to keep an eye on the job market. I am very fortunate to have connections at a few IL hospitals, but the daunting task of finding employment post graduation is still slightly incredibly terrifying. For all those other future nurses out there, here are two articles that may be of interest to you:

The bad news: Why Nursing Grads Have Trouble Finding Jobs

The good news: 5 Million Health Care Jobs Created by 2020 

My Weekend

Phew!


What a weekend!


Alexa and I went downtown to work at our respective hospitals. It was Alexa's time on night shift and I was just getting over a 24-hour stomach virus. Needless to say, it was an adventure. Thanks to my family for taking care of us and letting us crash at the house for the weekend. It was VERY nice to come home to you all. I love you <3

Since the night shift was new to Alexa, it was neat to hear her feedback. Her favorite part was being able to see the morning sunrise over Lake Michigan :)

REMINDER: Alexa and I travel to Chicago together to work because we work RIGHT NEXT DOOR to each other. Literally. We park in the same parking deck and even grab lunch on our breaks together!

Lurie Children's & Prentice Women's Hospital

Read HERE & HERE & HERE for more about working in Chicago!

New Collection

I stumbled upon something today and I think I may have found a new item to collect!

                           Cherry Ames Nurse Stories

"The Cherry Ames Nurse Stories were published by Grosset and Dunlap from 1943 to 1968.  The original author of the Cherry Ames series was Helen Wells, who later decided to quit writing the Cherry Ames and Vicki Barr series in order to pursue other projects.  Julie Campbell Tatham, the original author of the Trixie Belden series, took over writing the Cherry Ames series beginning with volume 9, Cruise Nurse.  The dust jacket had already been designed for Cruise Nursewhen Helen Wells backed out, so Wells is credited as the author rather than Tatham.  Later, Julie Tatham gave the writing of both Cherry Ames and Vicki Barr back to Helen Wells. Volumes 1 through 22 were originally issued in dust jackets and later as picture cover editions." [via]

I originally came across the books on Wanelo.com 

One of the oldest editions (in a plain dust cover) was on sale for $3.00. 

The words nurse, book and $3... you've got my interested sparked!

I later came across TONS of them on ebay.com. See HERE.

Seeing them all on ebay, though, seems to take away the fun of the hunt!

When I find an antique item I like, I prefer to personally shop in stores to find it.

It just seems so much more rewarding and exciting :)

Titles in the Cherry Ames Series:

1. Student Nurse, 1943  2. Senior Nurse, 1944  3. Army Nurse, 1944  4. Chief Nurse, 1944  5. Flight Nurse, 1945  6. Veterans' Nurse, 1946  7. Private Duty Nurse, 1946  8. Visiting Nurse, 1947  9. Cruise Nurse, 194810. At Spencer, 194911. Night Supervisor, 195012. Mountaineer Nurse, 195113. Clinic Nurse, 195214. Dude Ranch Nurse, 195315. Rest Home Nurse, 195416. Country Doctor's Nurse, 195517. Boarding School Nurse, 195518. Department Store Nurse, 195619. Camp Nurse, 195720. At Hilton Hospital, 195921. Island Nurse, 196022. Rural Nurse, 196123. Staff Nurse, 196224. Companion Nurse, 196425. Jungle Nurse, 196526. Mystery in the Doctor's Office, 1966 27. Ski Nurse Mystery, 1968

Woah. 27 books?! I have a lot of thrifting to do!

September

[via]

Almost two weeks into September and it's really starting to feel like Fall.

What's on your to-do list for Fall? I'm excited for to the apple orchard, Huskie football & hot coffee.

"I Was Here"

Strong.

Competent.

Beautiful.

Courageous.

Talented.

The kind of woman I would want my future daughters to be.

Will the world know that I was here? What will I be remembered for? How many lives will I touch?

I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of timeKnow there was something that, and something that I left behindWhen I leave this world, I'll leave no regretsLeave something to remember, so they won't forget

I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would beI will leave my mark so everyone will knowI was here

I want to say I lived each day, until I dieAnd know that I meant something in, somebody's lifeThe hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leaveThat I made a difference, and this world will see

I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would beI will leave my mark so everyone will know

I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would beI will leave my mark so everyone will knowI was here

I just want them to knowThat I gave my all, did my bestBrought someone to hapinessLeft this world a little better just because

I was here

I was hereI lived, I lovedI was hereI did, I've done, everything that I wantedAnd it was more than I thought it would beI will leave my mark so everyone will knowI was here

Copied from MetroLyrics.com 

Back To School

Yep.

It's that time of year.

It's been crazy since coming back to school TWO WEEKS ago. My planner is already jam packed and midterms will be here before we know it.

New decorations on campus!

If I haven't told you before, I'm telling you now: I am a list person. Just as my boyfriend or my mom. I have to write it down or I forget it. As I was moving into my new apartment, I found a list I made at the end of last year. I had forgotten about it and was grateful to find it because I couldn't think straight for the first few days of school. Here is what the list said:

Senior Year

- Cook yummy recipes!

-Work out regularly

-Ride horses again?

-Prep for NCLEX

-Volunteer @ Church

-Drink Sangria!

-Grow Herbs

Favorite spot on Campus.
Photo taken during my 2nd run of the year!

This list is totally random but captures the thoughts I was having at the end of last year. So far I've started a running routine (with help from the RunKeeper iPhone app), took two riding lessons with my sister, and am doing 1,000 practice NCLEX questions for a class. This weekend I hope to menu plan & go grocery shopping so that I can start cooking next week. I'm on the lookout for herb plants, trying to decide how/when to volunteer at church and sangria is officially on the grocery shopping list! 

I cannot believe this is my last year of college. It is quite possible that I'll never again be a tuition paying student at a university. Luckily, in both life & nursing, I will be an eternal student learning new things every single day. 

These are a MUST have.

My friends also know and appreciate what a list person I am. In the spring we made a "Senior Year Bucket List".  Here's what it looks like....

One down... only about 20 more to go!

We kicked off the bucket list with a spontaneous trip to the women's volleyball game. Our intentions were not totally pure... What we really wanted was a free t-shirt. Much to our dismay, they were all out of free t-shirts when we arrived.

Sad as we were about the t-shirts,
the game was actually pretty fun!

Leave a comment and let us know which things YOU think are missing from our bucket list. We'll be sure to document our progress throughout the year.

Gotta love nurses :)

Stay tuned for: The Apartment Tour! & Where I'll Be One Year From Now

Celebrating the blue moon on Aug. 31st

Day Trip to Chicago

Right before school started back up again, my aunt and my cousins came up to Chicago to visit. My aunt was only 14 years old when I was born and we spent a ton of time together during my first couple of years. I couldn't say her name so to this day I call her my "Baba."  She and I have a really great relationship. I wish I could see her more often and that I could be for her girls, the person she was to me.

Baba and I

On our day in Chicago, we rode the ferris wheel at Navy Pier and make the trek up to the top of the Willis Tower. For a pretty penny of $17.50/adult and $11.00/child, we took an elevator going 18MPH up to the sky deck on the 103rd floor. I've been up to the sky deck before, but the I had yet to experience the newest edition.... four glass ledges that extend four feet over the city below. Here's our view, looking down, from 103 stories above street level:

The first step out was pretty scary!

The little girls seemed to enjoy our adventure as well. I'm not sure if it's totally worth the price of admission, but it is absolutely a unique experience. As with all tourist stops, the gift shops were EVERYWHERE at Willis Tower. We perused the shops and laughed our butts off.

We had too much fun :)

At the end of the day, we were all pooped and STARVING. It was time to head back home to the burbs. We mastered public transportation and avoided rush hour on the drive home. I'd call that a success!!

THE END

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittnes

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things

Pinterest, s'mores, farmers market baskets

Cream colored ponies and crisp Apple strudels

Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles

Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings

These are a few of my favorite things

Pediatric scrubs, owls, Instagram

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my noes and eyelashes

Silver white winters that turn into springs

These are a few of my favorite things

Wheat, scrabble, elopements

When the dog bites

When the bee stings

When I'm feeling sad

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad

A few more of my favorite things....

• Health Care Economics - How much does your CEO make?
• Humans of New York - The ultimate people watching!
• My Parents Were (Are) Awesome
• Getting Healthy Apps - Infographic
• Advice for new graduate nurses - This stuff is GOLD
• 35 Things in 35 Years

Creative Date Nights

Ross and I were SO blessed to spend the entire summer together in Peoria this year. We had a great time being together and grew closer together as a couple. We're about to celebrate 3 1/2 years together! In some ways it feels like its been forever... in other ways it has been such a short time!


For the past three summers we have celebrated the end of summer by going to Chicago for a day (or two).  This year, we were in Peoria and Chicago was a bit to far to travel. Instead, we had a weekend of fun before heading back to Naperville.



Weekend of Fun Part 1 - A Sunset Cruise on Spirit of Peoria

Weekend of Fun Part 2 - Hiking (in the rain) at Starved Rock

We got caught in the rain at Starved Rock. Luckily, we had prepared for rain by packing extra clothes, brought towels and packed all valuables in plastic baggies. Many of these pictures are burry because we took them through the baggie when it was raining.

The absolute BEST part of the hike was being at the top of the mountain, looking over the river when a HUGE storm hit. We were safe behind the wood railing but felt the immense power of rain and wind swirling all around us. It was indescribable. We had so much fun on our day trip in the rain. We can't wait to go back when it's sunny and we can get some actual mileage in.

Pandora Disney

I love listening to Pandora (as stated in THIS previous post).


My new favorite station.... DISNEY Pandora!

Halle didn't know many of the songs we heard on the Disney station. I was SHOCKED she didn't know Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas. We now have a list of "must watch" movies for Halle to catch up on :)

Sister-Sister

I was home for a few weeks between working in Peoria and going back to school in DeKalb. During that time, my sister and I had some major quality time. The pictures below speak for themselves :)

Girls Bike Ride

Our bike ride lead us to the weeping willows!

She loves me!! :)

What an artist!

We finally added finishing touches to our crayon art!

We took a couple of riding lessons together! :)

She's such a good rider!

Apple pie and Iced Coffee!

Apple Pie with Roses - Styled by Halle

Downtown Chicago!

Sky Scrapers

Buckingham Fountain

The Bean

Make over night!

Smooches!

An Almost Nurse - Part 1

I'm almost a nurse...


An awesomely scary and empowering thought.


The first year as an RN is tough. There is a lot to learn and many mistakes to make.


I am so extremely grateful for the opportunity to work at OSF and learn from the nurses there. My summer internship taught me more than I could ever learn in clinical. The next eight months of school are important to prepare me for the NCLEX. This summer, though, prepared me to be a nurse. I still have a lot to learn but here are a few of the things that I learned this summer....

1. Make a plan... but be flexible
2. Plan ahead, work ahead
3. Chart at the bedside
4. Be nice to the oncoming shift... do them a favor and they'll be more likely to do one for you
5. What it looks/sounds like when an NG is in the lung
6. When to speak up
7. When to bite your tongue
8. I'd rather risk looking like an idiot and advocate for my patient than let anyone (nurse, physician or parent) make a decision that is unsafe for my patient.
9. Time management - any patient who has been in recent trauma is the priority. Sometimes they aren't as stable as the ED thought they were...
10. Take advantage of the 30 min window to pass medications
11. Sometimes parents need our love and care more than the kiddos do
12. What it takes to be a good charge nurse
13. The difference between a good and bad shift report
14. What it's like to have patients who are "regulars"
15. How to care for victims of abuse and neglect
16. What it means to serve with the greatest care and love
17. To focus on the task at hand
18. Diaper changes & feedings are the most basic but sometimes the most important things a kid needs.
19. Some kids will bounce back in 2 days... other kids will never be the same.
20. Some parents never learn and other parents are serious experts.
21. Hospitals are dirty. Wash your hands and don't touch the floor.
22. Nightshift Nursing = waitress, housekeeper, nanny, social worker all in one
23. How to take a rectal temperature without waking up a baby
24. Sometimes working holidays isn't all that bad... Some kids are alone in the hospital on the 4th of July and OSF has a great view of the fireworks.
25. Pediatric nursing is where I'm meant to be.

#26. Pediatric Scrubs are the best!
#27. Time slows down around 3:00 a.m.
#28. Retractable name tag holders are a must
#29. Stethoscopes can grow legs and walk away
#30. Watching Disney is totally acceptable

Ikea Finds

The other day Mom, Adam, Halle and I made the trek out to Ikea. I needed a few about 20 things for my new apartment!!! [Blog post regarding the new place coming soon....]


Priority #1 - Twin Sized Bed
My apartment bedroom is too small for a queen sized bed and we don't have any twin sized beds at home. We knew Ikea had affordable bedding but we had NO idea how unique/awesome it would be. In the showroom, we tried out every twin sized bed and decided on a comfortable & affordable option. Adam and Halle especially liked this part of the day. Instead of  a cumbersome bed frame, we decided to buy the Sultan legs that screw in directly to the box spring! The holes are even already pre-drilled!!!

Only $15 for all four legs!

Priority #2 - A "Headboard"
Since I wasn't getting a traditional bed frame, Mom and I were inspired by Pinterest to create a non-traditional headboard. We weren't inspired by many of the things at Ikea. As we were making our way through the marketplace, we were getting discouraged... Then I saw IT. The mirrors. An entire corner of decorative mirrors. I had never seen a headboard made of mirrors, but I knew that mirrors help to make a small room look brighter and bigger. I was first drawn to these mirrors....

Found HERE - $15 for a 2 pack.

I envisioned four of these against the wall behind my bed. I didn't care for the wavy look.  I prefer right angles. Maybe it's that type-A, oldest child, slight OCD syndrome.  Anyways... As I perused (being sure to check my hair and makeup in each mirror) I came across these bad boys....

Found HERE - $10 for a 4 pack!

I had found my headboard! Right angles and everything. Mom and I promptly bought three packs to take home and create the headboard we envisioned. A full apartment tour and DIY project details coming soon!


Priority #3 - A LARGE Espresso Maker
It's no secret that I'm a huge coffee lover (hence the name of the blog).  My mother and I drink so much coffee that it is no longer financially prudent to go to Starbucks every time we get a craving. Instead, we have mastered the art of home-brewed coffee. We use a traditional coffee pot, french press, cold brew, and stove top espresso. Who knew there were so many ways to make coffee?! Our current favorite is stove top espresso.  The stove top espresso maker we were using was just too small to support our intense coffee addiction. We needed a BIGGER one! Ikea came through with a large AND affordable option. This makes 2.5 cups of iced coffee the way Mom and I make it. Much better than the 1 cup of iced coffee we could make with the previous stove top espresso maker.

RADIG Espresso Maker 6 Cup - $20!

Needless to say, our trip to Ikea was EXTREMELY successful.
More pictures to come of the newly decorated apartment!!


Directions on how to make stove top espresso HERE