Well, still waiting to find out if my vision is acceptable to the powers that be or not. Funny, I'm an RN and can work in any hospital in the state. And I want to give of some of my free time to serve my community by volunteering as an EMT-B (which I already possess) with the local volunteer fire & rescue department. With glasses I'm 20/20. GEEEEEZZZ. I'm not trying to become a fighter pilot here. I'm not even going to be doing suppression(fire fighting). I'm just doing EMS-only (ambulance). Yes, I know I need glasses. DUH! That's why I wear them. And they're not coke bottle glasses either! I can see without them, but just not very clearly. Which is why I wear them and will continue to wear them.
I did some checking on the web and do you know the NAVY SEALS have the same uncorrected vision standard as the department I want to volunteer with. Um, last time I checked being a Navy Seal is just a wee bit more arduous than a volunteer EMT!
OK. So can you tell I'm just a little annoyed. And, oh yeah, I can't stand waiting around to find out my fate!
Stay tuned..... while I try to stay patient..................
I need a skim vanilla latte!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Summer schedule and scoliosis surgery
It's been a while since my last blog. I've been sooooo busy. I finished my in-station volunteer fire department training. I had my test last night and passed. For the last three weeks it has been a busy schedule of fire department station level classes Tues. & Thurs. nights. In between those two nights I've had my ECG recognition class on Wednesdays. Not to mention the monthly fire department meeting on one of those Mondays. 4 kids, helping with homework, son's soccer (practices and games),daughter's clarinet lessons,etc,etc,etc. I'm probably preaching to the choir here, 'cuz I know we all seem to have busy, hectic schedules these days.
The only thing I still need before I can start ride-alongs is the results of my physical back. And to be honest, I'm worried about my vision. I passed everything else including the stress test, pulmonary function test, etc. but I did horrible on the vision. My vision corrected with glasses is perfect, 20/20, but without glasses not so good. Apparently there is an uncorrected vision minimum. I'm not sure what it is, I tried finding it online but to no avail. I can understand a minimum for fire fighting because you need to wear a mask with a SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) and you can't get a tight seal with glasses. Not sure if contacts (which I don't wear) would be acceptable. However, I'm doing EMT-only. I always wear my glasses and I was planning on carrying a spare pair for a backup when I ride. I will be so upset if I fail the vision and get rejected from volunteering!!!!!!!!!
I've put so much time into this - 75+ volunteer hours since March. The EMT course I took will directly pertain to working in the ED so it wasn't a waste, but still I really want to volunteer as an EMT. I guess I will just wait and see. I probably will find out in another week and 1/2.
************************************************************************************
Anyway, getting back to schedules...It's been a little nutty lately. Thank God for my husband who's very understanding and supportive. I couldn't do it without him. I've decided not to take the summer class, Abnormal Pathophysiology, that I was thinking about taking. It would be an awesome class and you'd get to work with cadavers, but I'm also taking an RN refresher class this summer starting in early June. I also just found out my daughter will need surgery in mid-June for scoliosis. It's a rough surgery. I wish she didn't have to go through it, but there's really no other choice. Her curve has gotten progressively worse and the bracing is not working at all. So she will be getting the surgery. Fortunately the surgery is easier than it used to be. They've come a long way.
************************************************************************************
I'm still hoping to return to nursing this fall when our youngest son goes to Kindergarten. It looks like I will need to do nights when I return because his school/county has decided not to switch to full-day kindergarten like they had originally planned. This means he will be getting out of school 10:40 am on Mondays and 12:45 pm the rest of the week. Which means I will most likely need to work nights. I was thinking about working 12 hr days and then switching to nights during the summers (to be home with the kids while they're out of school). Looks like I will need to do nights from the start.
********************************************************************************
One more week of ECG class left and then the final. I need to go read a few more chapters and review for the final. I'm having a hard time getting motivated. I'd rather read the latest edition of Change of Shift. Check it out over at Nurse Sean's place. Here's the link:
http://nursesean.com/http:/nursesean.com/musings/change-of-shift-volume-two-number-21.htm
I'm looking forward to reading it myself. Now, if I can just find the time.......
The only thing I still need before I can start ride-alongs is the results of my physical back. And to be honest, I'm worried about my vision. I passed everything else including the stress test, pulmonary function test, etc. but I did horrible on the vision. My vision corrected with glasses is perfect, 20/20, but without glasses not so good. Apparently there is an uncorrected vision minimum. I'm not sure what it is, I tried finding it online but to no avail. I can understand a minimum for fire fighting because you need to wear a mask with a SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) and you can't get a tight seal with glasses. Not sure if contacts (which I don't wear) would be acceptable. However, I'm doing EMT-only. I always wear my glasses and I was planning on carrying a spare pair for a backup when I ride. I will be so upset if I fail the vision and get rejected from volunteering!!!!!!!!!
I've put so much time into this - 75+ volunteer hours since March. The EMT course I took will directly pertain to working in the ED so it wasn't a waste, but still I really want to volunteer as an EMT. I guess I will just wait and see. I probably will find out in another week and 1/2.
************************************************************************************
Anyway, getting back to schedules...It's been a little nutty lately. Thank God for my husband who's very understanding and supportive. I couldn't do it without him. I've decided not to take the summer class, Abnormal Pathophysiology, that I was thinking about taking. It would be an awesome class and you'd get to work with cadavers, but I'm also taking an RN refresher class this summer starting in early June. I also just found out my daughter will need surgery in mid-June for scoliosis. It's a rough surgery. I wish she didn't have to go through it, but there's really no other choice. Her curve has gotten progressively worse and the bracing is not working at all. So she will be getting the surgery. Fortunately the surgery is easier than it used to be. They've come a long way.
************************************************************************************
I'm still hoping to return to nursing this fall when our youngest son goes to Kindergarten. It looks like I will need to do nights when I return because his school/county has decided not to switch to full-day kindergarten like they had originally planned. This means he will be getting out of school 10:40 am on Mondays and 12:45 pm the rest of the week. Which means I will most likely need to work nights. I was thinking about working 12 hr days and then switching to nights during the summers (to be home with the kids while they're out of school). Looks like I will need to do nights from the start.
********************************************************************************
One more week of ECG class left and then the final. I need to go read a few more chapters and review for the final. I'm having a hard time getting motivated. I'd rather read the latest edition of Change of Shift. Check it out over at Nurse Sean's place. Here's the link:
http://nursesean.com/http:/nursesean.com/musings/change-of-shift-volume-two-number-21.htm
I'm looking forward to reading it myself. Now, if I can just find the time.......
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Decisions, Fire, and Extinguishers
Well I signed up for advanced pathophysiology today. I haven't totally made up my mind I want to take it. It will be a summer course. I am already going to be taking an online nurse refresher class for 7 weeks, 2 of which will be clinicals in hospital. I don't know.... I've been taking one or two classes a semester since last spring. It's a lot with 4 kids and providing full-time daycare.
However, this particular class is only offered in the evenings during the summer. The rest of the year it is offered middle of afternoon, which would be tough with the kids schedule. Plus, I'm planning to return to nursing this fall. I think advanced patho would be another great class to have under my belt as a review before returning to nursing.
I will be glad when I finally do return to nursing. I can't wait for this fall.
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On another note, last Sunday was interesting. I got to shoot off fire extinguishers in Level 1 training at the fire academy. I'm volunteering as an EMS-only member, but you still get to learn some basics like the extinguishers. We got to fill the water extinguishers with a hose and then use an air compressor to put in enough pressure. Then we hiked up a small hill with same water extinguishers, as well as CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers. We were going to test out which extinguisher should be used for different fires by first choosing the wrong extinguisher for the job and seeing what happens.
Our two instructors built two fires - one was a combustible fire and the other a diesel fuel fire. We watched as they gave a demonstration on which extinguisher to use with which fire.
The CO2 and dry chemical did not work on the fire of combustibles (hay, wood, etc.). They would put the intense top flames out but as soon as the wind kicked up it would flare right up again just as high and intense as before. Then they tried the water extinguisher and it put the fire out very quickly. Then we got to squirt our water extinguishers at the fire to finish it off - by then it was only smoldering.
Next our instructors used the water extinguisher on the diesel fuel fire. All it did was make the fire shoot up and intensify. It intensified so much that we felt the heat blast - we were some 15 yards away. The CO2 did not do much - it only coated the flames, which hardly were affected. We also got to shoot off the CO2 and the dry chem.
Long story short, look at the labels on your fire extinguisher and decide what type of fire you're dealing with to know which extinguisher to use. Lay public, call 911.
It made for an interesting morning. It was one of the more interesting training classes so far.
Gotta go. I have more training tonight. This is "in-station level" . Looking forward it.
However, this particular class is only offered in the evenings during the summer. The rest of the year it is offered middle of afternoon, which would be tough with the kids schedule. Plus, I'm planning to return to nursing this fall. I think advanced patho would be another great class to have under my belt as a review before returning to nursing.
I will be glad when I finally do return to nursing. I can't wait for this fall.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On another note, last Sunday was interesting. I got to shoot off fire extinguishers in Level 1 training at the fire academy. I'm volunteering as an EMS-only member, but you still get to learn some basics like the extinguishers. We got to fill the water extinguishers with a hose and then use an air compressor to put in enough pressure. Then we hiked up a small hill with same water extinguishers, as well as CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers. We were going to test out which extinguisher should be used for different fires by first choosing the wrong extinguisher for the job and seeing what happens.
Our two instructors built two fires - one was a combustible fire and the other a diesel fuel fire. We watched as they gave a demonstration on which extinguisher to use with which fire.
The CO2 and dry chemical did not work on the fire of combustibles (hay, wood, etc.). They would put the intense top flames out but as soon as the wind kicked up it would flare right up again just as high and intense as before. Then they tried the water extinguisher and it put the fire out very quickly. Then we got to squirt our water extinguishers at the fire to finish it off - by then it was only smoldering.
Next our instructors used the water extinguisher on the diesel fuel fire. All it did was make the fire shoot up and intensify. It intensified so much that we felt the heat blast - we were some 15 yards away. The CO2 did not do much - it only coated the flames, which hardly were affected. We also got to shoot off the CO2 and the dry chem.
Long story short, look at the labels on your fire extinguisher and decide what type of fire you're dealing with to know which extinguisher to use. Lay public, call 911.
It made for an interesting morning. It was one of the more interesting training classes so far.
Gotta go. I have more training tonight. This is "in-station level" . Looking forward it.
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