Top 10 favorite things of week one in the MICU

10. The hospital food is edible.

9. The IV pumps are the same as my previous hospital so when they go into a frenzy of beeping I now know how to fix them!

8.I will not develop carpal tunnel because we do paper charting ...and Epic, the electronic charting system, is going to roll out in X number of years.

7. My unit it known for "having all the comedians"

6. The ICU is unlocked - this means families can come and go as they please making the patients and nurses much happier!

5. Nurses get to self schedule!

4. There is soft serve ice cream in the cafeteria for when you have one of the those days.

3. When you admit a patient to the unit there are so many people helping you have to start kicking them out. Seriously!

2. My preceptors are amazing, knowledgeable, supportive, and nice. The staff nurses are inclusive, kind, and have a great sense of humor...and Wednesday nights are waffle nights!

#1. The hospital provides scrubs!!! My laundry basket is both cleaner and lighter!

Pink and purple stethoscopes, senior nurse preceptors, and prepping for Xmas

The wonderful thing about training as a new nurse over the holidays is that your preceptors must be experienced nurses. Therefore, since you have experienced nurses, they get the holidays off because of their seniority. And that means you get the holidays to yourself- at least this year! (All bets are off for 2013).

Last night my hubby and I finished our gift wrapping while munching on smoked oysters and crackers. We each had our own tin of oysters so there would be no bickering this year! For our nieces we included a pink and a purple stethoscope in their present. They also happen to be getting a costume box full of princess costumes from their grandparents! They were my first stethoscopes that got me through nursing school, only to be replaced about a month ago with my fancy pants new Littman Cardiology III for the IMCU/ICU.  I must admit it feels like I've gone from riding a trusty tricycle to riding zippy new road bike with this change!

I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up and nursing is the passion that I never knew I had. I'm so thankful I've found this profession that challenges me in cerebral, emotional, and profound way. My nieces, who knows what they will grow up to be, but they are already so aware of the things they could be when the time comes! In the few times we have played together since I've moved here we have played pretend: policeman, teacher, nurse, artist, and  nursing student (they keenly observe their amazing mother in nursing school right now). I hope these stethoscopes bring them some joy as they continue to pretend and imagine and someday realize their possibilities. It probably doesn't hurt that the stethoscopes are also in the girls' favorite colors and should match their princess dresses too ;)

Here is to creativity, imagination, and playfulness!

Buhl Light Parade & Chocolate Mousse

Last night was my father-in-law's birthday dinner. In the style of a European meal we spent the day preparing an 8 course meal. We had 10 people for dinner with whom to share all the  delicious food and drink.

One of the greatest surprises (for me at least) was that the Buhl Light Parade went by our house. Right before the fish course everyone ran outside with their wine glasses to see the floats and clapped and cheered as trucks, 4 wheelers, and trailers, transformed by a plethora of Xmas lights into glowing floats, crept by . It was so small town Idaho.

The middle school band jazzed up the night with 'We wish you a Merry Christmas' while the procession was carefully monitored and guided by the 2 functioning city police cars in town. We sipped our wine and appreciated the scene with the other neighbors outside.

Below is our menu for such a delightful night.

Aperitif et hors d’oeuvres

Champagne and an appetizer of olives, mixed nuts, smoked salmon, and breadsticks

Entrée

A light potato soup

Le Poisson

Sautéed tilapia amandine served with cold asparagus and vinaigrette

Palate Cleanser

Lemon sorbet

Le Plat Principal

New York cut beef with Bordelaise sauce served with petite potatoes

Salade

Tossed greens and vinaigrette

Le Fromage

Assortment of cheeses

Le Dessert avec café

Mousse au chocolat with decaf coffee