Today in Brief

First up I got over 30 hits in an hour and 82 in 2 days after a link to my blog post about Crocs was put on this message board for stock traders. Wow! Never expected that.
Further to the Crocs story I went shopping for a new pair for my next placement and I couldn't help myself. I bought both a black pair for placement (without any holes) and a pair of red mammoths! Soft and fuzzy and warm!




I also discovered this fantastic competition of photographs taken during scientific studies. They are here in this gallery for all to see but this one is my favourite! In case you can't tell what it is then it's a burst blood vessel. See the little stuck red blood cells? It was taken with a scanning electron microscope.




Lastly has anyone been watching Holby tonight? They are ALL acting like hussies! There goes the Code of Conduct out the window.

Hacking the Heart

A new study (warning opens as a pdf) has found that pacemakers can be hacked! Finally a way to mix my loves of IT and nursing! OK granted if you have a pacemaker then the chances of being hacked are rather slim and the hacker will need around $30,000 of equipment. There is zero chance of me having the skills to do this, so you'll be safe from me at least!
But apparently the hacks can be used to give tiny shocks...... electrifying!

Bickering and Infighting?

So the great and holy NMC have been accused of 'racism and bullying', well I wouldn't expect anything less.
Back in the post where I said that I was sacred of being pulled up for the slightest misdemeanor I talked about the power this 'governing body' has. It wields a huge amount of power, over my education, career, future employment and if you believe what some say my out-of-hours conduct.
I was always a little confused about why I will have to pay to support something that surely the government should be doing? Like the monopolies commission?
Well I have noticed that when you put lots of women together they have a tendency to stab each other in the back eventually. This isn't just a phenomenon in nursing but it's worse. One off comment about another's competency and there's a whole can of worms opened for all to see.

The Holey Religion of the Crocs!

Crocs took their time getting over to this side of the pond. I remember seeing them in 2005 when I was working over in the States, but I only got my first pair last February.
Now I own 4 pairs in different colours and I'm a true believer. I spent 6 weeks in placement wearing them and my feet never hurt once.
Of course now they are being banned all over the place. Now personally I don't use my feet as target practice when disposing of needles but apparently some do. Anyway I off to buy my fifth pair this week for my new placement. I'll be getting the variation without the holes as my favourites; beach and cayman are off the uniform menu.
People laugh at the bright colours (I own Red, Yellow, Black and Turquoise) but they are comfortable, light and they DO look smart, especially the black. Everyone should own at least one pair. Don't knock them till you've spent a 12 hour shift on your feet and wearing a pair of these.
So I'm starting a new religion dedicated to Crocs. The most maligned footwear ever. All you have to do is believe in the shoes!

Also Happening....

I would have posted yesterday but Blogger passed out on me. So I went back to writing my current short story and being forced into drawing something special for Zuzu.
She believes that because I put Lulu's name first that means she's on top in the yin yang image. Which has lead to some odd discussions, including Zuzu saying "But she's on my head!" In public.
Thursday's exam went well. At least I hope so but I won't know for another week or so.
Anyway I'll try to get the other entry up soon and I'll type the new short story too.

Which Futurama Character Are You? Turanga Leela You are the competent, one-eyed captain of the Planet Express Ship. Abandoned at birth, you grew up in the Cookieville Minimum Security Orphanarium believing yourself to be an alien from an unknown race. You eventually learns from your parents that you are, in fact, a mutant from the sewers. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

The Aftermath from the End of the World

Well the world is still turning. At least it is for me, so it didn't go that badly. Thank goodness. Normal service will be resumed shortly!

Wanna Know A Secret?

I made a reference over @ traumaqueen.net about a ward sister I had my eye on at one time.

"Walking down the corridor talking about a certain ward sister, when she just happened to walk by. Hey least I don’t have to go back there….. but I so want to!"

So yea. Anyway if I needed a plan of action I found one. Via astrology, based on my star sign and it's compatibility with her.

"She needs lots of affection, attention, praise, adoration. At first, you won’t mind giving this: it’s a good way to impress her. Eventually, however, you might feel as if you have to constantly tell her how much you appreciate what she does for you. But does she realise how much you do for her? You’re both ambitious, loyal and hard working. She could actually introduce you to many useful people. There is much you have in common but for this relationship to prosper you must make allowances for her strong need to be sociable, she must make allowances for your deep need to be private." Taken from here.

Exam Time

I have one of those huge, everything-hangs-on-this exam in roughly 31 hours....
It's not enough time. I've been working hard for 4 weeks and it's not enough.....
I don't know what else to do any more.
But to entertain you.... Notes from WardBunny and Zuzu

Whit the heck is she talking about?
Catching an STD I think haha!!
Moist... Deep... Fluids... It is about catching STD's!
Told you. I'm paying attention.
Least one of us is.
mmm... fluids!
Just bung in a few tatties!
Tae the cold water and clingfilm?
No with the burnt pork/beef!
"mmm tastes like pork!"
OK apple sauce?
Any crackling?
Haha plenty!
PROBE!!
Those darn aliens get everywhere.

Welcome to my world! I can tell you that she wasn't talking about STD's and that I was paying attention (Zuzu too by the way!).

I Posted Just Too Soon

I made a comment about Beverly Allitt only 2 days ago. Without seeing the recent news stories about Colin Morris. The killer of 4 elderly patients and 1 attempted murder through insulin overdoses.
The first time I saw a TV show about insulin murder it was Murder, She Wrote and I was in high school. I didn't know then what I know now but it was almost untraceable. If it hadn't been for Jessica Fletcher, the killer would never have been caught. OK so Jessica Fletcher wasn't really there this time but he was caught.
Better questions to be asking ourselves are, Who hired this guy?, How did he get on the nursing course in the first place?, Why did no-one spot this sooner?
Surely the drugs would have been missed? Maybe not, it isn't like the units left are counted. Almost anyone could get on the course with the right answers and qualifications. If you can fool a lie-detector then you can fake responses in interviews. I proved that myself by being able to sound straight and hiding my true feelings for years.
But what drives a person to kill? How can anyone hurt another human being? The judge couldn't find a motive. Although it looks like he only wanted power over life and death. He seems to show no remorse, predicting the patient's deaths and making jokes about it.
The only good thing must be that he will never nurse again. But it's another nail in the coffin of the 'angels ' of nursing.

Grubby and Promiscuous

"The nurses that looked after me were mostly grubby. We're talking about dirty fingernails, slipshod, lazy. But worst of all my Lords they were drunken and promiscuous." - Lord Mancroft

This man has been watching No Angels not visiting an actual NHS hospital. Mind you I don't work in that particular trust, still I have never seen a nurse be that unprofessional.

As a wise lecturer said to us once "The halo slipped long ago." And it did the public no longer see us as sweet little angels out to care for their loved ones. Nope, the profession is now personified by strippers dressed as nurses, the Beverly Allitt types and the boozy sluts in the TV dramas... It's all become one big joke - like these 'nurses' at the Heart Attack Grill.

How are we meant to fight back against all that? I'll go work on a plan!