Magical Thinking

Mental health is coming to an end. Thank God. I have never experienced such a roller coaster of emotions. Listening to the stay at home parent of a two year old make excuse after excuse for why they beat the snot out of their toddler while they were drunk made me literally sick to my stomach. Giving anti-psychotic meds to a client who was having harmless hallucinations of their recently dead spouse was a values challenege for me. They were depressed that their spouse would be gone forever. And finally, therapeutically communicating with a nurse who had become addicted to prescription drugs in order to cope with the stressors of being a nurse was a very scarey reality check that the profession I am about to enter can be a rocky road.

I did however write a paper on Nursing Presence this term that had profound effects on my developing nursing philosophy. I have always thought about the concept of nursing presence as the art of nursing. But now it has a distinct title and is even a specific NIC listed in the book. It is a topic I will always be interested in reading more about.

So here is where my magical thinking comes in...somewhere along the way I ended up at Michigan's annual nursing students convention, I ran for a board position, and won! Wow! Im the editor for NurseTalk, our state association's newsletter. Um...what the hell was I thinking? lol. I hardly have time to keep up this blog like I should, much less edit a newletter and attend meetings for the association. I have found, however, its very energizing to be around other nursing students who enjoy being a student and enjoy the career they have choosen as much as I do.

Up next, Peds. It starts in three weeks. Any advice???