A Day In The Life | Clinical Day edition
I did one of these last semester, so I've taken you along on a nursing school day before.
But no two nursing school days are the same, so today I'm gonna have you tag along on a clinical day. 🙂
6:30
I rolled out of bed, threw my walking clothes and shoes on, and drove to a trail by the water, where I caught the sunrise.
Actually...because of the way the trail is set up, I could see the moon on one side of the peninsula, and the sun on the other.
I spent part of my walk on the rocks instead of the trail.
Something about navigating the uneven rocks makes me feel like a kid again...and on the rocks, I can enjoy the eastern sun, hear the waves, and feel the cold breeze on my cheeks.
Happy is not a big enough word for how I feel but...I do just feel like I am bathing in happiness at moments like those.
After my walk, I drove back home, but I made a stop at Safeway because I'd had a brain cramp the day before.
See, I'd gone to Sam's Club, largely because I needed eggs. But I came home with exactly no eggs. Sigh.
Sooo, I bought a dozen at Safeway after my walk.
8:00
I got home and
- did a weights workout
- unloaded my dishwasher and put away my hand-washed dishes from last night
- showered
- did my minimal hair/makeup routine
- put on a white t-shirt and my scrub pants (yay for no thinking about an outfit!)
- made my bed
- fed Chiquita
9:00
I made a batch of no-stir granola and put it in the oven.
I made whole wheat blueberry pancakes for myself. Or rather, I cooked them. I'd made one recipe's worth of the batter two days ago, cooked half, and put the other half in a Mason jar in the fridge.
That makes for a nice quick breakfast for me in the next day or two!
I also started a batch of creamy tortellini soup because I needed a packable meal for my two clinical days.
I tried this new-to-me recipe, and I landed on it mainly because it used a lot of things that I happened to have on hand, and my main need was to use up some wilty kale from my fridge.
I only needed about half an onion, so I stored the other half in this jar; it's all glass, so I never have to worry about the onion stinking up a lid. I got the jar at Goodwill for $1 a long time ago.
Next, I printed out my required clinical paperwork; we have plenty of documenting that we do on the computer system, but there's also actual school paperwork that we do each day.
10:00
I sat down to type up my day before I forgot everything I'd done!
Then I finished making my soup and did some dinner-packing prep.
I packed up my non-food stuff for clinical (because if I do this last-minute, I am sure to forget things.)
I broke up the granola and put it in jars. It was an easy process to get it out of the pan because this time I remembered to grease the pan first. Yay me!
I made coffee.
And I cleaned up my kitchen.
11:00
I made a very unimportant Instagram Reel just for fun.
I responded to blog comments, shared the day's post to social media, sent it out via email, and worked on a post for the next day.
12:00
I ate a peanut butter sandwich, put a coat of paint on the scuffed table, and got my lunch packed.
12:30
I headed out the door to drive to the hospital.
1:00
Clinical starting time! Obviously, I can't give you a detailed report of what I did because, hello, patient privacy.
But I can say in general that at my clinical shifts, I:
- get report from a student nurse and a regular nurse
- do vital signs
- do a head-to-toe assessment on my assigned patient
- administer oral and injection meds (with the supervision of my nursing instructor)
- hang IV meds and program IV pumps
- document things in the hospital system and also in our student system
- fill out clinical paperwork for school
- make a care plan for a patient
And I try to take advantage of every opportunity to observe the nurses and techs as they do their tasks. If they're the type that doesn't mind questions, I ask about their process and the why behind they do certain things.
We get a dinner break around 5:00, and after that, we're back on the floor until 8:30.
9:00
Home! Tired!
I:
- caught up with Zoe
- unpacked my lunch stuff
- started the dishwasher
- did my daily Duolingo lesson
- spent some time on my phone (noooo phones during clinical, so there are a lot of notifications by the time I get off)
- texted with Sonia
- tried returning a call from Lisey (our schedules did not mesh well this day, so I didn't end up getting to talk to her)
I also ate a peanut butter and honey sandwich on whole wheat bread because I was hungry.
And then my exhausted self got ready for bed, where I fell right to sleep.
And that wraps up my day. I hope you enjoyed riding along with me virtually. 🙂
One of my favorite things about living here on the high plains is that I can always see the sun rising in the east and the moon setting in the west in the mornings. No trees and extraordinarily clear air make it very dramatic.
And I live in such a treed area, there are not a lot of places to see the sun rise and set!
I think it would be very difficult for me to live long-term in a mountainous or forested/ish area because of this horizon situation. I need that horizon.
@Karen., When we lived in a village at the top of Alaska, where the earth literally ends and it is located well above the tree line, the horizon is limitless. On grey days, it is like you lose a dimension and instead are seeing a huge movie screen in front of you. (Trees cannot grow in the deep arctic and I think only two buildings in town were taller than two stories, so not much blocks the horizon.) I loved standing right at the edge of the earth, staring at the Arctic Ocean. Some days you could see the polar bears congregating, which you would watch from inside your vehicle. They are very fast moving, are scared of nothing, and eat humans.
@Lindsey, LOL, I'm glad you didn't get eaten!
I really like these Day in the life posts. And Walks along the water are the best! Thanks for the great pictures. We can bathe in the happiness with you.
Thanks for sharing. I am happy for you that your life seems to continue to improve and that the tracks you are on should lead to continued satisfaction.
@K D, I second what you said. (And after reading about Kristen's day and hearing about her step count, I no longer wonder how she keeps so slim!)
Haha, well, I'm sure it is at least partly genetics. But also, this day somehow ended up with a higher step count than what is typical; normal for me is about 100 miles a month, so, about 3.3 miles a day. This particular day just happened to involved a LOT of walking.
One recent clinical shift, I shadowed a float nurse and my goodness, that really was a lot of walking. We covered so much ground.
Would you mind sharing what you do for weight lifting? Do you follow a plan? Create the routine yourself? How heavy are the weights? How many times a week do you lift for how long, etc. Thanks!
Honestly, I'm a pretty haphazard weight lifter, which is my body is not exactly competition-worthy. lol
Basically, I try to do weights a few times a week, and each time I do, I pick about three exercises and do three sets of them. And I try to rotate body areas (back, shoulders, arms, legs, etc.)
It's not a lot, it's not very systematic, but it's simple enough that I stick to it pretty well, even in school.
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The weights are as heavy as I can handle for three sets of about 8 reps. And I move the weights up as I get stronger.
I know that I could do something more organized and probably get better results, but I'm really applying the concept of not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. Some muscle building is better than none. Some bone-density building is better than none.
Also: I don't enjoy lifting weights. I have to make it small and manageable, or I won't do it! lol
@Kristen, if you're interested in trying something else for lifting, check out Juice and Toya on YouTube. Rather than describe it, here's an example:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCwrXi5ZknKThspJc-Gai04g
This one is a 15 min full body dumbbell workout.
@Kristen, thanks for posting this. I was curious about the weight training myself, as it always seems like work out routines take way too long. This seems doable. BTW, your morning trail walk seems heavenly.
Yes. If I need do dedicate an hour to weights, five days a week, I know I'm not gonna do it.
The best workout is one you will do!
I like Juice and Toya too and also Cheryl Coulombe (https://www.youtube.com/@LiftwithCee). I like having a set time and someone to tell me what to do.
@WilliamB, thanks for that. I will eventually (maybe) have to cease paying my online fee for BODI so this is a nice work out to do. and they have many from which to choose.
@Kristen, " I have to make it small and manageable, or I won’t do it!" well, that is me all over.
Yup. It's what helps me be consistent!
My sister and I used to run back and forth on a stone jetty. There was and is one stone that is problematic, at a 45 degree angle, that's still there and still at a bad angle 50 years later. I wish someone would add another rock and fill it in!
I'm wondering when you fed the other kitty - or does Zoe take care of her?
We do split cat duties! I take care of Chiquita and Zoe takes care of Shelley. But since Shelley has had weight issues in the past (she was pretty overweight when we adopted her) she has an automatic feeder so that her portions are strictly controlled. And ever since she got that feeder, she has maintained a healthier weight.
We were trying to portion out her food carefully before, but apparently we were not as accurate as this machine is. 😉
@Kristen, I could use an automatic feeder myself! Haha!
I always love/hearing a day in the life recaps - I just find it so interesting yo glimpse in at other people’s every day life. Thanks for sharing!
I admire that you have very minimal "got stuck staring at my phone for an hour and scrolling" time. You've inspired me to be more efficient with my time today! Not that every moment needs to be filled, but I have a lot of necessary and enjoyable things to do today.
@Meira @ meirathebear, This is my battle, too. I must admit that the biggest time suck for me is this blog 🙁 I keep trying to get away from it more, but. . .
So now I wish to ask a question of the Frugal Commentariat: If anybody else here makes buttermilk from starter (I use store-bought buttermilk as a starter), does your buttermilk ever get INSANELY stringy? Does anybody know why this might happen?
I had an incident this morning while measuring my homemade buttermilk. The incident made me briefly wonder if the buttermilk had become a sentient being able to control it's mobility. I tried to stop pouring at 1/2 cup, but it just wouldn't stop! It kept coming and coming and spilling all over the counter and then down to the floor. I tried to stop it with my hands, and I was able to lift it/pull it back up like slime. I eventually lost the battle and it coated the counter, cupboard doors, and floor.
What is happening!? (I ditched the buttermilk, but I will start with a new starter.)
That would have made a funny video!
I don't even keep buttermilk around anymore; I use a 50/50 milk/homemade yogurt combo and it works like a charm.
@Jody S., like you, this blog is my only internet time suck, so I try to treat it like a treat rather than an obsession.
Your buttermilk story sounds like an exaggerated cartoon scene—gross and funny! (and mysterious)
@Jody S., I've found that using dry buttermilk and mixing it up a cup at a time works fine for me as a single lady. Loud cheers for your efforts to make and use homemade buttermilk for your large family--but you might consider the dry option if you ever feel that your back is against the wall.
@A. Marie, I started because I read about doing it online, and it is sooo much easier than yogurt. And I do use a lot of it. I think I'm going to try with fresh starter, and if the problem keeps happening, I'll switch to Kristen's method.
@Jody S., OMG.. buttermilk and yogurt are so yummy to eat when you combine them together. I admit I have not tried it with a "thicker" yogurt (such as Oikos or Greek yogut) but I have no doubt it will be just as good.
Very interesting, thank you for sharing it. I continue to be impressed by how disciplined you are about doing All The Things (hat tip to Allie Brosh).
What language are you studying? I've managed to do Spanish every day this year so far.
Spanish! Because I hope it will help me to assist patients.
@Kristen, I often found myself wishing when my siblings and I were tag-teaming my mother's care during her last year in a Florida nursing home that I'd taken Spanish instead of French in high school. It would have enabled me to communicate much more effectively with her caregivers. (And if the long-ago boyfriend who tried to persuade me to take Spanish instead of French in high school is somehow reading this, you won this one in the end, dude.)
@Kristen,
In the hospital where I work, I have noticed a significant increase in the number of Spanish-only speaking patients we've been getting over the past several years. We also have a growing Russian and Uzbek population. Fortunately, the hospital started using "iPads on wheels" that have an online audio and video interpreter service available on them. It makes communicating with these patients much easier than using a phone-only interpreter service like we used in the old days!
Yes, we do have those at the hospital where I am doing my clinicals. But I figured that if I already know some Spanish, that would be very helpful too.
@Kristen,
Oh, I agree, knowing some Spanish would definitely be helpful. I applaud your efforts to learn Spanish! I've thought about using DuoLingo myself.
You had a very productive day! I'm glad you got a dinner break :)!
My daughter is a L & D nurse. She helps to delivers babies from my church and I don't even know about it until the parents tell me that she was there!
Do you do one clinical day than the other straight after?
Yep! So the morning of the second day, I try to get a bunch of my paperwork assignments done so that I can just focus on practical hands on time at the hospital.
Thanks for sharing your day. I love those kinds of days where it is full and productive:) I had a full day yesterday as well. Work, commute and then a long evening with the gals at book club. Wouldn't have it any other way:)
A long, but satisfying day for you, Kristen. I had no idea your weather is so chilly there right now! You do look pink in that picture. Your whole post sounds so cheerful, which is great.
A day in my life - yesterday: I got up at 5:30 to do a very small workout, get dressed, eat breakfast, feed dogs, put my lunch in its bag and go to work. I work from 8-5, through lunchtimes, but yesterday we had a lunch staff meeting. During lunch time I usually walk the short circle where my office building is but I didn't walk yesterday. The bosses bought us lunch yesterday (I ordered) for the meeting, which was nice. I left work a few minutes after five and drove the 25 minutes to go visit my husband. I stayed with him an hour then drove home, arriving at 7:45. I didn't have to stop for gas yesterday, but I will today. At home I fed the fish and dogs, tended to my garden plants a little, made a homemade "pizza" and ate, cleaned up the kitchen, did a bit of hand laundry, did a little housework so I will have less to do on the weekend, got ready for bed and fell asleep in 0.3 seconds. I awoke to storms today.
This kind of day goes on repeat for most days of the week. I visit DH every other day because I can't handle getting home so late five days a week. I usually get home about 6:30-7 the days I don't visit him. We at my office take off early on Fridays, but that's when I grocery shop or run errands, so I get home usually about the same on Fridays. I'm always really ready for the weekend. I remind myself this is a phase and my days won't always be this busy. I'm grateful that I have the ability to hold a job and do the things that need to be done, but I admit I'm looking forward to retirement.
@JD, You and Kristen both pack a lot into each day! If I was getting home at 8 or 9 at night, I don't think I could do much more than stuff my face with whatever was closest in the fridge.
I appreciate you sharing your experience, as my husband has started using the VA for some of his medical needs. He doesn't need to go frequently right now, but it's a good hour away, and I can imagine how tiring it could be to have that long drive all the time. Here's hoping that a good retirement isn't too far away for you!
It was a slightly unusual string of cold days for March; down to freezing! We're back up to warmer temperatures now.
@Suz,
I came to the conclusion early on that if I was going to stay in my same wardrobe and/or not go broke on take out, I was going to have to cook meals. I cook ahead as much as I can on weekends, but pizza is just better when fresh to me.
I'm thrilled to hear your husband is using the VA! The more people who use it, the better the services get for vets. My advice: check all the boxes. Could he have been exposed to anything during his service? Do you qualify for a travel allowance for his health visits? Does he have any leftovers from service, such as hearing loss? Also, get to know your VSO (Veteran's Service Officer) in your county. Some of them aren't the greatest, but many of them are very helpful and can tell you things you didn't even know you should ask about.
I have busy days, but I'm not trying to learn a pile of new things at the same time, like Kristen does!
@JD, reading your account of your day has made me go "oof." I worked as a telecommuter until I retired in 2020 for DH's sake, and his nursing home from 2021 ro 2023 was just 6 minutes down the hill from me. Compared to the effort you're putting in, I was a piker. Hands across the miles to you and your DH, as always.
Both our girl kitties are somewhat overweight, despite our best efforts with weight control measures. They are both big-framed -- quite a bit longer and taller than average -- but also are not active cats and never have been. Our male cat, who passed away recently at just about 18 years old, was very active and stayed trim all his life. He was Mr. Personality and they are sweet ladies of leisure.
Tomorrow I have to take the youngest girl to the vet for her annual check up and am not looking forward to carrying her in our heavy-duty pet carrier. That will be a workout!
@Ruby, you've just reminded me of one of the great Nicole Hollander's comic strip books: "My Cat's Not Fat, He's Just Big-Boned." (I particularly empathize with the cat who's "just been told that he'll have to eat that special canned cat food that comes from the veterinarian for the rest of his life." The cat's response: "Shoot me now.")
I have never thought of saving pancake batter to cook later since I’ve always thought it wouldn’t keep the air bubbles for fluffy pancakes. So I cook up a double batch and freeze the ones we don’t eat. They do heat up well in the microwave and taste like they are fresh off the griddle. It’s also super quick as a last minute breakfast meal.
@Rachel, I prefer the freeze-then-cook version as well, reheating mine in the toaster oven for a bit of crispness. Even double-acting baking powder loses half its rise within a short time (an hour? Dunno) of getting wet; that's one part of the double-action. The other part happens as it heats.
Kristen, it is great to see you so energized and happy. You continue to be a terrific role model of doing the next thing without excuses, finding joy and beauty wherever you are, and not sliding into self-indulgent I-Deserve-This behaviors.
Maybe I need to adopt this little reminder motto to get off my donkey and do more: WWKD?
Hi Kristen,
What do you do for your weight workout? I am looking to add some weight training to my exercise routine, which is minimal.
@Anna Chan, just to add another voice: I like Juice and Toya on YouTube. I posted a link above if you want to check it out.
I replied to a previous commenter, but I am afraid that my answer is not super helpful. I'm no expert!
@Kristen, I have another question for you, when you are doing your furniture painting, do you do the painting inside or outside? I have a file box I want to paint, but have been waiting for good weather to start it outside.
For spray paint or sanding, always outside! But for priming and painting with a water-based primer, I can do that inside with a drop cloth, no problem.
Upside of doing it inside: no bugs or spider webs getting on my furniture! lol
@WilliamB, Thank you for the suggestion, I will look into them. I want to do some weight training, but it's been so long, I am not sure where to start.
What a thoroughly and thoughtfully lived-in day. And I love the peek inside the hospital. Looking at those rocks make my ankles hurt ha.
There’s joy and happiness in every part of this post. From walks to see sunrises and moonsets to taking the time for fixing yummy meals from scratch, it’s a busy, engaged girl's best life.
Happiness is very attractive so I’m not surprised that you’ve made a bunch of friends among your classmates, and will in the hospital too.
Well, sometimes I feel slightly worried that I will land wrong on a rock and actually hurt my ankles. But so far so good. And I never do this on wet, slimy rocks! Only dry rocks with lots of texture. 🙂
@Kristen, It's a terrific way to work on your balance. I deliberately pick out rocky portions of the trails I walk -- just keep your eyes open!
Loved this post and also I am so impressed with your energy! You’re basically working 1,5 jobs in one day? Not sure if I could get up at 6:30 if I worked in a hospital until 9!
Always enjoy the peek into your day!
K
I am ready to take a nap with all you've done.
@Cheryl, I was exhausted just reading it ...
I should find somewhere around here to see the sunset. Probably would need to drive somewhere far though, I would think. Your picture is lovely.
We love that Damn Delicious recipe and have done quite a few of her other recipes. Most have been winners.
So much to learn about nursing, don't forget to engage with other departments in hospital. Supplies, facilities, dietary, environmental. I worked in finance and needed to engage with front line staff in all departments often. The more understanding of how everyone engages is important.
@Spring, I worked as a maid in college and grad school so I always make a point to engage with the janitorial staff. Turns out that is smart business, too, as when things like a bathroom flood would happen, my floor would get an almost instantaneous response. One of my most prized possessions is a tree topper angel hand made by one of our cooks in a residential facility, with a note thanking me for noticing his hard work and appreciating his food. I owe it to my father, who taught me to "see everyone."
@Lindsey, I love this, thanks.
@Spring,
Well said. I interact with people from many departments every day, including some fellas who started out as teenagers working in the kitchen, and who now work in Logistics or Sterile Supply. They still say hi to me in the cafeteria at breakfast or lunch time.
I’m not surprised that you needed a pnb sandwich at the end of your day. My first clinical day as an occupational therapy student had exhausted me. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until dinner time. Since my husband got home earlier than I, he was in charge of basic dinner prep. As we were sitting at the table with our boys, he looked at me curiously. Apparently I had inhaled a large amount of food in a very short time. “Guess you’re a little hungry “ was his response.
Kristen, I always enjoy reading your “ Day in the Life” posts. The amount of activities you list out almost always makes me feel challenged that I can accomplish more than I do achieve in any given day. ( I think I take too many breaks).
You know I love your photos! The rocks remind me of visits to a local park with my kids when they were young. I’ve always been nervous walking on rocks near water but my kids always loved it so I would walk with them there and we have some great memories. Thankfully no slips occurred.
I truly admire you for all that you are accomplishing in your life! And that you are sleeping well is icing on the cake for your health. Peanut butter and honey sandwich … yum!
what a day. you really get a lot done. amazing to c the sun and the moon at the same time. thanks for taking us along. and thanks for the Chiquita pix. is shelley ok? we haven't seen her in a while. sorry you didn't get to speak to lisey.
Whew!
Depending on the season, I take pictures of the sunrise as I leave work and post on fb.
I try to catch the sunrise so I can see the elusive green flash, but hasn't happened yet.
@Rose,
I'm curious....green flash?
@Liz B., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash
@Rose, I've only heard of the green flash with sunsets over the Pacific (never seen it either).
At first I was really confused! When I was in nursing school, most of our clinical time , we worked 7am-3 pm. I was a traditional student. Went to nursing school straight out of high school. I got my diploma from a Catholic nursing school in '85. And a BSN in '87. It is such an awesome career. You are going to be a blessing to your patients!
There is a shift that works those hours, but we are in staggered shifts, at many hospitals. There are 130 of us in my semester alone, and there are four semesters worth of students, so we are sprinkled all over at varying hours!
@Kristen, That gives me hope that we're replenishing our nurse population after the problems created by the pandemic.
I really enjoyed reading about your day and love the pics of the ocean! I try and see the sunrise there as well, but am not very good at getting up early!
Also love the Chiquita pic 🙂
You should try some mayo w/ your PB instead of honey (or jelly). You can't beat it.
@Selena, weird. I might try that tomorrow—thanks for the suggestion!