Kicking The Bed Pan

So for those of you who do not know what a bed pan is, it is "an object used for the toileting of a bedridden patient in a health care facility, usually made of a metal, glass, or plastic receptacle." (wikipedia) A little bit somber, I know, however lets move on to the fun part! My bucket, or bed pan, list consist of the following:

• travel the world (this is the most important thing on my list)
• continue to donate to charities (hopefully I'll be able to give money to charities when I start my career)
• go to EDC & Coachella & Burning Man 
• have a Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars movie watching marathon
• be successful in my career
• start oil painting 
• pay to take my family out to a really nice dinner
• give my brother advice that will stick with him throughout the rest of high school 
• be healthy (eating and exercising right)
• look amazing when I come to my high school reunion
• go to the gay pride festival in SF in 2014
• I know it sounds super cheesy, but find someone who loves me. I don't need to marry the guy, but I want to be with just one person for the rest of my life and not divorce or split up. It doesn't mean I'm only going to date one person, but when I feel like I'm ready for a life long commitment, I truly want it to be life long
• be able to wear atleast 3 inch heels for hours at a time and not feel uncomfortable
• dance until I can't feel my legs anymore or wake up unable to walk
• run a marathon
• stop biting my nails
• get my teeth professionally whitened
• pay to take my parents on a cruise
• change someone's life for the greater good
• see something magical 
• go to the city, Berkeley or San Francisco, and pass out "I think you're very attractive" cards

Thats all I can think of at the moment. I hope you all have a good week before Winter Break!

Surviving The Extremes

Hi bloggers,
For the book iQuest have to read, I chose Surviving the Extremes by Kenneth Kamler, M.D.. He decided to travel the world to 6 very different and extreme parts of the world to test what would happen to the human body in each extremes. Not only does he talk about the human body, but the techniques and medicine used by people who live in underdeveloped or rural parts of the world. The book is a very interesting and unique read, so I will be able to finish it very easily. I plan to read one chapter every 2 weeks. There are only 6 chapters in the entire book, so I will be able to finish it within the allotted time (January 28th).

In the first chapter, the environment is in the jungle in the Amazon. He talks about how both dangerous but necessary for survival it is in the Amazon. Yes, the Amazon causes heat stroke, is a home for poisonous and dangerous animals, and more, yet it also is a natural pharmacy and has certain poisons needed for hunting. The Amazon is a natural paradox. People in this environment need to keep a constant lookout for the anopheles mosquito (malaria), black caiman, anaconda, venomous snakes, poisonous frogs and caterpillars, schisto worm (liver parasite), stingray, electric eel and a most interesting creature called the candiru. The candiru is a very tiny catfish which looks for a source of salt. When someone or thing urinates in the water, the candiru will follow the stream of urine and lodge itself in the animal’s urethra. Surgery is required to remove it. Another interesting part of the first chapter is how he talks about performing surgery on the leader's son who accidentally cut his own arm with a machete. The human body is remarkable and can block the sensors for pain in nerves so one can get to safety if badly hurt without being hindered with the overwhelming feeling of pain. Once the boy starts getting help from Dr. Kamler, he begins to feel pain once again, and begins screaming in agony. Kamler begins to perform surgery and sews back the nerve together. The boy regains the ability to use his arm shortly after.

In the second chapter, he doesn't put himself in the situation of being stranded in the ocean, but instead talks about how a couple of people were able to survive in the open sea. The world record of someone surviving in the open sea is 130 days without any supplies. The world record winner's name is Poon Lim. To survive, he collected rain, caught fish, and kept moving to prevent bed sores. Methods thought up by other survivors include using improvised solar-powered stoves to distill seawater. The physiology of salt intake, dehydration and starvation are presented along with some cases of on cannibalism at sea.

 The point of the book is to inform the audience about the differences of medicine and technique in different countries of the world and also let the audience know what happens to the body in 6 different extremes. I really enjoy the book because its medical and scientific, yet easy to understand. Readers can be both young or old and still appreciate the content. Also, its interesting to learn about the different extremes in the world.

A Day in the Life of a Nurse

Hi Bloggers,

I've been volunteering at the San Ramon Regional Hospital for about two months now. I volunteer every Wednesday from 3:30-6, so  2.5 hours a week. Spending almost three hours a week allows me to be exposed to a very different environment. For one, instead of saying mentor, the correct terminology to describe someone you're shadowing is "preceptor". My preceptor's name is Julie, and she's the head charge nurse. This means she's manages all the other nurses during her shift. We both sit in the nurse's station on the second floor, in post op, or post operation meaning we receive patients who have just been through surgery. 

My day starts off with counting narcotics. We go into this small closet where there is this machine that is basically a vending machine for medicine. It is extremely secure, so it takes a thumb print before one can even access any medication. There are about 5 different drawers of medication, ranging from 2 to 30 different compartments in each drawer. We count every type of medication and put it in the machine. This is done before every shift in order to check that no one is secretly stealing any medication.

Next, at 4 o'clock, we go downstairs to partake in something called a bed meeting. This is when different departments in the hospital (pre op, emergency, etc) meet and talk about who is in each of the rooms and how many people do they have in the rooms in total. It is very interesting hearing them talk about "floating" people over (having someone work in a different department in case there are too many people in beds) or having a "super user" (someone who has passwords and codes to everything to help out other nurses). It took a while to get used to the terminology they use, but once you catch on, its like putting a puzzle together. Everything begins to make sense.

After the bed meeting, Julie and I go back to the nursing station where I proceed to answer phone calls from patients for the next hour and a half or so. The patients are able to call me and ask for help. The most common things they need are IV bag changes, pain medication, or having questions for their nurses. I page RNs (registered nurses) and  CNAs (certified nursing assistants) if they are needed at the station or at their patient's room. 

There are many positives and negatives I have noticed about working in the medical field, especially as a nurse. For one, it can be incredibly traumatizing being in close vicinity to death. Once while working, a patient passed away, with his/her family in the same room. The family knew it was expected, yet when it happened, they walked out of the room bawling. Seeing this on a weekly basis, or even more, can begin to make you weary. On the opposite side of the spectrum, I've seen many patients get discharged with huge smiles on their faces. I can see that they are very thankful for the care they received at the hospital. 

I've learned many things while volunteering. I am very quick on picking up new things. For example, it took me about two weeks to understand what the was being said in the bed meetings. The technology is very different in hospitals as well. They don't use "normal" computers, instead, the computers are more high tech and hard to use. I figured out how to use the computers there in less than a day.

In terms of what I've learned in the medical field, I've learned quite a lot. I see nurses run back and forth to their 5 or so different patients, trying to comfort them as best as possible, and yet they keep a positive attitude. It made me realize that if you want to be a nurse, you have to be willing to not only put in the hard work (with sometimes no reward if the patient isn't thankful or does not make it out of the hospital) but also be incredibly positive as well. In addition, the positivity makes a great difference in the patient's moods. 

For time management, I need to work on organizing my day a little bit better. I need to make sure that I don't get senioritis and actually complete my assignments before the due date. I can already see my grades slipping a little bit

Glove Up

Code Red

            The Holland Code and Myers Briggs Personality Test are both tests that one takes to figure out their personality and jobs that best fit those characteristics. My Holland Code is S.E.R. which means that I'm social, enterprising, and realistic.  Social people like talking to people, but more than that, they generally seek out close relationships with others to fulfill their needs. Enterprising people enjoy working with people because they are generally good talkers. Enterprisers value reputation, power, money and status. Realistic people enjoy activities that're centric around problem solving, scientific, mechanical, and motor coordination activities. They also tend to be assertive and competitive.

            The Myers Briggs test is a big different than the Holland Code test because its precise. The questionnaire I took was a total of 72 questions rather than the Holland Test, which was just characterized into 3 different parts. As for my Myers Briggs Personality Test, I got a E.N.T.J. This means that I am an extrovert, intuitive, thinker, and someone who judges. Myersbriggs.org defines E.N.T.J. as "Frank, decisive, assume leadership readily. Quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. Enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. Usually well informed, well read, enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. Forceful in presenting their ideas."

            So what does this have to do with my future? Nurses should have the following skills and qualifications: Clinical Skills, Bedside Manner, Infection Control, Nursing Skills, Physiological Knowledge, Administering Medication, Medical Teamwork, Multi-tasking, Listening, Verbal Communication, Health Promotion and Maintenance. With both my Holland Code and Myers Briggs test, it showed that nursing would be a great occupation for me! Both tests concluded that I am very social, good at problem solving (especially with scientific related situations), a leader, and learning. These tests are beneficial because they can either confirm the career you’re currently interested in or even introduce you to other jobs that would better fit your personality.   

medicaTED

TED talks started in 1984 in Monterey, California. The word TED is actually an abbreviation for technology, entertainment, and design. Each TED talk withholds very innovative people, speaking to an audience about something they have discovered or realized through hard work.  In Long Beach, California in 2011, Abraham Verghese spoke on the behalf of medicine.

In his speech, he talks about the problem with doctors in the modern world. Professionals rely so much on technology to diagnose patients that they are missing the one on one care that the patient truly wants. He said a really funny statement that went something like this, "you could go into a hospital with a missing leg and say that your leg is missing but doctors will still want to do a CT scan before agreeing with you". He then goes to talk about his experience as a doctor and tells a story about a women he was giving a physical to. He proceeded to touch her hands, look at her fingernails, and basically interact with her on a physical level. She exclaimed that she had never had a doctor touch her before, and was really happy that a professional was actually taking the time to do what they're supposed to do, perform a physical. 

He later goes on and talks about rituals. Verghese says that there is something very beautiful about the patient and physician relationship. A patient will allow a doctor to touch him or her and talk about certain topics that most men and women wouldn't even go into with their loved ones, priests, etc. The ritual, he explains, is special because you have to "touch the patient in very intimate ways because it seals the patient physician relationship". Which is fascinating because being allowed to touch a stranger and basically disrobing them, having someone so vulnerable right in front of you, yet having them fully trust you, truly is a beautiful thing.

I would gladly recommend this TED talk to those who have very open minds are mature. People who don't understand the beauty of touch and trust probably wouldn't like this video because you have to really think about someone's vulnerability. For example, in the video, Verghese talks about a woman who had breast cancer and got amazing attention at a hospital, yet no one would touch her breasts. She was very upset because no physician would take the time to actually touch her. To have someone who desired the touch of one's private body is a very unique and interesting situation, one that causes great desperation and vulnerability. It just made me realize that the time a doctor does spend on you is incredibly special, because those who have serious illnesses might not be getting the same one-on-one care.

For those of you whose interests are piqued, here's the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxnlvwprf_c

Enjoy!

Medical Milestones

In class we've been learning about S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. The S means that your goal shouldn't be vague, but have many details. One should target a specific goal that they want to improve on or strive for. The M is measurable as in one wants to be able to quantify or indicate one's success. A is attainable, in other words, it can't be impossible. The goal should be able to be reachable and realistic. R, or relevant, means that it should have something to do with your life goals and what you want to do with your life. Lastly, T means that it should have a time constraint and should have a specified time of when the goal should be completed by. By using S.M.A.R.T goals, one should be able to complete one's goals easier!

This is very relevant to me because as a young adult, I have many goals I want to accomplish. My first goal is that I want to finish my seven college applications before November 1st. I'm going to receive my new SAT score on the 23rd. That means I'll know what colleges I should apply to. I've already picked out a couple but by knowing my precise SAT scores, I'll be able to pick out the top seven colleges.

My second goal is that I want to save atleast 5,000 dollars in my savings account by the time I get into college by working odd jobs and real jobs (hopefully I'll be getting a second job soon). I need to save 5,000 dollars because the college I want to go to, The Maritime Academy, has something called cruises which basically means you're spending a semester on the Golden Bear (the ship) and you work at different ports. It cost atleast 5,000 dollars and so by my Freshman year (the year of the cruise) I need to have atleast 5,000 in my savings account.

Thirdly, I want to be fit enough to run a 5k with my brother by the end of this school year. My brother recently got very involved with the track team at Cal, and I've seen how much happier he is now that he runs. I want to be able to run a 5k because I want to join the color run with my brother as a birthday present to him and a bonding event between him and I. I looked on the website and they don't show any upcoming events in 2014, so I can't put a definite date on it, but I want to be able to do it by June 13th.

The Common High School Disease... Procrastination

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had nice weekends ☺ ! Homecoming is less than a week away and I can't wait. Its nice to have a reason to get dolled up with friends.

Over the weekend, Mrs. B assigned us to think of 5 people who can help us achieve our goals. I know how hard it is to try to achieve goals without people behind you to help pick you up every time you fall down. So without further ado, this is my list of my top 5 (in no order) go to people:

1. My mother is one of my biggest motivator in my life! Sometimes I refer to her as the American Dream because she was able to achieve all her big goals. She moved to America 18 years ago and ever since has worked very hard to learn English and get her nursing degree. It  pushes me to do better in life because I'm able to see her whole journey- the struggle upon struggle but eventually the triumph in the end. Seeing her happiness at the end of every tumultuous journey only makes me want to feel the same. 
2. Melika, my best friend, is so special to me because she's enlightened me to so many new things in the past year or so that I've known her. Melika is literally like no one I've ever met before because she's got a voice for everything, and isn't afraid to say something or speak against something she sees and thinks is wrong. A lot of people in high school try to blend in with the crowd, but instead, Melika already knows who she is and isn't afraid to show it, which I find is really admirable. I know that she believes in me and would push me to accomplish any goal. 
3. Aunt Susie is my great aunt who was a former teacher and principal. She understands teenagers like no other adult I know because she dealt with them for over 20 years. My aunt also has a vast knowledge about life and so whenever I ask her for advice, she always has the best answers. 
4. Do you ever have that one person in your life that looks at you like you're a gem regardless of what you look like or feel like? My friend Jake literally always sees me as the person I want to be rather than the person I feel like I am! He's the one who taught me how to wake board and took me on his boat, where I rekindled my love for both water and boating. Every time I doubt myself, Jake always reassures me. 
5. Lastly, my friend Brian has been with me through all high school and we always have fun together. He's one of the most realistic person I know and always tells me the truth. He's always been real with me, which is hard to find in high school because a lot of people change into someone they thought they would never be. He and I always have the best conversations of our aspirations and I know he'd be a great motivator. 

Mrs. B also assigned us to name 5 things we've procrastinated on this week (welp I'll admit I procrastinated on this assignment) 

1. The biggest one is my college applications. I have 1/2 of one filled out, and I'm waiting on the results of my SAT test (I just took it on the 5th) so my goal is to have all my college applications done by my birthday (November 7th). 
2. I haven't completely cleaned my room in about 2 months or so, so I really need to get on that. Today I cleaned out my closet and took everything off my bed, but I still need to finish up my laundry and vacuum. I guess this would count as only half a procrastination haha.
3. I need to finish up late work from when I was absent from school. I just have 3 worksheets to finish up, but I did most of the work, now I just need to graph it out. I think my biggest hurdle is finding those worksheets though...
4. I need to update my calender for October because its really important for me to know my schedule every week. I have all my events written on a piece of paper but now I just need to put them on my calender.
5. Last but not least, my health is very important to me but I haven't found the motivation to work out every single day. I occasionally work on my abs & thighs but I haven't really worked on anything consistently, and I really want to start. I've started to gain better eating habits, which is a big part of fitness, but my lack of exercise is getting in the way of my full potential.

Thanks for dropping by my blog, hope y'all have a good time at homecoming or whatever you choose to do instead. Bye!

A Not So Patient Senior

Hi fellow bloggers, my name is Pamela Switzer and I currently reside in San Ramon. This year, my senior year, is hopefully going to be one of the best years of my life. I'm turning 18 in less than two months which has been a great eye opener for me. I have come to many conclusions about what I want to do this year, in terms of academics, work, personal, and family and friends. Considering it is my senior year, I know that I have to make every day count, because as we pass each and every day, we are one step closer to college and one step away from high school. My plans for senior year include getting fit and eat healthier, get a better spiritual understanding,  better my relationship with friends and family.

This year I really hope to better myself from the inside and out. I want to work on my fitness to improve my health. After my mom graduated nursing school, she started working out again. I saw a huge difference in her body but more than that, an improvement in her happiness. I hope that when I start working out and eating healthier, I'll be able to sleep easier, be happier, and get toned! I also want to get healthy for the Maritime Academy because there is a lot of physical training involved with the major I'm applying for.

Spiritually, I want to study religions more this year. My mother is Christian and my father is Jewish, which is really interesting because both sides of my family are very religious (with the exception of my mother and father). It makes things very interesting when I visit each side because I get to go to a synagogue and a church. However, I'm not sure if I truly follow or believe in a religion, which is causing me to really introspect my beliefs. Without a concise idea of my spirituality, I feel almost lost in my identity. I want to be able to really find what I believe in to get a better understanding of who I am.

Lastly, my family and friends have always been a very important part of my life. With college right around the corner, I feel even more pressure to solidify all my relationships. Lately my father and I have had some rough times and we haven't spoken in a very long time. I would like to fix our relationship before I go to college. Its hard to fix a relationship with someone who has unstable emotions but I'm hoping that I'll gain a better understanding from his perspective in order to fix our relationship.

I hope that this year will go as great as I believe it'll be. Good luck to everyone who is working on his or her own problems or goals!