Week In Review 5/8/16

This week marks the start of a new semester.  This semester I am teaching two courses, but three classes:  Pharm 2 at the Murray campus on Mondays, Pharm 2 at the Layton campus on Tuesdays, and Fundamentals at the Layton campus on Wednesdays.  It should be an interesting semester with 3 different classes and groups of people.  I'm excited!

We usually have a "Boot Camp" for the incoming fundamental students.  These students have been taking general classes but have not actually taken any nursing classes.  At the Boot Camp the students spend a day downloading all of the nursing e-textbooks and software, learning basic navigation of the software, get vouchers for scrubs and also go over all of the expectations for class, labs, and clinicals.  It is usually a very fun and productive day and all of the faculty members participate.  However, due to some scheduling conflicts the Boot Camp for the Layton students fell on Tuesday of this week.  All of the faculty members except Brittani were teaching classes, and Sally was out of town.  Consequently Brittani and I planned and carried out the entire camp.  Well, mostly Brittani did, I ended up having to teach my Pharm class so Brittani did almost the entire camp herself!  She did such a great job!  I finished up the day after my class and covered the things specific to my class.  It ended up going well I think!  But I was glad when it was finished.

Wednesday should have been my first Fundamental class, but several months ago Sally had enrolled Brittani, Tanja, and I into a Simulation Facilitator training that required me to miss my class.  The training was AWESOME!  We learned how to prepare, write, run, and debrief medical situations using high-fidelity manikins.  It was intense training, but very worthwhile.  There was an eclectic mix of participants in the training, nurses from several units including ER, OR, pediatrics, and lifeflight, educators and instructors from colleges, respiratory therapists and even one resident physician.  We all got to take turns at doing the simulations as well as debriefing.  Because they try to make the simulations as real as possible the simulations evoked strong emotions, we never knew exactly what was going to happen during the simulation.  For example we were sitting in class when all of the sudden someone came in shouting that there was an emergency with multiple victims that needed help.  We ran out of the room into a simulated trauma room where we found the victims and all of us had to pitch in and try to save the lives of the manikins.  During the next two days we were exposed to many simulations where manikins (patients) hovered at the brink of death while we performed the necessary steps to restore life.

The main focus of the training was not for our group to perform the simulations well but for us to learn first hand what happens during simulations in order for us to learn to prepare, execute, and debrief the simulations effectively.  We learned about the mechanics of running a simulation and most importantly how to facilitate the debriefing in order to encourage the participants to learn how to perform the tasks correctly before performing them on an actual live person, to make mistakes in a safe environment.

The final day of the training was focused on writing and executing simulations ourselves.  We learned how to make the manikins and other participants look and act as if they were in a real medical situation.  We learned how to do moulage, which is the art of applying makeup to make fake injuries.  It was cool!

CAUTION:  The following pictures are gruesome - but fake.

This was my team's project.  This poor man was mauled by a bear.

This unfortunate man had a skydiving accident.

An abuse victim - note the cigarette burns.

An abuse victim - notice the varying stages of bruising.  Very cool.

Road rash from a motorcycle accident.

My team: Nicole, Suzzane, Rob, Jacque, and Lindsey

The training was very intense, very emotional, and extremely educational.  I literally came home exhausted and overwhelmed each day.  We learned strategies of engaging students and also how to provide psychological safety for our participants.  Basically that means that we were creating an environment where everyone feels safe to learn, share, make mistakes, as well as share in accomplishments.  I feel that psychological safety is something that I need to strive to provide to my students in every aspect of their education.  In fact, it should be something I need to strive to provide with my family, my friends, and in all situations.  The training was fantastic.  I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to participate.

Throughout the training we were reminded of the "Basic Assumption" of the training which is that all participants are skilled, knowledgeable, and willing to learn.  I like the idea and want to adapt my own "Basic Assumption" in my view of everyone I come in contact with - that each person is valuable, needs to feel accepted, and is a child of God.

It will obviously be a work in progress, but something to strive for.

Friday night after the training ended I rushed home to join with the Parrish family for a dinner celebration of Mitchell and Jess's wedding.  The dinner was at the Maddox Lodge and there must have been 80 family members and friends there to share the evening.

Obviously I didn't get a very good picture!

 It was fun to visit with Mont's parents and sisters as well as the Robertsons.   We haven't seen his sisters for quite awhile and it was great to see them.  I enjoyed getting to know Jess's family.  And of course the food was marvelous!  Especially good since Mont paid for it!

Saturday we were invited to attend the temple as Mitch and Jess were married and sealed.  It was beautiful.  Jess was so emotional she had tears the entire time.  Mitch looked at her as if she was the most beautiful sight in the world and couldn't take his eyes off her.

Coming out of the temple

What a kiss!

Kim and I taking a selfie at the temple

 Later that evening Cyn and Shandra joined us as we attended the reception at Jess's parent's house.  It was gorgeous!  And luckily the rain held out for most of the reception, but it was quite chilly!  They had great food and fun dancing, but we didn't stay long because it was too cold.  Best wishes to the new Mr. and Mrs. Parrish as they begin their lives together.

Today is Mother's Day.  I started getting a bad sore throat a couple of days ago and it hit full force during the night last night.  So bad that I couldn't swallow without severe pain and I just felt achy and yucky.  So, I decided that I would celebrate Mother's Day by staying in bed.  Kalel was so cute!  Before he and Kim left for church he asked Kim how to make oatmeal so that he could bring me breakfast in bed.  He knows that oatmeal is my favorite breakfast.  With Kim's help he made me the best bowl of oatmeal ever!  And it actually was very easy on my throat.

Shandra got me these Scooby Snacks (graham crackers) in honor of my latest
mistake:  saying that I had Scooby Snacks instead of granola bars.

Kim gave me these lovely flowers.

It was a very quiet and lazy Mother's Day, but good.  I think it was good for me to get some good rest after the crazy week I had!

THIS WEEK I AM GRATEFUL FOR:

The sealing power of the priesthood.  How grateful I am that Kim and I have been sealed together for all eternity and thus have the opportunity to be together forever with our children.  I can't even imagine not being with my family!  I love them so much!