Whew... it's over

For the past 2 days I have been in an ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) class. I know you are jealous... I know you wished you could have participated, too. But, let me tell you it wasn't quite as fun as one would think. I personally did not find one bit of it fun. I found it overwhelming. I found myself rethinking my decision to become a nurse in the first place. Quite frankly, I found the instructor working the controls to our mannequin's heart rate to be quite cruel. All I wanted to tell her is leave his heart rate alone and he will be just fine. I will not have to shock the living daylights out of him. I will not have to remember what drug I am supposed to give... and how often... and why I am giving it... only to have you push a button on your magic little fun box to put my patient in a totally different heart rhythm and then I get to start all over... which only causes my own heart rate to increase and beat funny.

Just thinking about this has put me into a tachycardic rhythm. (For you non-medical people... that's a fast heart rate.... just fyi .) :)

Anyways, it's over. And more importantly I passed. Hallelujah. I am now certified to provide advanced resuscitation to anyone who may need it. May that person come to the clinic on a day that I am off so someone else can resuscitate him/her. :)

~jen


PS... here's another interesting fact... if you ever need to provide someone with CPR, hum the song Staying Alive. It's the perfect rate for delivering chest compressions.

Now, I don't know about you... but I think the last thing that's going to be going through my mind while ever pounding on someone's chest is John Travolta, The Bee Gees, or Staying Alive. But... if it works for you... go right ahead... hum away.

(Click on Staying Alive under My Playlist, turn your speakers on........ Sing along with me... Ah, ha, ha, ha, staying aliiiiiiiive. Funny, right?)