Apparently my first call shift took a lot out of me, because I haven't blogged since that day!
I actually can't complain because it was a relatively quiet night and everything went well. I even got to lay down for several hours. And even though I never fully fell asleep, just being able to slightly "turn off" was nice.
I'm back to nights for this week. I'm hoping that they go as well as the first one went.
One of the nights I work is Halloween though, so I'm not very optimistic...crazy things happen!
If anything, I'm hoping to see a few cute kiddos in their costumes.
Oh, and in my "spare time" I'm working on a post to answer some of the questions that I've gotten via comments and e-mail lately regarding my job, responsibilities, differences between bedside nursing and being an APN, etc. Please don't think I'm ignoring you!
I promise, as soon as I shake off working nights and can think clearly, I'll be all over it!
Nights and I aren't friends. I would love to be, but we just aren't. I just calculated today that I am responsible for doing 39 call shifts (16 hour nights) each year. So basically after this week I'll be 4 down, 35 more to go.
Oh well. At least I love my job!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
First Call Shift
I won't bore you with another pumpkin baked good post today. Although, I am going to try a new pumpkin cookie recipe today...thank you pinterest for making me fat!
Instead, I will keep this short and sweet. And even about the PICU.
I am taking my first call shift (AKA: night shift) tonight on my own. No more preceptor. Just me, the big PICU, and a whole lotta sick kids with a whole lot less staff present.
But I'm actually really excited about it.
Yes, I'd much rather spend my Friday night on a date with my hubby, but if I had to work (and I obviously do!), I'm glad to be in the PICU.
So with excitement, nerves and a little bit of anxiousness, I need to find a way to chill out the rest of the afternoon, and hopefully take a little nap.
Hope you have a great Friday. And if you're working the night shift tonight, give me a holla at 3 am...it may be what I need to stay awake : )
Instead, I will keep this short and sweet. And even about the PICU.
I am taking my first call shift (AKA: night shift) tonight on my own. No more preceptor. Just me, the big PICU, and a whole lotta sick kids with a whole lot less staff present.
But I'm actually really excited about it.
Yes, I'd much rather spend my Friday night on a date with my hubby, but if I had to work (and I obviously do!), I'm glad to be in the PICU.
So with excitement, nerves and a little bit of anxiousness, I need to find a way to chill out the rest of the afternoon, and hopefully take a little nap.
Hope you have a great Friday. And if you're working the night shift tonight, give me a holla at 3 am...it may be what I need to stay awake : )
Monday, October 8, 2012
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
I promise I didn't quit my APN job and become America's next great Food Star...although that would be AWESOME!!!
It's just that nothing crazy, super exciting, hilarious or really blog-worthy has gone on at work lately.
I will say, each shift that goes by I am becoming more and more confident. I am feeling like I'm getting the hang of things, and while I have a long (long!) way to go, I will get there!
Probably the biggest adjustment has been figuring out how to keep the relationship with patients and families that I so loved being a bedside nurse. It's definitely very different being an APN because I am running around the insanely large unit all day, and so my time with each patient and family is much less than when I spent the entire 12 hour shift at one bedside.
But I'm sure as time goes by, I'll figure that out as well!
Until then, I'm going to bake my way through pumpkin recipes on each of my Fall days off!
My pants buttons may not thank me come winter time (isn't that what stretch pants are for!?), but my palate certainly will!
Here is probably the most simple, quick dessert that can be thrown together for any party (or Monday afternoon!) and be a hit.
I didn't even have time to take pictures along the way, because from beginning to oven it took maybe 3 minutes. And then Jonny and I gobbled a good portion of them up....sad, I know.
Directions:
1.) Empty one box of brownie mix into a bowl (yes, my mom's homemade brownie recipe would be much better, but this is the speedy version)
2.) Add 2 whole eggs, and 1/2 to 3/4 can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
3.) Add a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice to taste (and really, batter tasting is the best part!)
4.) Add a handful (or so) of chocolate chips...because really, more chocolate makes everything better!
5.) Place in baking dish, put in oven for 35 minutes, and savor the smells that will waft through your house
It's that easy! And that delicious! Yup, just one more pumpkin recipe that nailed it...add that to my recipe book!
It's just that nothing crazy, super exciting, hilarious or really blog-worthy has gone on at work lately.
I will say, each shift that goes by I am becoming more and more confident. I am feeling like I'm getting the hang of things, and while I have a long (long!) way to go, I will get there!
Probably the biggest adjustment has been figuring out how to keep the relationship with patients and families that I so loved being a bedside nurse. It's definitely very different being an APN because I am running around the insanely large unit all day, and so my time with each patient and family is much less than when I spent the entire 12 hour shift at one bedside.
But I'm sure as time goes by, I'll figure that out as well!
Until then, I'm going to bake my way through pumpkin recipes on each of my Fall days off!
My pants buttons may not thank me come winter time (isn't that what stretch pants are for!?), but my palate certainly will!
Here is probably the most simple, quick dessert that can be thrown together for any party (or Monday afternoon!) and be a hit.
I didn't even have time to take pictures along the way, because from beginning to oven it took maybe 3 minutes. And then Jonny and I gobbled a good portion of them up....sad, I know.
Directions:
1.) Empty one box of brownie mix into a bowl (yes, my mom's homemade brownie recipe would be much better, but this is the speedy version)
2.) Add 2 whole eggs, and 1/2 to 3/4 can pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
3.) Add a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice to taste (and really, batter tasting is the best part!)
4.) Add a handful (or so) of chocolate chips...because really, more chocolate makes everything better!
5.) Place in baking dish, put in oven for 35 minutes, and savor the smells that will waft through your house
It's that easy! And that delicious! Yup, just one more pumpkin recipe that nailed it...add that to my recipe book!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
It's been awhile since I've posted anything yummy that Jon and I have made.
Come to think of it, it's been awhile since we've really made anything all that yummy. I mean, we make dinner together several times a week, but since we've been so busy lately it's been the same old thing most nights.
Until today. I've felt extremely productive today. I woke up at 6 am all on my own...thank you PICU for waking me up so early so often, because now I'm just used to it. And sleeping til 6 felt like I had slept in!
So I got out of bed, and really got a ton of stuff done.
Including looking on pinterest for an inappropriate amount of time. But I was on a mad hunt to find something that would satisfy my pumpkin and sweets craving without going straight to my hips...or other places weight seems to be creeping on!
And then I found THIS... and while it looked good, it didn't have pumpkin. So, I made it my own!
And I think it's awesome!
Plus, it was super easy to make, and I didn't have to go to the store for anything...always a bonus!
Oh, and I didn't mention that there is not one bit of flour or refined white sugar...the base of the cookie is chickpeas!
Yes, I said chickpeas...but I promise it is good...and you won't even be able to tell! So give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think!
Ingredients:
-1 can chickpeas
-1/4 cup + generous spoonful natural PB
-slightly less than 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
-1/4 cup agave (or honey, or whatever sweetener you choose)
-1 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp vanilla
-pinch of salt
-dash of allspice
-generous dash (or 2) of pumpkin pie spice
-1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate because that's what i had, but semi-sweet would be good too!)
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Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.) Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processer. As you can see, I tried using a hand mixer because my food processor is small, and not all that....hint hint *upcoming birthday* : ) But, the hand mixer doesn't make the chickpeas smooth so you definitely do need a food processor!
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3.) Once everything is mixed, spread in a baking dish. The original recipe rolls into cookie dough balls, but this was too moist with the pumpkin...so bars it is!
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4.) Place in oven for about 40-45 minutes. I tested this every 10 minutes or so until a toothpick came out clean.
5.) And enjoy...the best part! As you can see we almost polished off the entire pan!
Hope you have a *sweet* weekend!
Come to think of it, it's been awhile since we've really made anything all that yummy. I mean, we make dinner together several times a week, but since we've been so busy lately it's been the same old thing most nights.
Until today. I've felt extremely productive today. I woke up at 6 am all on my own...thank you PICU for waking me up so early so often, because now I'm just used to it. And sleeping til 6 felt like I had slept in!
So I got out of bed, and really got a ton of stuff done.
Including looking on pinterest for an inappropriate amount of time. But I was on a mad hunt to find something that would satisfy my pumpkin and sweets craving without going straight to my hips...or other places weight seems to be creeping on!
And then I found THIS... and while it looked good, it didn't have pumpkin. So, I made it my own!
And I think it's awesome!
Plus, it was super easy to make, and I didn't have to go to the store for anything...always a bonus!
Oh, and I didn't mention that there is not one bit of flour or refined white sugar...the base of the cookie is chickpeas!
Yes, I said chickpeas...but I promise it is good...and you won't even be able to tell! So give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think!
Ingredients:
-1 can chickpeas
-1/4 cup + generous spoonful natural PB
-slightly less than 1/2 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
-1/4 cup agave (or honey, or whatever sweetener you choose)
-1 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp vanilla
-pinch of salt
-dash of allspice
-generous dash (or 2) of pumpkin pie spice
-1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate because that's what i had, but semi-sweet would be good too!)
.JPG)
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.) Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a food processer. As you can see, I tried using a hand mixer because my food processor is small, and not all that....hint hint *upcoming birthday* : ) But, the hand mixer doesn't make the chickpeas smooth so you definitely do need a food processor!
.JPG)
.JPG)
5.) And enjoy...the best part! As you can see we almost polished off the entire pan!
Hope you have a *sweet* weekend!
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