10 Things I've Learned In Nursing School

I stole the idea for this post from my friend Tiffany.

1. Flexiseals rarely, if ever actually seal.

2. Propofol, Ativan, Zofran, and Levophed are amazing drugs. Digoxin isn't nearly as scary as instructors say. And Tylenol may just be one of the scariest drugs on the market.

3. Boobs are just boobs. Everyone has them. Even a lot of men.

4. Genital warts can look a lot like smegma, and most patients don't enjoy having them scrubbed off.

5. The number of letters behind a name is a poor predictor of intelligence or empathy.

6. The real psych nursing doesn't happen on the psych floors.

7. It's truly amazing how much clean linens and organized lines and tubes will improve a patient's condition.

8. Nurses rarely eat their young if you always look them square in the eye. And ask them what you can do to help them on a regular basis.

9. Sometimes 90 minutes of chest compressions isn't enough, and sometimes a single chest compression is too many.

10. It is an utter privilege to be present for first and last breaths. It's during the breaths in between that you hope to make a difference.