1.21.2010
Physiology Paper
After school on Wednesday I went to listen to what I had mistakenly read off the white board as: “a neurologist”. Come to find out, it was a NEONATAL nurse, and was definitely more interesting than I had previously assumed.
Before entering the class Physiology and Anatomy I never had any interest in pursuing a medically related career. I wasn’t the girl who dreamed to be a nurse, and bandaged all cuts of siblings and friends with adoring care. I was more into the woods, and the wonders you could do with a swiss army knife. But when I joined the class I realized I really did want to learn more and more and more, about what actually went on inside of me.
This guest speaker talked about one more career to add to my growing list that sound intriguing. (How I am ever going to decide on any one thing is beyond me, but fortunately I still need to get through high school.) One of the most interesting things this nurse did during her presentation was show x-rays of the premature babies she took care off. After explaining what the dark and white of the scan represented (white being air, and black being necessary organs such as the heart, lungs ect.) she had us guess what was wrong, which lead up to why the unfortunate soul was being kept in her unit.
Because of this practice I learned that the most common broken baby bone is the clavicle, and that babies lungs aren’t fully developed until birth. But I also jotted down words like “pneumothorax” which means the heart is on the right instead of left side, and also “ventricular shunt” which drains excess liquid from the brain. I also learned that a meconium aspiration is one of the most common problems, a condition where the poor baby breathes in meconium, which sticks inside their lungs causing breathing problems.
On the more practical side, the nurse talked about the training required to become a neonatal nurse. Apparently you first have to get a nursing degree, and practice as a nurse for five years before you can get into the neonatal masters program. As many nurses, work hours can be flexible, and three twelve hour shifts a week constitutes working “full time”. At any given moment there are six hundred open job opportunities for this line of nursing, so the possibilities are endless. On the financial side it’s very rewarding, neonatal nurses make between seventy-five and one hundred and ten thousand a year. If I ever decide on one career I would like to pursue, this would definitely be one I would like to investigate further. After embassador, designer, journalist, stay at home mom, therapist, and someone who administers aid to foreign countries of course.
Before entering the class Physiology and Anatomy I never had any interest in pursuing a medically related career. I wasn’t the girl who dreamed to be a nurse, and bandaged all cuts of siblings and friends with adoring care. I was more into the woods, and the wonders you could do with a swiss army knife. But when I joined the class I realized I really did want to learn more and more and more, about what actually went on inside of me.
This guest speaker talked about one more career to add to my growing list that sound intriguing. (How I am ever going to decide on any one thing is beyond me, but fortunately I still need to get through high school.) One of the most interesting things this nurse did during her presentation was show x-rays of the premature babies she took care off. After explaining what the dark and white of the scan represented (white being air, and black being necessary organs such as the heart, lungs ect.) she had us guess what was wrong, which lead up to why the unfortunate soul was being kept in her unit.
Because of this practice I learned that the most common broken baby bone is the clavicle, and that babies lungs aren’t fully developed until birth. But I also jotted down words like “pneumothorax” which means the heart is on the right instead of left side, and also “ventricular shunt” which drains excess liquid from the brain. I also learned that a meconium aspiration is one of the most common problems, a condition where the poor baby breathes in meconium, which sticks inside their lungs causing breathing problems.
On the more practical side, the nurse talked about the training required to become a neonatal nurse. Apparently you first have to get a nursing degree, and practice as a nurse for five years before you can get into the neonatal masters program. As many nurses, work hours can be flexible, and three twelve hour shifts a week constitutes working “full time”. At any given moment there are six hundred open job opportunities for this line of nursing, so the possibilities are endless. On the financial side it’s very rewarding, neonatal nurses make between seventy-five and one hundred and ten thousand a year. If I ever decide on one career I would like to pursue, this would definitely be one I would like to investigate further. After embassador, designer, journalist, stay at home mom, therapist, and someone who administers aid to foreign countries of course.
1.05.2010
Changes Coming to Morgansbydesign
I have impulsively decided that my blog isn't going to just be about our family. Although that kind of stuff will be included, I want a place to write essays and thoughts, and maybe get comments or critiques. When I am going to have time to do this I don't know, but I think it will be fun. Don't despair, family pictures of hikes and miscellaneous events will probably still be the main source of material, but I want to write! When I manage to get the chance.
~Zoe
~Zoe
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