So, it's Been Forever!

Hello everyone!!

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I posted my last message! Time seems to have flown by. Honestly I can't even explain why I haven't had time to write - it just seems that between working, doing a little bit of reading and learning after work, and eating, the day is done before I can get to writing. I suppose I would have time if I kept my postings shorter and just wrote more of them! Maybe I will have to try that...the way I'm doing it now is daunting, because I feel like I have so much to write and I have to put it all into one message.

This week I have learned a little bit about how the weather can affect how we care for patients here. On Tuesday morning we had a man come in who had overdosed on some pills, to the point that he needed to be cared for in the Intensive Care Unit (if we had been down South, he would have been transferred to the ICU right away for observation). Normally, we would call the air ambulance and have the patient transferred down to the Timmins hospital, or to Kingston if he was in need of more specialized care. Unfortunately, a fairly deep fog had set in over the coast of James Bay early Tuesday morning, and no airplanes were able to land here in Kash. So, the patient is currently STILL in our Emerge department on a stretcher being observed by us. Luckily the patient has been fairly stable all the way along, so it hasn't been too bad, but it still hasn't worked exactly how it would ideally. I think this kind of situation probably happens fairly often here...we are so dependent on the weather! Between fog, snow, ice, and other weather phenomenon (I don't know exactly what types of weather pilots can't fly in), there are lots of things that can affect our ability to get people out. It really makes me appreciate the nice weather more though!

The past two weeks have been very exciting for me, because I have been working with 4 new colleagues up here! I know that doesn't sound very exciting, because as I explained in earlier messages, there are always new people coming and going. The difference is that these 4 people are more full time Nurses like me! Usually people come up for 1 or 2 or 3 weeks at a time and then leave. Sometimes they never come back to Kash, or they don't come back for months. Now it seems that I am going to have a more consistent team to work with for awhile. Diane and Scott have signed up to stay for a year like I have, and Beth and Meagin are doing 1 month in and 1 month out. They are all really nice people, and I think we will work very well together. Everyone comes with their own strengths and experiences, so I think we will all be able to help each other.

I've been seriously thinking of starting a distance education course to do while I'm up here. I've been researching online, and I've found a few really interesting courses that would teach me lots of really valuable information for working up here. The thing is, I'd really like to find one that will count towards the Nurse Practitioner certificate...since I'm planning on doing the NP course eventually when I get home anyways, I might as well work towards it if I can. So far it's kind of difficult to get the information I'm looking for though. I can't seem to find out if there are any courses that I can take that would count towards the NP program. Oh well, I'm going to keep looking, and I plan to start something soon!

Well, I think that is long enough for tonight. I have more to write about, so watch for something new in a couple of days. The weekend is coming up (WOOHOO!!), so I should have some time to write another message. As of the schedule that's posted right now, I'm on call Saturday night from 8:00 p.m. to Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m.

I love you all...once again, thanks for stopping by! :)