Friday, January 14, 2011

Resolutions.

I guess I needed a couple weeks to marinate on it but I have come up with some resolutions. I think I did a pretty good job of keeping last year's, so here we go again:

1. I will try to use my fluoride mouthwash every evening after brushing and flossing.
I forgot about/put off going to the dentist for about a year and I PAID dearly for it this summer and again just a few weeks ago. I'm tired of being drilled and filled and buffed and sanded. So I'm upping my already persnickety tooth care routine.

2. I will try to get the most out of my clinical experiences.
Yesterday I had my first day with a brand new preceptor in a brand new clinical site. My preceptor is a cardiology expert and I really want to improve my cardiac exams and assessments. She seems nice, so far, and she has already given me some tips and told me about a book that might help me. I ordered the book, I'm going to study it, and I'm going to go to clinical bright-eyed (even on the days it starts at 6:30 am) and ready to absorb all the information I can. I only have two (!!!) quarters left in school before I graduate and have to be a REAL Nurse Practitioner and know my shiznat so I'd better take advantage of all the learnin I can get.

3. I will give compliments to people I know AND people I don't know.
Everyone likes getting compliments. And I don't know about you but if I'm having a really crappy day and someone tells me they like my sweater or my earrings or my super awesome Timberland boots?
It helps. So that's what I'm trying to do-- brighten people's days on a small scale.

4. I will try to not be as snippy to store worker people when I can't get my way.
Oof. I had an appointment at the health center a few months ago. I got up, took the train over there, and arrived 15 minutes before my 8 am appointment. And then the front desk guy told me it had been canceled because the doctor I was supposed to see had called in sick. And I got frustrated and snappy at the guy because why didn't they CALL ME? Because didn't have my correct contact info after I changed my phone number. Oh. But then why didn't they EMAIL ME? Because that's not their policy.  Oh. And? The front desk guy was nothing but apologetic and polite to me even as I argued with him. So then I felt really bad. And I'm going to try harder. Because it wasn't HIS fault. Nor is it the tired, grumpy cashier's fault that the store doesn't do refunds, only exchanges. Nor is it the frustrated-with-her-boss receptionist's fault that my clinical paperwork didn't get approved. So even if the store workers aren't nice to me, I'm going to be more polite and less bitchy because, as my mom says, "you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar."

5. I will not drink soda every day.
I will not drink soda every day.
I WILL NOT drink soda every day.