I have packed in a lot of education, face time, and networking here in NOLA.
The best thing about conferences is the renewed sense of belonging you get from your fellow nurses. And the actual meeting of people you’ve only met through the computer screen for 2 years.
The ten-day excitement is only half over. Today is the last in-person day. But there is still much to do.
All the sessions that I could not get to have been recorded and must be watched and CEUs retrieved by June. But that is not why the excitement won’t end until Sunday.
I have the drive home to look forward to.
And I’m back on shift on Thursday night at 2100
And Friday I have an all-day webinar around sterile processing. I’ve been deep diving into their education and honestly, for a 20-year OR veteran I have learned a lot. But wait, there’s more. I have a Broadway show to look forward to with my sister.
Saturday will be my husband’s first day back at work from vacation. He will be going to the office. And I will be doing more education; half the day on OR stuff (still stuff to learn) and the rest of the day on corporate education that must be completed by month’s end.
I’m still early by my reckoning.
Monday was a cocktail party. I’m not one for drinking, or very loud music. You know what happens when you have nurses let their collective hair down? Dancing, drinking, laughing, general hullaballoo.
Tuesday night I got calls and texts about the tornado that devastated part of New Orleans. The worst thing that happened to us was the flickering of lights and the on and off problem with the internet. Traveling in Spring is like a box of chocolate; to quote Forrest Gump, you never know what you are going to get.
The worst thing about conferences is the strange bed. And the next worse thing is the distinct lack of cats in the room. Time to pack the car at 1100 for checkout. And back to the conference for the final delegate meeting.
I will be writing up my conference report on Friday. My goal is to submit it by end of month.
Lots of things
First the drive home.
And then, things to learn.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 