blairdmcf

[blairdmcf]

Blog #8: SGN

Some Good News. Some Good New (SGN) is a youtube video series put on by John Krasinski, a famous actor and director. His first episode has over 15 million views in 3 weeks. The idea behind it is that with all of the terrible news that has been happening in the world, there is always some good news to be shared. I am not going to give the full run down of what happens because I think you should go watch it for yourself. What I’m trying to get at is the idea. One person, using the media, is able to brighten the lives of millions of people with some witty good news videos. It just gets me thinking on the power of media.

Media influences everything. Media can be used for good and for bad. On the bad side, look at what Hitler did with the media and the repercussions that his scheme had on the world. On the other hand, look at the bible and the words of Jesus Christ. One book has inspired many people to change their lives and serve others. Media is such a powerful tool, and today anyone can create media and inspire others. Literally at the tips of everyones fingers is the ability to create videos, blogs, inspiring message, and many other forms of media. This is the kind of stuff that shapes a nation and can be used for better or for worse. 2020 has been a crazy year and it’s off to a rough start, but I have been inspired by the good media that has arisen out of the chaos this year.

[blairdmcf]

Blog #7: Education during COVID 19

Education is one of the things that has been really affected by the COVID 19 Pandemic. My wife is studying dental hygiene and this is her last semester before graduating. My wife was supposed to graduate and start her new job in May, but now, all of her plans have been changed, and she isn’t the only one. With COVID 19 coming into play in March, grade schools and universities across the country had to shut down in person schooling and switch almost entirely online. Now for my family, this has caused a lot of problems and has really thrown a wrench into our plans. 

Despite all of the problems this may have caused for many people, you still have to acknowledge how quickly the education system has adapted. WIthin about a 3 week time period, grade schools went completely online. In class university courses were able to switch to online, and college administrators were able to navigate this unknown territory and make plans for their students to be able to continue their education with minimal setback.

How is this possible. Because of modern technology, mass communication and coordination is possible. Governments and education leaders are able to discuss issues and come up with solutions instantaneously over video chats, texting, calls, and email. This type of instant communication wouldn’t have been possible at this level even 25 years ago. It’s crazy how far communication has come and I can’t wait to see where we will be 25 years from now.

[blairdmcf]

Blog #6: Thoughts On How Different Locations Have Different Needs

So as a nurse, I look at the healthcare news a lot. One constant theme of late has been the affect COVID 19 has been having on New York. New York has 3x as many cases as the next closest state, which is New Jersey, and 3x as many deaths. They are running out of supplies and in some places have even had to resort to wearing garbage bags as make shift protective gowns. They are running out of ventilators and beds and it all just sounds like a nightmare. 

It sometimes makes me sad knowing that I am in a state that hasn’t been hit nearly as hard, and I havn’t had to deal with nearly as many of the nightmares they have had to deal with in New York. I have even thought whether I should go there myself to lend a hand. I researched into travel nursing jobs for New York. They were paying thousands more dollars a month than what I regularly paid to go out and help. However, a lot of the listings asked for a year of critical care experience that I just don’t have. Being as new of a nurse as I am, I fear that I wouldn’t be much help. By the time I looked up jobs there, It seems like they are not having any more people travel out there for now. I really hope that New York has already seen the worst of it and they it only gets better from here. But every day i still worry about New York. It is so sad and I wish there was more that I can do.

[blairdmcf]

Blog #5: The media still has an agenda

So there is one other thing that I have seen in the media a lot that isn’t COVID 19, and that thing is Donald Trump. It is pretty evident that amidst all of this COVID stuff, the president has been heavily involved and the media is scrutinizing his every move. It almost seems like the media is using the events to either tear him down for some, and other are trying to build him up. It is interesting how now matter what is happening in the world, the media always seems to have an agenda. 

Every story that I see pop up on my news feed seems to have some eye catching title like , “the dead are piling up”, or “hundreds are dying in nursing homes without anyone knowing”. I think that the news and media despite its role in getting us the correct and most relevant information likes to focus on eye catching stories and headlines just to get more clicks or more views. 

The one big downside in my opinion about the media during this whole COVID 19 thing is that with there being so many different places that you can go for information on the internet, I start to get confused between what is real news and what is fake news. Honestly, I just wish that news was regulated worldwide and that there was only allowed to be one, non profit, news organization that gave all of the news and gave the facts. Instead, depending on what site you click on, you might be reading about the same event but be reading it with totally different biases depending on which news channel or site is reporting it. Just venting some of my frustrations here. Food for thought.

[blairdmcf]

Blog #4: All This Bad, Has Brought Out A Lot Of Good

So one thing I’ve been seeing a lot of in the media lately is all of the good that people are doing to shine a little light during these times of darkness.

I’m recently read a news article about a father who volunteered to go as a nurse and work in the ER in New York. He was willing to endanger himself and his families future to go help a state in a time of dire need. And he isn’t the only one. A lot of healthcare workers in different professions have rushed to aid the state of New York. It is truly inspiring to see people selflessly throw themselves into the thick of it just to help people.

In addition, restaurants and grocery stores have been showing acts of kindness and appreciation towards healthcare workers around the world, including here in here I live. My wife and I have been able to go to Krispy Kreme donuts every Monday and get a couple dozen glazed donuts. It’s really been a highlight of our week and helps lift our spirits a lot during these times. We even have been going a sharing the second box with family and friends who we think could use some joy in their lives.

I mentioned in my previous post but I have been seeing a lot videos on social media of entire cities clapping and cheering from apartment windows for their healthcare workers at the end of their shifts. I have seen in the media stories of basketball owners and players donating money to our the salaries of the arena staff who are out of a job. I have seen people helping strangers and so much kindness lately. It is ironic to me how something so bad can bring out the best in people. I truly believe that the world is mostly good!!

[blairdmcf]

Blog #3: Healthcare, the Media, and COVID 19

So if you have looked at the media lately, on any platform, there is one overwhelming common theme. Yep, you guessed it, it’s COVID 19. I have actually deleted my social media for the last couple of months in an attempt to distance myself from the sad news and reality that we are experiencing during this time period. However, this hasn’t stopped me from keeping up on all of the latest stories and information because every time I go to work, it’s all that my co-workers are talking about. Every time I call to check in with my parents, it comes up at least at some point in the conversation. In fact, pretty much any time I have interacted with another person lately, something about COVID 19 or how it is impacting the world has been brought up. It’s everywhere. 

Early in 2020, before the virus was spreading like wildfire through the U.S., a lot of what I was hearing in the media was about how we were overreacting, and that people wearing masks outside in public who weren’t healthcare workers were overdoing it and wasting precious medical supplies. My how the medias perspective has changed in the U.S. in the past 2 months. It went from being a mild virus that wasn’t even as bad as the common flu to a sweeping pandemic killing more people in just the state of New York than 9-11 or any other single event that I can 

Another thing that you are seeing a lot of in the media now is healthcare workers. Healthcare workers are being highlighted in countless news articles and social media posts. Entire cities are clapping and cheering simultaneously at the end of shifts for their healthcare workers who are returning home after a long shift. Everyone is all of a sudden lauding healthcare workers for their service. As a healthcare worker myself, I sometimes feel undeserving of all of the support and appreciation being given.  

Media over it’s history has evolved at a rapid pace. With the invention of the printing press, all of a sudden written material could be replicated and spread to groups of people like never before. Since then, television, radio, and the internet have kept the progress going. Now, in 2020, information and media is available instantaneously to nearly the entire population of planet earth at their fingertips. It is crazy to me how big of an effect the media has on our lives. An entire nation has been shut down just by seeing announcements made by state and country leaders on their telephones and their TV’s. Imagine how long it would have take to shut the country down if nobody had TV or smart phones. Yet it can all happen from one day to the next in today’s world. 

Mass communication has been key during this pandemic. People are using technology in incredible ways to stay connected with loved ones, friends, and co-workers. The entire school system shifted to online in like one weeks time. That is crazy to me. The fact that technology allows us to shift all schoolwork online that quickly is a testament to how far we have come. People are using social media to do their dance classes, hang out with friends, play family games, have important work meetings, and even share music. I just watched a video of the entire broadway cast of Hamilton singing to a little girl who never got to go see the play because of COVID 19. I think we are lucky that this happened during a time where information was able to spread so fast, and where people were able to connect virtually like never before. 

[blairdmcf]

Blog #2: Starting a Nursing Career During COVID 19

So right now is a crazy time for healthcare. COVID 19 has caused unprecedented levels of illness and death throughout the entire world. Many hospitals are overrun with patients. These hospitals find themselves understaffed, and lacking many essential materials including life saving personal protective equipment for their employees. 

I was about 2 weeks into my new employee orientation at my first nursing job in Salt Lake City Utah when the COVID 19 Pandemic really started to pick up and the country implemented nation wide social distancing norms. It was very scary for me. Not only was I a new employee just starting their first ever nursing job, but now, a worldwide pandemic was coming and honestly I felt scared. It was all everyone was talking about. It was all questions like are we gonna get it? Or, Is it even safe for me to go home to my family after working in the hospital with COVID patients? Things have been crazy at the hospital ever since. Not to mention the day that in the middle of morning meeting before shift start, we had an earthquake!! Like how can so many bad things be happening all it once? It was really overwhelming and scary for me.

In the last few weeks, things have started to calm down and I am feeling more confident and getting more used to the change. Here in utah, there are not as many cases as there are in some other states so the hospital where I work remains at a low census. We have taken many precautions and are prepared for a surge of patients if it comes. Many big changes have happened like a no visitors policy, temperature testing of all employees entering the hospital, and mandatory extra on call shifts. The way we use personal protective equipment has also been changing a lot over the past month. Now they have us all wear the same mask all day instead of taking a mask on and off after each time we enter a patients room.

All in all, the past few months have been crazy for me. What a time to be a new nurse. It has kind of been like a baptism by fire type of experience for me. But I am grateful for it, and I feel like I will be a better nurse than I would have been without this experience.

[blairdmcf]

Blog post #1: Who Am I

A LITTLE INTRODUCTION

My name is Blair McFarland. I am a male nurse who just started his first job amidst the chaos that is COVID 19 pandemic. Starting out my career at this time has been crazy, terrifying, nerve racking, stressful, tiresome and a million other words I don’t have time to write. However, there are some positives. Being a nurse during this time has given me a sense of meaning and purpose. I get to go out on the front lines and actually do something about this disease that is basically ruining everyones routine way of life. But before I get into all of the details about what it’s like being a new nurse during COVID 19, I want to give a little background info on how I got here. 

WHY DID I CHOOSE NURSING?

In 2017 just before starting my 3rd semester of college, all of the classes I signed up for got dropped 1 week before the semester started because I forgot to sign up for a tuition payment plan before the deadline. I frantically rushed over to the academic advisory center to plead with an advisor to get me back into my classes. Of course, the advisors response was that it could not be done. He then started to ask me what I wanted to do with my career. I answered saying that I didn’t really know but that something with healthcare could be interesting. He lit up and told me that he used to be the pre-nursing advisor, and that he would be happy to get me signed up for some of the nursing pre-requisite classes. I agreed, mostly because I was willing to accept anything as long as he could get me into some classes. During that semester, a miracle happened. I, Blair McFarland, got good grades. I hate homework with a passion. During high school and my first few semesters of college, I just chose not to do homework. I barely graduated high school thanks to some forgiving teachers and piles of make up packets. But that semester, I got all A’s and 1 A-. And they weren’t easy classes. I was taking classes like chemistry, biology, anatomy, and physiology. During anatomy, I was in the open lab 30 hours a week studying. Strangely enough, despite how difficult that class was it was actually the most social thing I ever did in college, and that includes partying and all that fun stuff. I even met my wife during that class. I saw a beautiful girl walk in to study and I immediately picked my books up and went and sat by her, and the rest is history. Anyways, sorry for getting side tracked. Back to the point. I had finally found something that motivated me more than anything else had before. After that 3rd semester, i knew that nursing was the right career for me.

NURSING SCHOOL

The hardest thing about nursing school is getting in. The pre-requisite classes are way harder than the actual nursing classes. I swear their whole purpose is just to weed out the weak. And don’t get me started on the interview process. i had a panic attack the night before. They had the interview process set up like a science fair where you walk around from one station to the next and you have a bunch of mini interview with several members of the nursing school faculty. I pretty much mumbled my way through all of them except one. This faculty member asked me this question, “If you were in a clinical setting and you saw a co-worker slap a patient in the face, what would you do?”. Talk about an intense question. I responded saying, “well, the first thing I would do is check to make sure the patient is ok.”. Before I could say anything else, the interviewer stopped me and exclaimed, “Thank you! You’re the first person who has gotten that question right. Checking the patient first is the right answer.”. After that I felt pretty confident about myself. Sure enough, I was accepted into Utah Valley University’s School of Nursing. After 2 years of countless labs, simulations, hospital rotations, a capstone on the orthopedic oncology unit at the hospital, and the awful exam that is the NCLEX, I finally got my nursing license in February 2020. And that leads me into my next post, starting my first nursing job right as the COVID 19 pandemic starts heating up.