into Africa

http://nursing.duke.edu/wysiwyg/downloads/8518_NursingMag_lorezFINAL.pdf

Thought you might like to check out Duke Nursing Magazine's summer issue which features my time in Tanzania and the work that DUSON is accomplishing on behalf of our school.

Skip to page 10 and stay until page 15 for my story, fellow DUSON students, and my final reflections on life in Tanzania. (Also a big shoutout to Anne Derouin who is featured as a new faculty member! Yay!)

Alma Mater #2

I like to think I had a very small part in this. By the way, for those who didn't already know, I'm officially a PNP!

Duke University School of Nursing Rises to 7th in US News and World Report Rankings of Graduate Schools of Nursing

Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) rose to seventh place in the 2012 US News and World Report rankings of graduate schools of nursing in the United States. In the previous ranking, released in 2007, DUSON was rated 15th.

U.S News and World Report also ranked specialized programs within the master of science in nursing degree. DUSON’s pediatric nursing program ranked fifth nationally; the adult nurse practitioner program, tenth; gerontology, tenth; the anesthesiology program ranked eleventh.

“Our US News and World Report rankings reflect the esteem our peer institutions have for the high quality of our work here at Duke University School of Nursing,” said Dean Catherine L. Gilliss, DNSc, RN, FAAN, Helene Fuld Health Trust Professor of Nursing and Vice Chancellor for Nursing Affairs.

“Over the last decade, the Duke University School of Nursing has assumed a national and international leadership position in the field of nursing. The accomplishments of our faculty and students are distinctive and bring recognition to the School,” Gilliss said.

Never forget the zebras

I am learning that primary care is a different world. Whereas I am used to the "exceptions to the rule" at work in the Peds Cardiac ICU at Duke where I take care of the sick-of-the-sick, it has been a very different experience to be in the community with so many healthy children. It has taken time to adjust to these vibrant and normal children while remembering that not every head ache is a brain tumor, not all children have a heart defect, and that irritable babies do not equate with meningitis.

My time in the clinic in Raleigh has shown me that although I'm running with a pack of horses, there are still zebras hidden within the group. It's my job to find them. Today brought an important lesson in that search, but thanks to my preceptor Gigi's high index of suspicion, we sent a zebra for an emergency surgery before any complications arose.

I've still got a lot to learn.