Monday, June 6, 2011

Chicago National Teaching Institute for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses

Nicole and I on the bus with Chicago in the background
My work picked me to go to an amazing conference in Chicago. I learned so much, and had a wonderful time. I have never been to anything like that before and couldn't believe how much there was to see and learn. I was torn between critical care classes and mentoring/leadership classes.  The group I went with had a lot of fun. One of the fun things we did was a double decker bus tour where we toured Chicago. We got off at the Navy Pier and had lunch. I thought that was a lot of fun. Chicago is really interesting city. I was expecting May to be warm and one day it was but it was actually chilly and windy. The park in the middle of the city is so cool, I can see how people love that area. The Buckingham Fountain was also very incredible famous from Married with Children which I dislike but still really cool!
The conference sponsors a fun night, and this year they sponsored a night at The Field Museum which was really cool. I was so excited to see Sue the first T-Rex skeleton ever found. I knew Jason would be so excited so I got pictures and a magnet. There was a mummy exhibit which was really cool and creepy. Part of me doubted the realness of the mummies but then there was one that was unwrapped, and it was a real skeleton.There were also a lot of really cool things there!
I was so excited because one of my really good friends who I used to work with Kari lives in Chicago and she came with us to the Museum with me and I was so happy to finally see her!
I couldn't believe how much stuff I came with reps wanting you to buy stuff, vendors giving away stuff, learning materials. It was awesome but required an extra suitcase. 
Kari, Nicole and I !
The Stuff
There were classes I wanted to go but didn't make it. I couldn't believe how tired I was after the conference. We stayed at a really nice hotel but I was really surprised at the stuff they didn't include. They wanted $10 a day for a gym and $20 a day for internet, no breakfast. For the amount of money that was paid for our rooms I couldn't believe how little came with the hotel. Maybe I am not used to fancy hotels and that is what happens. One really cool thing there was moving being filmed at the hotel and we got a picture with Kelsy Grammar. I stand by the fact that taxi drivers are psychopaths and should have their licenses revoked. We had two of the scariest rides of my life. Ayo one of the nurses from the ICU told the driver to slow down. It was he and Nicole's first ride and they were terrified.

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