Finally have a minute or two to update you....

I survived my first semester of nursing school. While that may seem trite, I think about those students with much younger brains who didn't make it to second semester. And I'm sad for them.  One of my group didn't make it and when she told me she was dropping, I felt like someone died. I wasn't that far behind them as my pharmacology didn't come up as I planned. I made it by .5 for the C. C's are different in nursing school. Mine start at 83 and go to 78. Anything below that range is a D. My other classes I did fine: How to be a nurse 101- B; and Intro to Nursing- A. Toward the last of it, I was getting ready for the head-to-toe assessment, going through clinicals, and getting ready for finals.
I learned a lot during clinicals. Clinicals are great because you have someone to hold your hand just starting out. I was able to connect to most patients, but was even asked to leave another patient's room. Apparently, she thought I talked too much. I remember asking her one question....oh, well. I took it kind of hard at first, but then realized she was in a lot of pain. Many people came and went in her room. She may not have been able to discern that it wasn't me talking. Anyway, lesson learned. Comatose patient: Don't ask anything. Just wait until they are up and oriented. Other than that one experience, it was really good. I was able to give one patient a bath and she had all the good humor that I hope to have approaching  her age. Another patient was  staring death down, and she had this great attitude. Again, I hope I'm like that.  

Other things I learned included what type of learner I am. Apparently, I'm a visual/active learner. Having tried the auditory route, and massive note taking route, I think I'm better going through the chapters myself, and creating my own visual cues. I studied with several classmates, and shared my notes with them. I got the reputation of being really smart, even though none of that was true. I can make these fantastic notes which apparently helped others make A's but for myself, it just didn't happen. Reeks, doesn't it? A re-evaluation of my study methods are definitely in order.

Another thing I have come up against is feeling responsible for helping others study. I know, I know, how crazy is that, right Even the night before finals, I had someone wanting to study with me. She had not studied as she should (neither had I) and was expecting a miracle. The miracle never came, even until 2:00 AM when I had to shut my eyes for a little while. I got up at 5  AM to go over the stuff I didn't have time to go over while she was there. I passed by the skin of my teeth, .5. That's a little too close. If I had failed that course, I would've had to repeat it next semester. I've got to find the balance of being willing to help when I can, but not feeling it's my responsibility to make sure they pass. It is, however, my job to make sure I pass. Any study methods you can pass along would be great! I have a month before the roller coaster starts up again, and with four classes, 12 hour clinicals, I need to figure this out.....SOON!

So....my last post was a little tense....

so, I apologize. And I deleted it.  Stress was getting to me. Still is. A friend told me that she benefited the most from putting lots of time into notes. And I have to admit, she's right. Only I can dig through that text and totally understand what notes I've written. So, if I sounded judgmental, I think I was just feeling unappreciated by those I had shared notes with. They don't want to pitch in, it's really about them.
I had another test today and patiently waiting for her to post the grades.I'm feeling pretty good about it.

Next week, I have vital signs check off and injection check off...both on the same day! As far as being nervous, sure, I'm nervous, but not terrified. I probably should be. But I'm trying not to psych myself out.

I have been really enjoying most of my classes, especially Pharmacology. The teacher is passionate about teaching us the right way, and I appreciate her for that.

We received our new schedule for next semester. Here it is as follows:


Mental Health
Health Deviations
Peds
Pharm II

We hit the ground running with 12-hour clinicals. Thankfully, I got the new Timberland Pros. Aren't they positively "Ooogle-ly"?? But so far, they are very comfortable. I've been breaking them in every chance I get. Clinicals for this semester start very soon, and I'll be getting my assignment for them Monday. Sounds crazy, but this semester has really flown by.

First week of testing in nursing school

 Yes, it's been a fun-filled week in nursing school. I had the privilege of taking three exams back to back in one week. That's right, Friends and neighbors, my brain got a workout.   Fifty or so hand-written pages of notes from my "how to be a nurse" class.  After studying close to 72 hours total for it, all I got for my trouble was a 76. While that would be passing in regular classes, the range for a C is 78- 83 in nursing school. I missed passing it by one question. We covered: asepsis, infection control, nutrition, range of motion, order for putting on and taking off, personal protection equipment, glucometer skills, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and how it applies to nursing...I think that was it. It was pretty intense. My teacher told me I did better than alot of people on this test, but there was no comfort in her words.
Pharmacology was much better, I got a B.  And the online Intro to Nursing class I got an A.
I think I realized my problem regarding my studying. I spent all my time dissecting the textbooks and comparing them to the outlines.  Basically, I couldn't see the forest for the trees and made it much more complicated than it needed to be. Not playing on my strengths hurt me, too. My thing is visual learning. I've been trying to rewrite notes,  and use auditory learning with an Echo Smartpen. What did help me were sites like Study Blue, Quizlet, and Flashcard Exchange.  I can make my own study guides and the sites will quiz me on the definitions or theories.

       I saw this on a t-shirt that I want to get. It pretty much summed up my week. Day of the exams, I had gone to bed at midnight and got up at 3:30 AM to study until 6:30 AM. I left early and sat in the parking lot to study. Nobody had on any makeup and nobody cared, either, including me.
        I get to do it all again in 2 1/2 weeks......YEA!  But at least I know now how to approach it.

And for those of you wondering, yes, the bag with the wheels
is working pretty well. I went with the Samsonite because the company is as old as me.....lol! Anyway, it holds about 7 books, nursing that is, 6 or 7 composition books, and two nookbooks, plus all my extra pockets of stuff. Thanks for asking! I would get another one!


  

Sticker shock!

  

No, these aren't all my books, but pretty close. Fact is, I'm still buying them. Wow, they told me I'd have to sell a kidney to pay for school, but I don't guess I fully believed them. So far, I am up to $206. That amount was six books I found on Amazon. I still have $500 more to come up with in books and supplies. I hope the subsequent semesters aren't this expensive.

    Thankfully, I had the foresight to get my laptop when I started prerequisites, and even got one of these: 


It's been pretty handy on this traveling thing I've done this year. And it looks like it will spare my back.

Contained Joy

Well, I thought I would update you all on the school situation. They told us to check our information network at school by April 1st to see if we've been accepted, letter to follow. I did, and I was not considered for the RN program at all but I am an alternate (3) for the LPN program this fall! Personally, I am very excited, but you'd think I'd lost the showcase on The Price is Right the way the info has been assimilated. One person told me to consider other options. And some have been very ... "Aw, that's too bad. But I give you kudos for even trying." Huh? Did I miss something? I'm an alternate, for crying out loud, for a nursing program! I am in my late 40's and being considered to study with others to become a nurse. What more do these people want? No, I'm not a brain, most of the people I know that didn't get in sported a 3.8. I'm nowhere in that vicinity. But, hey, I MIGHT get to be an LPN! That would be so cool! Why is that not good enough for these people?
Done ranting. Thanks for listening.

The Good News/Bad News Scenario

First, the "good news".......my application packet for nursing school admission is complete. Now, the "Bad News".....when looking at my scores/classes that were on my transcript, I assumed they had figured up my Gps from there. They did not. They took every college credit/attempted credit and averaged them together....all 192 credit hours. I went from a 3.56 to 2.51, which killed my "rolling admission" to the RN ADN program. So, I'm allowed to apply to a total of 2 nursing programs and I applied to the LPN program as well.

Why Two Blogs?

Admit it, people, those of you who know me know I've never been what one could call "conventional". And truthfully, I felt like I was boring my quilting friends with all my talk about how hard a test was, how many cups of coffee it took me to get through a study session, etc. So, like I've done so many times, I've decided to separate different segments of my life. And really, the likelihood of anyone reading this is probably slight, but I needed a place to vent about school and hopefully, nursing school hoops I'll be hoping through.

(This was reposted from my other blog,The Jury is Still Out.
Anatomy and Physiology I pretty much took over my life this past semester. But, I got a B, so I'm guessing it was worth it. My psychology class was pretty straightforward, so I got an A in it. Truthfully, I don't know how these working mothers go back to school anymore. Yes, it's true, I did this back in 1997 as a single-parent of two, but even that's a major blur. I remember being exhausted all the time. These days, it's not necessarily a problem working and going to school as much as it is the whole test anxiety thing. Apparently, I'm not the only one who suffers from this, but nonetheless, I'm fairly adept at beating myself up over it. Case in point: The ACT. In order to get into nursing school, (no matter which one), I knew I would have to retake the ACT. So, I ordered the study guide last January and started to go through it. Even that did not prepare me for the anxiety I felt as I walked in to take the test. I was grateful it was being held at my community college only 4.5 miles away, but it did disturb me that besides the proctor, (who was old as Methuselah....the oldest man recorded in the bible), I was the oldest person in the room. When I took the exam almost 37 years ago, I either didn't remember the long list of rules, or basically, we are in a whole new world. The old guy stood and read this verbatim from the test booklet:
"You will be dismissed and your answer document will not be scored if you are found:
* Filling in or altering ovals on a test or continuing to write the essay after time has been called on that test
* Looking back at a test on which time has already been called
* Looking ahead in the test booklet
* Looking at another examinee's test booklet or answer document
* Giving or receiving assistance
* Using a prohibited calculator
* Using a calculator on any test other than the Mathematics Test (Why would anyone do that?? What in the world could they use it for?)
* Sharing a calculator with another examinee
* Using any device to share or exchange information at any time during the tests or during breaks (all electronic devices, including cell phones, must be turned off from the time you are admitted to test until you are dismissed after testing concludes)(And if you were caught using your phone on the break, you would be dismissed!)
* Attempting to remove test materials, including test questions or answers, from the test room by any means
* Using highlight pens, colored pens or pencils, scratch paper, notes, dictionaries, or other aids
* Not following instructions or abiding by the rules of the test center
* Exhibiting confrontational, threatening, or unruly behavior
* Creating a disturbance or allowing an alarm or phone to sound in the test room"
(Ironically, it was the Proctor whose phone went off during the exam!) 
I forgot to bring a wrist watch, and after that laundry list of do's and don't's , I was terrified even to look at the wall clock! As a result, I kept running out of time. I will be retaking the test as I was 5 points shy of the minimum to get into one nursing school, and only 2 points lacking to get into the other one.