Adventures in Nursing School

I know, I know, you think I don't love you, but I do.....just been busy trying to pass stuff, get through clinicals, ect. To say it's been crazy has been putting it mildly. My first week of school we were required to do two days of skills to be checked off on. I made it through the foley cath check off just fine. The trach care and suctioning...not so much. I ended up redoing that one. I also missed one on my med calculation test that we had to do for Pharmacology, so I repeated that one, too. But it's all good. That stress is over. Last Friday, I completed my IV check off skills, and that was successful. We had to do 5 skills: initiate the IV, insert a bolus medication, add a piggy back IV,  convert it to a saline lock, and then...discontinue the IV. All within 30 minutes. It wouldn't have been so bad, but they always teach you the old fashioned way to do it, manually getting a drip rate. That wasn't near as much fun, but I got through it. Check out my make shift IV pole! Hey, you have to use what you have or what you can get to learn on. It's really a pole to put in your yard and hang flowers or a birdfeeder on. That's what I told Hunnybunny we could use it for, anyway, after I purchased it from Hobby Lobby. And maybe you can see the "fake arm" I made. I got tired of waiting to use the manikins at school as there are so many of us, and not as many of them. So, I took a candle, width of my wrist; some modeling clay-rolling it out super thin to make the veins to lie on top of it. And then I put some spongy paper-like material on top for the "skin" Can you see the "veins" under the "skin"? Well, it worked for me so I guess that's all that counts. At least it smelled good from the candle.
As far as the other classes go, I'm doing fine. Intro to Med-Surg may kill me, but I'm still there. It's a 6 hour class and a 12-hour clinical. The clinical is going .....okay. Definitely need to bare in mind that you have to be more flexible than you ever thought you would be. I managed to get points taken off the first day! I had this patient with 20 meds to give and completely blew it. Not to mention that our instructor takes off points for diary-type nursing notes that we had to write. I know she wants us to be clear and concise, and I guarantee you, I will be by the time our last clinical is over.
What I've noticed most is that I don't have the "what if I don't make it" attitude that I had last semester. Don't misunderstand, I work HARD! I feel like I have to study twice as much as my under 25-year-old classmates. But I guess I've gotten to the point where I know I'm trying my best, and that's all anyone can ask. Even of myself.

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!


  

The more you learn, the more you realize how much more you have to learn

And I've never felt this was true as much as this week! My first day was this past Wednesday,  August 17th, and no, I didn't sleep at all! I kept having that dream of being late so, I checked my clock on the half hour.

We made our way in, 60 of us in this particular class; all ages, shapes, colors, nationalities were accepted.  I had gathered all the paperwork we had to present for admission for months, terrified I had forgotten something important. All three semesters met in an auditorium and we were welcomed by our upper classmen.
Our main speaker was very enthusiastic and it was the first time I had seen her smile since my journey began. It was great knowing that others had sat where I was sitting and were about to graduate.

First, we began to go over syllabi, exam dates, and how to use the online resources. Then we started talking about clinical dates, uniforms, back up plans for transportation, etc.

Monday was the LONGEST DAY EVER! I was there from 8 am until 4pm. My brain hurt when I got home, and then the headache started. I was very glad to have the following Tuesday off as it's a future clinical day. Wednesday was almost just as long...just til 2:00. Thursday is lab/lecture, so its an abbreviated pharmacology day, 8:00 til 10:00. I was off today, but spent most of it working on my required online class.

Happiness is Getting Your First Nursing Book!

I'll admit it....I'm a planner. I hate last minute ANYTHING. Am I a control freak? No, I'm thinking I'm not. Most control freaks like to control EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY. I am way too flawed for that. But, being that everything hinges on Pharmacology in nursing school, I felt the need to investigate the HOW. How do you "study" ahead for a course you haven't had yet and will determine whether or not you have the moxie to see it through the end? Here's what I've discovered, anyway, on how to study for Pharm:
1. Learn starting from category of drugs. (Seems logical)
a. side effects
b. toxicity
c. action
d. contra
e. endings names of drugs

2. Mnemonics is a good way to study, too. I found a cool site to start with: Medical Mnemonics.

3. I have found that doing a simple search on Google can be a great asset. Apparently, real teachers don't care who they teach as long as someone out there learns. You can find Power Points for lectures on any subject under the sun. And teachers love to have students learn at home, so do some research. If you want to dig into Pharmacology, this teacher, Jerry Carley, RN, MSN, MA, CNE, has this great nursing info site, including pharm. Click on his name and check it out. He's brilliant!

4. Allnurses.com is a great tool to find tips on how to study pharm, vent or just about anything else nurse related.

5. Networking. Don't underestimate the power of networking. I have found that most people have knowledge and experience that they are willing to share if you just ask. This past semester, I became friends with the most wonderful lady who just happened to be an LPN. (She had to take A & P again because of a technicality) And she was a wealth of information and mostly, inspiration. She made me believe I had a shot at being a nurse. I will forever be grateful to her. We studied our hearts out for that demanding class. A study partner is going to be your ACE in the hole.