A week from today....

.....I will be sitting in a classroom for the upmteenth time. It's hilarious and incredulous to me that I am doing this again. I mean, 240 college hours, PLUS the new ones I'm about to acquire?  Shoot, I could be Dr. Beth by now. But alas, I'm just getting yet another Associates degree. (I have two of them. This will be number 3)

 The part that bothers me is the whole unknown thing again....what's the class going to be like? Am I going to be the oldest in the class? Is my brain going to run on all cylinders?

I'm thankful that one of my coworkers has been accepted with me. It's kind of a drive, so we are going to carpool. He's an older student, like me, so he's pretty serious about doing this.

I'm going today to get the UGLY white scrubs I will need for clinicals and a new pair of sneakers. Books are bought, but I probably need to see about some school supplies.

Truthfully, I get nauseated every time I think about this. Is that normal, or just me overreacting? I made it through medical microbiology with a B, which shocked me to death, but I'm just sort of second-guessing myself. Maybe it's the work schedule that has me very anxious. I will be working every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this semester. If the last few days are any indication, it will be challenging. My comrades and I ran all weekend long trying to keep up with everything. And they are awesome because they have both gone further in school and are a great support!

Anyway......wish me luck! I will need it.

I'm in!

I actually found out via text I had been harassing my husband everyday when he checks the mail, "Did my letter come?" This last time, I had been told by the dean the letters would be sent out soon, and the mail didn't run on Veteran's Day. So, I thought it might run early and Hunnybunny needed to get out there and check. I waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, got this text, "You've been accepted". I just sort of stared at the screen, asking myself, "I'm awake, right?" I made him take a picture of the letter and message me with it. He told me congratulations, but I think I was still in shock.

I'm excited but still wondering how an old girl like me is going to pull off classes and work and do either of them any justice. I will be in classes Monday through Wednesday, and a clinical either Thursday or Friday. So that means the one day a week I'm not in school, I'm working and then I'm working every weekend. Yeah, I know....I must be crazy. But working the weekend doesn't really bother me that much. Missing out on family time, now that bothers me. This isn't my first rodeo, I remember my non-existent social life back in 2011-2012.  But they say it will all be worth it. I hope THEY are right. It helps that I'm not doing this alone. A guy I work with got accepted, too. It's kind of a hike to the school, so he and I are going to carpool.
Anyway, that's the story as I know it so far. My first rotation is psych...at my own hospital! I'm hoping that I'm not recognized by any long time patients who are not going to understand why I could do something for them yesterday (as an LPN) that I can't do today, (as a student)

Admission Limbo

So, I'm just waiting to hear...I went to the pre-admission conference with a guy from work who is determined that we are going to nursing school together. I had already turned in my stuff, but you are required to attend their, "this is what will happen in 3 semesters, and this is what it will cost," speech. It's going to be pricey, that's for sure. My work will pay for 6 hours, but that still leaves like 21 hours. Only 2 classes, but they get you with a required lab and a clinical for each. The clinicals add up to 12 extra hours....
Meanwhile, Medical Microbiology is kicking my butt. I had forgotten how much I hated taking a science class, but it's all coming back to me now. It's not lecture, it's the lab. I messed up my test by not staining the correct side, broke a slide. Just a comedy of errors. And I had gone in feeling good about the whole thing. I barely passed by the skin of my teeth.
Anyway, will keep you posted.....

So, here we go.....

So, I finally heard back from the university. The director of the program basically said my A & P was "too old" (not within 3 years) and I would need to retake those classes along with chemistry. Tack  on the NACE test to that, while you're at it, too. Uh, no thanks....I don't have another year to dedicate to pre-req's. The funny part is that their admissions department kept calling me asking me to "finish" (pay them) my initial application. I hope I manage to get off their mailing list.

 

I have a friend, who I used to study with in A & P, that went to a little community college about 40 miles away to get her RN. I gave them a call. It looked promising, so I got my transcripts, validation of licenses, CPR verification, ACT scores, and NLN scores and drove to the main campus to drop them off. It was pure Providence that the director of the nursing department happened to be there, in July, at a campus she doesn't teach at. I submitted my paperwork, and she informed me it was all there except for the pre-admission conference that they require, the dates haven't been set yet.

 

 Here's the list of differences from what I've experienced in the 'bigger' community colleges:

1. I don't have to retake any of my classes. This in and of itself, is a MAJOR big deal.

 

2. I don't have to take any additional classes for pre-req's other than Medical Microbiology, which I had to have for all of them. So, no chemistry, nutrition, or LPN to RN transition course.

 

3. I don't have to perform check offs. In both programs, I was going to have to show them a cath, med administration, ng tube, ekg, sterile wound dressing, ostomy care. She said I had been working as a nurse for 2 years, I might know what I'm doing.

 

I asked how I would know if I got in. The 'selective admissions' that I've always dealt with has a bunch of hoops you have to jump through just to be considered. She said, "Let me put it to you this way: first semester, which you would be exempt from, has 20 spots. I have 16 students signed up right now. Statistically, some of them will not pass. Unless I have a ton of readmits, I would be able to start you in second semester in January 2016.".

 

So, we shall see if it works out. My employer said they would work with me. I will most likely have to work Friday, Saturday, Sunday. This is going to make for a very LONG year, but I'm ready to go,



Time to get on with it

 I work for a hospital that is affiliated with a university. They are offering to pay for 18 hours a year to finish my RN. I think I have finally reached that point where I'd like to do more with nursing. It's not that I'm bored. In psych nursing, there is no such thing as being bored...everyday is a new adventure. It's just that  I had always planned on bridging over. Truth be told, I was pretty burned out on school. The idea of doing it again kind of nauseated me.

So, I'm taking medical microbiology this fall. If one of the community colleges accept me, that's the only prerequisite I will need. If I go to the state university (I'm applying to both) then I will need chemistry. Have they met me? I'm not much of scienc-y kind of girl. But, if I have to, I have to. Also, the community college requires the NLN, which I have taken before and gotten a composite score of 115. I have to get a verbal Score in the 65 percentile. Comprehensive Score has to be 111. If I go to the university, since I have been out of school longer than three years, I must take the Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (ACE) I and receive Decision Score of 70 or better. Nothing but hoops to jump through....
I have begun the tedious process of getting all my transcripts together. A college I attended in the 80's is closing their doors, so I had to hustle to get my transcripts before they merged with another college.
That's probably more than you wanted to know, but I'm trying to keep it all straight in my head. If I don't get in either place, it'll be okay. I'm happy to be an LPN. And they can't take that away from me

Dealing with Burn Out

I have been the nurse in this cartoon. So tired, I didn't want to talk to anyone, see anyone, or do anything. The unit I was on was very....incohesive. I was there to work and definitely learn. But apparently, I was an anomaly. I didn't know about cliques, or drama.
Passing meds, taking off orders, clarifying orders with pharmacy, patient care, getting the med room ready for next shift, serving meals, changing patients....gee, what was I thinking? I made work about work, and only had a few people that knew about my life outside of work. I still do that. I feel like I can do my life after work. But I've made the observation that many nurses make work their whole life. One could easily see how that can happen. You spend 36 to 60 hours a week with a group of people, you can make them your family. But, to quote Damon Wayans in the movie, "Major Payne", " I didn't say families don't break up, ". Professional distance isn't a bad thing. And making friends at work isn't a bad thing, either. Just don't make your whole life about work. Have friends that don't help you find a vein on a patient, but just play cards or go to the movies with you. Part of burn out is the hopelessness a nurse feels when she sees no end in sight. That nothing is ever going to let up, or things will always be this way. You have to make yourself engage at home. Small steps at first......(maybe go for a cup of coffee, head for the library, find a crossword puzzle to do, wash dishes by hand) and then bigger ones, (like take a fun class, go on vacation, an exercise program) will help with the burn out.
Changing units isn't a bad thought, either. Sometimes people don't gel. They are thrown together to do a job and varying philosophies on work ethics can make for bad feelings. For me, changing units was a great thing. I got a chance to "visit" when I had to float to other units on overflow days. See if that's an option. Sometimes just doing the same kind of nursing for years can burn someone out. Maybe if you can change floors, ( or even jobs) you can restore your faith in the career that you've spent so much time, energy, and money getting excellent in.

The best laid plans of mice and men

Well, I am at a fork in the road about pursuing my RN while working. I had planned on doing an online program with a local college to bridge to RN. The school decided to not accept anymore students and is doing away with the program entirely. Sigh.....
I don't want to stop working and give up our family's insurance to go back to school full time. Maybe there is something wrong with me, but at 51, I know my longevity in this field is going to be approximately 15 years, if that long.
I don't have that, "I'm a failure because I don't have an RN beside my name." syndrome. But I do, at times, get that, "I'm an RN, you're an LPN" differential attitude. Sounds crazy, but I really don't mind the taking orders aspect of the job. Let it be somebody else's call, and therefore, their own responsibility. I have had plenty of being in charge of everything in my life and I'm here to set the record straight: It's completely overrated.
My youngest turns 11 next month; my middle son just turned 19, and my oldest is 29: if the two younger ones want to go to college, then I can afford to send them and pay off my student loans. I know, it sounds so practical, but essentially that's my job....a practical nurse.

8's VS 12's

It really annoys me.... I've been at this job 1 year, and I haven't figured out what to do with myself on my days off. Yeah, there's always cleaning, laundry, dishes, dusting, grocery shopping...etc. But, what's the fun in that? ;)

Up until 3 weeks ago, I was "working 8's" which is almost unheard of in the nursing world anymore. The only time I had two days off in a row was when it was my off weekend from work. That really reeked, by the way. So, I had the opportunity to change floors and change hours and absolutely took it! I work more with Geriatrics, which I have had my training in, and now work 12 hour shifts. The pro's definitely outweigh the con's but I'll give you the short list:

Pro's

1.     You get three days off a week. Sometimes even a 3 day weekend.
2.     Therefore, you can plan to travel more because you'll actually not have to take time off to do it.
3.     You don't get asked to stay over.
4.     To me, it's easier to go through a 12 hour shift with a patient to see how they progress.

Con's

1.     Physically, it can be exhausting when your body is used to getting a break after 8 hours and now must carry on an additional 4 more.
2.     It's been hard to figure out when to take a lunch break. Used to be at 11:00 am, but now it's closer to 1:30-2:00 pm. I'm actually having to eat breakfast now to make it until then.
3.     While you work only 3 days a week, every other week, those 12's are 3 in a row.
4.     You lose 4 hours a week because it's technically only 36 hours. You can pick up on your off days, but right now, I'm thinking....uh, no.

My first couple of weeks I spent getting used to the physical change of 12's. This past week, it's my family who has had to manage without Mom being around. Hunnybunny does a great job of being the cook and chief bottle washer while I'm gone. Now that I'm getting  more used to it, I'd like to get back to quilting on  a regular basis. I have so much fabric, patterns, and just can't get organized.

Oh, and by the way, I'm signed up for medical microbiology which is the last prerequisite for nursing school. Yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment. Getting the RN will open a whole world of opportunity for me. This class is online, which blows me away. I have to get a microscope for the lab part. One of my nursing pals did A & P this way and totally endorses it. We will see.

Stay tuned.

An Adar/Dickies nurse's scrub review

Way back in June, I received a nurse scrub top from  spring/summer collection to review and tell you all what I think of the product. Unfortunately, life got in the way. I had started a new job and moved on top of everything else. They mailed me this style top:

You have to picture it light blue or they call it "island blue" . Of the choices I was given, that was as close as I can get it to my royal blue (University of KY blue) uniform.
I found the top very, very soft. It washes up well. I wish I could wear it to work, but unfortunately, it is the color of our nursing aide staff's uniform.
I would recommend this line to anyone looking for soft comfort and easy wear. Dickies scrub tops can be found by clicking on the highlighted link or by clicking on their social media links:
Pintrest
their blog
like them on facebook
follow them on Twitter: @UniformedScrubs

They allowed me to keep the shirt in exchange for the review.

The best motivation to help you study for NCLEX

 is to set the date. How true it is! Nothing puts the fear of GOD into you like knowing you could possibly waste $200 if you are not prepared enough.

Our school required we buy this online tutoring program. It is supposed to run you through the 7 areas: fundamentals, pharmacology, pediatrics, mental health, medical-surgical, maternity, and nursing management. This company places you with a tutor, and you do an initial assessment. You go through the books and after each one, you take a test. If you don't score 60% or better, you must do homework to help you improve your score. Then you take it again. It gives you a read out of areas you missed and what you need to work on. I got through fundamentals just fine but pharmacology....I fell short. Again and again, so close but not 60%. The tutor wouldn't let me advance. Really? I paid you $400 to teach me, but you can't advance me until I reach the exact benchmark? I just gave up trying to use them. Besides the aforementioned scenario, their questions were not formatted to helping me with NCLEX. When I started nursing school in the fall of '11, we were required to buy Saunders Comprehensive Review for NCLEX-PN. I had listened to my dean at my school when she said, "if you really want to pass NCLEX-PN, then after lecture every day, use the Saunders book and reinforce it." So, I went through the entire book, and accompanying disc with chapter questions on it. However, I still did not feel adequately prepared. I began to search online for alternatives. Kaplan was good, I had heard, but very expensive. I had less than 4 weeks before I tested and their program was more involved than I had time or money for. NCSBN.org  is the organization which I took my jurisprudence test for state licensure and I was told they were the people who came up with the NCLEX questions. So I signed up for the 3 week PN review.
It did the same as the other companies, but was affordable ($50) and I went through the test questions as many times as I needed to, which really helped. I would highly recommend them if you need lots of repetition to grasp a concept.
I planned on taking NCLEX-PN Saturday, March 23, 2013. Every spare minute I had, I was going through questions. I added up over 4,000 questions and rationales that I had done. Finally, the day came. I showed up early and they decided to go ahead and take me early! Holy cow! My nerves took over and I headed for the bathroom!  So, I still started at the time I was supposed to. ;)
There were many checks of identity, and finally I was sitting down. "Don't stress: you studied, God is with you...." I kept saying in my head over and over again. Then came the first question. I looked at the screen and thought, " I am so in trouble! I wonder how long it will take me to save up to take this again?" I literally prayed through each question. When I got to question 84, I got nervous again. You see, you can fabulously fail with 85 questions or spectacularly pass with the same amount of questions. The minimum questions for NCLEX-PN is 85. The computer will keep asking questions until you get at least 50% correct. 15 of the questions are "experimental" and if you miss those, it's no big deal. But you don't get credit if they are right, either. You have up to 205 questions unless the computer deems that you are not going to pass based on the amount of high level questions you got right.
After question 85, the screen went blue."Oh, no..." My breathing went shallow. I raised my hand and the attendant escorted me to the office. I called Hunnybunny who was very surprised to hear from me. "It's over?" Yes, it's over, I told him. I felt the way I was supposed to after NCLEX: exactly like I failed. No tears or boo-hooing for me, though. It was what it was. I had spent over 300 hours studying. If I wasn't ready by then, I didn't think anything would help.
I had heard about the Pearson Vue trick a year or so ago. After the results are transmitted, you can try to register again for the exam. If it takes your credit card, it means you failed. If you get this pop-up, ( see below) it means you have passed.
            

  

That is exactly what happened to me! I found out that I passed NCLEX-PN by using this PVT (Pearson Vue trick). On Monday, March 25, it posted to my Board of Nursing website, with my name plus LPN! Thank you, God!