I got an A on the Patho/Pharm test!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY CRAP I KICK BUTT!!! I messed up on the essay question a bit though...otherwise I only missed one freaking question!!!!
Also...its freaking cold here and I hate wearing dresses when it is cold. :( My legs are pasty white, but at least they look better than most of Hollywoods! HA!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Day 42,43, 44, 45: Help Wanted
Ok so when I went to pick up my patient info last week, the other ladies in my clinical group and I discovered the boys had decided to wear nice slacks and ties to look sharp for clinical pick-up. So us ladies looked like schlubs!! So this week we are going to show them up! I am actually going to wear a dress and make-up...holy crap....totally out of the normal for me. So I will take pictures and post them!
As most of you know I LOVE Halloween. So today I wore a little princess crown to class and one person noticed! Geez people lighten up its Halloween! Learn to have a little fun! Kevin dear, you were right, I should have worn the witches hat. I will shock them all with my Halloween costume on Friday!
Day 42: Well the patient I was suppose to have went home, so I got a new patient, who really didn't need anything because she was going in for surgery. However I did have a nice conversation with her about her hobbies and her family. I didn't get to administer any medications orally or by injection. Neither did Indy. Her patient did everything herself. Although by the end of the day we did get her to open up. She had a wicked diabetic ulcer on her foot. For you diabetes people: TAKE CARE OF YOUR FEET!!!
Day43: Well once again it felt like a wasted Monday. I sort of learned how to give enemas...gross. And we learned how to check blood sugar, but apparently we are legally not allowed to do it here in the hospitals, so I have no idea how we are going to get practice on a real person. We also learned how to dipstick urine and read it and test poo for blood. I do not do poo and if I EVER have to have an enema, someone knock me out. Health assessment wasn't a total waste since we did talk to the Prof about what exactly we needed to know for final pass off. Its going to be nuts!!! I bet you anything I will end up with the three hardest systems. Just wait.
Day 44: Lecture!! We were suppose to have a guest speaker, but she never showed...so Prof Plant stumbled through the lecture confusing the hell out of those of us who had a test in Patho/Pharm on the same subject that afternoon. I tried to ignore that part of the lecture because I thought I actually had a grasp on acid-base imbalances. Health Lecture was...no offense to Prof Barbie...boring as ever. I need to study for the test next week. Last came the test in Patho/Pharm!! You all know how I epically BOMBED the last test, so I was even more nervous for this test and I studied my fanny off for it. She hasn't posted the grades yet so I have no idea how I did, although I didn't have that sick to my stomach feeling I had last time...usually not a good sign.
Day 45: More lecture!! Prof Mom strikes again! So awful. Not that she is a bad teacher, just electrolyte imbalances are not her fortay. Afterward I went to this briefing for the VALOR program, its a paid apprenticeship for nursing students through the VA. Its a GREAT oppurtunity. I would love to do it...I just don't think I have the GPA to be competetive...I am qualified though. I really want an apprentienceship somewhere. I need the experience if I am going to work Trauma/ER/ICU. So anyone know a hook-up in the Vegas valley?
Well off to more class...hopefully I will find out if I passed my test!
As most of you know I LOVE Halloween. So today I wore a little princess crown to class and one person noticed! Geez people lighten up its Halloween! Learn to have a little fun! Kevin dear, you were right, I should have worn the witches hat. I will shock them all with my Halloween costume on Friday!
Day 42: Well the patient I was suppose to have went home, so I got a new patient, who really didn't need anything because she was going in for surgery. However I did have a nice conversation with her about her hobbies and her family. I didn't get to administer any medications orally or by injection. Neither did Indy. Her patient did everything herself. Although by the end of the day we did get her to open up. She had a wicked diabetic ulcer on her foot. For you diabetes people: TAKE CARE OF YOUR FEET!!!
Day43: Well once again it felt like a wasted Monday. I sort of learned how to give enemas...gross. And we learned how to check blood sugar, but apparently we are legally not allowed to do it here in the hospitals, so I have no idea how we are going to get practice on a real person. We also learned how to dipstick urine and read it and test poo for blood. I do not do poo and if I EVER have to have an enema, someone knock me out. Health assessment wasn't a total waste since we did talk to the Prof about what exactly we needed to know for final pass off. Its going to be nuts!!! I bet you anything I will end up with the three hardest systems. Just wait.
Day 44: Lecture!! We were suppose to have a guest speaker, but she never showed...so Prof Plant stumbled through the lecture confusing the hell out of those of us who had a test in Patho/Pharm on the same subject that afternoon. I tried to ignore that part of the lecture because I thought I actually had a grasp on acid-base imbalances. Health Lecture was...no offense to Prof Barbie...boring as ever. I need to study for the test next week. Last came the test in Patho/Pharm!! You all know how I epically BOMBED the last test, so I was even more nervous for this test and I studied my fanny off for it. She hasn't posted the grades yet so I have no idea how I did, although I didn't have that sick to my stomach feeling I had last time...usually not a good sign.
Day 45: More lecture!! Prof Mom strikes again! So awful. Not that she is a bad teacher, just electrolyte imbalances are not her fortay. Afterward I went to this briefing for the VALOR program, its a paid apprenticeship for nursing students through the VA. Its a GREAT oppurtunity. I would love to do it...I just don't think I have the GPA to be competetive...I am qualified though. I really want an apprentienceship somewhere. I need the experience if I am going to work Trauma/ER/ICU. So anyone know a hook-up in the Vegas valley?
Well off to more class...hopefully I will find out if I passed my test!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Day 38-41: Weight Gain and Brain Dump
Yes ladies and gentlemen it is time again to play that game "25 facts about Me!"
1. I hate hypocracy.
2. I maybe a Republican, but I am not a right wing nut and I CAN logically defend my beliefs
3. My list of priorities goes: God, Country, Husband, Family, Friends, Education, Career, Money
4. I have increditably low self esteem, but that is what keeps me going to the gym
5. I am not afraid of zombies, but I am afraid of vampires...although I like Twilight
6. In my head I am an artist, a warrior, an Oscar winning actress, a Grammy winning Rocker, and a New York Times Bestseller author, and the female version of Indiana Jones
7. I love my dogs as if they are my children and I talk to them too.
8. I have talked to myself since I was a small child.
9. I love the weird feeling I get when I swing upside down on a swing set
10. The best "girl time" I have ever had was the Breast Cancer Walk with Amy and Sam
11. I WILL retire in Colorado on my own property.
12. I want to learn how to bow hunt.
13. My "five" are: Matt Damon, Henry Cavill, Ben Burnley, Ewan McGregor, and Hayden Christensen
14. I secretely wish I could dress like a punk rocker/ goth and get away with it.
15. My favorite sound is wind through pine trees.
16. My happy place is the top of Trail Ridge road.
17. I love/ hate movies that psychologically mess you up.
18. I have read one romance novel...and I liked it.
19. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
20. I do not like running, but for some reason it is the only thing sort of keeping the weight off
21. I wish I could redo my wedding...
22. My husband can always make me smile...sometimes i make him mad on purpose, just for the make-up sex.
23. My dad is my biggest Hero.
24. I have more than one mom: Sharon (step-mom), Grandma (psuedo-mom), Sandy B. (adopted mom), Belinda (mother-in-law with the mostest), Aunt Sonja (the cool mom), and then my actual Mom.
25. My purpose in life is to serve my family and friends!
I also have a new favorite quote for you all: "I like to keep my emotions pushed down. Compressed. So they come out at random and inappropriate times." Veronica NBC's Mercy.
So after I finished my last blog, I had a meeting with Prof Barbie and then later that afternoon I had a meeting with Prof Makey. I now know what I am doing wrong in both classes, and hopefully I can correct my mistakes for the next tests. In Prof Barbie's class, while I am essentially getting the answers right I am always coming down to two answers and just guessing the one she is looking for eventhough both answers are right. Apparently it is a matter of priority, which of the answers is more of a priority...now I see what I am doing wrong! In Prof Makey's class it is a matter of not fully reading the question, because when I went over the test with her, its not that I didn't know the answers I just didn't read the freaking question. Will take more time next time to READ the questions.
Day 38: This day is the reason I waited so long to blog. We are sworn to secrecy when we do simulation lab! Its so the classes after us (since we went on Thrusday), don't know what is coming so they have the same experience we did. We are working at a state of the art facility that we share with UNLV. In this facility there are simulated hospital rooms with manikins that can do all sorts of cool stuff: breathe, have a heart beat, they have a microphone so someone can pretend to be their voice behind one-way glass, you can even stick IVs in them and get simulated blood! Well they have all kinds of cameras and stuff hooked up in this room so a group of students can observe you in a confernce room and give you feed back. Its totally high tech! Well my clinical group split up and one group did a hip fracture scenerio and I was lead nurse for pneumonia patient. Well....I damn near suffocated my patient whose O2 sat (oxygen concentration) dropped to 74%. (Shut-up Sam and Shelly I know the two of you are laughing at me!! :-) ) I freaked out. Completely forgot everything I knew I was suppose to do! My brain was a block of cement that doesn't work...I tried everything. I tried to get Indy, who was the second nurse and Africa (we will call him that cause he is from Africa) and VeggieMan (we will call him that cause he is a vegitarian and from Iran) to help me out, but they stood there shocked too. They wanted me to call a code blue, but I couldn't. Slowly my brain returned and it was simply that the nasal canula (nose tubing) was not hooked up to the O2!! There was tubing there I ASSUMED was from the nasal canula...I was wrong. After that everything was much better. I felt like such an idiot when we "debriefed" the scenerio. But like Prof Papa said, it's something I will never forget to do again.
Day 39: Just a quiz....nothing more...because I am on top of the game!!!
Day 40: Lecture! Who doesn't love teaching your classmates how to make friendship bracelets? That was the project for Fundamentals...a five minute teaching session on anything we wanted. I figured if I could teach friendship bracelets to fourth and fifth graders I can teach it to a small group of nursing students....I was wrong. Vanilla Bear is not so good at the friendship bracelet thing. He did teach me how to sleep in class and we learned how to put on eye make-up (a real need to know for Vanilla Bear in case one of his little girls asks), and how to draw a vanishing point. It was a productive class session. Health Assessment was a marathon of playing solitaire on my iPhone...I need to download more games for that class. I did pay attention to Prof Makey's class. So I took notes. We did have a quiz...sort of...our clinical group was given a packet of respiratory problems and we were to name the disease. It was freaking hard! We got maybe three right.
Day 41: Lecture again!! I some how got elected to play Jeopardy in Fundamentals lecture. It was clear my group had not read the chapter. I went to lunch with Texas...his baby boy is due any minute now! I am so excited for him!! Now its off to another lecture and then to the hospital to pick my patient!!!
1. I hate hypocracy.
2. I maybe a Republican, but I am not a right wing nut and I CAN logically defend my beliefs
3. My list of priorities goes: God, Country, Husband, Family, Friends, Education, Career, Money
4. I have increditably low self esteem, but that is what keeps me going to the gym
5. I am not afraid of zombies, but I am afraid of vampires...although I like Twilight
6. In my head I am an artist, a warrior, an Oscar winning actress, a Grammy winning Rocker, and a New York Times Bestseller author, and the female version of Indiana Jones
7. I love my dogs as if they are my children and I talk to them too.
8. I have talked to myself since I was a small child.
9. I love the weird feeling I get when I swing upside down on a swing set
10. The best "girl time" I have ever had was the Breast Cancer Walk with Amy and Sam
11. I WILL retire in Colorado on my own property.
12. I want to learn how to bow hunt.
13. My "five" are: Matt Damon, Henry Cavill, Ben Burnley, Ewan McGregor, and Hayden Christensen
14. I secretely wish I could dress like a punk rocker/ goth and get away with it.
15. My favorite sound is wind through pine trees.
16. My happy place is the top of Trail Ridge road.
17. I love/ hate movies that psychologically mess you up.
18. I have read one romance novel...and I liked it.
19. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
20. I do not like running, but for some reason it is the only thing sort of keeping the weight off
21. I wish I could redo my wedding...
22. My husband can always make me smile...sometimes i make him mad on purpose, just for the make-up sex.
23. My dad is my biggest Hero.
24. I have more than one mom: Sharon (step-mom), Grandma (psuedo-mom), Sandy B. (adopted mom), Belinda (mother-in-law with the mostest), Aunt Sonja (the cool mom), and then my actual Mom.
25. My purpose in life is to serve my family and friends!
I also have a new favorite quote for you all: "I like to keep my emotions pushed down. Compressed. So they come out at random and inappropriate times." Veronica NBC's Mercy.
So after I finished my last blog, I had a meeting with Prof Barbie and then later that afternoon I had a meeting with Prof Makey. I now know what I am doing wrong in both classes, and hopefully I can correct my mistakes for the next tests. In Prof Barbie's class, while I am essentially getting the answers right I am always coming down to two answers and just guessing the one she is looking for eventhough both answers are right. Apparently it is a matter of priority, which of the answers is more of a priority...now I see what I am doing wrong! In Prof Makey's class it is a matter of not fully reading the question, because when I went over the test with her, its not that I didn't know the answers I just didn't read the freaking question. Will take more time next time to READ the questions.
Day 38: This day is the reason I waited so long to blog. We are sworn to secrecy when we do simulation lab! Its so the classes after us (since we went on Thrusday), don't know what is coming so they have the same experience we did. We are working at a state of the art facility that we share with UNLV. In this facility there are simulated hospital rooms with manikins that can do all sorts of cool stuff: breathe, have a heart beat, they have a microphone so someone can pretend to be their voice behind one-way glass, you can even stick IVs in them and get simulated blood! Well they have all kinds of cameras and stuff hooked up in this room so a group of students can observe you in a confernce room and give you feed back. Its totally high tech! Well my clinical group split up and one group did a hip fracture scenerio and I was lead nurse for pneumonia patient. Well....I damn near suffocated my patient whose O2 sat (oxygen concentration) dropped to 74%. (Shut-up Sam and Shelly I know the two of you are laughing at me!! :-) ) I freaked out. Completely forgot everything I knew I was suppose to do! My brain was a block of cement that doesn't work...I tried everything. I tried to get Indy, who was the second nurse and Africa (we will call him that cause he is from Africa) and VeggieMan (we will call him that cause he is a vegitarian and from Iran) to help me out, but they stood there shocked too. They wanted me to call a code blue, but I couldn't. Slowly my brain returned and it was simply that the nasal canula (nose tubing) was not hooked up to the O2!! There was tubing there I ASSUMED was from the nasal canula...I was wrong. After that everything was much better. I felt like such an idiot when we "debriefed" the scenerio. But like Prof Papa said, it's something I will never forget to do again.
Day 39: Just a quiz....nothing more...because I am on top of the game!!!
Day 40: Lecture! Who doesn't love teaching your classmates how to make friendship bracelets? That was the project for Fundamentals...a five minute teaching session on anything we wanted. I figured if I could teach friendship bracelets to fourth and fifth graders I can teach it to a small group of nursing students....I was wrong. Vanilla Bear is not so good at the friendship bracelet thing. He did teach me how to sleep in class and we learned how to put on eye make-up (a real need to know for Vanilla Bear in case one of his little girls asks), and how to draw a vanishing point. It was a productive class session. Health Assessment was a marathon of playing solitaire on my iPhone...I need to download more games for that class. I did pay attention to Prof Makey's class. So I took notes. We did have a quiz...sort of...our clinical group was given a packet of respiratory problems and we were to name the disease. It was freaking hard! We got maybe three right.
Day 41: Lecture again!! I some how got elected to play Jeopardy in Fundamentals lecture. It was clear my group had not read the chapter. I went to lunch with Texas...his baby boy is due any minute now! I am so excited for him!! Now its off to another lecture and then to the hospital to pick my patient!!!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Day 35, 36, and 37: Official Fail...sort of.
Well now that I am down to one shift a week, day 35 turned out to be a Monday! So here we go:
Day 35: Yet another productive Monday...I am not being sarcastic. I can now officially stick you all with a needle full of drugs! MUWHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA! It really was not a hard pass off, which scared me at first. I thought I was missing something. I did shake a bit, but I don't like being analyzed while I am doing something that requires concentration. But apparently I did well.
Snoopy and I had our shift assessment. It was really awkward poking and proding eachother in blue hospital gowns while the instructor silently watched and took notes. In the end I managed to only miss two things and didn't fully describe the sound of the heart. Overall I think I did fairly well. I have no idea what I got for a grade.
Day 36: Lecture. I miss Fundamentals lecture because I sat in traffic for two hours!! I left at 7:00 am and did not get to school until almost 9:00am. I was PISSED. Not like I missed anything significant, I just don't like missing class. It makes me look like a slacker. So I studied for my patho/pharm test. I totally thought I was going to do well on the test. I did everything she told us to and studied thoroughly everything on her study guide. When I opened Prof Makey's test I about gave up half way through. NOTHING I studied was on that test. I felt completely unprepared! I have tried to set up an appointment with her, but she doesn't let students look at the test after. So I feel sort of screwed. I got a 73%. I am so disappointed in myself and so shocked at the shit grade I can't even cry. I might have to go run five miles to make my brain function again.
Health Assessment was boring as usual. No offense to the guest speaker, he is a great guy, but I just went over the musculosketetal system in A and P, why would I want to go through it again? We also had "seminar" that day. Stupid. Read two scenerios about patients dying and the nurse reaction then answer some touchy, feely questions. LAME.
Day37: More lecture. Its seriously freaky how Prof Mom reminds me of my parents. We had a "healing ceremony" today....whatever the hell that is. There was some speaking, some gathering of weeds, and then it was done. I took pictures because I felt so freaking awkward. I need a new point and shoot camera...mine is old and it goes through batteries like its, its job.
I am hoping Prof Makey will go over her test in class today. I want to know what I missed and why.
Ugh....half way through. I am not sure how much longer I can last!!
Day 35: Yet another productive Monday...I am not being sarcastic. I can now officially stick you all with a needle full of drugs! MUWHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA! It really was not a hard pass off, which scared me at first. I thought I was missing something. I did shake a bit, but I don't like being analyzed while I am doing something that requires concentration. But apparently I did well.
Snoopy and I had our shift assessment. It was really awkward poking and proding eachother in blue hospital gowns while the instructor silently watched and took notes. In the end I managed to only miss two things and didn't fully describe the sound of the heart. Overall I think I did fairly well. I have no idea what I got for a grade.
Day 36: Lecture. I miss Fundamentals lecture because I sat in traffic for two hours!! I left at 7:00 am and did not get to school until almost 9:00am. I was PISSED. Not like I missed anything significant, I just don't like missing class. It makes me look like a slacker. So I studied for my patho/pharm test. I totally thought I was going to do well on the test. I did everything she told us to and studied thoroughly everything on her study guide. When I opened Prof Makey's test I about gave up half way through. NOTHING I studied was on that test. I felt completely unprepared! I have tried to set up an appointment with her, but she doesn't let students look at the test after. So I feel sort of screwed. I got a 73%. I am so disappointed in myself and so shocked at the shit grade I can't even cry. I might have to go run five miles to make my brain function again.
Health Assessment was boring as usual. No offense to the guest speaker, he is a great guy, but I just went over the musculosketetal system in A and P, why would I want to go through it again? We also had "seminar" that day. Stupid. Read two scenerios about patients dying and the nurse reaction then answer some touchy, feely questions. LAME.
Day37: More lecture. Its seriously freaky how Prof Mom reminds me of my parents. We had a "healing ceremony" today....whatever the hell that is. There was some speaking, some gathering of weeds, and then it was done. I took pictures because I felt so freaking awkward. I need a new point and shoot camera...mine is old and it goes through batteries like its, its job.
I am hoping Prof Makey will go over her test in class today. I want to know what I missed and why.
Ugh....half way through. I am not sure how much longer I can last!!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Day 34: First 12 Hour Shift
I have been hesitating to write about my first 12 hour day. It was not a good day. My patient was sent to the hospital for a UTI, but throughout the day I found out the nursing home she was at sent her to the hospital because she was so mean to them they didn't want to deal with her anymore!! She was a little rough with the nurse, me , and the CNA. I just don't know where to start about the day. I fed my patient breakfast and then she kicked me and Indy out of her room. We gave her a bed bath and changed her linen. She was nicer to me then. They had the poor woman, who by the way, could not get out of the bed...RESTRAINED, and tightly. When I went to lunch apparently the CNA tried to force feed her lunch and she spit it out in the CNA's face...apparently that was enough to have her seriously restrained. She complained to me that she couldn't feel her hands...so when the nurse wasn't looking I loosened her restraint so she could get some blood flow back to her hands. She refused her medications...good and bad thing. They were giving her the wrong meds, but she needed her dementia medication because she was clearly in need of it. I just could not believe how rude the nurse and the doctor were to her. It made me sad and angry. I have decided I cannot work in geriatrics, I get to involved. I am still too confused and angry to write anymore.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Days 31 thru 33ish: Elementary School
This week was suppose to be round two of exams...in a way it still is, but in others its not. Yesterday I realized (no offense to the cool people) that I am in a class full of some very whiny people. They whined enough yesterday to convince Prof Makey to move our test from today, to next Tuesday! While some of you maybe wondering why that would upset me, the thing is, I was mentally prepared to take three exams this week. I may not have studied completely, but I felt ready. This is college after all...Professors shouldn't give a shit when the rest of your tests are, they give the test when they planned and thats the end of the story. I don't seem to recall any of the professors from my first years in college and my first degree telling us they would move the test because they don't want us to be overwhelmed. Welcome to the adult world people!!!! Its overwhelming at times and you need to learn to deal with it. Whining will get you nowhere and typically your boss could care less if you are overwhelmed. There is a reason why they are termed MIDTERMS...they are suppose to be taken in the MIDDLE of the term. The other frustrating thing is not only do we have an exam next Tuesday, but we have one in the same class a week later. How freaking retarded is that?! Or am I the only one who notices these things? The maturity level of my class is significantly lower than I expected and its very annoying and frustrating.
Day 31: Well I wish I could say it was a wasted Monday...in a way it was. I didn't get anything checked off on my parenteral medication list (injectables), eventhough everything is pretty much checked off by other students in the class. Injectables is far less regulated than I thought it would be. Going through oral medications was like trying to get a signed letter from the Pope...parenteral...well it seems they will let anyone poke you with a needle. I think I have the hang of it for the most part. The IM (intramuscular) injection pad is the same weight and consistancy as one of my butt cheeks...that was sort of depressing. I was able to do an intradermal injection correctly (like a TB test). Rest is, well, I guess good? I can draw up the medications, reconsistute them, and mix insulin. Hurray! The hard part is what syringe, what gauge, what length needle, and where to stick it (so to speak HA!). Suppose I ought to study that.
Health assessment lab went a little better than usual, although it was weird knowing that my Prof honestly did not want to be there. I know because she has said so on several occasions to different students. My health assessment partner and I, (I'll call her Snoopy, in honor of the freaking cute tat she has on her back), tried to spend our time effectively by really examining each others abdominal area (kind of hard she both of us were laughing so much) and by going over our "shift assessment" which we will be the first group to go on Monday. We were there until 5pm eventhough both of us insisted that we did not want to be there any longer than we had too. Overall I think we will do well on Monday
Day 32: Lecture wooohooo!!! I completely ignored Prof Plant for the majority of class because I was studying for my health assessment lecture test, which was my next class. I truly have no idea what the first two parts of the lecture were about, but I do know the last part was about sleep, because I am not getting any (so to speak HA!). Sorry honey, I love you! Anyways, the test was...I really don't know. I had no idea how I would do when I went in there and I had no idea how I did when I came out. I hate that. I find that is what it is like in Nursing school. You really just don't know. Turns out I got an 82%. Not bad, but I could have done better if I had actually took the time to study properly. Noted, will not use someone elses study guide notes again.
The last class of the day was Prof Makey's class. After everyone whined about being mentally challenged, I failed to pay attention to lecture and simply wrote notes on the study guide for next week. You can't follow or understand Prof Makey worth a crap, so you might as well study the print outs of class objectives because that is what she tests on. I was so brain numb after class that I went and ran four miles (on the treadmill, so didn't feel like I got an effective workout), and weight lifted. And once again my night was full of studying for Fundamentals!!!
Day 33: Fundamentals test!!! I felt better prepared for this test. I did all MyNursingLab tests and I even went over the questions at the back of the chapter like she told us to. And guess what? The majority of her questions were pulled directly from the book questions or from MyNursingLab. So I think I did fairly well on this test...if I didn't I am going to be a bit confused and pissed.
This afternoon is Prof Makey again, followed by a little trip to the hospital to pick up info on my patient for tomorrow. First twelve hour shift tomorrow!! Friday I was going to flop my ass on the couch all day and not touch a textbook, but thanks to my classmates...I'll be studying and I might have to give up my Saturday again. Boo. Sigh...I need a freaking vacation.
Day 31: Well I wish I could say it was a wasted Monday...in a way it was. I didn't get anything checked off on my parenteral medication list (injectables), eventhough everything is pretty much checked off by other students in the class. Injectables is far less regulated than I thought it would be. Going through oral medications was like trying to get a signed letter from the Pope...parenteral...well it seems they will let anyone poke you with a needle. I think I have the hang of it for the most part. The IM (intramuscular) injection pad is the same weight and consistancy as one of my butt cheeks...that was sort of depressing. I was able to do an intradermal injection correctly (like a TB test). Rest is, well, I guess good? I can draw up the medications, reconsistute them, and mix insulin. Hurray! The hard part is what syringe, what gauge, what length needle, and where to stick it (so to speak HA!). Suppose I ought to study that.
Health assessment lab went a little better than usual, although it was weird knowing that my Prof honestly did not want to be there. I know because she has said so on several occasions to different students. My health assessment partner and I, (I'll call her Snoopy, in honor of the freaking cute tat she has on her back), tried to spend our time effectively by really examining each others abdominal area (kind of hard she both of us were laughing so much) and by going over our "shift assessment" which we will be the first group to go on Monday. We were there until 5pm eventhough both of us insisted that we did not want to be there any longer than we had too. Overall I think we will do well on Monday
Day 32: Lecture wooohooo!!! I completely ignored Prof Plant for the majority of class because I was studying for my health assessment lecture test, which was my next class. I truly have no idea what the first two parts of the lecture were about, but I do know the last part was about sleep, because I am not getting any (so to speak HA!). Sorry honey, I love you! Anyways, the test was...I really don't know. I had no idea how I would do when I went in there and I had no idea how I did when I came out. I hate that. I find that is what it is like in Nursing school. You really just don't know. Turns out I got an 82%. Not bad, but I could have done better if I had actually took the time to study properly. Noted, will not use someone elses study guide notes again.
The last class of the day was Prof Makey's class. After everyone whined about being mentally challenged, I failed to pay attention to lecture and simply wrote notes on the study guide for next week. You can't follow or understand Prof Makey worth a crap, so you might as well study the print outs of class objectives because that is what she tests on. I was so brain numb after class that I went and ran four miles (on the treadmill, so didn't feel like I got an effective workout), and weight lifted. And once again my night was full of studying for Fundamentals!!!
Day 33: Fundamentals test!!! I felt better prepared for this test. I did all MyNursingLab tests and I even went over the questions at the back of the chapter like she told us to. And guess what? The majority of her questions were pulled directly from the book questions or from MyNursingLab. So I think I did fairly well on this test...if I didn't I am going to be a bit confused and pissed.
This afternoon is Prof Makey again, followed by a little trip to the hospital to pick up info on my patient for tomorrow. First twelve hour shift tomorrow!! Friday I was going to flop my ass on the couch all day and not touch a textbook, but thanks to my classmates...I'll be studying and I might have to give up my Saturday again. Boo. Sigh...I need a freaking vacation.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Day 27 thru 30: Purple Rings and Breaking Benjamin
I look at myself in the mirror everyday simply to make sure I brush my hair properly and brush my teeth and to make sure I get all the face lotion rubbed in. But lately I haven't really taken a look at myself. Two weeks ago I got my hair darkened because I needed a change, but I didn't realize that the change was greatly needed. Everyone likes the change, I think it distracts them from the fact that I no longer look like myself. At least I think I no longer look like myself. At clinicals Indy pointed this out to me. She was telling me that ever since school started she looks at herself in the mirror and does not recognize the person staring back at her. That night I went home and looked at myself in the mirror. Pale skin, blotchy with freckles and retreating stress acne. The greatest change was the great dark purple and black circles under my eyes. My lips have lost most of their color, so has the rest of my skin...I haven't gained any weight, but I haven't lost any (not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing), but I could tell it was no longer me. I have also noticed that I am more prone to crying. The smallest things can make me cry. Last night I was at a birthday party and several of the silliest things just made me want to cry for no good reason. I was so tired, I had to leave early, which is not like me at all. What is nursing school doing to me?
Day 27: Lecture, Lecture, Lecture....Lecture....lecture...................(screaming)
Day 28: Lecture in the morning...really boring. I might as well skip class and just read the freaking chapter! However I won't do that cause I am a good student. I have a four hour break in between Prof Mom's class and Prof Makay's class, so I decided to go to open lab. If I haven't already said what we are doing right now let me explain. Nevada State College is the only nursing program in the Las Vegas area that is allowed to let their first semester students pass medications in clinicals. So in labs we have been given six fake patients with long lists of medications and reasons for being in the hospital and past histories and we draw vitals and lab values for each patient. We are (for the first "pass off") to sort through their oral medications and figure out which ones we give and why and what ones we don't and why and what we do in each situation and what we are suppose to teach the patient and what we are suppose to watch for. Once you get the system down its pretty simple and takes about ten minutes to go through the whole thing with an instructor (when you know what you are doing). However, because of, once again, their failure to follow the seven P's, not everyone is going to be able to "pass off" in the amount of time they have given us. We have to present one patient at a time and wait for everyone else to go (which takes forever), before you can present your next one even if you are ready to present them all. So I spend four hours in lab on Wednesday an only passed off on two patients! By the time I was done with my second patient I was already late to Prof Makay's class so I just said "fuck it" and went and worked out. Right now that is my only way of relieving stress. If I don't go for a few days I get twitchy and grumpy.
Day 29: Ah clinicals! Last week at two six hour shifts. Indy and I both had very interesting patients. Her patient was more talkative and had a really sweet husband (they were an older couple), my patient was in the same room and only wanted to sleep. My patient's diagnosis was interesting and she exhibited classic signs of her disease. I have to admit I was fascinated...almost like she was my personal guinea pig, which in a way all of my patients through nursing school are. Its disturbing how fascinated I was with my patient. However we did spend most of our time with Indy's patient. Surprisingly the day went very quickly! We didn't even have time to sit down and do our paperwork. We changed linens and helped both patients bathe. We watched the nurse give medications, it was a crazy day. I felt satisfied at the end of the day that I actually did something effective with my time.
Day 30: My patient remained the same!! This time I took control of the situation and performed a health assessment on her and found some of the most interesting things!! She has COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, its mostly a combination of emphysema and bronchitis typically caused by smoking) she was exhibiting classic signs. Shallow inhale, deep exhale, crackles in the lower lobes and a strange thumping noise in her lower lobes, she had a wheeze in the tracheal area...it was so COOL to actually hear these things on a patient instead of being simulated. Indy's patient had pneumonia and so her lung sounds where abnormal too! She had rales...it is so fascinating to hear these things, I know people are thinking I am sick for thinking someone's misfortune is fascinating, but I have to learn somehow. Its actually satisfying to be able to recognize on a patient all the things you learn in class, things that are beaten into your head. Its like discovering a great new shopping hole or bistro. I feel a sense of accomplishment, like I am actually learning something.
Day 30 1/2: I just want to say I spent the majority of my Saturday in lab trying to finish off my final medications. I was finally able to get to the "final pass off" the seventh patient that would decide if I was ready to pass medications in the hospital or not. We are given a new patient and twenty minutes to prep our notes and pull their drugs. I worked quickly. My adrenaline was going 100 miles an hour, I hadn't eaten anything all day so I was shaking a bit. I managed to get everything together right as the bell dinged. I had to wait for Prof Mom to finish with the girl that was head of me. She had the same patient I did, but I didn't hear how she went through the medications. I just looked up to see her crying and Prof Mom, lecturing her. My stomach dropped. Crap, crap, crap.....I wish Prof Plant was the one passing me off. Prof Mom is one scary, anal lady. I can handle her...she seriously is like my mother with my dad's army mentality. I started to breathe a little faster. It was my turn. I went through my medications and rationalized everything...she stared at me with a blank face the whole time...no leads...I just kept talking until I had nothing left to say. I went through every scenario I could think of. In the end I passed by the skin of my teeth. Eventhough my reasons for giving a medication and not giving one were sound, they weren't the reasons she was looking for, but she still passed me. I greatfully grabbed my green slip that said I could pass medications, returned my pulled meds, and quietly left the room. I don't remember walking back to the lab where everyone else was. I was shaking and pale and on the verge of tears. I passed, but just barely...and it scared the shit out of me.
So this week the new Breaking Benjamin cd came out and I bought it after saying up late one night to listen to an interview with the lead singer and a premiere of the cd. It has been a saving grace this week. I can always rock out to BB and relieve stress. Ben Burnley is a lyric genius. So my nursing school survival kit now includes: retail therapy, hazelnut lattes, book club, and Breaking Benjamin.
Day 27: Lecture, Lecture, Lecture....Lecture....lecture...................(screaming)
Day 28: Lecture in the morning...really boring. I might as well skip class and just read the freaking chapter! However I won't do that cause I am a good student. I have a four hour break in between Prof Mom's class and Prof Makay's class, so I decided to go to open lab. If I haven't already said what we are doing right now let me explain. Nevada State College is the only nursing program in the Las Vegas area that is allowed to let their first semester students pass medications in clinicals. So in labs we have been given six fake patients with long lists of medications and reasons for being in the hospital and past histories and we draw vitals and lab values for each patient. We are (for the first "pass off") to sort through their oral medications and figure out which ones we give and why and what ones we don't and why and what we do in each situation and what we are suppose to teach the patient and what we are suppose to watch for. Once you get the system down its pretty simple and takes about ten minutes to go through the whole thing with an instructor (when you know what you are doing). However, because of, once again, their failure to follow the seven P's, not everyone is going to be able to "pass off" in the amount of time they have given us. We have to present one patient at a time and wait for everyone else to go (which takes forever), before you can present your next one even if you are ready to present them all. So I spend four hours in lab on Wednesday an only passed off on two patients! By the time I was done with my second patient I was already late to Prof Makay's class so I just said "fuck it" and went and worked out. Right now that is my only way of relieving stress. If I don't go for a few days I get twitchy and grumpy.
Day 29: Ah clinicals! Last week at two six hour shifts. Indy and I both had very interesting patients. Her patient was more talkative and had a really sweet husband (they were an older couple), my patient was in the same room and only wanted to sleep. My patient's diagnosis was interesting and she exhibited classic signs of her disease. I have to admit I was fascinated...almost like she was my personal guinea pig, which in a way all of my patients through nursing school are. Its disturbing how fascinated I was with my patient. However we did spend most of our time with Indy's patient. Surprisingly the day went very quickly! We didn't even have time to sit down and do our paperwork. We changed linens and helped both patients bathe. We watched the nurse give medications, it was a crazy day. I felt satisfied at the end of the day that I actually did something effective with my time.
Day 30: My patient remained the same!! This time I took control of the situation and performed a health assessment on her and found some of the most interesting things!! She has COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, its mostly a combination of emphysema and bronchitis typically caused by smoking) she was exhibiting classic signs. Shallow inhale, deep exhale, crackles in the lower lobes and a strange thumping noise in her lower lobes, she had a wheeze in the tracheal area...it was so COOL to actually hear these things on a patient instead of being simulated. Indy's patient had pneumonia and so her lung sounds where abnormal too! She had rales...it is so fascinating to hear these things, I know people are thinking I am sick for thinking someone's misfortune is fascinating, but I have to learn somehow. Its actually satisfying to be able to recognize on a patient all the things you learn in class, things that are beaten into your head. Its like discovering a great new shopping hole or bistro. I feel a sense of accomplishment, like I am actually learning something.
Day 30 1/2: I just want to say I spent the majority of my Saturday in lab trying to finish off my final medications. I was finally able to get to the "final pass off" the seventh patient that would decide if I was ready to pass medications in the hospital or not. We are given a new patient and twenty minutes to prep our notes and pull their drugs. I worked quickly. My adrenaline was going 100 miles an hour, I hadn't eaten anything all day so I was shaking a bit. I managed to get everything together right as the bell dinged. I had to wait for Prof Mom to finish with the girl that was head of me. She had the same patient I did, but I didn't hear how she went through the medications. I just looked up to see her crying and Prof Mom, lecturing her. My stomach dropped. Crap, crap, crap.....I wish Prof Plant was the one passing me off. Prof Mom is one scary, anal lady. I can handle her...she seriously is like my mother with my dad's army mentality. I started to breathe a little faster. It was my turn. I went through my medications and rationalized everything...she stared at me with a blank face the whole time...no leads...I just kept talking until I had nothing left to say. I went through every scenario I could think of. In the end I passed by the skin of my teeth. Eventhough my reasons for giving a medication and not giving one were sound, they weren't the reasons she was looking for, but she still passed me. I greatfully grabbed my green slip that said I could pass medications, returned my pulled meds, and quietly left the room. I don't remember walking back to the lab where everyone else was. I was shaking and pale and on the verge of tears. I passed, but just barely...and it scared the shit out of me.
So this week the new Breaking Benjamin cd came out and I bought it after saying up late one night to listen to an interview with the lead singer and a premiere of the cd. It has been a saving grace this week. I can always rock out to BB and relieve stress. Ben Burnley is a lyric genius. So my nursing school survival kit now includes: retail therapy, hazelnut lattes, book club, and Breaking Benjamin.
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