This is a few days late...

but better late than never, right?

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Glorious news!

I'm done!

Finals kind of stink, stank, stunk -- but that's obsolete now. I already have my textbooks for my January-term class (pediatric nursing) but I'm not even going to crack open the shrink wrap until after Christmas unless I get reeeaaaally bored. So far, that hasn't happened.

It feels SO NICE not to have homework. In fact, Andy and I have already had the following conversation several times:

ROBIN: Hey, Andy, guess what?

ANDY: What?

ROBIN: I totally DON'T have any homework tonight.

(And then we high-five.)

It's kind of like my very own knock-knock joke. And it's so versatile! I've also used the "I totally DON'T have a test to study for" or "I totally DON'T have any reading to do" variation of the punchline.

It was kind of sad, really

Today was my last day of clinicals for the semester. On the one hand, it's a relief to have a break. On the other hand, it was kind of sad -- but I know I'll have many many many more hours of clinical experience in the hospital in the very near future.

I actually didn't give any patient care today. (And that wasn't just because I forgot my stethoscope at home.) Since it was our last day, we had the opportunity to spend the day observing nurses in different settings. One student went to the OR, two students spent time in the cath lab, another went to PACU, one to ICU, and I spent morning shadowing the palliative care nurse.

Palliative care is focused on caring for the patient and their family during the disease process. They're concerned with symptom management (like pain), comfort measures, spiritual and emotional needs -- it's all about a person's quality of life. At this particular hospital the palliative care team can get involved as soon as someone is diagnosed with a chronic illness, so it's not limited to patients who are close to death. It just so happened, though, that the families we met with were facing the imminent death of a loved one. That could be another reason why my day was kind of sad.

I loved watching this nurse at work. She had such balance and poise, but was still genuine and empathetic. She obviously cared for her patients and their families -- but even more importantly, the families seemed to really value her support. In the course of the morning, we did rounds on her patients in the hospital. I think that was the first time I've seen someone who is close to death.

We also spent a long time talking with a family whose loved one was dying. All I did was listen, but they still thanked me for being there when the conversation ended. In reality, I was the one who should have been saying thank you to them for letting me be there.

Now THAT's a relief

I do like nursing after all!

I'll be honest, I was a little apprehensive about returning to clinicals after our much needed 2 week break. I had SO MANY concerns. I think they were a lot of the same concerns that I had at the beginning of this clinical experience. Like...

What if I couldn’t remember how to give a subcutaneous injection?
What if my hands started to shake again during my patient assessments and medication administration?
What if the nurses groaned when they saw more students enter the report room?
And, oh God, what if after my restful and relaxing hiatus, I discovered that I didn’t like nursing after all?

I was relieved when I got to the unit on Thursday. If the nurses groaned at the sight of our PLU uniforms, it was only on the inside. Despite all my worrying, I was actually HAPPY to be back on the unit. It even felt kind of normal to be there. I gave two subcutaneous injections, had the opportunity to hang IV antibiotics, and learned more about the importance of timing of certain medications. It was all very nursey and exciting.

This week was special, too, because I spent the majority of my time giving patient care. I realize that as a ‘real’ nurse I won’t have the luxury of focusing all of my attention and energy on one patient. And, I'll be honest, I was a little bit disappointed when I didn’t take on two patients on Friday – but, ultimately, I valued that extra time I was able to spend with my patient.

My patient was a sweet, dear woman. It was obvious that the time she'd spent in the hospital was starting to take a toll on her emotionally, so we spent a lot of time talking. There was also lots of time for patient teaching. It was during those moments that I was reminded how I do indeed love nursing.

I've also learned that patients who have endearing accents can make talking about anything (including poop and emesis) that much more enjoyable.

You Tube + Medicine = fun fun fun!

Sadly, I can by no means take credit for this brilliant adaptation of Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack."

Instead, I give you the University of Alberta Medical School's adaptation: Diagnosis Wenckebach.

And, since I cannot figure out how to embed the video into my blog, here's the link to the YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVxJJ2DBPiQ

(You have to cut and paste it because it I am extremely technologically challenged today. I blame the tryptophan.)

Enjoy!

The holy rhombus of nursing?

Another milestone in my nursing career: encountering vomit for the first time.

I think this means I've encountered all four elements found in the holy rhombus of nursing: blood, urine, poop, and puke.

And, as a onetime sympathetic puker, I'm happy to report that I kept my cool -- even when a little bit landed on my arm.

CABG and PTCA

I'm sure I'm not the first person to think it's odd that the abbreviations for these two cardiac interventions (CABG = coronary artery bypass graft; PTCA = percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) sound like delicious foods.

It does, however, make them easier to remember for a test.

In this past week, I've seen both procedures done live and in person!

Nursing school is SO COOL.

Sgt. Pepper's OPEN HEART's Club Band?

Soooo, I saw an open heart surgery today. Maybe it was more like an open chest surgery because the heart wasn't technically open. It was a coronary artery bypass graft. Which means, in very crude terms, that a blood vessel is harvested from somewhere else in the person's body and then the surgeon hooks it up to divert blood flow around the clogged part of one (or more) of the coronary arteries.

Either way, the point is that I saw a human's insides today. Not only that, I saw a HUMAN HEART. And it just kept on beat-beat-beating away all the way through the surgery.

I was, not surprisingly, dumbfounded. Awestruck. Speechless. But to the doctors and nurses on the cardiothoracic team, that's just another day at the office. I guess that's how it should be.

I had a fantastic view of the whole thing, right at the head of the table with the anesthesiologist. Everyone on the team was wonderful. The surgeon really took the time to explain things (and I'm standing there thinking, OH MY GOD he's holding a heart in his hands), asking me questions, quizzing me about anatomy, and that sort of thing.

And then I got lightheaded and had to sit on the floor. Twice.

After my second dizzy spell, I took a little break in the staff lounge. (BTW, it looks nothing like any of the staff lounges on "Grey's Anatomy." Neither did the OR for that matter.) I ate a little snack, had a cup of coffee, and took some deep breaths before heading back into the OR for round two.

The bummer? I missed the exciting part when they had to shock the heart back into a regular rhythm.

The good news? They were so proud of me for not fainting that they said I could come back anytime.

Go Robin!

Another important lesson

Once you sing a few karaoke songs that you don't really know the words to (and you don't get booed off the stage), suddenly singing in public doesn't seem quite so scary.

It's just one more important life lesson I've learned at Bob's Java Jive.

Week 2 in Med-Surg Nursing

This past week in clinicals further convinced me that going to nursing school was the right decision.

I cared for the same patient (a very sweet and lovely elderly woman) for two days. My official responsibilities were to administer scheduled oral medications, and to perform the morning and afternoon nursing assessments. Other responsibilities include trying to jump in and help out or observe just about anything cool or interesting that happened on the unit.

Medication administration went pretty well. Janet (my instructor) has been sharing tips for how to deal with my shakey hands. The more meds I administer, the less my hands shake; looks like it's just going to take lots of practice.

I liked explaining the therapeutic effects of the different medications in patient-friendly terms -- i.e., sans medical jargon. I know it's important for me to understand the pathology of a disease or a drug's mechanisms of action and side effects on a smaller level, but I found that being able to put things in a "big picture" perspective was both helpful and satisfying.

My assessment skills are getting better, too, but I still can't wait until the end of the semester when I finally have a good, systematic rhythm.

I also got to see chest tubes get removed, measured input and output, emptied a foley catheter by myself, cleaned a bedpan for the first time, gowned up to help care for a patient in contact isolation, tried to act as an advocate for my patient and helped her ambulate in the hallway.

The most important thing I learned, though was how much the caring things a nurse can do (like offer a patient a warm washcloth to wash their hands and face before breakfast) can make a positive impact on a patient's hospital experience.

When we said goodbye on Friday, my patient insisted on giving me a hug and thanked me for taking good care of her. As she said, "Even just a little TLC makes all the difference when you're sick."

Same bat time... totally different bat place

It's Day 2 of my medical-surgical rotation!

I'm on a cardiac unit, which kind of scares the bejeebers out of me, but I should learn a lot. The nurses have a reputation for encouraging their students to be critical thinkers, and for letting us observe some pretty cool procedures as they come up. I'll also have the chance to spend some time in the OR, but I don't know yet when that'll happen.

Last Friday was spent observing a nurse while she did her morning routine and assessments. (So cool.) I got to perform the second assessment of her shift, which was super exciting. It was the first time I've heard a heart murmur in person (!) and I've discovered that my stethoscope is kind of craptastic. Either that, or I just have a really hard time hearing lung sounds.

Today I'm assigned one patient to care for -- and I have three goals! They are:

1. Perform both the morning and afternoon assessments
2. Administer scheduled oral medications
3. Chart, chart, chart!

Because charting is a nurse's best friend?

Operations GMI and BMS

This semester I've undertaken two separate, albeit closely related, operations. They are Operation Be More Social (BMS) and Operation Get More Involved (GMI).

Operation GMI:
I've been trying to be more involved on PLU's campus and in the Lakewood community. So, I joined the Pierce County YMCA and Delta Iota Chi, the School of Nursing's service club.

Even though I haven't really been "giving back" with my YMCA membership, I know I've gotten a lot out it. I love love LOVE my spinning class, taught by possibly the world's nicest drill sergeant. (Seriously, he showed up to class in fatigues one day.) And, the little 70-year-old women shaking their thangs in the cardio salsa dance class are truly inspiring.

Delta Iota Chi has been a nice way to explore the link between community service and the practice of nursing. So far, I've volunteered at a blood drive and am helping co-organize the ELMSN class's contributions to the annual Thanksgiving basket drive. We'll have to wait and see how that goes.

Operation BMS:
With all of this extra time on my hands this semester, I quickly realized that I'd like to leave nursing school with my education AND a new circle of friends. I also wanted to avoid spending my spare time annoying Andy and pining away for my Seattle peeps.

So, I played on my first ever IM soccer team (Team MRSA). Andy and I hosted a pumpkin pancake breakfast, and then attended our first ever PLU football game. I've also had more dinner/lunch/coffee dates with girls from school, in addition to our requisite study sessions.

Perhaps best of all have been karaoke nights at Bob's Java Jive. There's nothing quite like singing a duet with a big bald man named Vinnie Bob.

Never a Dull Moment

I just finished up my clinical rotation at the inpatient psychiatric unit. The final day was pretty uneventful, with the exception of the impending windstorm on everyone's minds. There were lots of new admits, although some patients that had been previously discharged were back. It was sad to see them in that state, but having a few familiar faces in the mix was oddly comforting.

After thinking about it, I realized that I learned quite a bit during my rotation. I became more comfortable talking with patients, and even came to appreciate having a nursing experience that is not so task-oriented. Hopefully I'll be able to maintain that focus as my move into my next clinical rotation this Thursday in the main hospital.

I also had the chance to wear this little number to class on Tuesday:

And it wasn't even Halloween! I played the role of a visual hallucination (specifically a talking cow) in a friend's skit about the signs and symptoms brief psychotic disorder. It was pure educational gold -- everyone learned something, and was wildly entertained! Fabulous.

And the "Most Likely to Make Mistakes" Award goes to...

Robin!

So.... perhaps I exaggerate. Let's just say, though, that medication administration was much more nerve-wracking than I had expected. Seriously, my hands were shaking. And I didn't do everything right. Sometimes I absolutely hate not being perfect.

The good news is, I was only responsible for the medication administration of 4 patients on the unit. I cannot imagine what kind of knowledge I would need or what kind of madness would have ensued had I been responsible for preparing the meds for all 15 patients.

The even better (and most important) news is, I learned a lot from the experience. As my instructor so kindly said, I couldn't have experienced more teachable moments in one day even if I'd paid for it. And I did a decent job of rolling with the punches and trying to think on my feet. I'm still trying to learn have the cajones to trust my instincts, though. If I had, it would have saved me a lot of trouble on Thursday!

By the end of that day, things improved. My hands stopped shaking once my instructor gave me some space, and I wasn't as conscious of being watched. I did a kick-ass job of giving an insulin shot. And, when I administered afternoon meds, the routine of asking each patient important questions about side effects and how certain medicines made them feel felt much more natural.

I know I'll never be perfect. But, perhaps my shaky hands and initial cautiousness will pay off in the long run.

This may be the week

That kicks my butt. Or it could be the week that kicks my butt out of nursing school.

Like I've mentioned before, I have lectures Monday through Wednesday, with clinicals on Thursday and Friday.

This week has been unusually hellish. I've had:
-two exams
-two quizzes
-a paper due
-a teaching plan due

And I have four papers due next week!

Thursday I'm responsible for medication administration (which I'm actually pretty excited about) for some patients on the unit, and on Friday I'm leading an hour long "Life Skills" group. We're talking about stress management. Maybe I'll learn something?

I remember a time when October used to be my favorite month of the year....

*sigh*

Those were the good old days.

Ch-ch-changes

At this point in the semester last summer (about 4 weeks of class) I was almost halfway through our curriculum and positively overwhelmed by the amount of information being thrown my way.

Fast forward to today -- almost 4 weeks into class and it seems like we haven't learned much of anything. Not from books or most of our lectures, anyway. Many of the concepts we learned this summer are being reinforced, but it feels like most classes are still stuck in first gear.

I can't decide which situation is worse: being overwhelmed or underwhelmed. I wish I could find a balance. I may have already said this, but I think the majority of my learning will come from my clinical experiences.

I'm learning a ton in mental health. My week in the chemical dependency unit taught me that addiction is indeed very much a disease. And this week back in the inpatient psychiatric unit has helped me practice my listening and communication skillz. It still isn't easy, and they need some work -- but I am having a much easier time initiating conversation with different patients in the unit.

I even got to contribute some insights and observations during a treatment team meeting with the psychiatrists and social workers. It felt pretty good after one of the docs told us that students were only half as important as everyone else in the room. (Zing!)

I think he was joking, though.

You know it's a Monday when

You drop your phone in the toilet, right before a big test.

And then you remember that it's actually Tuesday and life's just funny like that.

Fall Semester: Week 2!

I just had a fabulous day in the ER. Sounds kind of strange, doesn't it?

Thursday marked my first real day of my mental health clinical rotation. My instructor has arranged for us to do something a little different each week. My schedule looks a little something like this:

-two days in the chemical dependency unit
-one day in the emergency room crisis center
-one day shadowing the charge nurse for the inpatient unit
-one day shadowing the group nurse for the inpatient unit
-one day administering medicine to patients in the inpatient unit
-one day assisting the mental health technician
-one day with the social worker on the inpatient unit
-one day leading an occupational therapy group
-one day in the outpatient program
-one day doing home health visits with a mental health nurse practitioner.

I spent my first day in the voluntary inpatient psychiatric unit. My main task was to shadow the social worker, observe his support group, and observe the treatment team meetings. Treatment team meetings are a time for the whole team of care providers (psychiatrist, nurses, occupational therapists, social worker) to discuss a patient's history, treatment plans or options, their progress and plans for discharge. It was truly fascinating!

The first half of my day was quite uncomfortable, though. Since the social worker didn't get to the unit until 0900, I spent the first couple of hours floating around the unit. I helped take vital signs before breakfast, spent some time looking over charts, and participated in the morning exercise group, but my main task was to observe and try to talk with the patients.

Who knew just sitting back and watching could be so difficult? Having 10 new people on the unit caused anxiety for many of the patients -- and I think most of the students (myself included) felt a bit of anxiety of their own. Things improved as we all became more comfortable around each other; by the afternoon most students were able to approach patients and strike up a conversation.

On Friday, I spent the first part of my morning shadowing an ER nurse. I got to help clean rooms, observe wound care (although I left before seeing the doctor actually staple the laceration shut), help move a patient up in bed, and talk with the nurses. The rest of my day was spent in the crisis center, which was positively overflowing with people in crisis.

The crisis services center has three patient rooms, a small office, and a quiet room. When I got there, all three of the patient rooms were occupied, the quiet room had been turned into a makeshift patient room, and three additional beds in the ER were filled by crisis patients. Much of my time was spent talking with the crisis center nurse, and observing as the crisis counselor struggled to get patients placed with appropriate resources. Some major shuffling had to go down when a homicidal patient showed up in the ER lobby.

I can't decide what was the best part about my time in the crisis center -- talking with the crisis services team, interacting with patients when possible, or how I was able to advocate for myself so I didn't just sit around. Perhaps that was the best part of all!

I'll take two, please!

This may be the greatest gas station sign EVER.

I just LOVE propane-filled ice cream, don't you?

Fall semester has begun!

I've entered my first full week of classes this semester. It's a full classload, but I am quite excited for what we'll be learning!

I'm studying:

Pharmacology and the Nursing Process
Professional Foundations in Nursing
Mental Health I
Adult Health I

Not only do I have all new classes -- I have a whole new schedule! Lectures meet on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Class usually runs from 8 AM to the early afternoon, except for Wednesdays when we just have class from 1100 to 1300. Clinicals are Thursday and Friday from 0630 to 1530.

I'll be honest, last week I had some trouble adjusting to this newfound afternoon freedom. I'd like to think the three naps I took helped me catch up on my sleep for this week, but I think I was probably just being lazy.

Lazy sure felt good, though! Oops.

Vacay: A Photographic Essay

OMG, road trip!

Andy just loved Whitman.

Outside the scary batcave.

Paradise was a real adventure.

We even saw wild animals!

Glorious vacation!

My two weeks of glorious, blissful vacation ends today. Some highlights:

• Slumber party, sushi, and shopping with my big sister
• Dinner with girlfriends
• Trip to Chelan with the fam
• Trip to Walla Walla with Andy
• Braving our way through the batcave in Chinook Pass
  
• Finishing Harry Potter
  
• Hiking at Mt. Rainier with Andy
• Karaoke night in Tacoma
• Bocce ball
• An afternoon with Abbey and Josh
  

The lowlights:

• Not seeing all of my Seattle friends
• Embarking on a 10-mile run in the middle of a sunny Seattle day. By myself. With no music. And no water. (Dumb-da-dumb dumb...)

Am I forgetting something?

"The best part of waking up"

Inquiring minds want to know exactly how much coffee one nursing student might drink during her 8 week session of summer school. The answer is this much:


I drank this whole thing of coffee almost singlehandedly in a 7 week period. And there were many more cups of coffee consumed at various coffee shops and espresso stands during many of our marathon study sessions.

It's kind of embarrassing.

Drum roll please...

I'm done!

I wish I'd studied a bit more for my last final, but I won't know how bad it really went until grades get posted next week.

Time to do a happy dance. :)

Long Term Care Part II

Today was the last day of my long term care clinical experience.

I was assigned to do rounds with the team of restorative aides, so I didn't get to do morning care for my resident. We assisted with range of motion exercises and helped several residents walk the distance from their rooms to the main dining hall.

I felt guilty, because we told our resident on Tuesday that we'd have one more full morning together. She seemed quiet and kind of down that day, but we thought it was because she hadn't slept well. I was surprised when she stopped her morning meal to tell me that she wished we weren't leaving. She then refused to let me help her finish eating; my partner had to take over. It felt like she was mad at us.

Luckily, I got to visit with her over breakfast this morning. She smiled, said hello, and even made an effort to talk. I was pleased that she was happy to see me. (Or maybe it was the waffles on her plate? I'll never really know.)

Saying goodbye was strange, though. I didn't think she remembered our conversation on Tuesday about leaving, but she did seem to understand today that we weren't coming back.

I told her how much I had enjoyed spending time with her, and thanked her for letting us help her with her morning routine these past few weeks. She took my hand and squeezed it, and just nodded her head. Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me, but it was very difficult to just turn around and leave.

Now that we're done with this experience, I am so happy that it was my introduction to nursing. I know that my future clinical experiences will focus on critical thinking, nursing diagnoses and more advanced skills. However, long term care gave us the chance to really focus on the human side of nursing -- the holistic focus, therapeutic communication, and importance of establishing trust and therapeutic rapport.

I sincerely hope I never lose that perspective.

Latex Gloves

One very important lesson I learned early on in this adventure: with enough latex gloves, I can do anything. It's true!

(Come to think of it, I have yet to encounter poop in person. I've been wearing my lucky bulldog socks, and I think it's working.)

Seriously, my right hip is about 4 inches wider than my left when I'm at my clinical site. It's stuffed to the brim with my extra pairs of size small non-latex gloves. That's my clean pocket -- my dirty pocket, with the hand sanitizer, is on the left. I'm a righty, what can I say?

Long Term Care Part I

We just finished up the fourth day of our long term care rotation. I've come to terms with the fact that this clinical rotation will be a simultaneously rewarding and challenging experiences.

My client is an elderly woman with advanced Alzheimer's. Her speech is often incoherent, which makes it difficult for her to verbally communicate her needs. She's totally dependent on others, meaning she cannot toilet, feed, or dress herself. We have to use what's called a Marissa lift to get her out of bed and into her wheelchair -- her feet virtually never touch the floor. I don't think I have ever seen anyone who is so vulnerable.

I was absolutely terrified on my first day as her co-caregiver. (Fortunately, I have a partner!) I'm sure that was nothing, however, compared to what it must have been like for her to be woken up at 0630 by two shy strangers who were both awkward and eager to help her start her morning. It was touch and go, but we eventually got her to the dining room.... an hour late.

By now, things have fallen into place. We've been trying to promote a sense of autonomy by offering her simple choices. It didn't seem to make much difference on the first day, but by now it's clear that she likes us and likes having options. Every once in awhile, when her speech is clear and lucid, we get a glimpse of her personality. And for some reason, I really make her laugh.

It's a good feeling! (Although sometimes I think she's laughing at me, rather than with me.)

Cool New Skillz

I managed to add four new and exciting skillz to my nursing repertoire this past week. They include:

1. Giving subcutaneous injections (on a real person!)
2. Giving intramuscular injections (also on a real person!)
3. Starting an IV (not on a real person)
4. Inserting a urinary catheter (also not on a real person)

I also received two injections this week. For those of you that know of my long and sordid history with the Virginia Mason injection room, you will be proud to know that I:

A) did not cry
B) did not run away, and
C) did not have to be held down during the injection process.

The whole class cheered. Go Robin!

Cool New Duds

Here I am, looking all official in my student nurse uniform:


Actually, I probably look even more official now that Andy's mom hemmed my pants. Even the petite pants were about 5 inches too long. Awk-ward!

All that's missing is my snazzy white lab coat. (It's on backorder.)

Another reality check

Now that we've finished one class and started the clinical portion of another, it feels like my classload has considerably lightened.

It's time for me to snap myself back into reality. Here's what I have to accomplish sometime within the next three weeks. This time Nursing Competencies I is in purple, Nursing Competencies II is in green, and Pathophysiology is in yellow:

Complete Lab Modules for 7/30
ATI testing 7/31
Dosage Calculation Exam 8/1
Exam I 8/1
Complete Lab Modules for 8/1
Quiz 8/1
Complete Lab Modules for 8/3
Quiz 8/3
Worksheet Due 8/3
Clinical Problem Set Due 8/3

Complete Lab Modules for 8/6
Complete Lab Modules for 8/8
FINAL EXAM 8/8
Exam II 8/10
Clinical Problem Set Due 8/10
Work Sheet Due 8/10
Neurological Disorders Presentation 8/10

Complete Lab Modules for 8/13
Putting It All Together Day 8/15
Final Exam 8/16
Final Exam 8/17

Functional Assessment Due 8/17
Environmental Assessment Due 8/17
Pain Assessment Due 8/17
Therapeutic Conversation Assignment Due 8/17
Life Review Paper Due 8/17

I think I need to start using that little engine that could mantra again.

Week Six down

And now there's only three more to go.

This past week was FULL of exciting firsts!

On Thursday, we had our first orientation at the long-term care facility. We had a short tour of the building, and reviewed our instructor's expectations of us as student nurses. We also got to wear our lab coats and ID badges for the first time. Super exciting!

Considering all of the negative preconceived notions I had regarding long-term care facilities, I was pleasantly surprised. The facility has two wings: one for short-term care, and another for long-term care. Short-term care had much more energy, more obvious interaction between patients and staff, and a much brighter ambiance. Long-term care seemed much... slower. And routine. And kind of sad.

On Friday, we gave our first injections. I already LOVE this new class. We have yet to actually stick a real person -- that's on Monday -- but that was fine by me. I had enough trouble drawing saline into the syringe from an ampule or a vial.

I still haven't quite grown that nurse's "third arm," but my instructor swears she can see a little bud growing.

I can already tell, this is going to take a LOT of practice.

The good news is...

I passed my practical lab today, bed pan, bed bath and all!

The scary news is, I have to be able to do all of those things (and more) for a real patient NEXT WEEK. A week from today, in fact.

I'm just going to keep telling myself that with enough latex gloves, I can do anything. And to remember that my nursing instinct will take over, just like it did in lab today.

Now if only that same nursing instinct would kick in when dealing with my landlords...

Transition time!

Everything starts changing this week!

And by everything, I mean my class schedule. Which, right now, is pretty much everything to me.

"Health Assessment and Promotion" wraps up this week. We have the practical lab exam today, and our final exam and final paper due on Wednesday.

I'm also finishing the lecture and practical lab portion of "Nursing Competencies I." The practical lab exam for that is early Tuesday morning. I've been having nightmares about bedpans and bed baths, so we'll just have to wait and see how it goes.

Friday marks the beginning of "Nursing Competencies II." This is the class that previous cohorts claimed made them feel like "real" nurses. It's when we learn how to give injections, draw blood, administer IV medicines, and stick nasogastric tubes down the mannequins.

I have yet to tell my classmates that it once took 5 nurses to hold me down for a routine booster shot. Here's to hoping I don't have a repeat performance!

Over the hump

Last Wednesday, July 18th, marked the halfway point for my summer program -- making it the the ultimate hump day.

It really wasn't that exciting. It was a long day on campus, just like every other Wednesday.

Luckily, I wasn't expecting a ticker tape parade or anything like that.

Assessment in action

Here I am, causing trouble in the lab as I palpate prosthetic breasts for lumps:


Notice how my partner, Kara, smiles sweetly and I look like I'm up to no good.

Coincidence? You decide!

I survived!

I'm not gonna lie, that patho exam was a doozie.

There were questions that I knew, and there were those that I didn't. I don't feel great about it, but I don't feel terrible either. In fact I feel kind of.... numb? relieved? satisfied? exhausted? I just can't make up my mind.

It's almost as though that test serves as a rite of passage for ELMSN students. (Seriously, I half-expected the professor to pass out merit badges when each person turned in their exam.) It made the celebratory margarita taste that much sweeter.

The most important thing is we survived -- and we're totally going to kick ass on the next one!

So much to learn by Friday....

We get 20 minutes of open-book time during the exam. As you can see, my book is all marked up and ready to go:

Yellow post-its are things we have to know "cold." Pink and orange ones are the figures and tables we have to be familiar with.

If you really squint, you can see my handwriting on each and every little tab.

The hope is that most of the yellow tabs will be gone by Friday morning because I'll know the stuff.

If not, I guess there's always that 20 minutes!

Week Three

It's hard to believe that I'm almost halfway through my summer!

This last week was special because we had a mini-break on Wednesday. I may have taken more of a mega-break, though, and neglected to study sufficiently for my patho quiz on Friday. The break was necessary, but it shouldn't have carried over into Thursday evening.

Awk-ward! That's a mistake I won't make twice.

Next week will be a doozie, mainly because we have our first exam in pathophysiology on Friday the 13th.

To put things in perspective, I have been dreading this particular exam more than bowel elimination day. It covers the first 23 chapters of our textbook and is worth 25% of our grade.

My game plan is to finish all of my work for my other classes today, so that I can devote my spare time on Sunday through Thursday to studying for patho. Hopefully I will also have time for other things like sleeping, eating, showering, and peeing.

It's going to be a loooooong week. But when it's over, I will officially be 1/2 way through my summer of nursing boot camp! (And possibly delirious or in need of a hug.)

A breakthrough?

We've reached that point in our Nursing Competencies class where we learn how to perform some of the most intimate procedures known to man, more commonly identified as personal hygiene.

I'll admit, I approached this part of my education with trepidation. I was concerned with my potential reaction to mouth care, bed baths, and body fluids in general.

So far, talking about potential "situations" and looking at slides of things like stage 4 decubitus ulcers and scabes was much harder for me than, say, performing perineal care on the mannequin. I'm just hoping that I'm able to keep my cool once I actually encounter my first incidence of fecal incontinence live and in person.

A day of rest

Never have I been more excited to welcome that holiest of holy days, the fourth of July.

We get the day off from school!

This is almost better than Christmas.

Phew!

Let preface this post by saying: this week I've been under a little bit of, um, stress. And very, very tired.

We had our first written exam in Nursing Competencies 1 on Tuesday, and our first graded assessments in lab today. In order to pass the class (with a C) we have to pass all of our clinical/lab assessments, as well as get an average of 71% on each of our quizzes and written exams. Oddly enough, we have to maintain a 3.0 average just to keep our spot in the ELMSN program.

Oh, the pressure!

All of our written exams are in a multiple choice NCLEX format where you have to pick the "best" answer. This will be great practice when we're actually sitting for the licensing exam, but on Tuesday things just seemed downright tricky. It was easy to narrow the answers down to two good ones. The hard part was choosing the best one.

Let me tell you, I have never been so happy to get an 86% on an exam before in my life.

The lab skills test was taking vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration rate, blood pressure) and handwashing. I aced them all, with the exception of bumping the sink when I washed my hands (-1 point) and being a bit too eager to hear the systolic pressure reading on the first try (-1 point). Keep in mind these are skills that I have to opportunity to practice every day -- so I know they'll improve over time.

The good news is, I'm feeling much better about school today than I was at this time last week. I actually feel like I'm gonna make it.

At least for now.

Don't I look happy to be here?

Here's a copy of the dorky picture they took of me on my first day of nursing school. All of our professors were given a cheat sheet of our mug shots to help identify their new students. I think they should take our pictures at the end of the summer, just to compare.

Say cheese!

Refreshed and refocused

I just went for a 5 mile run in what ended up being a torrential hail storm.

It was awesome.

Week One: A Review

It only took four days for me to have my very first nursing school breakdown. And, believe it or not, mine wasn't the first.

It came on Thursday, after 8 hours of class. We'd had four hours of lecture, 3 hours of lab time, and two quizzes. I had failed my first attempts to take arterial blood pressure using a sphygmomamometer, and fumbled between counting respiration rates and beats of the radial pulse.

I know these are skills that will take practice to learn. However, as a self-diagnosed perfectionist, I want to get everything right the first time.

Combined with the stress of Wednesday night's Patho class, which left me with an overwhelming sense of doom, there was only one thing I wanted to do...

Call. My. Mom.

After many tears, a short run around the park with Andy, some dinner and a pep talk from Dad, I felt much better.

The week of tweaking is over. Now it's time for my new game plan (Operation Work My Butt Off) and some serious studying.

Reality Check for Robin

Today's my late start for class, so I've been spending my morning sipping coffee and desperately trying to figure out basic genetics for an assignment that's due Friday.

Here's what my "To Do" list looks like for the next week. Nursing Competencies is in green, Pathophysiology is in blue, and Health Assessment is in red.

Study for 6/20 quiz
Complete lab modules 6/21
Study for 6/22 quiz
Complete worksheet due 6/22
Complete clinical problem set due 6/22

Study for vocabulary quiz (6/25)
Study for exam (6/26)
Write personal paper, due 6/26
Complete lab modules for 6/26
Study for 6/27 quiz
Complete lab modules for 6/28
Study for 6/29 quiz
Complete worksheet due 6/29
Complete clinical problem set due 6/29
Study for vocabulary quiz 6/29

I hope I'm not forgetting anything.

This doesn't include practicing different skill sets outside of class during open lab times. I think that'll probably be on the weekends, but we don't know yet because our labs are currently under construction. But when they're done, will have new simulation mannequins and air conditioning. Two very big bonuses.

I'm going to do my best to get ahead this weekend so that I can see more of my friends and less of my textbooks. But, for now, it's going to be a lot of time studying.

Day Two

I had my first full day of class today. And when I say a full day, I mean it! Here's what my schedule looks like for the first half of the summer:

Mondays and Fridays: Class from 9 AM to12 PM, lunch, class from 1 PM to 4 PM
Tuesdays and Thursdays: Class from 8 AM to 12PM, lunch, class from 8AM to 5 PM
Wednesdays: Class from 2 PM-5 PM, dinner, class from 6 to 9 PM

Once we start at our clinical site in late July, we start at 6:30 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And then there are some special tests and things we have to do in the afternoons.

Perhaps even more overwhelming than the condensed schedule and the amount of time spent in class is the amount of time we're supposed to spend studying outside of class -- because, as everyone knows, there are only so many hours in a day.

The good news is, I'm only one class in and -- despite knowing that I have five assignments and two quizzes this week, and three quizzes, a test, a paper, and at least two assignments due next week -- I love it. I know nothing about the material we're learning, but already I'm struck by its relevance. It also helps that our instructors are engaging, empathetic, and seem excited about the material they're teaching. I'm actually looking forward to my 8 hours of class on Thursday.

Dad was right. At least for now, nursing is going to be my life!

A delicate balance

That's where I find myself these days -- in a delicate balance between being unbelievably excited for everything I'm about to learn, and overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of work I have ahead of me.

I keep reminding myself of the various wisdoms shared by the 'older' nursing students:

• There's going to be a learning curve. It'll take time to adjust to the professors, class schedule, and being a full-time student.
  
• I don't have to make straight-A's. (But wouldn't it be nice?)
  
• I will, in fact, make mistakes.
• It will be impossible to finish all of the readings.
  
• At some point, I'll probably cry.

It kind of makes me want to cry right now, just to get it over with.

Then I remember, this will all be worth it. I'm going to be learning things that will help me throughout my career. School has a direction -- and a purpose! Someday, I will provide skilled and compassionate care for my patients. I might even be good at it.

With any luck, practice really will make perfect.

LWOF -- Part Deux

Well, folks, today the Last Week of Freedom officially comes to an end. I've had a wonderful week of catching up on Season 2 of Grey's Anatomy, and spending time around the house. I've cooked dinner, baked cookies, run errands, done the dishes, met with two people from my cohort, spent a day on campus, and obsessively checked my email.

I'm continuing my fabulously relaxing and carefree week until the wee hours of the morning -- or my last shot of tequila, whichever comes first. Once Saturday rolls around, though, it's time to do work.

I have ten chapters of newly-assigned reading for Monday and am currently in the process of printing up a 106-page course syllabus for a class that starts on Tuesday. Our little inkjet printer is really being put to the test.

Up until now, I've been a diligent double-sided printer: print the odd pages first, then flip them all over and print the evens. This particular document, though, has all of our study guides and modules that are both a) out of order and b) assignments to be turned in for credit. Double-sided printing seemed too risky.

Now that my printer is about 60 pages in, though, I'm having second thoughts. The pile of printed pages is practically taller than I am, and I think the printer is starting to smoke.

Oh well. Time for another email break!

Last Week of Freedom

This was me last week, trying to figure out just what went wrong with my student loans:

I don't want to be that girl this week. In fact, I don't ever want to be that girl again. I was not a happy girl.

This week seems particularly important in terms of relaxing, spending time outside, cooking, and catching up with my loved ones, because this is my Last Week of Freedom.

I still have school-related errands: more textbooks to buy, reading assignments, and course syllabi to print off the web. It's finally time to crack open those shrink-wrapped tomes of nursing, grab some highlighters, and get to work. But all of the pressure and anticipation still can't stop me from being this:

Happy happy happy!

Tropical oasis it is not

I know this may come as a shock, but despite being approximately 50 miles closer to the equator, it still rains a cold hard rain down here in Lakewood. I think this is the perfect excuse to keep on rockin' the down vest all day, every day.

Running out of steam

School hasn't even started yet and I'm already exhausted.

In the midst of our move, I was notified that one of my student loans was unexpectedly canceled. Not good news.

One weekend of worrying and several long and confusing phone calls later, I think the problem has finally been fixed. Or at least it's close enough to being fixed that school gave me an advance to purchase textbooks.

That was when I discovered that purchasing just four books will cost me over half of my book advance. This wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have to purchase books for two more classes. For some reason those books aren't out in the bookstore yet. Nor is there any indication when they will be.

Looks like it's time for me to start some serious online shopping -- which, I've discovered, is much more fun when it's for something cute. Like shoes.

Home Sweet Home

It took more than a few big pushes (mainly to squeeze the mattress up the stairs) but thanks to the hard work of our family and friends, we've managed to move the last of our belongings into our pretty little cottage in Lakewood.

It starts...

School starts in 18 days, and I just got my first glimpse into the world of nursing school. I'm taking four classes this summer:

Nursing Competencies 1
Nursing Competencies 2
Health Assessment and Promotion
Advanced Pathophysiology

Our "Nursing Competencies 1" instructor was kind enough to email incoming students a warm welcome -- and our first homework assignments. A current nursing student described the class as being similar to a CNA course, which I think must mean we learn how to handle poop correctly (among other things). It's an all day class that meets twice a week. The first four hours in the morning are devoted to lecture, with the afternoon scheduled for time in the lab.

They seem to take their stuff seriously. Por ejemplo, if we come to lab without our worksheets finished, they'll send us home. I never want to be that girl. Although, it would be very "Legally Blond" -- and look where it got Elle Woods. She has her own Broadway musical now!

Even more exciting than the homework? My lab schedule for the first half of the summer! (Bowel elimination day is July 5th.) Our first day involves discussing ethics and the nurse-client relationship. We start learning some skills on our second day of class -- things like taking vital signs, setting up oxygen, and learning how to make an occupied and unoccupied hospital bed properly. This means two things: the next time I see you I will quite possibly take your vitals and make your bed.

It may seem dorky, but I am really looking forward to this. I can't wait to see what the other three classes are like!

Getting a Move On!

Turns out our lease ends two weeks earlier than we previously thought. Oops.

This means we have until this Saturday (aka Moving Day) to pack up our belongings and figure out how to back a giant truck down our teeny tiny driveway.

We've already made decent progress on the packing process. However, I've noticed that packing brings out the bulimic in me -- and by that I mean an overwhelming desire to purge my personal possessions. Why is that?

I'm cleared!

Each day, I try to complete at least one task in preparation for my nursing program. Some of these things are for my personal well-being (like my early-morning-wake-up program currently in development), and others are officially mandated by the Nursing School Gods. Up until yesterday, my list of these official things-to-do looked a little something like this:

-Academic prerequisites? Check.
-Health history? Check.
-Financial Aid? Check, check, and check.
-CPR for the Professional Rescuer? Umm....

Finally! Check!

I successfully completed my CPR course this past weekend. Our instructor managed to snag enough mannequins for everyone in the class, so we banged the training out in a little over 6 hours. (It still sounds like a long time, but it was mercifully shorter when compared to the officially scheduled 9 1/2 hour course.) I still can't decide if this shortened class was a good thing. I am thrilled, however, with my shiny new resuscitation mask and baggy of latex gloves. I just hope that I will never have to use them.

What's even more exciting than being able to perform CPR, save someone from choking, and do a mean set of rescue breaths, you ask? I am now officially qualified to start school this summer. Woo hoo!