I did it!

I finished my first full year of nursing school! And I didn't just survive it... I actually did a pretty good job. I can't believe how much I've learned and grown over the past year.

Last night, I was inducted into the International Honors Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau -- or what I've been casually calling the nursing hall of fame.

I do have class this summer, starting on June 2. We're completing our preceptorships, which I believe is something like 350 hours of working with a nurse in one of the local hospitals. I don't yet know:

A) which hospital I'll be at

B) what kind of unit I'll be on

Or,

C) my shift.

We got to request all of these things, but I believe I wrote on my card: "I will work at any hospital for any shift if it means I can precept in a labor and delivery unit." Who knows where I'll end up? My only hope is that it's not the night shift.

Between now and then, though, I'm going to Hawaii with a friend from school.


Alooooooooooooooooha!

Last day of spring semester!

True, I still have finals Monday through Wednesday -- but this is the last day of my spring semester.

And do you know what that means?

I've survived my first year of nursing school!

Now Andy and I just have to make it through the first stage of our Great Big Move to Tacoma this weekend.

Right now, though, I'm pretty sure I could survive just about anything.

Yay! Yay! Yay!

Friday: A simultaneous awesome and bummer of a day

Awesome because our OB class was taught by the "real" instructor. She's been on sabbatical for the past year (catching up on midwifery work and research) but she agreed to teach the lecture about contraception. It was, by far, one of the best lectures I've had yet at PLU.

Sad because it makes me think about what our OB class could have been like, had she been our teacher the whole semester.

*sigh*

Oh well.

Woo hoo!

I did it! I was responsible for the care of three patients tonight. Up until now, the most I've cared for is two patients at a time.

I'm pretty satisfied with how my night went. It felt a bit hectic at times, but that wasn't unexpected. (I think 2.5 patients would be juuuuust right for me.) In fact, I think I'll actually be able to sleep well tonight, rather than staying up to obsess about things I could have done differently.

This clinical experience has given me so much practice with medication administration, getting comfortable with IV lines, and managing my time. I've actually really enjoyed it.

I feel all nurse-like and stuff!

Nothing too exciting happening...

But I recently got to watch a doctor sew up a patient's abdomen at the bedside. Turns out when you have a ruptured appendix, they leave the incision from the original surgery (to remove said problem-appendix) open for a few days to reduce the number of germs that get stuck inside.

Needless to say (no pun intended) it was pretty cool.