- Or I'll back up a bit. I have just come off of my winter break, which was more like winter work camp. I counted (excluding Christmas Eve & New Years Day) and I had a total of 6 days off. Yup. That's it. I was told that I'd only get maybe 2-3 days a week at work but it ended up being more like 5 or 6. As much as it sucked and I bitched and moaned about it, I suppose the semester's tuition worth of money I made kinda made up for it. Currently I'm in the middle of a 2 week break from work! Hallelujah!
- Nothing exciting happened over break. I was sleep deprived thanks to work, so that was nothing new. I became a "jack-of-all trades" or so to speak at work due to being short staffed and working multiple shifts at the same time. Which sucked. It was cold, which sucked. I would become paranoid at random times thinking that I forgot to do homework or study, which sucked. I totally slacked on my exercise plan meaning I didn't at all, which sucked. So all in all break sucked.
- Okay, I'll admit there were some positives to break. No school!!!! No homework!!! No studying!!! I received socks for Christmas (yay! Cuz I was in need of them). I had a few shopping sprees (wahoo for clearance racks!). I received my textbook for Christmas! I got new penlights for Christmas! I completed my One Tree Hill DVD collection!!! I cleaned about 1/3 of my room, which is more than I thought I would. And I got to hang out with my cousin Megan and watch One Tree Hill before she moved away to France (which I'd love to go to during Spring Break. Come on flights! Go down!)
- So then it was last week and my semester unofficially began. I went in for an hours worth of open lab to practice for skills fair. To my surprise there were only 5 skills to learn and they were all fairly easy. The best part: No Trach Cares!!! It was cool getting to see people from last semester and find out that everyone from my lab (minus the girl that dropped out) made it to 2nd Semester! Go us!
- Then my trip to the Bookstore. I wanted to just get the syllabi for my first 8 weeks but then I started being harassed by the bookstore lady. First cuz I was wearing my backpack. Uh excuse me but it doesn't say anywhere that they are forbidden. Then because I was picking out my own books and not letting her do it for me. I think I know how to shop and I just have a HUGE pet peeve about being harassed at a store. I like to browse. If I can't find something I'm looking for I'll come to you. They just drive me crazy. I can get pretty snarky with them too when they don't get the hint that I'm not here to socialize, just get my shit and get out, *end rant*. So I ended up getting all 4 of my syllabi just so I could avoid another trip there until next semester.
- Monday began my first day of classes. I have Health Alterations and Clinical Care across the lifespan for my first 8 weeks of the semester. 2 classes. Yes. It's awesome. But then again, I have to learn an entire class in 8 weeks. No. Not awesome! The second 8 weeks I have Health Promotions and another Clinical class that I don't want to do at all. OB and Peds. Sick, I have no interest in working with kids, babies or vaginas. Nein Danke!
- So I had Health Alterations. It's 2 days a week for 3 hours each class. It's crazy long, and packed full of stuff we have to learn. The plus side is that the profs voice is one that I can listen to for hours on end. She doesn't make me want to poke my tempanic membranes out with icepicks. We learned about pre, intra and post operative nursing this week. It's very interesting. There's so much to learn though so I need to be studying my brains out for this!!
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays are my Clinical days. This week we did not have clinical due to skills fair, so I had 2 days off this week, yay! Next week it starts with Boot Camp. I guess it's gonna be Hell!
- That leaves me with Thursday! Skills Fair Day! It started at 0945. We had to complete 5 skills. Each was worth 10 points. 10 and 9 points are passing. 8 or less points is failing and you need to go to remediation. So to start I was told to go to room A160: Blood Glucose Testing! On an infant. So I pretty much did the skill flawlessly, except that without thinking I threw the lancet in the trash not sharps. So I lost a point. Dumbass me. Oh well, I still passed it then moved on to the next skill: Catheters! I did fine except my wrist touched the edge of the tray. So I said that I touched the tray with my wrist and then got docked a point. So I got a 9 on that one. Then I administered a med through an NG tube. I had my old clinical prof Lori for that one. I forgot to do an assessment on the stomach until she prompted me but I ended up with a 10 and a comment of "Good Job. Well Prepared." Apparently she gave everyone 10's. I then administered an IV Piggyback med. I was most nervous for that one but I got a 10!!! Finally I waited and waited and did injections. I got a 9 because I was too high when I pointed out my landmark for the dorsal gluteal injection. Apparently most people did that too. Apparently we all were taught wrong? So I ended up with 47 out of a possible 50 points or a 94%. Works for me cuz I survived and passed Skills Fair!
- Finally we had to take a Math Test to finish out the Skills Fair day. It was at 1400. We needed to pass with a low score of 90% just like last semester. I made 2 really dumb errors, however I still got a 90% and passed. Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!! I have made it through 2 of the 4 math tests of the Nursing Program. Half way there!
1 week and 1 semester down, 16 weeks and 2 semesters to go!!
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