Exam 5. A is what I'll make on you.

Today is exam 5. I'm sitting in the computer lab waiting to get started. I'm not nervous about this material, but I'm not exactly confident either. Here's hoping that I get an A. LMAO. You know what, I'm going to get an A because I studied the material. I know it and I believe that I'm comfortable with it enough to take the exam. XD.

The results are...

I made an 82.5 on the exam today. Hopefully I'll get points back so my average will stay 85. I'm just going to be a B student in nursing school. >_> I haven't made an A on any exams this entire semester no matter how much I studied. Hopefully I'll pull an A on the next 2 exams. Here's hoping right? -sigh-

Lots to catch up on

So, even though I haven't been updating this blog I have still been taking courses, going through clinicals etc. I promise to post a summary of my clinical experiences here in the future, but right now I'll post what I'm doing this week.

Today I have another exam. It covers cancer, vulnerable populations and abuse. Yeah, those are very random subjects, but I'm not making the exam. XD I don't think it will be that bad of an exam because most of it is common sense.

We also get our last paper back. I'm nervous to see that because it's been ages since I looked at that paper--about two months actually. At this point I don't even remember the points I was trying to make in the paper...so we'll see how that goes.

On Thursday we have a presentation at a hospital. I'm nervous about that as well. Hopefully I won't have to speak during the presentation because I made the powerpoint, did most of the research and help APA format and correct the guideline...I think that makes me exempt. I'm going to ask about that.

This is the last week of clinicals. I've been doing OB for the last three weeks. While I thought that I would enjoy it, it hasn't been all that exciting. The babies are adorable, but it feels like med surg. I don't hate med surg, but it's not as fast paced as I would like. Hopefully I've done well this rotation.

Well, that's all for now. I'll update again after this week is over. It'll be hectic so pray for me!

Me

Two weeks down. How many more to go?

Classes haven't been as stressful. It is a bit more relaxed this semester than the last two. I guess it is because I'm used to it, but I think it's because I get a fresh start.

My goal this semester is to be proactive. I'm going to stay on top of my medications, study and stay ahead (although I rarely fall behind anyway), and do well in clinicals. By well I mean, perform my skills with ease, talk to my patients without feeling nervous, report my medications smoothly. I will not hesitate to do anything. My critical thinking skills will improve and all around I will be a better nurse. I can do this. It's not that hard. XD I'll take it one day at a time.

On another note, I passed my calculation exam last week. I got a 100 so I'm done with that until the Spring. Our first exam went well. I got an 85. I plan on getting an A on the next one. ^_^ Um, lets see. Other than that things have been going very well. I'm going to pray that it stays that way. I need a stress free semester. I really do.

I love watching the Juniors. Their stress reminds me of my stress during that first semester of school. Trust me, it's hard to forget the tears, the moments of balling up on my bed and thinking 'this isn't for me' and 'why am I doing this again.' I can't say that I don't have those thoughts now because I do, but it's getting easier. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looks amazing. Juniors, you CAN DO IT. Take it one day at a time. It can only get better from here. Take it from me, I've struggled more in nursing school than I have my entire school age like. Middle school and high school seem like kindegarten compared to this. Really, all you high school students need to suck it up. If you think high school is hard you have a rude awakening coming.

Peace, love and happy times.

Me

Car Troubles

Today has been another one of those days unfortunately. This morning I rose after another restless night. Worrying about this calculation exam is beyond stressful, but I'll get to that later.

Me and my sister drove to campus. All was well, save the bad drivers who don't know how to change lanes. >_< Other than that we started off great. I got to school at around 8:30ish and because class started at 9:00 today all of the good parking spots were taken before we got there so I had to drop my sister off and go park in the back lot. I wasn't too happy about that, but I knew to expect that beforehand. After dropping my sis off at the front, I noticed a light came on inside the car. It was a box with a downward arrow and some wavy lines within the box. I know almost nothing about cars, but I know that if a light comes on something is wrong. Silly me, once I parked I put some oil into the car thinking that was the problem. It wasn't the problem, but I didn't know that then.

So, I went to class. Lecture was long. Walking back and forth from the class to the library to chill with my sister was exhausting. It's close to 95 degrees outside so I was sweating like a cow. I didn't go to welcome back picnic 1, because it was hot and 2, because I wanted to review my calculation exam during our two long break between lectures. I got a run around with finding my exam. One person said they didn't have it and they told me to go to another teacher who didn't have it. They told me to go see someone else....it was a mess, but I finally get to see my exam after the break

I hung out and then returned to the class for a minute before I went to see my course coordinator. She was glad to take me to see my exam. I did so and she explained the problems to me. I'm still going to the lab on Friday, but it was nice to know that the things I studied before hand was actually HOW I was supposed to solve the questions I missed. XD

After a long stress free orientation, I met up with my sister and we went to the car. This is where all hell broke lose. Not really, but it was horrible.

The light inside the car was still on when I turned the car on. I figured out that it needed coolant, Thankfully we had some in the trunk. We poured some in, it went down and I thought that was it. The light went off. Great right? Not so fast. As soon as we made it to the main road the light came BACK ON. I freaked because I heard horror stories about engines blowing up if they get too hot. I crept to a grease monkey and asked them what they thought the problem was. I wasn't asking for service, just as opinion because I didn't know what to do. They checked it out (thanks guys) and to my horror said that the radiator was leaking!!! OMG. WTF!?! They told me it wasn't safe to drive it. I panicked, asked to see their phone and called my mom. She seemed calm and told me that she would be there to check it out, but to call a friend who lived closer to come take a look at the car.

The friend got there first and took a look at the car. He agreed that something was leaking, but to save money and space in this shop he decided to drive the car to my sister's house to fix the problem rather than sit and pay a hefty dollar for the shop to fix it. XD Yay for mechanic friends.

After a rather 'fun' drive to my sister's in his van, he checked the car out and perhaps the GODS ARE FINALLY GIVING ME A BREAK, he noticed that the radiator plug needed to be replaced and not the entire radiator. He made a few calls, worked for a few hours and then ta da!!! The car was fixed. I drove it home two hours ago and everything seems fine. XD Lets hope it stays that way.

I have to say that, although I am calm now, I was actually freaking out the entire time. Had the car really broken down I'd be stuck with nursing classes I couldn't get to, clinical sites that I can't drive to, and just stress on top of stress. I actually considered dropping out this semester and returning next Fall to complete it because I'd given up. Cars will be my downfall. They keep breaking down!! Seriously. Can I just have a break please? I need this car to make it until May 2011 and hopefully until after I pass the NCLEX. Is that too much to ask? I hope it isn't.

Well, it's 12:10. I have to be up at 6 so I'm calling it a night now.

Night

Bah!

So, this calculation exam kicked my ass. I made a 85 instead of the 90 or above that I was supposed to make so I have to retake the exam. T_T At least I know which ones I missed because I stared at those questions for five minutes thinking "I've never seen this before." Nothing I studied helped me pass this exam. >_> None of the practice questions asked for gtt/min. They all wanted to know ml/hr or just mL. I didn't study how to form those questions.

I did look up how to do them and they are completely easy, but it's a little too late.

Example

I'll be taking this exam over and I'll pass it this time. I'm going to the skills lab to get help cause I really want to know how to do these questions so I don't screw them up again. -sigh-

Great first day back!

A New Semester. A New Beginning

On August 16th I will be embarking on my 3rd semester of nursing school. I'm both excited and terrified because I don't know what's coming my way. I don't like surprises when it comes to nursing school. It makes me nervous when I don't know what's going to happen. I get butterflies in my stomach, a mild headache and spurts of jitters that make me want to vomit. This is what nursing school has done to me. It has made me a nervous wreck. Before I started nursing school I wasn't AS scared to go to classes. Sure, human anatomy was tough and those lab exams used to scare the crap out of me, but then I didn't have a teacher looking over my shoulder waiting for me to fail like in nursing school.

Perhaps this is a tactic that professors are using these days. Rather than let a student try to apply what they are learning, they linger over you, bombard you with questions, make you more nervous than you already are and then go 'ah ha. I knew you would screw up!' At least that's how I felt last semester. I tried my best and I almost always fell short. I passed though and I managed to impress my second clinical instructor. She realized that I was shy, but that I never refused to do anything that was asked of me. I took initiative, I asked questions when I didn't know something. She expected me to know my skills, but she didn't make me feel stupid because I wasn't bouncing off the wall with confidence. I can say that I am more confident in myself now than I was last semester so I did learn something and that was to not let other people walk all over me.

This year my clinical will be med-surg, pediatrics, OB, and community health. XD I'm excited about it. Not so excited about med-surg, but then after nursing school I don't want to do med-surg anymore (although I know that's the first stepping stone to doing what I really want to do). What that thing is I've no idea, but I'm sure I'll figure it out during this last year of college.

Last year of college...that sounds AWESOME! I can't wait to graduate, to become a nurse and start working. ^_^ You've no idea how much I've been through. From broken down cars, to riding the bus to school, from stressing out about speeches to crying because I thought I would fail Human A&P I. College as been nothing but up and down, tears and triumphs. I can not wait until it's over, but I will miss the people I've met throughout.

Graduating Class of 2011. Here I come!!!!

On into seniorhood!

I am officially a Senior Nursing student. WOOT! I'm so happy right now you don't even know. Today on my PCN final I made a 86 and I got a 912 for hesi which is where I should be. I'm so happy right now you don't even know. Gah. It feels good to be done with another semester of nursing school. XD 2 down, 2 more to go. I can't wait until graduation gets here. ^_^

Yo, patho final

I'm not worried about this test. I should be, but I know I'm going to pass it with an A. You know why? because I passed everything else with a B so if you add that up it's totally a A. That's my twisted logic talking, but seriously, I'm going to pass this test.

I'm posting this because if I don't pass I'll have to come back on here and tell you I didn't and there's no way in hell I'm doing that so. SUCK ON THAT!

Anyway, gotta go snab a seat in the back of the lab. XD.

Cya

ETA: I made an 83.03 on my final. Woot. I have an 84 in the class. Yay for B's. Now, when they add all the 'fluff' from the homework, etc to that grade I should get a 85-86 in the class which is what I need to 'look good.' O_o

Anyway, I'm officially done with Patho. Yay me XD

I'm passing!

Today was our last PCN test and I made an 84. ^_^ I hope we get a point or two back so that I can get an 85 on the test. XD You don't know how happy I am right now. I literally sat there clicking through each question and mentally kicking myself because I believed that I was going to fail. My first question was a calculation one. I got it right, but I wasn't sure if I got it right though so it was all down hill from there. I like when my first question is easy because that gives me a false sense of security that the rest of the test will be just as simple. >_< Not the case with this exam because it covered psychiatrics and CAT/CAM and psych is not my strongest subject. Gah!

But I passed so who cares. ;)

Now onto finals. I've gotta lot of studying to do, but there's only two more exams left than I'm done with this semester. Woot!

Another Long Semester...

is almost over. Yep, today is officially the last day of lecture. Now there's two more exams and finals and I'm done. I know I haven't updated this in ages, but to tell the truth, so much about this semester was horrible I know I'll have fun writing about it this summer. I may not be able to recount when this all happened, but who cares about dates. I've had quite alot of experiences this semester; most of them great, some of them horrible to be completely honest, but it's over with. I have learned from them all and I'll move on into another semester. Come this Fall I will be more confident in myself and my abilities to be a nurse. I have alot of self work to do, but in the mean time I'm going to enjoy my summer. :)

I'll finish this entry after my Patho exam today at 1:30pm. I'm going to kick this exam's ass!

Me

ETA: I passed my patho exam with an 85. Woot! -jumps around happily-

Yet another test and another day

Nursing school is becoming a 'blah' sorta thing to me. I think I need a break.

SPRING BREAK WHERE ARE YOU!?!?

Clinicals were invented by the devil

Hahaha. I just read my last post where I said clinicals were a breeze. Ha! That's a lie. They aren't as difficult as last year when I was running around like a chicken with my head chopped off, but they are becoming more demanding. I find that I get nervous doing the most simple things. My assessment skills are getting better and my communication with my patients and staff is improving, but I'm finding that I'm just jittery. I'm not afraid to do the procedures per se because usually I just go in there and get it done without worrying about if I'm going to screw something up (I usually don't), but I...don't know. It's odd. I'm odd, but I'm sure I'll grow out of it by next year.

So far this clinical rotation I pulled/emptied a hemovac, d/c a foley, INT. Did a complex dressing change, assisted with foley insertion, blood sugar finger sticks, I hung a piggy back, I've given meds through a peg tube (too many times to count) and I've taught my patient. I still have 7 more weeks to go. XD All the while I've been studying for patho (I made a 82.5 on the first exam by the way). I'm getting it all done, it's just taking longer to get into the swing of things.

That's all for now. My hand is cramping typing on my new laptop. XD

Later,
Me

Woot! Hell yeah!

I passed them all. Good karma ppl. Good Karma!!

I can relax and just... -takes a deep soothing breath-

It feels good. It really does. ^_^

I'm going to say now that it was very stressful. We had to do IM (Ventral Gluteal and Deltoid) Sub-Q, IV insertions, IV Piggy Back, and IV Push all in one day. I've never been so bogged down by information in my life. It was really a race to the finish line. We literally stood outside of each door with our deer in the headlights stares on. It was bad and everyone tried to calm everyone else down. In retrospect it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it wasn't easy either.

I wanted to go first in all the skills, but I ended up going last for all of them. Not that I was jittery, but because I kept doubting myself and what I knew. I don't know how many times I looked at that skill book and thought "have I even seen this before?" It was like my mind went blank when I stood outside of each check off room waiting to go in and test. It was nerve wracking and I never want to do them again. Clinicals are a breeze compared to skill check offs. I actually flicked the bevel to my IV site onto the table like an idiot. Fake blood went everywhere, but I quickly explained that in the real world I wouldn't continue with the procedure. I'd clean up and start over to avoid infection. O_O Thankfully she understood. My hands were shaking soooooo badly. Hahaha. I need to learn how to relax. Seriously.

Now to study patho and try to absorbed this information into my brain by osmosis. That class is intimidating too, so I'm going to work my behind off to make sure I don't have to make excuses for the grades I receive on exams.

Life is hard, but I love living it. XD -kicks Patho's ass-

Me

Skills Check

I'm going to go ahead and say it now cause I'm cool like that. I'm going to PASS all of my skill check offs. There's no failing because I don't want to have to come back up her and do them over. Nope. Nadda. I'm done yo!

Take that skill check off. O_-.

Me

Lots of catching up to do

So, Fall semester has come and gone. I didn't write about that time because I was just overwhelmed with classes and exams. I passed everything with A's and B's so all was well with the world. I finished evaluations and then it was time for x-mas break.

I can sum my break up in three words. I DID NOTHING. Yep, I was lazy, I ate whatever I wanted, I watched movies, did some shopping was just blah. It was AWESOME. For x-mas I got some cute shirts from Old Navy and some earrings. I also got 30 bucks and I bought more junk and girly things. Over all it was an awesome holiday. XD

Today was my first day back to classes. My sister started with me which was cool. Finally I have someone I can talk to after classes. I talk to ppl in class, but it's not the same. My cousin will be starting soon so it's even better.

Today was just orientation and then we got right into it. We're doing injections now which is great. I've been wanting to do injections since last semester. XD

This semester will be very fast paced and hectic, but what can you expect. Last semester was just o_O, but I survived it. I can do this one as well. ^_^

Spring Semester HERE I COME!