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!

One exam at a time

So, in the past 2 weeks I've had 3 tests. Three finals are coming up and then I'm done for this semester. :)

Today was Pharmacology exam 4. I passed with an 85. :) The teachers went over all the questions the students complained about during review and we got 4 questions back. That's 10 points back for horrid exam questions. I only missed 1 of the 4 they gave back to us so I made a 87.5 instead of a 85. I now have an 83 in the class. :) I'm sooooooo freaking happy right now. That's one point from an A you guys. I studied my ass off for that exam and it paid off. :)

The other two tests I made an 86 for Health Assessment and a 92.5 for Professional Clinical. I'm doing great in both of those classes too, so it looks like I've passed everything this semester. Let the good luck keep coming my way.

Now to study for finals. Wish me luck. :)

Ooo, it was time for another Nurstoon. I needed a laugh.

Update on Pharmacology test

So, after class today, which was only 2 hours and 15 minutes, I came home, took a well needed nap and then got up around 2ish. I was exhausted. Big news huh? I hopped on the computer to check my pharm test grade because I knew the staff had a huge meeting today. Instead of a 67.5 or whatever my grade was I got a 70. O_O I know that's not amazing. It's a D, but I'm soooooo happy right now. 70s are love in pharmacolgy. I now have a 81.6 in Pharm which is a B, so I'm doing well. :) I can't complain is all I'm saying. XD

Yay for me. Now to study for HA some more.

Later

Last Day of Clinicals

Today was the last day of clinicals. I'm very relieved though this isn't the last day of clinical for my clinical group. Two professors had to cancel clinical days so we must make those days up. Can't say I'm too happy about that, but it is what it is.

Today I got to do more than I've done all year. I D/C a foley, hemovac and I changed a knee dressing. The thing was wrapped up in so much cotton, gauze and ace bandage it took at least 2 minutes to get it all off without hurting the patient. O_O The hemovac was pretty disgusting. I'm not as comfortable around blood as I thought, especially when it's clotted blood. I've drained hemovacs and JP drains before, but I've never D/C one so that was new.

This clinical I felt like a real nurse. I did head to toe assessments, vitals, assisted with ambulation, passed meds, charted, made beds, assisted RNs. It was truly an experience and I'm sure I'll have tons more before I graduate.

Um, lets see, over the past week I've gotten 100s on papers, but I made a failing grade on a pharmacology exam. A 67.5 or something along those lines. I can't remember, but I know I failed it. I wasn't all that shocked. There was so much material on that test. I thought I knew everything, but it seems I did not. :( Drugs are very hard to memorize and when they're placed in scenarios and you must choose the priority way to treat a patient taking those meds it just makes it ten times more difficult. For me at least. I'm studying cardiovascular now and so far I've memorized 8 pages of slides which is 48 slides altogether. There are 20 pages so that is 120 in all. O_O If you're thinking about going to nursing school THIS is what you'll have to look forward to. LMAO Lots and lots of studying, but it's all worth it when you get to clinicals and actually know WHY you're doing the tasks you're doing.

My clinical instructor says I'm very smart, that I know lots of information and that I have the potential to be a leader one day. I believe her. I can do this if I put my mind to it.

Thanksgiving is next week. I'll be studying for tests, doing modules and writing papers, but the hard part is over. ^_^ Yay for me.

P.S If you're interested in seeing what I'm studying I'm making online flashcards for the next Pharm exam. You can find those notes in the side bar. ----->

Me