Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Apparently grown women still throw temper tantrums

I thought we were all adults.

I thought we could handle things maturely.

I figured that voting was the best way to handle a situation such as "Who is going to be the class rep?"

Apparently I was wrong.

We were asked to all agree on one person to be our class rep. This person would sit in on faculty meetings, discuss with the faculty issues that the class has, suggest ways to improve the program. I, along with two others stepped up and said we would do it. I thought it would be a great opportunity for me, plus I like to be a leader and I am nosey enough to want to sit in on faculty meetings.

This one chick decided to campaign for it. Posted about how she has "no other obligations in life other than Nursing School that would conflict with being able to be the class rep", I mean she obviously really wanted it enough to pull some passive agressive bullshit. The other girl and I wanted it, but not enough to beg.

As we were all sitting in the hallway, having a last minute review before our final, we decided to discuss who would be our rep. Shockingly (and a boost to my ego I might add) several of my classmates said that I would be a great person to do it.

When asked to confirm who else wanted to do it, the chick who had been campaigning decided suddenly that she was no longer interested. She threw a tantrum that would outdo my kids at times.

"Forget it, I don't want to do it anymore. Nevermind, just forget about it" while huffing and puffing and throwing her book down on the floor. She looked like she was going to cry.

Thats when everyone gathered around her, said they thought she really wanted it, and that she should be the rep.

Fine. I honestly really didn't care too much about it. I figured if I was able to be the rep, great, if not, no big deal, one less thing to add to my already busy schedule. HOWEVER, it kinda pisses me off that everyone wanted me to be it but because this chick decided to throw a tantrum, she got it.

What kind of class rep is that? How is she going to handle herself when faced with other similar situations? Cry? Throw another fit? I'm fine with not being the rep but would have rather lost out to the other girl who didn't throw a fit, who was more capable of doing it that the cry baby who got it was.

All of this makes me feel like I am in high school all over again. I'm almost 30 for fucks sake. I didn't realize I was going to regress in nursing school.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Cue Finals Week (AKA: Hell Week)

Jumping from one stressful week to the next.

Tomorrow starts the first of three finals (well technically, one Midterm and two Finals). I have been studying like mad with my kick ass study group all weekend and will more than likely be living at the library with them for the rest of the week.

Fun times. No really. I am actually having a good time studying with my group. It's hard to find a group that you can work well with and I think we all actually compliment each other fabulously. Hopefully we can all pull out of these finals with high marks.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Now that my brain has returned to a semi-normal state

I can tell you about my practicum


I went to bed early the night before for the first time in over 2 months. I woke up early that morning, got ready and started looking over my books. I read the steps out loud to my oldest as she was getting ready for school (she loves it when I teach her stuff I am learning). I was feeling ok about everything until my mom got to my house.

That’s when I realized that this was really happening. She comes and I leave as soon as she gets there. (Love her for being there for me and able to watch my kids while I go through NS).

The normally short drive to school seemed even shorter. Before I knew it I was parked and ready to walk inside to get this going. Once inside I see several people there waiting in the hallway, some looking just as nervous as I feel, and others looking calm, cool, and collected. Bitches. The window to the lab is all blacked out which adds to my already growing nervousness. One of the examiners passes by and tries to offer some words of encouragement which I’m sure falls on deaf ears. At least mine.

0900 passes and no one has come out to get us yet.

Cue heart palpitations. I should have gone to the bathroom because I think I might pee my pants.

Finally, at 0910 the door opens and 4 names are read, including mine. It’s time.

As I walk through the doors I have a smile on my face but inside I am crying. I feel my legs getting weaker as I am putting my things away. They ask us to sign a confidentiality agreement saying we wouldn’t talk about the practicum. EVER. I am the slowest so the last to enter into a room to meet my fate. Fortunately, I got one of the instructors I am familiar with as my examiner. I thought this would help ease my nerves but it only made them worse.

I walk inside one of the lab rooms with her. She shuts the door behind us. No turning back now. I glance at her clipboard and see one of the skills she is going to ask me to do.

Thank FSM. That was one of the ones I had hoped for. She hands me a scenario, tells me my time starts at 0915. I have 25 minutes. Ready? Set. Go!

I look at the supplies laying out on the table and my mind goes completely blank. Fuck.

I stare at them for what feels like forever, touching each one of them, finally my mind kicks in and I grab what I need.

Wash hands, shut the curtain, raise the bed, perform the skills, lower the bed, give them the call bell, wash hands.

0930. I passed. Can I go throw up now?

Even though I passed, I know I sucked. I was clumsy, completely awkward and uncoordinated. For one of the skills I felt I knew really well, I didn’t perform it like I know I could have. Like I had been doing in lab and even in my sleep.

Even though I passed, I am really disappointed in my performance. Hopefully next time, I won’t be such a clown when I go through these skills.

Nevertheless, It’s done and over with and now I can move on to my finals next week.

I am still a Nursing Student. For now.