As if I didn't have enough going on

Estelle over at Word Lust found this little blog challenge that she is going to start and I thought what the hell, it would be fun to copy play along. Might give some of my readers more insight into my life outside of nursing school. I know you all are just dying to learn more about me. (Not really? Well too bad).

So here's the list:

There are no guarantees that I will post every day, or that I will even finish this challenge, but I am still going to try nonetheless. Feel free to copy play along too!

Communication

I did a bit of self reflection this weekend. I was really trying to figure out what was getting to me so much about NS. I realized it wasn’t so much the amount of work we are doing (even though it is a bit insane) it is more about the communication we are doing.


I have learned over my short 2 weeks as a nursing student that communication is a HUGE thing in Nursing. I knew this going in to it but never imagined it would be so hard for me to get over. I have mentioned before about how much of an introvert  I am and how I am worried about the way this will play out in school and in my career. Even during my CNA class I felt the same feelings I am feeling now.

All of these projects, mainly my geri project, and partnering up with someone I don’t even know to practice my skills, oh and evaluating my communication (more like lack thereof) are really putting a rise on my anxiety levels. Research paper? I can handle that. Finals and midterms? No problem. A practicum where I have to perform in front of an instructor using a classmate? Oh, there you are sweat. How I have missed my heart beating out of my chest and my legs turning to jelly.

I keep telling myself that everyone is feeling this way but it doesn’t seem to help. I can’t even get a good practice in on lab days (where all we do is practice on the mannequins) because I am so nervous about just practicing in front of one of my new classmates. How crazy is that?!?

I need to get control of this. I made it through my CNA class. I can make it through this too. I just need to go in there and put all of my stage fright behind me and get done what needs to be done. Stop worrying about how much of an idiot I am looking like in front of other people (who are learning just the same as I am) and just do it.

Week 2 - Freak the Freak Out!

Things are starting to catch up with me in NS. There is an unbelievable amount of work expected out of us, with not much direction to go on. I have 2 research papers, a group project (ugh!), health promotion plan, weekly discussion posts, midterm and final for one class. A Geriatric assessment project (4 separate visits to the elder of my choosing), process recording, 2 practicums (pass/fail), a midterm and final for another class, then a practicum (pass/fail), random math tests, and a final in my other class. Did I mention this is all in the first 8 WEEKS?!?! I will have two new classes in, now 6 weeks, and who knows what exciting busy work those are going to bring.


To say I am overwhelmed at this point would be an understatement. I know I can do it. I am just not sure how at this point. We really don’t have much direction in our classes. Our skills class is all hands on, and like I said, no demonstration beforehand (unless you count the silly videos we are supposed to watch before class) and really no lecture (what the hell is going to be on the final then??) Our Intro class is a hybrid. Which means most of our time is spent learning the material on our own. I am fine with online classes. Hell, most of the classes I took to get where I am now were online. The problem is, I don’t remember a damn thing from those classes. I learned enough to get my A and then left it all at the final. I know in Nursing that isn’t possible. You have to KNOW the material and APPLY it. It is really taking a lot to get myself to readjust to this. To try to train myself to actually retain what I am essentially self teaching myself. I have only been to my Health Assessment class once. I hope it will be different but I have the feeling it is going to be a lot like my skills class. Lecture for a few minutes and then let us go to learn on our own. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind getting the hands on practice, but I feel like I need a little more direction. Maybe I am not the “mature learner” I thought I was.

We already had one girl in our class drop. She was terrified after just two days. I saw it in her eyes on Friday and by Tuesday of the next week she was gone.

I’m sure she won’t be the last.

Disclaimer

Since someone got their panties in a wad over my last post, I feel a disclaimer is neccessary (some people take all the fun out of things)

No animals (aka: husband and/or children) will be harmed during the making of this nursing student. Any questions asked by this nursing student to the animals, related to the performance of invasive procedures on said animals, are only to be used to get a rise out of them and are intended for pure entertainment value only. I (the nursing student) reserve the right to use threats of performing said invasive procedures on any and all animals (mostly the husband) if and when they get out of line.

Thank you and good day.

Conversation with a 30 year old

My husband has (unwillingly) become my "at home dummy" (no pun intented). I am getting tons of practice dealing with noncompliant patients. :)


Our conversation the other night:

Me: Can I practice putting in a NG tube on you?

Him: Huh? Wait, is that like the thing that goes up your nose?

Me: Yep

Him: Um, HELL NO!

....maybe I could have put my knowledge of restraints to use?
 

Conversation with a 2 year old:

Her: Momma go school?

Me: Yes

Her: WWWWHHHHYYY????

Me: So I can be a nurse

Her: WWWWHHHYYYYY????

Me: So I can help sick people

Her: WWHH...Oh, like MMMEEE?????
 
 

Yes, she is trying to put the glove on her foot.

 

Week 1 – This is Nursing School?

My first week of NS was well, strange. I completely expected to hit the ground running. To be so overwhelmed with NS that I couldn’t think about anything else in life. The first day was a bit anticlimactic for me. We went over the student handbook, the instructors fiddled with the computer/projector for about 30 minutes (it’s amazing how no one can lecture without a PowerPoint anymore), went over the syllabus, then lectured for about 15 minutes before handing us some dress up clothes (PPE) and some glo germ. It left me feeling like something was missing.

Where is all the hard core I keep hearing about? Where are all the blood, sweat, and tears?


The second day wasn’t really any better. We have three different instructors for our skills class so that gets a little confusing for me. We had a new lady we hadn’t seen the day before lecturing for a few minutes then we were let go to wreak havoc on the poor unsuspecting mannequins. Turning them and strapping them down with restraints. No instruction before hand, no demonstration. Nothing.

You mean you just expect me to know this stuff already?

Lucky for me, I have done most of this before. All of this so far is basic CNA stuff (aside from applying the restraints) so it has been a review for me. I am worried about when we get into the things that aren’t CNA stuff. Without any kind of demonstration I feel like I might be lost.

So where does this foley go again?

The third day (second class) is when things got a little interesting. A research paper, a group culture project, a personal nutrition project, discussion boards, case studies, quizzes, in 8 weeks rather than 16. Now I see where things get a little out of control. I wouldn’t say I am feeling overwhelmed just yet. We still have one more class to go on Monday that we haven’t been to yet so we will see what is in store after that class. For right now, there is a lot of work but it all seems manageable.

Please let's keep it this way.

This is it!!

Today is the day I officially start Nursing School!!! I am anxious, excited, a little nervous, but so ready to get this show on the road!!

It helps that I woke up to these in my bathroom sink this morning (along with a super sweet card)

Let me tell you, this means A LOT to me. He never, Ever, EVER, does things like this. I'm sure he could tell how nervous I was getting since I was doing a bit of yelling and fit throwing this weekend. (Ok, I was acting like a total brat about everything. I even put my kids to shame).

So here I go, off like a scared little girl to my very first day of nursing school!

Disorganization makes me angry

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to get organized (and stay that way). Unfortunately, I am not really doing a great job on that one. My house is in complete disarray and it is really frustrating. We are converting the dining room into an office and it has been taking a bit longer than I had anticipated. I was hoping to have it done this past weekend so I could use this week to organize it and get my house put back together. (Did I mention I start school on Tuesday?!?)


It makes it really hard for me to focus on what needs to get done (my reading) when I have everything everywhere. My books are scattered between my kitchen/bedroom/living room and my computer is sitting on my kitchen table. I can’t even figure out what I am going to need to get organized because nothing is finished yet. My big desk calendar is hidden next to the fridge because I don’t have a desk up to put it on and nothing is written in it. I feel like I have no idea what is going on without that thing.

I haven’t even started school yet and I feel so behind.

Procrastination. I haz it.

I cannot for the life of me get into the textbooks. What is wrong with me? I have waited for-ev-er to be able to read nursing textbooks and now I find myself doing anything BUT reading them. Even (gasp!) cleaning the house. Everyone is talking about how they have XYZ chapter left, or have already finished (damn overachievers) but here I sit, staring blankly into my textbooks and my empty notebook, with only about 5 chapters behind me.


I really have to kick this habit of waiting until the last minute or I feel I will be struggling BIG TIME over the next 2 years.

What have I gotten myself into??

Feast your eyes on my arsenal of first semester nursing textbooks (with my fancy new Littmann thrown in for good measure.) Most are “required” while only about three of these are extras I picked up for the fun of it.


Looks exciting doesn’t it?

I will totally admit to being a nerd about these books. I ordered them from a million different places (thank you dealoz.com) and started stacking them up in a proud “little” pile as they all started coming in.

Now, they intimidate the hell out of me.

How in the hell am I going to learn all of that in my first semester?

Proof that blogging is actually good for you..or at least reading them is

I think Estelle’s blog just might have saved some of my sanity. Have I mentioned how I have at least 40 chapters to read before nursing school even starts? That’s right. We were assigned over 40 chapters of required reading to be completed before we set foot in a nursing class. I have been putting it off for about a month now (great start, eh?) and over the past few nights have forced myself to read a few chapters. (and here is where I thank my husband for saving me from having nursing text tattooed on my forehead from falling asleep on my book – although I really think he only moves them because he needs room in the bed to sleep himself and the 50 books spread out everywhere kinda get in the way of that)


So as I was finding anything to do other than read nursing text taking a break, I came across Estelle’s Guide to Nursing School: Part 4 and holy shit! Why didn’t I think of that? Here I was, forcing myself to read every.freakin.word of that text (I have even been tempted to get the toothpicks out to keep my eyes open) and sometimes reading the same paragraph four or five times. Her tips make so much sense!

Of course I have NO IDEA what my instructors will expect of me, but I just can’t possibly see being able to read 40 chapters a WEEK word for word. (yes, we were informed that the “required reading” that was assigned would be for the first week only – more to come once class actually starts). My game plan has completely changed.

So here’s a shout out to Estelle for being so freakin’ awesome and sharing the dirty little nursing school secrets. If you haven’t checked out her blog, what the hell are you waiting for? Did you notice I said that was Part 4? Meaning there are already three other fabulous tips just waiting for you to jump on over and read? Not only that, but she is hilarious, and I think I might love her.

Resolutions and Stuff

Happy New Year!

I am not usually one to make resolutions (just more for me to stress about not accomplishing) but this year I thought I would give it a go. I’m pretty sure I am insane for making this year THE year for resolutions since I will have SO much going on with NURSING SCHOOL and all, but I figured what the hell. Go big or go home right?

1) Lose the 20-30 lbs that I have been meaning to lose for the past oh, I don’t know, 7 years? I am going to try to start back on the C25K program I was doing so well with last year. Just need to stop making excuses for why I don’t have the time and just do it. I am also going to try to start eating better which will probably be the most difficult thing since I have a feeling I will only have the time for a quick run to the nearest Chick-fil-A for dinner.

2) Stop procrastinating!! (as I am writing this I am actually putting off reading the 40+ chapters that have been assigned to us to be finished before classes start on the 18th)

3) Get organized (and STAY that way). We are in the process of remodeling our dining room and turning it into an office. I am super excited (not about the dust that is everywhere, or the fact that my arms feel like they are going to fall off from all the sheetrock work I have been doing) I hope that I can keep it nice and organized so it will be easier for me to study and stay on top of all the assignments and projects we will have this first semester. I don’t usually have a problem getting organized, it is staying organized that is my issue. I let things slip and then don’t feel like fixing them.

4) Blog more. I have super sucked at blogging over the past 6 months. Not only blogging, but reading all my favorite blogs as well. I started this blog to journal my journey through nursing school and I really want to keep up with it so I have a record of this monumental time in my life. Good and bad.

I think that is a pretty good start.