Hell week coming...

So it occurs to me, that next week is rather hellish. I didn't put it all together until today, just... how... hellish. So here's how it's going down: Concept map due Tues. during clinicals. (BTW, only 2 clinicals to go! whoo hoo!) It's true, some folks can spit those babies out in an hour or two, but me? Oh it takes closer to 6 hrs for me. sigh. Then on Wed, we have an ATI exam which BTW, are not, I repeat, NOT, like the one we study and practice for the week before!! But I digress. And lastly, Thursday I have another bloody module exam. The last one was extremely difficult, and I only got 74%. So I MUST improve on this one to be in a safe margin. So I'm a leeeeeeetle stressed, but as Gloria Gaylor said, "I will survive!"

Moving on, I got some great news today, that my registration date got moved up from December 20th to TODAY! Yeah! I would've gotten stuck with my clinicals being Sat. and Sun for the whole semester! Or even worse, I could've been stuck with a mean, make you cry new teacher. But yeah, with the help of some others, I'm all signed up with a nice teacher.

And last, but not least, I did my presentation today. It came out great, even with a few mess ups. We got a perfect score, whoo hoo! Our teacher, kept saying what a great job we did, and how much she enjoyed the slides. So all in all today was a lovely day. Okay, I really must go and hit the books. I think I'll make my concept map first.

How is your week going? Is your semester nearly ending?

so...how was your Thanksgiving??

This is a shot for our group presentation on Scoliosis. I thought it would be fun to make it a 1950's style Science class filmstrip. It was a little tongue in cheek, but with accurate info. It came out very cute. That is me as the mom comforting my "daughter" concerning her discovering her scoliosis from the school nurse. It was so fun, making it, and everyone in the nursing lab were watching, with much applause. That apron is from my collection of antique aprons, I love them.

Speaking of Thanksgiving..... (were we?) Mine was lovely, very relaxed. We were home, with Eric's brother here. We walked around Knotts (just the outside part) and then picked up our dinner that we ordered. We came home, pigged out, relaxed some more. It was great. Yesterday we had a mini-birthday party for the brother in law, he was very touched, since he usually is home without family during his birfffffffffday.

On the school front I took an exam the day before T., and felt like I totally bombed it. I nearly did. I got a 74%, and you need a 75% to pass, so you can see I didn't do very well. However, I'm okay because of my other exams, and all other points. Still, it was depressing. The exam covered Pediatric heart defects, along w/ blood disorders, diseases, renal diseases, and all lung ailments and diseases. Dang hard exam. I really focused on cardio, and the exam was heavily renal. dang it. So I will have to beef up on my next exam, and start flash carding it early. We have one exam and one final left. Only 3 clinicals, and one concept map, whooo hooo! Oh yeah, one ATI exam too. So, what I'm saying is, there's plenty of work coming, but the end is in sight, with only THREE weeks left, yeah!!!! Then I will officially be HALF WAY!!! Heather is happy bout that! How 'bout you? How are you????

Epiphany

Welcome Fall! Yep, this is my favorite season of the year. Even though you don't see drastic changes in scenery here in S. CA, I still enjoy the subtle changes in weather. The warm winds at night, the blowey days (yes, I can use the word blowey if i want to, this is my blog, dang it), the cooler nights. boy I'm waxing poetic. Anyhoo, I like all the fall holidays as well. Halloween was fun, and I saw a lot of cute little goblins coming to my door. This year, was the first year I didn't make the older kids work for their candy. You know, they come to the door without a costume, or they're wearing a baseball cap, saying, "I'm a baseball player", or a girl wearing make up, saying, "I'm goth". Generally fairly lame. So when they ask for candy, I say, You'll have to do a trick, meaning entertain me! They have to dance or clap, or jump up and down to get some candy. I have a lot of fun making those teens, act like kids. They leave smiling and so do i. BUT, this year, I had to study in between doorbell rings since i had a difficult exam the next day, so I just gave them the candy with a smile. By the by, I have done better with each exam, and I am safely in the B zone, at least for now.

I am fully ensconced into Peds now, and I'm enjoying it. I was in PICU last wk, and my nurse was also the charge nurse. She was great, very teaching, so i had a great 10 hrs of learning. Bad news: Got nasty flu the following day which i am still trying to recover from. (sorry Eng teachers; never end sentences with from) I am hoping i will not miss tomorrow's clinical with this dang flu. I am planning on resting today, and drinking lots of hot lemon water, and feeling all better. There! how's that for positive thinking!


My epiphany? This wk in lab, with the help from a classmate Robin, I finally get how to set an IV pump! Whoo hooo, all those numbers make sense to me now! I am so excited, and I can't wait to do a real one at the hospital! I am looking forward to an IVPB order, yeah.

Have a good week all, and please leave a comment if you've come by.

Starting Peds, finished OB

So, this was our first wk in Peds. It was very fun, and it's so nice seeing kids who can respond (as opposed to babies who are rather blobular). Let's see, my big accomplishment this wk was starting a piggy back. My nurse totally walked me through it, but now I feel like "I get it". The RN i worked with was one of those great nurses who want to teach all day, it was great. Next wk i will be in PICU, so that should be darned interesting. The little girl I had this wk was possible MRSA, which made it such a pain to go in, you know, suiting up gloving up, etc. So my interactions were not what I would have preferred.

The only down side this rotation is our new CI. I'm not crazy about her, esp since she expects all of us students to stand for 10 hrs a day! Yeah, we are supposed to never take a seat that a Real Nurse (RN) might want. I found this out after I had been sitting, charting etc. I didn't take it too seriously since another student told me, instead of the CI. I figured I would play dumb until she told me herself which she never did. She is not very warm or instructive for that matter. I am attempting to be positive around her, and not give into the fears!!!

Well I must get back to my studies, I've got another bloody concept map to do.