RN School Update

A couple weeks ago I finished my 3^rd and toughest semester thus far. I’m glad to say that I’ve gotten a handle on the critical thinking questions on the exams luckily, but clinicals are getting tougher and tougher.

I went up to 3 patients this semester, and had a very thorough but humble clinical professor. I have to admit that I did crack under all the stress this semester. Though I would have liked it not to be in front of my professor, it was a relief to let it all out, and to know that my instructor didn't think I was a total idiot. I realized that I am extremely hard on myself, and I have to learn to get past certain things and move on. I have to learn to forgive myself.

My clinical instructor made a comment during my final review that made me feel so good. She said that she doesn't even see that nervous and shaky girl she saw during skills lab early in the semester. Like night and day she said. I'm a lot more confident when I'm interacting with my patients. I still have times of uncertainty just like any other student out there, but definitely an improvement from my first week of med/surg.

This was a rocky semester no doubt. I'm just glad that I got through it all, and that graduation is only months away. I'm grateful to be in my program, and to be going on to 4th semester.

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Winter break has been amazing so far. I've been able to spend time with my family, cook, clean, scrapbook...all the things I've been putting on the back burner for months. It feels good to wake up stress-free, but then I start thinking about my first ATI exam two weeks after the start of the semester! Yes I'm a hopeless worry-wort. It's something I'm working on. I just have to keep reminding myself that I need and deserve this break. I'm going to need it if I'm going to mentally prepare myself for the semester to come.

To end on a happy note, Kaiser has a new grad program starting in the fall of 2011. I'm so happy about that because the job market is horrible right now. So many job posting I've seen specifically say "NO NEW GRADS PLEASE." It's great that Kaiser realizes that we are the future of healthcare, and that it would be better to mentor us and make us better nurses rather than just closing the door in our faces. I'm hopeful to be getting one of the 15 spots available in this program after I graduate.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Tick Tock

Midterm mark...

I'm so happy that this week is over!

We had midterms on Tuesday, and I have to say that it was pretty difficult. I got an ok grade but of course there is always room for improvement.

This week was the most over whelming for me since I've been in nursing school. I had a horrible night Thursday because I had a confused patient that was taking up a lot of my time. I had two patients that both had a lot of meds. For my one patient, his meds were scattered all throughout the shift. So I felt like that was all i was doing all night, along with changing my incontinent and confused patient down the hall. I finally got a chance to go to dinner so late. I came back expecting that the RN i was working with was going to give the 1900 med since I was at dinner. She didn't. So that med was late. It was just a lousy busy night. I felt so flustered and unorganized. Nothing was going the way i wanted it to. My first opportunity to give an IV piggyback went down the drain when I flushed her IV and it began to leak. I just wanted Thursday to be over.

Friday was better. Not as busy, but I was scrambling to get my careplans ready to turn in by the end of the night. So along with the two i was working on already, I had to pick up a 3rd patient because one of my patients when home when i came on shift. My professor has been on my ass about finding interesting things to do on the floor, and she's been constantly questioning me about everything. It's horrifying for me to not know all the answers but it's also a good thing because it really gets the information ingrained in my head. Duhhh!!! Assess gag reflex! Gosh i felt like a total idiot for blanking on that one! She's really intimidating because i don't quite know what she thinks of me. But regardless, she's a great teacher.

I find myself dwelling on things that I should have done differently. I should have less social talks. I should have utilized my CNAs. I should have been more assertive. I should have spent more time researching my labs. I could go on and on. I know this is a bad thing. I need to learn to move on. It's a new day. A new week. I guess sometimes I really feel inadequate. I'm really hard on myself because I pride myself at being good at everything I attempt. I just have to realize that it all comes with experience.

My hope for next week is to be more organized, and to plan ahead. I can do this. 5 more weeks of med-surg :)

She's 4!!!

Happy Birthday baby! Mommy and daddy love you soooooo much!!!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Blog from my online class:

How realistic do you think it will be for you to adhere to a schedule in order to devote the time necessary to complete the required work in your online courses? What measures will you take to ensure that this happens?

I haven't blogged in months but it's a way for me to get my feelings out there. Being a nursing student, sometimes I feel really isolated from the world. My time for my family and my friends goes down considerably. And I live and breath nursing. When I'm not in school, I'm working on assignments or I'm the hospital or I'm a work. I even dream about nursing for gods sake! My whole world revolves around this and sometimes I feel like I loose myself. But summer was great. I spent lots of time with my family. But sadly summer has come to an end and I'm back to school for my last two semesters of nursing.

I cannot begin to say just how busy I am right now. I think they say for you to be successful in a class that you need to be spending two hours at home studying for every hour of lecture. So for me that's 12 hours a week! Scary! I know! Plus I have my first day of clinicals tomorrow and I won't be getting home till midnight on Thursday and Fridays till the end of this semester.

I'm scrambling to get everything done and it's hard. But for me it's never a question on if I can handle it. It's how. Failing is not an option for me. I always work my butt off to make sure all of my priorities are met. It doesn't make it any easier though. I make a lot of to-do lists. This helps me stay organized and helps me remember what it is I'm suppose to be doing that day.

If you chose to take an online course then you have to know that it's not going to easy as pie. I was realistic in knowing that this was not going to be an easy 'A' because my schedule is already packed with nursing. But I made a mental commitment to myself that I wasn't going fail and that I would do well. So it's possible to be successful in an online class. You just have to be motivated and organized. If you have those two traits then you're on the right track. So I will keep making my to-do lists and stay motivated to keep moving forward.

1/2 an RN!

My last day of last semester was on Friday!!! Second semester is officially over!

I have to admit that i'm extremely proud of myself. I got an overall 87% in the class :) It brings me back to the day before the first semester started. I was talking to the dean about something. I can't remember what it was exactly, but i do remember mentioning to her that i have a job, and that i was planning to work concurrently with the program. Her eyes got large. I know there was a lot of doubt in her that i would be successful in the program. This proves that you can do anything if you want it badly enough. Even if people around you don't believe in you, you must believe in yourself. Let me be an example for any working mother (or father) that's considering nursing or any program in school. If i can do it, so can you.

So my much needed summer break has commenced! I'm gonna spend time with my family, catch up on sleep, my scrapbook, and just take time to bask in these guilt-free moments of being away from my textbooks.

Two down, two go!

I hope everyone has an awesome summer!

More than half way through...

The midterm just this passed Wednesday marked the half-way point on the semester. I have 10 more weeks till summer break!!! I'm thrilled that everything has been going so fast.

It was my second week at clinicals with two patients. I'm still trying to get used to having two patients. Luckily this week I had a very nice nurse. She gave me a lot of constructive criticism which I really appreciate. I want to be the best nurse I can be, so any pointers on what I can do to improve I want to hear.

Nursing school update

I'm starting the 5th week of my 2nd semester. This week is going to be hectic for me. I have my second exam on Wednesday, plus a orientation at Shriner's Hospital till 5 pm that same day. On Thursday I start my first day of clinicals.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I'm excited because the arrival of clinicals always means that i won't even have time to breathe. So that means I won't have time to count how many weeks are left in the semester. Being at the hospital makes my days fly by. By the time i know it, summer break will be right around the corner :)

I'm optimistic that this semester is going to be a great one.

Dreaming of the day...

that I can have my own house again...


Bright & cozy bedroom


My princess's room


I love the stone fireplace & the hardwood floors!

The hood & the cabinets did it for me :)

What a gorgeous tub!

This is my inspiration. I want a house that's bright and spacious, but also cozy as well. I love neutral colors with a splash of color. Stone incorporated somewhere in the house is a must. I also gotta have hardwood flooring with soft carpet in the bedrooms. But most important of all, it will be OUR house.

I can't wait to be able to have the means to buy a house. I'm expecting that we might be able to start looking this summer or early next year. I'm so looking forward to just being the three of us again. Though I'm grateful for my sister-in-law for letting us stay there, I loathe that place! I can't stand those people, and i hate how they make my husband act.

When that time comes, it will be perfect! I can't wait.