I am having a really hard time with this IPR that is due tomorrow. Basically I was to have a conversation with a patient and then transcribe it verbatim while noting my "therapeutic responses" using "proper terminology". Sure, okay, except I talked to this guy a week ago and of course did not take any notes in the meanwhile.
Also, I got a 64 on a Pharm test last week because I tried to jam too much info into my head in too short a time frame.
So...I think I'm going to implode now.
Camping was excellent!
Today I had to do a simulation in the skills lab which pretty much sucked, except the VitaSim mannequin is pretty neat. I also got checked off on injections, so now I can give them to real live people. Well, guess I better go study for Thursday's test now.
This week I had a test in my nursing lecture class. I started the reading a bit earlier than I normally do, but couldn't make myself finish the last chapter of reading. I was told that only 5 questions out of 50 came from that chapter so I wasn't too worried. I also did all the review questions for all the chapters. I got an 88%. Of course I would prefer an A, but the effort to grade ratio is pretty good.
Then after my test, I had to go home and write a case study that was due at 11pm that night. I did the research part of it at Taylor's soccer practice and then compiled and typed it at home. Took maybe 1.5 hours I guess. I don't know what my grade is yet (and probably won't for awhile because my teacher takes for. ever. to grade) but I'm pretty pleased with it. It just made so much sense in my brain that I wondered if I was missing something. It seemed too easy. You know, I wanted to go into nursing to provide the type of L&D care that I got when I had my daughter. It's really great to realize that the booksmart stuff is a good fit too. I actually had fun writing that case study. I enjoy figuring out why a test has been ordered for my patient, what the results mean to me as a nurse, and what I need to do for the patient from there. It is just all coming together and that is an AWESOME FEELING!
In other good news, I am leaving work in just over 3 hours and my camping weekend shall begin. Alex is meeting me at my house around 3:45, we are loading up the car and heading off to the state park. We have a 'cabin' so we are not really 'roughing it' but we do plan on doing all of our cooking outside even though we have a kitchen indoors. The main reason we got the cabin was for comfort of sleeping. He paid for both nights at the campsite as my birthday present, in addition to a few other small presents (his words). I am beyond excited. Hopefully we get some fishing and canoeing in too, but 25 mph winds are forecast, so we might not be able to.
Speaking of birthdays! Mine is actually Nov 17, but we couldn't go that weekend because we have to plan around the Dolphins schedule since Alex works all home games. Anyhow, Sabrina called me last night and said that for my gift she is taking me to the Melting Pot on the 17th! Woohoo! I. LOVE. THE MELTING POT. So so excited. Now I just need to figure out when the heck I can see Shannon. She's going out of town my birthday weekend.
Anyhow, camping, birthday, school, Alex, wooooooooo! My life isn't perfect, but it's the best it's ever been. I'm lovin' it.
Monday I got to observe in Labor and Delivery here at Good Sam. There were two patients laboring but unfortunately neither of them delivered in the 6 hours we were there. We did get to take vitals on a mom and learn how to do an assessment on a newborn, though. So. damn. cute. I couldn't stay any longer because the migraine that I had fought off with Advil in the morning was making a comeback. What is up with two migraines in two weeks? I really hope that it's not all the beer I drink on weekends. I read in my Pharm text that that is a possible trigger, and it would explain why I get them early in the week. Maybe I'll cut down the next weekend or two and see what happens. :(
Aaaand last night I had my recert class for CPR. It was supposed to go from 6pm-10pm but I was done by 8:30. Kick ass. I got 100% on my written exam. They changed some of the protocol lately. Instead of 15 compressions and 2 breaths, the ratio is now 30:2 in all cases except 2 person infant CPR. Also, they are reprogramming all AEDs to give one shock instead of 3 for VFib. All in all wasn't a bad night. The instructor had a Southern accent that was very nice to listen to.
Oh yes, and we are having our first "cold front" of the season. It's been in the 50s at night and goes from the low sixties to mid seventies during the day. Yes, that's a cold front, people! I love it :)
This weekend is the premiere of Markham Horror!
Today:
8:00 am Midterm evaluation for clinicals I got a great review from my instructor, AND found out I get to do another OR rotation!
8:30 am Check off for meds
This means that I am now allowed to dispense medication to patients in
the hospital during clinicals! I did everything up to parental
(injections). I feel confident about my technique, but I need to review
the anatomical landmarks a bit more before I have to demonstrate that Make loan payment Drop off clothes to Goodwill Get eyebrows waxed
I also got a pedicure while I was there. I can't wear fingernail polish
ever again basically (it's a no-no for nurses) so I might as well have
pretty feet. Deposit student loan check into savings account, minus $200 Renew car registration
I did this in person because I wanted to change my plate. I had the
Challenger plate for the past few years, but last year they changed the
design and issued me a new tag without telling me. Well, the new tag
was butt ass ugly, so screw you NASA. Now I have a Miami Dolphins
plate. Yes, I know they suck ass right now, but I am no fair weather
fan. I told Alex it was between that and the Miami Heat plate (who, of
course, rule all). I said I decided on the Dolphins plate because it
matches my car better. He laughed and said, "Oh, I thought you were
going to say because I work there but okay" Deposit remainder of student loan into my checking account
Mail out Shannon and Jim's anniversary card It is already a week after the fact and I finally found their new address and now I can't find the damn card!
And now I'm back home. I was up late last night doing my care plan, etc to turn in to my clinical instructor today so maybe I'll take a nap after I have a roast beef sandwich on fresh italian bread. Then tonight I have to go to a four hour class to get my CPR card renewed. Ooh, fun. SO much better than the Guns and Roses concert I could have gone to tonight (although since Alex ended up having to go to California on business at the last minute, it's just as well)
I love getting things accomplished. Too bad I don't do it more often :)
Alex called me last night and told me that half the film footage from one of the cameras is lost. He went to tape a scene at Todd's house and the camera just started spitting tape. So, he still has all the footage from *his* camera, but the movie isn't going to be near as polished as it could have been with the footage from both cameras.
In other news, I have a severe crispy potato craving going on right now. Also, I got an 84% on my Pharm test last night. *shrug* It's better than I did on the last one, anyway.
AND! I don't know if I mentioned but I get to observe in Labor and Delivery on Monday! Woohoooooooo!
I have a Pharm test tomorrow, and of course I haven't started reading the chapters. I thought it was 14-20, but I just looked and it's 14-28!!! Ohhh shite.
I finally found out my grade on the journal critique I did. I got a 90/100. My teacher said "Very well done. Lacking running headlines as required in APA format." Huh. Must have missed that memo. Anyway, not too bad considering I wrote it in 2 hours the night that it was due.
I had a migraine yesterday. I took 4 advil and a magnesium tablet as soon as it started and went to bed. It took awhile to fall asleep, but the pain never got too bad fortunately. Still couldn't get out of bed for a few hours though. I think it's worth noting that I haven't had a migraine in almost 4 months. The frequency has gone way down since I stopped working for douchebag Adam.
This week in clinicals we did our first assessments. Our teacher walked us through and now I feel pretty comfortable doing it on my own. I also got to do my first Accu-check (blood glucose monitoring) yesterday. The patient I did it on was super nice and said I did a good job. I'm looking forward to stopping in on her next week if she is still there. This weekend I should be checked off on med administration.
(For some reason Vox isn't letting me change the date on this entry)
Well, there's ups and downs I guess. Last week we had another Pharm test and I knew the first 6 chapters like the back of my hand...it was the 7th that kicked my ass and got me a 76 on the test. It went up to a 82 later, because some of the questions told you to choose all that applied, but would only let you pick one answer. So, anyway, screw the nervous system. Receptor this and agonist that. Bleh.
Today was my second nursing lecture exam. It was only 3 chapters, but one of them (physical assessments) was 100 pages long. I did okay, I guess. I got an 84%, which is a B. I guess I should be happy with that, but I missed two because I couldn't remember which was diastolic and which was systolic. I hate missing questions for something stupid like that. And I missed one because I changed my answer. I knew I was going to regret it and I did it anyway. Dammit. Oh well, it's still better than the last test, right?
Yesterday was our first clinical day where we had patients. Laura and I were partnered up like we asked. We had a blind guy in his 30s who needed total care. I mean, he could move somewhat, but not too much. He had one of those pressurized beds. Nice because you don't have to tuck the sheets in and mitre the corners. His nurse wasn't very nice to him (I have my theory on why, but in the interest of HIPPA paranoia, I'll keep it to myself.) She told us on the way out, "Don't take any of his crap. I told him the first day hear what a grouch he is." Well lady, you get what you give, because this guy was nothing but nice to us, even when we had to position him in ways that made him hurt. We gave him a bed bath, which went pretty well except that we weren't doing it exactly the way we were taught. Laura and I kept looking at each other from across the bed and saying "Oh wait, we forgot to do..." "Oh, right!" and then we'd do whatever it was we forgot. Our patient had Sportscenter on to listen to and I asked him if he liked football.
"Yeah, I like football."
"You like the Dolphins?"
"Nah."
"Well did you grow up down here?"
"Yeah"
"Then what do you mean you don't like the Dolphins? You're supposed to root for the home team, A! I know there's not too much to root for sometimes, but come on!"
He laughed and told me he liked the Cowboys. It was a good icebreaker and after that I wasn't nervous anymore. It's nice to find some common ground.
Anyhow, we were doing the bath still when the wound care specialist came in to check on him. He needed to be rolled over onto his side for her to check it, which worked out nice because we hadn't done his back yet anyway. Our instructor came in at this point too, which really worked out well, because she cleaned up the tush area for us. I was on the opposite side, but from what I could tell, it wasn't too pretty. Yay for our clinical instructor. Love that woman to death. She's over there talking about cleaning up the 'poop-a-roni's'. She finished up and went to leave and I told her we hadn't done the 'hmm-hmm' area yet. Yes, these are the technical terms. She told me to go ahead and do it while she and Laura went somewhere (don't remember where.)
This part wasn't as awkward as I would have thought either. When you're taking care of someone who is sick, it just doesn't seem to matter as much. I told him I was going to clean his groin area and around the catheter real quick, and he said okay. I went around with the washcloth, but I probably didn't do too good of a job around the catheter because while I know I wouldn't be able to pull it out, I still don't want to yank on the thing. I wouldn't imagine that feels too good.
We were going to do his mouth care and shave him (oh man, I would have been so nervous about that) but his nurse came in to do vitals and feed him and we had to go to postconference, so I told him that we had to leave and thanked him for being such a great patient. Sometimes when I'm studying for tests until I can't see straight, I really wonder if this is going to be worth it. But after putting my knowledge and skills so far to use, I definitely know that this is what I want to do. It's a great feeling.
I don't think I will ever forget my first patient.
I got an 80 on that test. I would have it down to between two answers and pick the wrong one. We got to see what we got wrong after the test.
This one I was pretty sure I was letting my emotions dictate:
Which is the best example of nursing ethics?
The correct answer was ‘a nurse at a party overhears her collegues talking and laughing about a client.
I picked: ‘a nurse is asked to assist on a circumcision of a baby. There is evidence for and against the procedure.’
I even stopped to wonder if I was letting my own reasonings get in the way…I suppose I did although it still seems like a reasonable answer.Ah well, the first test is always the hardest for me, so now I know what to expect.
Hmm..let's see what's to report.
We are just about done with frontloading. Yesterday we were instructed and checked off on handwashing (you might think that's a no-brainer, but unless you're in the medical field, I can pretty much guarantee you're doing it wrong). We also learned about the DHAT we have to fill out for each patient we have during clinicals. DHAT stands for...Daily Holistic Assessment Tool? It's basically a history, and a brief assessment of why they are in the hospital at the moment. We also have to analyze why they are on what meds, and why they were sent for what tests.
Next Monday we are being checked off on all of our frontloading skills. Eek! I need to buy a blood pressure cuff, because I'm not that good at taking BPs right now. Laura, Jacob and I practiced bedmaking (occupied) and bathing after class Monday. We got those bedcorners sharp, man! The hardest part to me is not really the skill itself, but remembering all of the steps involved, especially introducing yourself to the patient, washing hands, etc. Seems like it would be easier to remember those things when you're actually doing it, as opposed to talking to a crazy-eyed mannequin. Then, Tuesday is our first day at the hospital, but it's just orientation. We will begin patient care the week after that. I am super nervous about that.
Yesterday we also took our Semester One ProCalc exam. It's a math test based on dosage calculations, focused on knowing conversions (1 tsp = 5mL, 1gr = 60mg). We had to get an 80% on it or be removed from the program (although I think you can take it again if you don't do well on the first try.) I studied for it the night before and got 100%. Wo0t!
When I got home I had to choose an article to critique for Pharm. Not too clear on the due date though...sometime in October. Seriously not digging the online experience.
Today...I have the 14 chapter beast of a test. I'm not too happy with my online instructor, because she screwed up when she told us what chapters would be on the test, and I read two chapters that I didn't even need! We should not be at such a disadvantage because we're taking lecture online. Thank God I have friends that take it on campus and I can compare with them.
I'm not really as ready for this test as I should be. Laura and I studied after skills lab yesterday, and I'm pretty sure that I've read everything I'm supposed to, but I don't know how much I've retained. Or the level of depth they are going for on the test. That's why the first test of the year kind of sucks. You don't really know what to expect. Anyhow, I'm going to try to get a little bit of review in during lunch, and then head out of here around 2pm so I can get to campus a bit before the 3pm test and cram with Laura.
It's funny...when I'm reading all of the chapters at home, I do wonder what I got myself into. But when I go to skills lab, and I'm learning how to nurse, I really know that's what I want to do, where I want to be. And that's a pretty good feeling.
