5 posts tagged “reading”

I went to Laura's house last night to study and got home at 5am. Yes, that's right. And somehow I still couldn't get to sleep until 6. My alarm goes off at 7, at which point I left a message on my boss's voicemail asking if she could do without me. I left her my cell and told her to call me if she really needed me to come in, and she didn't. I slept until 12:30 or so and have been studying off and on all day. I put in a lot of good work last night, but at this point my brain has just checked out. I'm too tired to retain anything at this point.

I'll probably still forced some more pharm down my throat later and then rejoice tomorrow when THIS CRAP IS BEHIND ME.

(PS I'm going to Disneyworld with Alex and Taylor sometime in the next couple weeks! Yay!)

Diuretics, beta blockers, and neoplastics OH MY

Between yesterday and today, I've taken 23 pages of notes for my Pharm final. It seemed like a lot until I remembered I started yesterday. In between all that studying though, I went shopping (had to get Sabrina's present) and got some Christmas gifts crossed off.

Done:
Alex
my dad
my mom
Alex's dad, stepmom, and sister
Shannon
Sabrina
Coral
Mason
Dylan (these last three being my cousins' kids)

and Taylor is somewhat done. I finished getting her stocking stuffers tonight.

All I have left is something for my grandparents, Alex's stepbrother, and more stuff for Taylor. I don't *think* I'm forgetting anyone. Cards will have to wait until after finals to go out.

I'm beat. Must sleep now.

Being as I'm not working today, I should be getting copious amounts of studying done. I am getting *some* done and it's actually not too bad because it's the earlier chapters of Pharmacology I'm reviewing. It focuses on general pharmacokinetics (hey Firefox! Don't tell me I'm spelling that word wrong!), and not specific drug actions and effects that make me want to beat my head into a wall.

I took a break to surf around ebay for awhile. I bought Taylor a 'Charmed' shirt because the show plays 24/7 at my house and she said she wanted every Charmed item possible. For some reason the Australians have really corned the market on Charmed merchandise. That's the only place I was able to find them! The shipping sucks, but at least the US dollar is stronger than the AU dollar at the moment. Then I started looking at tart burners. Oh my, I could go nuts with that. They just have the cutest burners for any themed room you could possibly want. I can't wait until I have my own place again; I will have an appropriate tart burner in every single room. Oh yes.

Well, I guess I should get back to studying. I need to go pick up Taylor in a bit so we can get outfits for the Dolphins party next week and I also have to get some Christmas cards and pick up my dad's prescription for him. Crap. I also have to get a gift for Sabrina's birthday tonight. She says to me earlier, "I get a present?!?!" I said, "Well, it is your birthday." She replies, "I know, but I've learned the less I expect on my birthday the better." Aww. I will do my best to make the big 3-0 great for her.

That's basically what I've been doing so far.  I think I mentioned during the first 3 weeks of clinicals, they are going to teach us basic patient care before they unleash us on the unsuspecting public.  (Actually, all patients will know we are nursing students and will have given their consent before hand.  From what they've told us, most of them love it because they are our only patient so they basically have a private nurse.)

Anyhow, the first day they put us into groups with our clinical instructor, and I found out that I will be doing my clinicals at JFK, which is oh, 10 minutes from my house.  I actually pass it on the way to campus.  Awesome!  I really like my instructor so far as well.  She seems really nice, and very down to earth.  I asked her if our first hospital day will begin at 7:30 and she said, "Oh no...I think 9am sounds better. What do you guys think?"  Schweet.

In our groups, we went around to 9 stations, each staffed by a different instructor to teach us a skill.  The first day we learned how to give bed baths (sponge baths, basically) and how to place a bedpan (fun!) and assist with using a urinal.  Mmm.  We also learned how to brush patients' teeth, remove dentures and clean those, and how to shave male patients.  We practiced that on balloons, but we left the blade guard on so I don't know how much good that does.  Without my schedule in front of me, I can't think if we did anything else that day.  I did pick a 'partner' though!  Her name is Laura and she's a single mom like me.

Somehow I feel like I already wrote about this stuff.

We missed the next day because Ernesto was on it's way. *eyeroll*  Not to say I didn't enjoy hanging out at Alex's for a couple days, but I was actually bummed about missing class.  Now our first hospital day is on Sept 19th instead of the 18th so we can make up our frontloading day.

We also only had one class this week because of Labor Day.  Yesterday we had to dress out in our uniforms so they could check them.  The pants aren't as uncomfortable as I thought they were.  I think I need some insoles for the shoes though.  Anyhow, we learned how to make beds (both occupied and unoccupied) and we also learned about restraints; when and how to apply them.  Rowr.

As for my online classes, I have a 6 chapter Pharm test tomorrow that I feel pretty ready for.  I'm going to do the workbook review tonight, and then take the test tomorrow before the Dolphins/Steelers game.  My cousin and I have an interesting bet on the game.  Next Wednesday I have my first test for Nursing Lecture.  It's on...14 chapters?  I've read 6 of them and I need to review the hell out of them.  I really couldn't give a crap about the history of nursing, or the nursing theorists, and that makes it hard to retain the info.

I'm going to have to make my peace with having no life soon...

I went to the welcome meeting Monday night which was fairly informative.  I also ran into Alan, my chemistry partner 2 years go.  He said he was wondering what happened to me since he hasn't seen me for awhile.  I told him I had to take a pre-req I forgot and then I took a year off to work.  He's in semester 3, just like 2 other people I saw who I took pre-reqs with.  It's kind of...well, it sucks because I could be there right now.  Oh well, in a year I'll be third semester too, and in the meantime, I got Alan's email address in case I have any questions about the classes.

I also found out that after your first year in the program, you can sit for your LPN (licensed practical nurse) exam.  It costs $450, but this woman from a nursing agency told me that they will pay for your exam and in exchange you work fifteen 12 hour shifts for them over the course of a year.  They pay you $15 an hour instead of 17, which is more than I'm making now anyway.  It sounds pretty good except that they do home and hospice care, which really isn't an area I want to spend a lot of time on.  I am also eligble for nursing externships at the end of my first semester, so that is worth looking into as well.

Yesterday was orientation.  They went over the course sequence, and general program information.  I tell you, I felt a lot calmer after that because hey, at least I'm not the one asking when Skills Lab starts when they've already told us that 4 TIMES.  I found out what I need to bring for "clinicals" on Monday, and how I really didn't need all the books I bought (some are for semester 2).  I put clinicals in quotes because what we are doing for the next few weeks is called "front loading".  They are going to teach us the basic skills we need before they turn us loose on the hospital.  I'm glad of that, because I really don't think I could take a BP to save my life right now.

I have 6 chapters to read for Pharmacology and I've already done 4, plus notes.  Then I need to read the first 3 chapters for Nursing Lecture.  Pharm may not end up being too bad.  I discovered that I could have taken that class before I was accepted into the program, and that sucks!  I wish I would have known that, things would be easier on me now if I had that out of the way.  Oh well, I can't change it now.

So far I have had to do online orientation for Pharm and also a student website (which took about 5 minutes, really) and then email the prof to tell her they were completed.  It's not due until next week but it's out of the way.  I have to do the same for Nursing Lecture, but I haven't done the website for that online course yet.

Starting next week I am going to be working Wed-Thur-Fri at the hospital in Information Services.  It's an ideal schedule, so long as I can live off the money I earn from it (doubtful.)  I really need to get on the student loan train.  I hate stressing about money.

Oh, yesterday I went to Fossil to get a new battery in my 3 dead watches because I have to have one for school.  Turns out my newest watch didn't have a battery problem, it's the watch movement.  Fortunately, it's under warranty so I just have to send it out with $7.50 (yeah, cause I'll ever get around to going to the post office!)

I guess that's about it for now...