5 posts tagged “webct”

Today I had my first test of this semester. It covered 16 or so chapters and I, like a jackass waited until last weekend to start studying. I had about 13 chapters covered last night when I went to bed at 1am. This morning I didn't even read the last chapters, I just went on to webct and read the notes and the powerpoints for those chapters.

I got an 86%

This does not mean I am going to do it this way again, though! Too stressfull!

Last Sunday Alex and I just hung out watching the NFL playoffs. We might have played video games too. Oh, and I actually answered the case study question I was supposed to do on webct for my nursing lecture! My teacher said my answer was Excellent! She also called me Nicole. Sigh...

So, yesterday I had to get up at 5:30am and have Alex bring me to my car (I left it at Grammie's). When we got there he said that Taylor still seemed sick (she was up part of the night coughing) she could go back with him so she didn't have to go to school but I still could. He is so wonderful. I went to clinicals and then got some stuff done around the house. I left around 7pm to go back down to Davie. Alex was teaching until 9:30pm so I had dinner with his family and then we did some science trivia afterwards. Then I hung out with Gareth and Lyn talking about how he needs to start applying for colleges soon since he's a junior. After that I grossed Gareth out with pictures from my nursing textbook. Alex called on his break to check in and I told him that I was doing a search online to figure out why Gareth has excess salivation. What I found was this website: www.stopdrooling.com hahaha! Alex got home around 10 with a present for me :) He got me a totebag that said "(heart) a nurse" Now I have a nice bag to carry my books and stuff in to clinicals! He is so sweet!

Well, I have a test next Wednesday and I am seriously behind in my reading!!

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...

Alex came with me yesterday to get my books from Booksmart.  The woman behind the counter got them all for me (a huge stack of about 12 books) and sat them at the register until it was my turn.  When I got up there, the cashier said, "Wow, these are all for you?  You getting books for someone else also?"  I said, "Nope, those are all mine."

"Well you're the kind of customer we like."

As he rang them up he told me that they have been working hard all summer to get a lot of used books in.  I told him I definitely appreciate it!  After the last book he paused before he hit the total button.

"You might want to sit down for this", he says.

The total was $578.

I shrug and hand over the credit card.  The cashier remarks to Alex, "She's taking it pretty well."  Alex tells him that I've already looked up the prices online so I had a pretty good idea.

I also bought a penlight which I put to good use when we went out to the Improv to see Charlie Murphy later that night.  I kept shining it in Sabrina and Alex's eyes.  Hey, you never know when your friend might have an undiagnosed head injury!  Gotta make sure those pupils are equal, round and reactive!  Oh yeah...Alex and I also went to see Snakes on a Plane.  I really could have done without that.  I covered my eyes for a good bit of the early parts of the movie!  Alex actually sat indian style so his feet weren't on the floor.  SNAKES IN A THEATRE!

Today I spent some more time browsing through WebCT, checking out my two online classes.  I have to do a student website for Pharmacology, so I went ahead and got that out of the way.  A couple upcoming assignments aren't too clear at the moment, so hopefully we get more info on those as time goes on.  I think I'm going to try to get some reading in because my first quiz is on 6 chapters and I'm working 6 days this week!

Wish me luck, and I hope you all had a good weekend!