Second Week Over & thats it?

Wow it has only been two weeks since classes started and there has already been so much done!

In skills we've done...NG tubes, EKG, Trach Care, Trach Suctioning, Medication administration via NG and Peg tubes, IV drip calculations, IV insertion & finally Phlebotomy!

We've covered the Neuro and Special Senses, as well as the Endocrine System and started on the Circulatory System. We have already taken two tests and are halfway to another two.

I think I have figured out how they test and am surprised with how easy drip calculations actually are. I was VERY intimidated by the math aspect of Nursing and I always thought that I would never get it when I'd look at the books. But sometimes all you need is someone to say tell you in real terms how it relates and WHAM! It sinks in.

So for all of your pre-nursing students scared of the dosage and calculations aspect of Nursing. If I can do it you can do it!

Ok I am exhausted, hungry and sore. Time to take some Advil for my back,( too much sitting Sciatica attack) eat something and probably play with my IV kit some more! LOL

IV's IV's an ode to thee...

Yes so IV class started last night. I was simultaneously scared to death and excited as hell. 5 live sticks, 80% is a C, research paper! OMG!

Yet I already L O V E that class, well at the very least I am really fond of the Instructor! She was amazing. I apparently learn much better in a structured, rigid-yet-light atmosphere. One that is put together and flows nicely. So NOT the characteristics of my current Theory Class's haphazard, instructor always late, all over the place style.

3 hours never went by as fast as last night did.

Class will be 1 week lecture, 2 weeks lab, then 1 week lecture, 1 week lab, until the final on 12/2. Next Wednesday we are using the fake arms all night(our first day of lab), then the following Wednesday I am poking my very first LIVE person!! EEEKKKK!!

In our CORE Nursing classes we are also starting the IV section this week, so the extra practice will be great. However, in CORE Nursing classes we are only using the computer simulator and fake arms. I am glad I'll get to a LIVE person before my very first one is a real patient in the hospital during clinical.

OK off to get a few more hours of studying in before my first Theory test today! Think I need more coffee!

And let it beginith to grow...

Ok so now that sense of overwhelming, unbelievable, how am I going to get all of this done has hit. I have my first test in Theory on Thursday and a quiz in Lab on Friday. I start my IV class tonight and Microbiology and my volunteer hours start on Monday. Then class on Tuesday, Test on Wednesday in Micro, Test on Thursday in Theory, Lab test Friday, and then a Micro test on Saturday!

It goes and on from there... I need to work out a schedule I think. See it all down on paper and figure out what needs to be done. It doesn't help that I am surrounded by an unorganized bedroom, with paper strewn about and books all over the place. Disorganized spaces makes me feel all disorganized inside and then I get deadlocked and can't think!

Buckle down time is upon us and I am exhausted! Welcome to Nursing School people!


To top that all off my daughter (16 in a few weeks)is feeling neglected my her father and feels like she'll be further pushed aside in the near future. Not sure if any of you are divorced, but how would you,do you, deal with your child's feelings of impending doom once the announcement has been made by Dad's new wife of a baby on the way? He has never been a very involved father and it was the "now" wife that made a lot of the forced contact attempts between the father and the kid. I assume because she wanted to be raising his children. Every time they'd go for a visit she tried to pressure them into saying they wanted to live with them. So now that she's having one of her own,to add to the 3 she had with her ex-husband, (there's a whole lot of feelings there that I have on that topic myself), my daughter is conflicted!
I can try to dispel her fears, yet I know that they are steeped in overwhelming fact!! He was a disengaged selfish father who likes to show off and she says she can just hear him now. She says she wants him to be a better Dad to this baby, but then again she feels like she'll be mad because he wasn't to her or her brother. Poor kid to have grown-up feelings in a young woman's mind! If ever there was a time for a Dx of "shaken ex-husband syndrome" !!!

Algebra update!!

So I received an email from my Algebra instructor saying that I was 19 points away from the next grade increase and that I had not maxed out my take home quizzes yet. Seeing as I was so close she said she would keep the grading period open a few days longer so that I could get the points. I only really didn't ace 1 - got a 77 on it and well I just retook it and am now... happily 19 points higher and yup... now I can brag about my grade! LOL


So anyway a bit of back story. I don't remember saying before, but if I have forgive the senior moment, but I had to get a waiver to take this class online in the first place. I only got a C in MAT092 and you needed a B to be able to be successful in the course. So I went to the advisor and begged and got the speech that, "blah blah... going out on a limb and taking a chance on me, and I had better make him proud"... so HECK YEAH BUDDY TAKE THAT!!! ****

Ok so it is only a B but its not the C I was thinking I was gonna be stuck with after that dismal final exam showing I made! Woot!

Julie & Julia

Well as you know we went to see this movie last night and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I loved it actually. I have seen alot of movies this summer and I have to admit that this one was actually my favorite. It made me laugh, it made me smile, it helped me get to know an Icon and it made me want to see it again.

Plus I wonder just where Julie Powell's blog is... LOL

Final Finally Final

Ok so that Algebra final is outta here and in the record books. I really BOMBED the final tho, but my grade is much more than the bare minimum required to pass,so thats good however I did not rock it. Ok, so it was totally my fault. 1, because I really didn't learn the material, and 2. because I just wasn't motivated. Yet, I look at it like this, who cares! Because either way you look at it its MORE than passing!! My overall grade is only 1% point away from being able to brag about it! in my opinion. LOL. The much more important thing is that its one more pre-req/co-req DONE!

In other news its family movie night. Generally, I take the girl to see a "chick flick" and he takes the boy to see some "guy" movie. This time the daughter is sick with girly issues and I am taking my nephew with me. Of course he won't understand or care about the movie... but I can't leave him home he'd be devastated. So its Julie & Julia for me and Inglorious Bastards for the men.

First Week of Block 2

Wow we started off with a bang... or should I say a gag? It was all the yucky stuff today. But pretty fun too. We did NG tube insertion, trach care, trach suctioning & enteral feeding management with the Kangaroo pumps. Throw in some PEG tube medication administration and EKG placement and you have our first day of Lab skills!

Next week is IV insertion and blood draws & our first quiz in lab! We did some calculation review and I am still a bit confused on the dosage when the question involves a weight. It just seems weird to me that the dosage would be .11 or some such strangeness.

Ahhh our lab quizzes are based on powerpoints and reading the next week's assignment as some of the questions for the quiz will include topics to be covered so that they can make sure we are prepared for class. OK so its like knowing it before you are taught it or what? Lots of self teaching... but the instructors are also REALLY helpful. We got great detailed instruction in the lab at each station and they were there to answer the questions and didn't say... "what do you think? Or what did you read?" We got a lot of that with one of the instructors last semester.

But all in all I'm really looking forward to learning more skills actually and am starting to feel like I will be a real Nurse at the end of this. Its good to get back into the flow of actual core nursing and once I get this damn Algebra final out of the way tomorrow I'll be happier.

So next week looks like this... Test #1 in Theory moved to Thursday on Neuro & Endocrine. Then Quiz on Friday on NG insertion with NG, Duo, G, & J tubes medication administration, enteral feeding, EKG placement, trach care & suctioning, dosage and calculations. Along with any of the info contained in the reading for that days classes.

I also have my Volunteer orientation on Monday and start my additional IV class on Wednesday! So its beginning to get busier... once Micro starts its bound to get stupid busy!

Well that's about it... time to eat dinner then try and get some last minute calculation memorization in so I can pass this damn class!

Baking Birthday cakes, reading chapters & trying to get back in the swing of things

These are a few of the things I am trying to do today. Today is my little brother Travis' birthday. He's 19, has special needs, and was adopted by my parents. Teachnically he's my nephew as he is my brother's child. Urgh... my brother and his assinine self is a whole long drama filled story with a Jerry Springerish ending... just pisses me off thinking about the whole thing.... but anywhoo... since my parents are in Massachusetts right now I had to make him a cake. We'll celebrate and give him presents and such when they get home with a trip to Amazing Jake's ( kinda like a Chuck-E- Cheese, except geared for older children too, and with wayyyy better food.) He loves to drive the go-carts there.

In other news;

Of course I am having a procrastination problem to start my semester off. For some reason after all of the wanting to get back to school and back into the grove, the reality of it is a little less than motivating. The choppy start to yesterday didn't really motivate me. I was a bit afraid of the amount of work and weight of the tests for the term, and am still wondering just how everything will fit, but I just don't feel that hammer slamming down yet, despite the impending first test which is only 6 days away. You know the one, the gotta study, lock myself in a room, and don't see the light of day, let alone the table top through all the papers, kind of feeling? Maybe after Friday's lab it'll feel more real.

So to add to my already seemingly busy semester, I had to add a class on to my already crazy schedule. A Structured Nursing Review Class. Its strictly Pass/Fail and not one of those gotta go classes but it was recommended that we sign up this term. I did not take the one last semester that was offered and for those in the class that did take it, there wasn't one person that said it offered any insight or really helped with Theory as it is designed to do. Our Med/Surg Instructor teaches it this term and she sounded like it'll be worth our while. We'll see I guess. So that'll give me 14 credits at my "home school" and 8 credits online for the semester.

Hummmmm.... I'm starting to talk myself out of my volunteer position, but I know it's an opportunity and an important one at that. Monday is orientation and the thought of sitting through the boring as crap HR BS just does not sound appealing to me, when I know I'll have a test the next day.

Wow... I am so wishy washy... LOL

Second First Day of Nursing School...

Wow what a difference an Instructor makes. Block II is so different than Block I that's for sure. But I think it will be in a good way. I actually really like the style of the new instructor and her style of teaching should fit in with the way I learn. She is really big on teaching more study skills, and teaching the skim the chapter key idea points. However she is a very big proponent of study groups. I myself have my issues with them, and really actually learn better on my own. But we'll see how the semester progresses. We were all supposed to join or form a study group today! So yes down to business right away and we have our first test on Tuesday. She said we will have many more skills check off this term and will also have a quiz every lab day as well. It should be a VERY interesting semester.

Monday - Volunteer 0900-1300 ( Day Surgery )

Tuesday- Nursing Science and Theory II 12:30- 16:30
This includes Med/Surg I, Pediatrics, & OB

Wed- Microbiology(online for 8 weeks until Oct); then
Chemistry(online for 8 weeks starting in Oct ending end of November)
IV Certification 1800-2100

Thursday- Nursing Science and Theory II 12:30- 16:30
Clinical 14:15 to 22:15 (9/17 -11/06)

Friday - Lab 0800-1600 ( Until clinical starts in Sept.)
Clinical 14:15 to 22:15 (9/17- 11/06)

Saturday- Study (Except during Peds/OB)then its:
Clinical 0645-19:15 ( 10/24 & 10/31 & 12/12)

Sunday- Study (Except during Peds/OB)then its:
Clinical 0645- 19:15 Peds (12/13)


This is kinda what my schdl. will look like with a few alterations in the bunch over the course of the semester but you get the gist of it.

Oh one thing that I forgot to mention was that we have lost a few and gained a few this semester. We lost 6 for sure who failed and 1 who had passed but did not show up for class today. I suppose that person has until the next class before being dropped but I am not positive on that. 1 guy transfered into the night class and we have 3 transfers from said night class who have joined our class. We also have two additions to our class who failed Block 2 in the RN direct entry program and now have to repeat Block 2 with us. So it does seem that the LPN/RN programs at our school are aligned to allow for us to roll into Block 3 of the RN program as they advised us last semester.

Volunteers

So I have just come back from my volunteer interview and it went very well. I have orientation on the 24th and then start on the 31st. I'm actually very excited about it! Would be better of course if it were for pay, but I was placed in Day Surgery! Soooo exactly where I wanted to be placed. I really have an interest in PACU Nursing and this is such a start to getting a feel for the environment from a Practitioner side instead of the patient side for a change! Great place to make contacts and, since I will be getting IV certified, what a place to perhaps get a job after December perhaps? Hey who knows but it'll be a great experience I am excited. I hope I don't get too over whelmed with classes and clinical when the time comes.


Does anyone else volunteer?

Fall Schedule... & stuff

Ok so next week classes begin again. It looks as though I may be VERY busy this Fall. I decided that I needed an "IN" somewhere to boost the prospects on jobs and to well, make my resume stand out above the others so to speak. So I submitted an application for a volunteer position in pt care at one of the local hospitals. I am hoping ER, ICU or PACU/Sugicenter, but where ever in a hospital that is Pt care related would be great. I just hope I get something I can really learn from. Its only 4to 6 or so hours a week so I think I can handle it.

I have decided to also just try and get what I need for Block 3 done and out of the way. I just hope I don't kill myself doing it.HAHA But then again I'll just have to spend less time playing on facebook and stuff. LOL

So what does my schedule look like? *** updated ***

Monday - Volunteer 0900-1300 ( Day Surgery )

Tuesday- Nursing Science and Theory II 12:30- 16:30
This includes Med/Surg I, Pediatrics, & OB

Wed- Microbiology(online for 8 weeks until Oct); then
Chemistry(online for 8 weeks starting in Oct ending end of November)
IV Certification 1800-2100

Thursday- Nursing Science and Theory II 12:30- 16:30
(until clinical starts in September) then perhaps clinical but not sure.

Friday - Lab 0800-1600 ( Until clinical starts in Sept.)
Clinical 14:15 to 22:15 (9/17- 11/06)

Saturday- Study (Except during Peds/OB)then its:
Clincial 0645-19:15 ( 10/24 & 10/31 & 12/12)

Sunday- Study (Except during Peds/OB)then its:
Clinical 0645- 19:15 Peds (12/13)

Last semester we had Pharmacology on Mondays and I did not spend as much time studying as I thought I would have to. So I think if I buckle down and put my efforts into it, I WILL be able to accomplish my goals. Its really not all that much more overall. I've just replaced Pharm with Micro/Chemistry.

Sometimes I think life is a circle of crap you've done time and time again...

Oh how I wish my life were a frickin' triangle so it would just get to the point! Not the end... just the point.

Sometimes I wonder why what I dreamed my life would be doesn't actually appear to be the one I am living and then I think, well maybe it is. Disturbing news this week kind of threw me into a sort of funk, of course I was already really in one, so it made me question everything.

I suppose I have not reached self actualization as of yet and know there is so much more I need to do, to feel, and to discover, along my way.

As I wake myself from my reverie with a shake. I say to myself " You need to be patient! You have a journey left to travel and miles to go before you sleep. Wake up and start enjoying them!"

Have you ever questioned whether or not your living the life you had expected to be?

Sorry Officer Sexy

Ok so I got my first speeding ticket today. I got away with a $30 fine and no ding on my licence. So heck yeah I'll pay that and yes he was damn cute! LOL


I am in need of a new laptop, or yet again I have to take this one into be fixed. My letters are getting stuck, so if I don't watch randomly I'll miss a letter. This week it happens to be the (S) it was the (A) before and before that the (.). Must have something to do with that row? Who knows. Supposedly they already replaced the keyboard for me, but yeah this thing is a piece of crap!

Hummm... so my son ha Freshman orientation tomorrow for 4 hours then school starts officially on Monday for the High School. I start back on the 18th! I actually can't wait. So weird. I need to get through this Algebra class, 1 more test and then the Final left.

I am still kinda wondering about what to do about Block 3 ( the RN ) portion of school. I still need two GEN-ED sciences, to qualify, and I can do them in 8 week formats and be ready by January, but I am afraid that it may be overload with the Nursing Core Classes at the same time. But I am also worried about this economy, will I be able to find an LPN job in January. If I don't go right away will it lessen my options?

This sucks!!! LOL... it all, if this then that, but this then that... blah!! I'm such a broken record.