The End is in Sight....Already!!

Wow! We only have two and a half weeks of school left! Where did it go? I guess that's what happens when you live assignment to assignment and test to test. It seems like this semester has just flown.
We have ATI tests in two weeks and the physical assessment part of the final exam. Then on the 16th of December is our final exam!! Yeah! Then we get a whole month off. I can't wait for the break.
School hasn't seemed that hard, we had a lot of time intensive assignments but... so far nursing school hasn't been as bad as I expected. I read that it was really hard and people just barely struggle to get a passing grade.
Knock on wood, I have an 88 average on my exams and a 97 average on my homework. There is only one assignment due a week from today and the ATI and the Final exam left.
We went to a nursing home for our few clinicals, most of clinical days were spent in the lab learning skills. I don't think long term care is what I want to do. I never have been very fond of nursing homes and this hasn't made it any more of a positive experience.... not a bad experiance, just not good enough to make me gung ho for doing that job.
Well, guess I have to go hunt down the daughter.
Bye bye

Oh where, oh where has the time gone???

The semester is just flying away!! I can't believe it is more than half over.

So far, it has just seemed so crazy. I live from one assignment to the next. Some days nothing is due but other days there are 3 things due. Some assignments are huge and others, not so bad. We have had to do a diversity in religion assignment. I thought it was pretty neat, as I haven't studied many faiths. Christianity is my religion and most of them, no matter the denomination, have lots of similarities. I've also studied Latter Day Saints. But for the project I studied: Greek Orthodox Christians (lots of similarities to Catholic), Buddhism (wow! way different than anything I've ever seen!) and Southern Baptists (much like other christians), but it was still an eye opener.
We've done some case studies and applied the nursing process to it in order to get us familiar with nursing process.
We did our Vital signs in the community. That was fun, interacting with people in the community, although it was a little nerve wracking when they ask questions related to blood pressure or other health questions that they just assume we know the answer to.
Pediatrics in the community was tons of fun! We did vitals on 5-7 year olds and on some we did a little interview. If only ya'll could have heard some of the answers!!! lol!!!

Tomorrow, we will be at our first clinical site! Whoo hoo!! It's only orientation to hospital, charts, and Kardex and we'll get to meet some patients but we are all excited anyway. Some of my clinical group is really nervous but I'm not. Maybe it'll hit me in the morning on my way in.

We've had three tests so far. Everyone keeps asking what subject my test is on but the thing is is that I don't have separate classes. We have one class, Nursing 101, in which they throw everything at us. When we have a test it is on everything we have learned so far. It is a Nursing test. I had a really hard time adjusting to the type of testing in the nursing program, it is very different than the pre and co req classes that are simply memorization and regurgitation. In nursing we learn all kinds of things, our tests expect us to apply what we have learned to real life problems. I think I am figuring it out. My first test was am 82, the second was 87 and the last one was a 97. We have one more test, the ATI test and the final exam. I hope I can keep it up.

I am having a hard time adjusting to not being able to spend time with my family. They are having a hard time with that too but have still been really supportive anyway. I have a private place to study and use it alot. I get 5 or 6 hours of sleep and then am off for another day.

For now, I am off to bed for the night, since I have to be up at 0430 to prepare for clinical and get there in time.

Already not doing so well...

at keeping a journal through nursing school.
I feel like I don't have enough time for anything anymore! Reading is overwhelming, assignments galore and of course the all panic inspiring.... test 1!
Our first test is over, everyone says it is the easiest but the hardest. I now understand. It is probably the easiest in content but the fact that we didn't know what to expect in the what and how we would be tested was hard. I think I know how to study now. I got a B on my first test which is pretty good considering I didn't get to study the way I wanted to.
We are setting up a room for me to study in so I can go in and close the door. If I can see the messy house it bugs me til I get up and do something about it or my little guy thinks momma is fair game since she is home.
Well, off to hit the books for a bit before going to pick up the kids...

Well, we had orientation.
I am more nervous than before orientation! They make it sound so hard and terrible on everyone and everything.
Why was it I wanted to do this??? I'm sure there was a reason, was it reason enough?? For better or for worse, I am too stubborn to quit. Sooooo, here we go, first class is on Monday. I've already done a ton of reading for the first day of class and have about 18 pages to go before I have finished the assignment.
Next time I type I will officially be a nursing student!!

21 days and counting down!!

Only 21 days to go and then nursing school starts!! I'm excited and very nervous.
My mom has been in the hospital for breathing trouble, they discovered that she has Mitral Regurgitation (leaking valve in the heart) that is causing all her problems. While she was there she talked to a new nurse that graduated recently from my school. She said to tell me that it is really, really tough but to stick it out because it is worth it. I'm stubborn, am I stubborn enough?

My dad called today, he'd been to the doctor, he has to have a prostate biopsy as they suspect he has prostate cancer.

In other news for the last month....
We have vacationed in Florida with the in laws. Enjoyed the beach, got too much sun, had fun snorkeling and many other things.
Went to the homeschool curriculum fair to see what was new for this year. It's always a lot of fun, I am like a kid in a candy store!
Bought most of the books for this next semester. I got my syllabus and found out what all I have to read and do before the first day of school!!! Oh my word, where am I going to find the time to do ALL that reading?
Cleaned and straightened.
Did some lesson plans for our daughter.
Bugged my son about his college plans.
Went out to visit my oldest son and his wife...got to play with my grandbaby (she's soooo cute!!)

Hmmmmm...... that's all the important stuff.... oh no! the most important thing was that I turned in my information folder July 2nd!!

Nursing school, here I come....

Drug Calculations

I took my drug calculations test this week. I got a 90% (missed one for a REALLY stupid reason) so I passed for the fall semester. I understand that we have to take it every semester til we finish though :-(
Life has been ticking by slowly it seems. I am anxious to start nursing school and dreading it at the same time. The other day my hubby asked what I was doing. I told him I was sitting on the dock watching little dude swim in his kiddie pool and not much else. He told me I'd better enjoy it while I can cause I won't have many moments like that once school starts. *sigh* I know he's right and am being very lazy and loving every minute of it...mostly. Okay, okay, really it's hard for me to not have something going on but I am determined to enjoy my time off.
Actually I have been spending time with some of my friends, which I haven't had much time for since the little dude came along 4 years ago. Been fun getting caught up on life! July 1st will be here soon and I can do my background check and get my folder turned in, yay!!
outta here til next time....Beth

Well, my daughter didn't last long at school. She wanted to come home and be with mom and dad, dad said if our teenage daughter wanted to be at home with us, who were we to stop her. Most teens can't wait to leave home, that reinstated the dilemma about her math and english... There is a homeschool co-op in the area that can help us with that, so hopefully, the problem is solved again!

Drug calculations.... went to a help session today, they make it look easy, now if I can just remember how to apply it when I crack my book!

Everything is done except the background check and I can't do that until July 1st. My CPR class was last Thursday, borrrring! After you take it the first time you go in and wish they would just tell you the new compression to breath ratio and give you your card.

The countdown to nursing school..... 78 days!!

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. My husband is off work so we are taking our one and only daughter to Academy. It's a boarding school with an academic, vocational program, that means she goes to school and works, earning a college prep diploma and 4 vocational certifications. I am excited for her, pleased to have solved the problem of what to do about her math and english for next year since I won't have time to teach them to her and yet... sad. It means we will only have one left at home, all the others have mostly flown the coop.
My husband says that we are almost empty nesters. Our little one will be around for years to come though, he's only 3!

Ouch! I hate shots!

So, in my quest to remove some of the items from my to-do list for nursing school, I went and got my MMR (because my titer shows that I am immune to Measles and Rubella but not Mumps!! go figure), my tetanus shot and TB test done. My MMR caused a rash on my arm, the TB stick wouldn't quit bleeding (so got blood on my shirt before I realized it was still bleeding) and 2 days later my tetanus shot site is swollen and painful! I still have the Hep B to go!! Donwanna!!! wahhhh!
Course, my daughter had it even worse, she's getting ready to go off to school also and had to have most of what I did and some blood work also. The super duper great nurse that hits my vein every time no problem and is soooo much better than the other blood drawer, couldn't get my daughter until she had stuck and wiggled and probed in 3 other spots!! My poor baby! Her veins are so deep it looks like she doesn't have any.
I am about done with all of the health related stuff and I have my CPR class scheduled. Still have to have a drug screen done, pay for liability insurance, background check and study for the dreaded drug calculations test.
We had our first part of orientation .... I'm really scared now!! The person doing the orientation says, Students need to make time for their families and have a life outside of school to keep everything balanced....there's plenty of time for it all. Then, a clinical instructor comes in to talk to us... she says, students, you won't have time for ANYTHING outside of school and study. So, who do you believe? the one that spends all her time with students or the one that sits in her office and interacts with students on a limited basis?? "We hit the ground running...." yet still have time for family and other life? we don't have to eat, sleep, breathe nursing? I wish the summer would never end.....I wish summer would hurry up and be over so I can see for myself how bad it will be!

New Blog, First Post, Getting ready for Nursing School!

Wow! the list of things to do this summer to get ready for nursing school is a little daunting! I just thought all those pre and co reqs were it until I actually started Nursing 101! Now it's on to physicals, TB tests, Hep B shots, background checks, CPR classes, and ..... Drug Calculations.
I'm excited to be in a nursing program but also a little scared. I've been reading blogs of current and former nursing students and I have to admit they make it sound really, really hard. I expected hard but I've been reading the day to day details they post and it makes it sound very overwhelming. I will try to take you on the journey with me as I make my way along the path to see if it really is that hard. I think...I've made nothing but A's the last 4 semesters surely I can manage....

Nursing school, here I come.....