1 week down, 15 more to go...

I already made it through 1 week of my final semester and I am already really stressed out.

Peds doesn't seem bad, but we have to remember all of the growth & development stuff which can get really confusing and there is a ton of information. Other than that we talked about fluid & electrolyte problems as well as pain management in kids. I believe this week we're going over respiratory and cardiac disorders :)

We didn't do much in clinical aside from your "typical" first day - computer class, getting ID badges, touring the unit, etc. I am on 6100, which is the school-age floor (ages 6-12). They have telemetry monitoring, so occasionally they will get a toddler or infant on the floor if they need tele. The nurses seem very nice along with my clinical instructor. One of my good friends also works on that floor as a tech which will be really nice :) We also took tours on the PICU, NICU, burn unit & ER and saw their life flight helicopter, called the "Air Bear:"

No other helicopter out there has a giant teddy bear on it with stars. I have no idea how I am going to be with kids because I haven't been around kids much while growing up, but I love how this hospital is so "kid friendly." EVERYTHING is decorated - the portable x-ray machines, other equipment...even their helicopter! And who knows, maybe I will love this rotation by the time I finish it. Maybe I want to be a PICU nurse when I grow all the way up.

The one class that terrifies me is nursing research. Not only is it sooooooo boring, but they only gives us ONE shot to pass that stupid final - we need a 74% of higher. Every nursing class we have all have different rules to passing, and most of them say obtaining an average on all of the tests or on the tests and all coursework. For this class, it's just the final. The other grades will not be taken into consideration unless you pass. If you fail the final, you automatically fail the class - no ifs, ands, or buts. It's scary, because this could be the one class that will set me back another semester. I really need to finish this semester!!!

I am also taking an area studies and a humanities option - The Black Experience and Bach to Rock. The Black Experience seems pretty easy. We have to do a presentation (which I *HATE*!) but the class itself is only 8 weeks which is really nice. Bach to Rock is for the entire semester. I have that every saturday from 8-11am but our instructor already told us that we won't be there the whole time. I can already tell that this class will be RIDICULOUSLY easy. It's nice to have easy classes with my really hard ones. The building that it is in, however, is the most confusing and most poorly-designed building I have ever been in.

I also caved in and bought a pair of Dansko clogs the other day :) They're just plain black - the same ones I posted a picture of a few posts back. I work tomorrow on my floor from 3-7pm so I can't wait to wear them and start breaking them in :)