I'm graduating!

After waiting an agonizing 10 days for my nursing research final exam grade (the ONE test that would determine if I graduate or not)...I received my fate this morning and ended up with a 94% on the final! The instructors must have done some SERIOUS curving because I was certain I failed that test. With that said, I am GRADUATING FROM NURSING SCHOOL WITH MY BSN ON SATURDAY!!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who believed in me and set me straight and proved me wrong by telling me to "shut up and stop worrying because you'll make it," and I did! I couldn't be happier! I'm so excited to conclude this chapter of my life. Now I have some time to RELAX, start studying for boards, take my NCLEX class starting at the end of January, work in between and plan my wedding!

Halle-freakin-lujah! :D

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 :)

I CANNOT believe that I am going back to school in a week! I am very excited, but I think that's because I just want to be done!!

In the meantime, I have just been enjoying time off as well as working as much as I can before school starts because once that happens, I won't be able to work nearly as much. I have been floating a lot to my hospital's ICU stepdown unit which I LOVE. The nurses on my home floor treat me well, but the nurses on the stepdown treat me even better. I just love the whole nature of the floor and the fact that it is still critical care also makes me really happy because that's what I want to do when I graduate! Unfortunately the floor isn't hiring despite the fact a full-timer quit and a part-timer just put in their 2 week notice to quit...but they keep calling me to come in so they obviously must like me :)

For those who don't know, the ICU is for the critically-ill patients. You get patients with traumas (MVA's, GSW's, impalements, etc...generally those go to the SICU, or surgical ICU) as well those with critical diagnoses, such as ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) which generally leads to intubation and having the patient on a ventilator, drug OD's/toxicities, DIC, DKA, TBI's, etc...when the patient gets better, but still needs close monitoring, they go to the stepdown unit. Sometimes you will still see ventilators, but generally patients who have trachs that are hooked up to them. Everyone is still on telemetry. You will still see things like DKA, respiratory problems, cardiac problems, guillan barre, etc. Patients aren't sedated in the stepdown like they are in the ICU. Once they get better, they are then d/c'ed to a general medical floor. It is truly amazing to see patients get better :)

The Student Nurse's Prayer

Lord: I know we go through this every day but please give me the knowledge as to why I actually wanted to go to nursing school.

Lord, give me the strength to make it through those boring three hour lectures without falling asleep.

Lord, please give me the patience to make it through twelve hour clinicals with instructors that can't just give you the right answer and on the same note, give the nurses the ability to remember what it was like to be a student and give us just a little more respect.

Lord, give me the endurance to read all the assigned readings and be able to remember it when I am taking a test with four right answers.

Lord, give my family and friends the ability to realize I really am on the edge of insanity.

Finally, Lord, give me the vision to see that one day I will be a real nurse and I will never have to wear this ugly uniform again.

~Anonymous

Today I almost gave up my Crocs Specialists for these.

They're Dansko professional clogs. I really recommend trying these out in store because

1) they come in European sizes

2) because they are apparently hand-made, each one fits differently, even if they are the same style.

Also (as a general rule-of-thumb) you should be able to fit at least one finger in the back of the shoe when it is on. They are meant to be a little loose in the back.

I wear a size 6 1/2-7 (depends on the shoe) and I was told to stick with a 37.

I was also told that even though these clogs are loved by many, it takes awhile to break them in. When I slipped them on they were comfortable, but I could see why...they're heavy and the high point in the shoe should hit in the middle of your arch. I could tell my arches would hurt after awhile of walking/standing but apparently once you get used to them, they are extremely comfortable. It is recommended to bring them, wear them for maybe half of your shift and bring another pair of shoes you normally wear to begin the breaking-in process.

I'll probably purchase these either before I graduate or as a graduation gift lol, because I already bought myself a new stethoscope lol.

Tomorrow is the College of Nursing orientation for the new sophomores. Ohhh they have no idea what they are getting themselves into jk :D

Is it sad that I am really excited for this semester to start? Maybe it's because I will be GRADUATING this semester, and also maybe because I will finally get to use my brand new Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope I purchased about a month ago. Compared to my Classic II S.E., the Cardiology III is far superior. It has a pediatric bell/diaphragm which is really nice especially since I'm taking peds my first rotation, and best of all, the stethoscope is in a plum-purple - my favorite color :)

My schedule doesn't look too bad...

1st Rotation
+ Peds lecture + clinical + LRC

+ Nursing Research
+ The Black Experience (lol stupid area studies requirements)
+ Bach to Rock (lol stupid humanities option requirements...)

2nd Rotation

+ Preceptorship - lecture is only on Wednesdays and I have to complete 120 clinical hours...so ten 12-hour shifts. I'll probably do 2-3 per week.
+ Nursing Research (only once/week)
+ Bach to Rock (Saturday mornings)

My 2nd rotation is a lot lighter.

December 11th needs to get here STAT!