I AM DOING THIS!!

Well, the title says is. I am doing this! 

I passed my two exams (last Thursday and the week before). It's been very stressful to say the least. I've been attending every possible opportunity to get help. Something that is offered to students is called 'SIP-N'. It's a peer tutoring type session. Former graduates from our program who are working full time as RN's come in to try and help us understand what we are learning (or reinforce what we are learning). These sessions have been very helpful. They also have sample NCLEX questions to help us to 'think like a nurse'! It has become evident that the questions are getting harder each time.

I have also been blessed with another scholarship! This is the third scholarship I've been awarded! So very happy as this takes a bit of the burden off trying to figure out how to pay for school and bills, etc.

There are two exams left (one in each course) and I must do well on those. I would love to bring my average up but I'm striving to pass right now and the letter grade is not as important.

I've been working two days a week at the hospital. I really enjoy all that I'm getting to do there helping those who are trying to get back home following either strokes, joint replacements, brain or spinal injuries. It was nice to have the same patients several times as I would get to really see improvement in them. Had a really stressful night one shift and was very overwhelmed but thankfully the next day was much more manageable.

I will be back in a few weeks to update you on the end of the semester. I am very much looking forward to a break (even though it is only a few weeks), it is a very needed break.

Discouragement & Encouragement

As several have asked, where's my blog . . .   I am finally getting a chance. I love blogging about what I am learning and doing but finding the time to do it as regularly as I'd like is not always an option. So when I last posted I was preparing for my next exam. I did pass that, thank you Jesus, but not with as high of a grade as I would have liked. I had heard from previous students that the diabetes test was the most difficult. Having not done well on the first exam for this course this semester, I was very stressed. I studied so much on the diabetes that I didn't focus enough on the stroke of peripheral vascular disease portions. I did pass but as I mentioned not by much. Due to this, at the half way point for the med-surg portion of this semester I was not passing. I was 'strongly' encouraged by one of my instructors to drop out of the course and continue part time this semester with the maternity and peds course and then retake the med-surg course next semester (thus still as part time). She told me I'd be much 'happier' part time. Mind you, I just lost my full time job (stress), my son had a seizure just before my first med-surg exam (stress), started a new (very part time) job (stress)! How would I be happier part time??

You cannot go on to the 'next level' until both of these courses are done. I was heartbroken. I have been working towards this since May of 2010 and I was not ready to throw in the towel. Today I learned that this same instructor told another student who is not passing at the moment that she is trying to 'dig herself out of a box!' What a way to tell someone buckle down and get it done, NOT! 

I spoke with another adviser and she keeps statistics on students and the pass/fail at each point. With her encouragement and my determination, I am NOT withdrawing and going to do everything I can to get my grade up and pass this course.

I have every possible thing on my calendar. I am attending weekly 'Sipn' (tutoring type of sessions) for each of the courses (some are twice a week), I am attending all test reviews to see where my mistakes are made and hopefully understand why I chose the answer I did. I am working two days a week at the hospital and two days of clinical at the hospital and still trying to find something to fill the BIG gap in the pay. All of this fills up the ENTIRE calendar. There are only three days this month that something is not on the calendar (and they are devoted to studying most of the day). It's crazy, but I'm taking advantage of every opportunity that I have to do better and get a better grade and learn more.

So, just a bit from last update . . .

While on my maternity rotation I was able to observe a baby being born via c-section. I was initially disappointed that I was not seeing a vaginal birth but watching the team of doctors PULL this baby from it's mother was such an amazing experience! (I was concerned since I didn't care for my OR observation day last semester). I also did a clinical day in the NICU. I am thankful that I live in an area with such an amazing teaching hospital that allows us students to see first hand so many amazing experiences.

This coming Monday I will have my first clinical absence. I hate to have to miss a clinical day (and may have an advisement due to it) but I MUST take my new employee orientation for the hospital. I didn't get to take it last month due to my maternity rotation so I HAVE to take it Monday. Bummed as I really am enjoying my med-surg clinical instructor so much more than my first rotation earlier this semester.

Also for my job at the hospital, I have had to take two other courses; one was on patient and employee safety (not getting hurt while helping a patient) and the other was a self-defense course. I was a bit blown away at learning some of these things as I did not realize how easily a situation could turn bad. Granted most of the employees in that course work in the ED or Psych unit but thankfully I know what to do if something happens (just hope my brain remembers it).

SO MUCH HAPPENING ALL THE TIME

I can't believe it's been a couple weeks again. I have been working for two weeks at the hospital and go back in tomorrow and Sunday from 3-11:30. I truly am enjoying what I'm doing at the hospital. As for school, the past few weeks have been in maternity. We had one evening in Labor & Delivery where I was able to 'assist' with a newborn assessment. We will be back in Labor & Delivery Monday afternoon/evening and I truly hope I get to see a birth. On Tuesday I'll be in the NICU unit.

While on the maternity floor, I had the privilege of taking care of several new moms the past few weeks along with their newborns (even a set of twins!). I've demonstrated bathing newborns for the new parents and have administered the babies HepB shot. I have had brand new young moms (18 years old) to older (experienced) moms. I really have enjoyed this rotation and wish we could spend more time here. The instructor this rotation has made learning very enjoyable.

I didn't do well on my last exam. It was on Altered Immunity and Infection; Alterations in the GI system and Alterations in Nutritional Metabolism; Alteration of the Endocrine System, Fractures and Osteoporosis. I am studying very hard for the next exam in this area, many on Diabetes, Stroke; Peripheral Vascular Disease and Cardiac Deficits.  LOTS of information.

In between all this, Dale & I participated in the Philadelphia 3-Day for the Cure with 1500 other friends!  We truly are committed to the fight against breast cancer. Seeing young women in their 20's being diagnosed with this breaks my  heart! These women should be planning their futures, not making chemo and radiation appointments.

This photo is of my 'cousin' Shannon and I at the mile 59 marker (one mile to closing)!!! I walked with Shannon in Boston in July! After walking Philly the first weekend of October, she turned around and went to DC and walked that 3-Day in the pouring rain!!! She is awesome!

  

  

A QUICK UPDATE!!

I have been so busy that I've not had time to stay on top of this. I finished working at the real estate office last Friday. To celebrate, my boss took his wife, Dale and I, along with our agent and his wife to a very nice dinner. We had a wonderful evening and some very fine food.  We finished up our rotation at the med-surg unit last week. We were in the brand new unit those two days. I had a patient who was suffering from multiple pulmonary embolism. My patient was very young to be experiencing this. I was able to administer IV meds via a pump.

This week we started our maternity rotation. Monday was spent working on our community collaborative project. My team will be presenting 'Safe Sleep' to expecting and new parents later this month. Safe Sleep is to enforce that parents put their babies to sleep on their backs, not their sides or tummys. Tuesday we started our day with a tour at a local birthing center and then went onto the maternity unit at the hospital.

Today I started my new job as a patient care tech (PCT). It is a casual position so I only get four shifts every two weeks (and it pays a great deal less than I was making) but hoping it gets my foot in the door. I had a great day and am looking forward to all that I can learn in this position.

I will be back at the hospital tomorrow and then it's on to the Philadelphia 3-Day for the Cure! I'm going to be running on steam but so looking forward to this weekend. I will truly listen to my body as I need my feet for clinical on Monday afternoon and evening!  

TWO WEEKS IN ONE

I've been meaning to update but time has so easily gotten away. With the new semester under way and clinical in full swing (and still training for the 3-day for the cure) there is not a lot of 'down time' to update. So I'll try and bring you up to date from the past two weeks.

Our first real clinical day with a patient was September 9th. We were partnered up with a classmate for this afternoon and the next day as we were still acclimating to the setting and finding things. Our patient this week had something called 'hemoglobin c'; this is something neither myself, my classmate nor our instructor had heard of. In addition to this, our patient was very anemic, so we were able to observe a blood transfusion.  But the blood needed to be heated first. The nurse administering this was using this device for only the second time so there was confusion on how it actually worked. It was good to know that nurses are always still learning. We were able to have this same patient again the next evening after this patient returned from surgery. We were glad to be of some comfort to our patient as they became aware of the surroundings and their family was not close by. Our patient recognized us from the previous night and I believe relieved to 'know' someone since they woke up in recovery and all these faces were new.  It was a pretty uneventful first two clinical nights but that is ok.

The hospital we are doing this clinical rotation in has been undergoing a major renovation. The unit we are assigned to was moved this past week. We were in the unit on Monday and had our own patient. I had a very interesting patient who happened to go unresponsive in the middle of an episode of throwing up. I could not awaken my patient and immediately asked (a little loudly) for assistance. One of the RN's that was right outside my patients room entered (along with a half dozen others) and perform a sternal rub and my patient was alerted.  My patient at that point had no idea where they were (which hospital) or even which year it was. The entire rapid response team and physician entered the room and performed various tests. Before I left for the evening my patient was sent for a CT scan. 

The next evening due to our unit moving we were assigned to another unit (just for this day). I was a bit disappointed as I wanted to know how my patient was but they were no longer my responsibility and I would have to wait until we return to our brand new unit to see if I can get an update. So this evening we were again partnered up (since we didn't know where things were and were only going to be here the one night). My partner and I were able to provide care for our patient and during our 'down time' we were able to work on our assignment from the previous night. I did learn to use a bladder scan on my patient this evening and I also had to straight cath my patient (place a catheter to drain their bladder)! I was so nervous as I had not done this since lab last semester (I did get to assist an RN with one but I mostly observed), so with the guidance of the RN assigned to my patient, I was able to do this.  I always wonder how I will do when I do a new task that I've not done before and I still amaze myself that I did fine! I handled the situation providing dignity and as little discomfort as possible to my patient.  I DID IT!!! 

In the meantime my job is quickly coming to a close. This coming week will be my last week there. I have been offered a 'part time/temporary' position in the hospital. I am jumping at the chance to get my foot in the door and hoping that bigger and better things will come from this.

This coming week will be the end of this rotation and then we are on to maternity! I am really looking forward to that! I will truly try and update at the end of next week.

OH WAIT!!! We had our first exam this week and I got a B!!! I was so relieved as I always stress myself out! I had so much going on this past week. Our son, Tyler had a seizure last weekend (out of the blue) and there has been a lot of doctors appointments and getting him to and from his job and school since he is unable to drive right now. Praying that he is given a clean bill of health when he sees the neurologist next month.

So Much Going On Already

Well, I'm already behind on updating.  Last week was a LOT of craziness!  On Monday, September 3rd (mine and Dale's 30th wedding anniversary and my first clinical day of the semester), my employer informed me that he would be closing business at the end of the month. Shock cannot describe how I felt! I got so upset that I actually hyperventilated. So now the search for another job that will provide me with the flexibility to continue this journey and STILL pay our bills. I'm hoping to get into one of the local hospitals, but that is not going to be full time and certainly will not be even close to what I am currently making. I've had a wonderful time in my position here and a boss that has been so accomodating to allow me to alter my schedule each semester enabling me to start college for the first time in my life and then to actually keep this up as started into the clinical portion of the nursing program. I'm definitely going to miss this.  

So in the meantime after getting this news I had to head to the hospital for my first clinical day. This day was strictly orientation with the unit we will spend this rotation on. Unfortunately our unit is moving to a brand new location with the same hospital during this rotation. As soon as we figure out where things are we will have to do it all over again. We didn't have any patient contact last week as it was only one day (due to holiday on Monday) on site.

My clinical group started in the regular 'med-surg' area so we had to show that we were still able to do the skills we had learned last semester. I spent two afternoons in the lab going over things to make sure it was all still up 'there'! I had an issue with one of the 'Sim' dummies, I was not hearing any bowel sounds and we have to differentiate between, present or absent, hypo, normal or hyper. I was doing well on blood pressure, heart sounds, lung sounds but just could not hear the bowel sounds (and was freaking out).  Turns out that the Sim I was working on was NOT working properly!!! Thankfully when it was time to do my assessment, I passed with no problems.

Later in the week we had an IV lab where we had to learn how to hang various IV's (regular IV, secondary bag and also syringe pump). I was so glad I paid attention to the lecture as it really did go fairly smooth (I just always second guess myself and have to stop that).

I'll definitely be back the end of this week to update all that we were learning this week. Thank you again for following along on this journey.

BACK AT IT!!

Dale and I got to enjoy a wonderful week at Disney earlier this month before all the craziness started back up. This was taken on our Wild Africa Trek at the Animal Kingdom. See the hippo in the water.

Well school started up this past week. The crazy schedules are already starting, the extended work hours to make up for the time I am taking off for school has started. The reading, the lectures, the seminars and quizzes have already started! Wow, it all happened so fast! It seemed summer was just going by slowly while we were waiting for our vacation and BAM, it was over and back at school. As crazy as life is getting, I'm so excited for this new semester.  

This semester will bring a rotation in med-surg (this is continuation and more in-depth of what we were doing last semester in the hospital setting); a rotation in maternity (labor and delivery) and pediatrics! No waiting to get into the hospital setting this semester.  Clinical start this Tuesday (my 30th wedding anniversary)! I'll be starting in the med-surg (general hospital floor) for four weeks before I move on to maternity. We are already learning about IV medications, with more calculations and how to administer the meds. We will actually have an IV lab this week where we will get the hands on practice we need. The following week we will have our childbearing lab. Now I've given birth to three children but never watched someone else give birth. I'm am so excited for this portion of the course.

So while I am watching lectures, reading chapters, going to classes, clinical, seminars and working, I am also still training for the Philadelphia 3-Day for the Cure! In just over one month, I'll be walking 60 miles in one weekend to raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer.  I walked the Boston 3-Day for the Cure back in July and had such an amazing time, meeting so many new people in the Pink Family.  This weekend I am leading three - ten mile training walks!  Next weekend for anyone who is up to getting some miles in, we will be doing 18 miles on Saturday (and probably 12 on Sunday)!  

I hope to update my blog weekly like last semester.  So check back often to see what is new.

Where Is The Summer Going???

Well I figured I was going to take the summer off from blogging for the most part, but well I have some news I needed to share. Since school has been off (May 9th), I have truly not looked at my nursing stuff, other than to pack it neatly in a box and get all my supplies put away (so they weren't out in the middle of everything). So as most who know me know that last summer we lost our pug Abbey. Abbey was MY baby and I was more than heartbroken when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. I could not think about another dog at all. We had Jade (our bulldog) and Mona (our cat) and I was fine with that. Well, once school was done and my time wasn't consumed 150% with clinical or lectures or studying, I started to LOOK, just look for a new pug to join our home. I really was just looking. Then I came across a Petfinder ad for a little black pug named Bella who had been in the foster home for more than six months. She was in a pug rescue in New Jersey and they do not typically adopt out of NJ but since she'd been in the system for so long they extended the borders and DE was included.  

This was the day we brought Bella home! I'm so in love with this adorable furbaby. She has no way replaced my Abbey (and in the beginning I called her Abbey often) but she's another baby who loves me. I am so blessed that I get to take her to work one day a week. She is such a good dog and sits so quietly all day (unless someone comes in and she begs for attention). So, Bella and Jade and Mona have all adapted to life together.

So as summer is flying by, I received a letter from my college a few weeks back. This was the very first time I hadn't received a letter from the dean congratulating me on my grades (I really struggled with that this semester), so I wondered what in the world was I getting from school at this time.

I was shocked and very surprised to see that I had been awarded another scholarship!!! The college has an alumni scholarship and I applied a long time ago because our son, Dale-Ross, graduated from the same college. This scholarship was open to any family member of a graduate (sibling, child, parent). So I am pleased to say that a good portion of my tuition this fall will be paid for!!!  So blessed!

I've spent most of the summer training for the Boston 3-Day for the Cure. Next weekend, July 26-28, I'll be in Boston walking 60 miles to bring awareness and funds to find a cure for breast cancer. I am so excited to be meeting so many new people that I've only known online. The pink family is truly a close knit family and only once you've been involved can you truly grasp the depth of this.

Just a week after returning from Boston, Dale and I are going to celebrate our 30th anniversary (a few weeks early) with a trip to Disney World! So excited to go to our 'happy place'. Then just a couple weeks later school will be starting up. I'm excited and nervous for the next adventure on this journey. I will definitely share it with all of you who have been following along. 

It's Official!!!! I Passed My First Semester!!!

This was a difficult week. All semester as we had exams they were always one week apart making it a little easier to concentrate on what material we were being tested on. I had planned to spend all weekend studying, BUT, Sunday was the Broad Street Run (this is held the first Sunday in May each year). For those not familiar with this, it's the largest 10-miler in the US. People come from EVERY state (and other countries) to run this race. It's a fast race since it is virtually flat (with a gradual down hill slope most of the way). This would be my fifth Broad Street Run, but the first I would be running without properly training. School has taking a bite out of my time to train for running, so I was not sure at all how I would do, but I was determined to give it a shot. Aubre and I left home just after 5:30 Sunday am to head to Philly.  

We joined 40,000 (yes, 40-thousand) other runners and most of them had on red socks in support of Boston. A notice had gone after the Boston Marathon to wear red socks for the Broad Street to show your support for Boston. It was a task finding those red socks, but I did and joined the ranks of red socks all around us. In addition to the red socks, we had stickers we wore over our hearts that read "From Philly to Boston with Love".

It was a difficult race since I was not prepared but I did finish my fifth Broad Street Run and am proud to say it was NOT my slowest time!!!

So back to the real reason for my blog. . . So after getting home from our race (and two hours sitting in traffic to get home), I finally started back in on my studying. Came home from work on Monday and started right back in. Tuesday, I had taken the day off so I could study for several hours before I had to go to school to take my exam. The stress, the anxiety, it was awful. There were times I thought I was having a heart attack (panic attack most likely). I then repeated this same process Wednesday and today, Thursday for the last exam of the semester.

So as disappointed as I was on Tuesday to get a C for the semester in my one course, today I was elated to get that same C.  I was so very afraid that I just wouldn't make it.  I'd heard many of times that 60% of the students fail this exam. If I scored really poorly, it was possible that I would not be able to go on. No matter all the other things I learned and did well on, bottom line is the exams.    

I never in my life thought I would be pleased to get a C, but I've been told again and again that "C's get degrees" and I'm beginning to realize that.

So as this semester officially ends, I am now a 'second semester' nursing student. Classes start up the end of August with clinical starting the very next week. So excited to be moving on to mother-baby nursing (in addition to more 'med-surg'). I can't wait to learn some more. 

I plan on taking the summer to 'relax' a little and to read up on what I learned this semester to keep my brain working. I will try and do some updates throughout the summer if there is anything special to report. Oh wait, there will be!!!  I am going to Boston the end of July to walk the 3-Day for the Cure there (in addition to the Philly 3-Day in October). I am looking forward to meeting some other amazing 'Pink Family' people!!!

Thank you for following along on this journey. I hope to continue this throughout the remaining semesters.

  

Last Week of Clinical of First Semester

I didn't get a chance to update after clinical since we had a group project to do and then completely immersed myself into studying for my final two exams!

This was supposed to be our last week at the nursing home but due to an outbreak of a virus we were unable to go there. We did get to return to the hospital for our final two clinical days (I loved doing our clinical in the hospital so that was a bonus). It was nice to get to see (and have dinner) with the other half of our evening clinical group.

Monday night I was assigned to a patient who was blind and hard of hearing. My patient was not doing well at home where their spouse was no longer able to take care of them. I was able to use the therapeutic touch and speaking to communicate with my patient. As long as I was able to let my patient know when I was there, my gently touching their arm, and speaking very closely letting my patient know exactly what I was going to do.

When I arrived Tuesday, my patient had a visit from their spouse who has able to give me some ideas of what food I might be able to entice my patient to eat. Finding out that someone likes pudding or ice cream was an added bonus. My patient did not eat well the first night so I was really happy that they did eat for me that second night.  

A few of the things I was able to do this week at clinical were dealing with my patient and their Foley catheter; recording I&O's (intake and output) to make sure my patient is staying hydrated; providing music (via the tv) for my patient to have something to calm them during their stay.  For the most part I had no issues with my patient but occasionally my patient was agitated.  Just before leaving for the evening my patient pulled out their IV so I was able to observe when the IV team came down to replace it.  

I was sad when we had to leave the hospital since I truly enjoyed each thing I was able to do there. I look forward to heading back in the fall but in different areas of the hospital.

After finishing up the clinical part of the semester we had a group project we had to finish and present to the other first semester nursing students. Our subject was Healthcare Acquired Infections. Our group wasn't the best at 'working together' but when all was said and done we got our project done! Here is our clinical group! These are the people I have spent the last four months with.

I finished up this week with major studying. Up next the final two exams of the semester!