2nd day.

Arrived at 5:45am, and not as tired as the previous day. I woke at 4am, made coffee, and sat on the back steps admiring the bright moon that was still out.
Today, we shadowed the CNAs.
A few complaints:

1.The CNA I was assigned to refused to do pericare on the patient after she toileted. ‘No time.’ he said, although I noticed that he seemed to have time to chat with all the nursing students. Note to CNA: this patient is a huge risk for skin breakdown, and pericare should NEVER be skipped, no matter what.

2.The nursing student who sat next to me while we were feeding patients was voicing her disdain right in front of her patient, saying that she was going to gag and that feeding old people was making her feel like throwing up. Note to nursing student: these people may have dementia,but they aren’t hard of hearing.

Aside from that, it was a good 5 hour clinical. I jumped right in and did vitals and helped the patients with dressing, ambulation, and had a few interesting conversations with patients with severe Alzheimer’s.Again, I love working with older people and the time went by very quickly.

 

first day.

Yesterday was the first day of clinicals.
Got up at 4AM, drove 35 miles, and got there by 5:45AM.
No time for breakfast.
We are assigned one patient each at a retirement home. I am lucky enough to be working in the Alzheimers/Dementia unit. I love working with this group of patients because of the challenges it brings and new communication skills I can learn.
My patient? 96 years old, no short term memory or long term memory, Type 2 diabetes with neuropathy, degenerative kidney disease, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis,foot deformities,dysphagia, and many other problems. She has been there 2 months and is not adjusting well as you can imagine. It will be challenging and interesting, and I’m happy about my assignment. My clinical instructor is so nice and willing to share her vast knowledge about dementia. I feel like I hit the jackpot.
My peers have already started complaining. While the 4 of us were sitting at a table going over the files for our patients, 2 girls started protesting about “the smell.” Wrinkling of noses, talking of gagging. “I DO NOT want to work with OLD PEOPLE. <Sigh>. I want to do pediatrics and OB. If I have to change someone’s diaper, I’m going to gag and it won’t be a pretty sight.” This went on for a good while. Carly, my bff in nursing school, and I exchanged glances and didn’t say much. I must say, I am disappointed in my classmates.Tell me, what is the difference in dealing with baby poop verses helping with an incontinent elderly person? have some fucking respect and grow up!
I have MUCH homework today. Better get started.

 

fail.

I found out today that the student who is REALLY into bossing everyone around, including myself, is in round two of nursing 220- meaning that she flunked out last semester.
I didn’t find this info out from her. Let’s just say a certain faculty member told me when I was troubleshooting how to best avoid this person and her irritating behaviour.
Yeah, I don’t think so, telling me how to do things. Nope.
Pretty hilarious.

 

glass.

I have glass embedded on the bottom of my right foot. I didn’t sweep good enough in the bedroom after I broke something last weekend.If I step just right, it feels like being shot in the foot.
I’ll be going to my PA tomorrow for various reasons, and hopefully she can extract the offending shard.
Nursing School today: someone got yelled at for FALLING ASLEEP in class; lots of talk on “digital removal”-I’m sure you can guess what that pertains to (unfortunately, not something that can be delegated, darn..), me wanting to throttle student “S” for acting like she knows every fucking thing as usual, and a 2 hour test at 7am this morning. I hate driving in the dark.
Salad for dinner.
5 mile jog in 15 minutes.
Beautiful day outside.
I am craving sweets.

 

nice.

I got an 80% on Exam 2, Nursing. Whoo Hoo! Considering half the class got C’s and D’s, I am estatic!
I also passed my dosage calculation exam with 100%.
This will be another busy week. Up at 5am tomorrow for 700am testing, lab. Clinicals start in 3 weeks…very exciting! Clinicals will be in Tacoma, at teaching hospitals. It will be interesting.
Thinking about going to So Cal in December to see my family. My brother wants to see me. I might see my dad; we’ll see. I definately want to spend more time in Los Angeles- such an interesting city.

 

life is good.

life is good…and I sincerely mean that.
I am studying all day today, and taking a short break to write in here. I’ve been reading a lot but not writing.
Anyway- we also learned the “dreaded” peri-anal care, whoo hoo! Actually, I have experience with that-way too much experience.I wish I could have taken a photo of the looks on people’s faces when Brenda was demonstrating on the 1 foot torso on the table for this particular endeavor. Not my favourite thing…

We went to a “transfer class” at another college on Thursday night, taught by students and professors at the Doctor of PT school. It was enlightening. I learned that I help clients too much (ie lift too much when I should be encouraging them to do it) and I have some limitations when it comes to moving clients. I’m going to work on these things.

<u>Things I learned this week</u>

Students generally dislike one of our instructors because she’s “too quiet”.
My (often) lab partner is getting on my nerves. She’s a typical ‘I know it all because I am older than you, a mother and a CNA, so do this….and you’re doing that WRONG” PLEASE.SHUT UP AND LET ME MAKE MISTAKES BECAUSE I AM STILL LEARNING.
I crave candy when I’m tired.
I am reminded of how much I love and adore my family-Matt and Theo.
My son seriously wants to be a stand up comedian and has started going to comedy shows.
John McCain irritates the FUCK out of me more so than before.

 

grumble grumble.

I spent the weekend studying; well, trying to study. It’s amazing how much I get interrupted. I was thinking today that I would probably be a straight A student if I didn’t have a family. I did get everything done, though.
Nursing school has been interesting lately. Today, we learned to give bed baths. We had to practice on each other, which was both funny and sort of weird. I also think that playing the patient is important, because as students we need feedback to do better.
Last week, we took the drug calculations test once again. Did I mention that I got one question wrong last week, which put me in the running to take the test over again? I missed the question because I didn’t WRITE out “intravenous” and put “IV” instead. (!!!!!) Oh well- gotta get it right. So, the 2nd test was 2 pages longer and I didn’t finish it in the 1/2 hour allotted time frame. That means I have to take it again on Thursday, because we all need 100% to pass.
While we were taking the test last week, all hell broke loose. Students started protesting aloud that the test was too difficult, too long.I didn’t say anything; I was hurrying to finish and was unable to. My only frustration was that I didn’t complete the test. I turned it in and went to lab. I guess the protests and bitching continued, because our instructor sent out this email to everyone yesterday:

Students

I apologize for not returning your results before now, but I had to let some time pass before coming to a decision. The waters needed calming and I needed some time to think.

It is our nature to panic when faced with the unkown or change. We are quick to bicker before actually trying it or doing it. Overall, the parts that were ‘changed’ for this quiz you all excelled on. Those being the syringes and label reading. The most common errors were on the first page. The one thing that you had previously and were expecting, you were familiar with. Isn’t that unusual?

If you have not heard this one before I will be shocked. Life is not fair. Nursing school is challenging. You will get what you earn. It is hard work and there are no gimmies. If we keep lowering the high standards we hold each one of you to, the caliber of nurses taking care of your families will suffer. I am sure they don’t change things in med school. (I know your not in med school)

After consulting Mindy and thinking through things, this is what will occur. Since it ended up being a 50 point quiz with one question thrown out due to a typo., anyone missing 5 or more will need to take Quiz #3 on Thursday. BE ASSURED, IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO QUIZ 1.

If you feel this decision is unfair, the Dean and I have posted office hours and we would be more than happy to discuss this further. I can offer it after Lab B on Thursday if you need more time (it will be no more than 25 questions). Otherwise, for those of you who receive an additional email stating you need to take it, the rest of you passed.

You can review Quiz 2 by making an appointment with me during office hours. My extension is x7695.

Brenda

I think that our instructor is being incredibly fair about this. People are still pissed off, can you believe it?
I’m staying in Tacoma for 2 nights, since I have back to back nursing events to attend on Thursday. Not complaining- just want to be 4 miles away if I have to be up at the crack of dawn Thursday.
eagerly anticipating the debate on Wednesday…
Big huge test tomorrow.
Wish me luck!

 

PPE is sexy.

No, personal protective equipment is NOT sexy. In fact, from the looks of this picture, one cannot tell that is male or female, let alone me under there. If I have to work in a hospital wearing that all day, I will be one unhappy nurse.
So, yes, today we learned all about donning PPE and washing hands, gloving, etc. Good times. Actually, it was pretty entertaining. Don’t get me wrong-putting on sterile gloves is serious business when caring for clients.It was just funny watching some of the students wring their hands over this. It isn’t rocket science. The other end of the classroom:

Me after class, all happy that I have to read 50 pages plus 3 chapters of Statistics tonight:

 

whiney mcwhine-sters

During lecture today, students were still whining about having to get 100% on their dosage calculations test. We were all given a practice test, which if you know how to do junior high level math, is pretty easy. A lot of my fellow classmates feel that this test isn’t good enough to aid them in study. I am concerned about this, and have to laugh. Get a grip, ladies.
I dropped my religion class and signed up for another class. I am much happier. A student came up to me today that in in my religion class and asked if I had dropped it. She said that she is interested in dropping it as well, because the “class is creepy”. I couldn’t agree more. Again, so glad I am out of that class!
We should be getting our uniforms this week; exciting. For now, we are only wearing name badges and regular clothes to classes.
I have an extra stethoscope. Maybe I’ll sell it.
Party this weekend at JennyRose’s new house.I’ll be bringing her a dutch flag for a housewarming present.
I wasn’t so tired today, hurrah!
Statistics isn’t so difficult. The teacher is nice but not too exciting to listen to. the guy next to me actually dozed off.

 

day off? what?

Saying that I have a lot to do is an understatement:

*Study 150 flashcards
*Read 90 pages of nursing stuff in textbook
*Go over notes from lecture
*Read 2 chapters from other text
*Read one chapter in Statistics
*Pick up prescription
*Buy Theo a graphing calculator
*Get cat food
*Take nap later (this is the most important, haha)
A girl in my nursing class was freaking out about the dosage calculations test and begged me to bring her the 7th edition calculations book I have to school yesterday and meet her at a certain time. I waited for an hour in the commons and she never showed. I hate flakey people, I really do. Do not waste my precious time!
My ex husband promised he would buy my son a graphing calculator on monday. It is now Saturday, and my son has no calculator. His assignments are late because of this. See, my ex buys NOTHING for his son. I buy everything: clothes, insurance, toiletries, lunch money, school fees, allowance, cell phone, etc. etc. Can my ex buy him just one fucking thing? Frustrating is a massive understatement.My son loves his dad very much; however, Theo is starting to see that his dad does not fulfill the role as provider.
OK. Time to get crackin’.