1 Down, 8 To Go

Wow, I have finished my first Nursing Course. I passed with an 87. I am sooooo happy about that. So I have eight more courses to take before I graduate. We had orientation today for our next class. Then I'll take another one during Maymester.

The orientation was interesting. I love our faculty. They really do try to make boring things exciting or funny. Today one of the younger instructors came be-bopping into the lecture hall after the orientation had started. She had on skin tight red scrubs. She was smacking gum. Had lots of makeup and jewelry on and her cell phone keep going off. She was demonstrating all the things we should not do. It was funny. There were a few others dressed funny too. Then there was the funny power point they showed with pictures of boar hogs on it. All this to entertain us and make us laugh. I greatly appreciate all their efforts.

We are off school Monday and Tuesday. So I technically have four days off, right? Or do I??? We have almost 100 pages to read by Wednesday. We have our first quiz in lab on Thursday. This is something they have just started this semester. Before this, they had a practicum. I have heard lots of horror stories about that. The class shows up in the lab, they have stations set up for performing skills. You don't know which skill you will be asked to do. If you screw up, you get one more chance to do that skill over plus another random skill. If you still fail, you fail the entire course. Now what they are doing is we will have a quiz at the begining of each lab. The grades will be averaged together. We need to get 71 in order to pass. I think that is alot more fair. I say that now, before I have taken one of the quizzes. I wonder if I'll be saying that after Thursday????

There are fewer students now. Some of them didn't make it through the last course. It is sad. But, hopefully they will take it again in the fall and make it through. We started out with about 150 students in the class. Now we are down to about 120. However, we have about 10 students who are new to us. They are the ones that failed the course last semester and are now joining us to take it again. One of these students has been added to my clinical group. That is going to be strange for us and her. We all get along so well together and help each other out all the time. Hopefully she will blend in with us.

Waiting

Our final exam was this morning. I think I did good on it. But now we wait for the grades to be posted. Our instructor told us they will post them by tomorrow. I am hoping they post them tonight. So, I keep going to the site, logging in and checking for the grade.

Serious Emotions

That is what was felt last week. I just wanted to remember this.

The nursing students who are a semester ahead of us, meet in the same lecture hall, just before our class. Well, last week was their 3rd test. When I got there, I could tell something wasn't right. There were people in little huddles, people leaning against the walls, crying. There was a big crowd still inside the room encircling the instructors. I looked around and saw a little huddled group I knew. There were two from the upper class and two from my class talking. I joined them. I asked what was going on with everybody. The girls from the upper class told me about the test and that alot of them had failed. To some students it meant that they would be failing the class and therefore having to repeat that class next semester and therefore not graduating when they are supposed to. They were devastated. It was so sad. I felt so bad for them. I was also thinking what if that happens to me, to one of my new friends in the program? The air was so thick.

I know nursing programs have to be hard. Otherwise we'd end up killing patients. But it is such a roller coaster of emotions. I hope I make it through without failing a class. I would hate to be left behind by my class. I feel like I belong with them and them with me. Some of us already feel like we are an extended family to each other. I realize some of my classmates will fail the course we are in right now. I just wonder how many will fail and who will fail??? I don't want any of them to be left behind. But that is the nature of the beast/program. Friday we start our next class, Nursing 104. It will be sad to see the empty seats. Hopefully there won't be too many that are gone.

I can't believe I am already at the end of my first Nursing class. Our final exam is tomorrow. I think I'll do fine on it. We had three tests, I made: 84, 86, 96. Yea! It truly has paid off to only focus on this and not try to get a real job. I miss the money though.

Each of our nursing clinical classes will be 7 weeks. Those weeks have flown by! The first course has clinical at the long term care facility. I was really dreading that. But it turned out to be a wonderful experience.

The rest of our rotations will be at hospitals. I go to one that is about 15 minutes from my house for the next class. It is a Med-Surg class. I'm scared, but I know I can do it. There is a "Caring Project" we have to do. Each clinical group of eight students will work together to complete this project. We have to do something that is caring to ourselves. We can not spend any money. It must not be tangible, but be sustainable throughout our two years in the program. Any suggestions??? I am compiling our ideas. Once we get our idea approved by the Dean we can start working on it.

I got my Communication paper back yesterday. I made an 87. I am not thrilled with that grade. Whoever graded my paper gave me zeros on a couple of the points. The rest I did great. We don't know who graded them and they don't know who's paper they are grading. It is such a mystery! Good grief.

Our next class starts this Friday! No rest for the weary!

I suppose I will get back to studying now.

Nursing 102

Wow, it has been a really, really long time since I posted here. I will have to go back and reread it.

I am officially in Nursing School!!!!

I am taking Nursing 102. During this course they unleash us on the old folks at the nursing home. I am very fortunate to have gotten into a really great clinical group. There are eight of us, all female. We get along great and help each other out alot. I feel like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing with my life. That is a good feeling.

So far we have taken three tests. I made 84, 84 and 96. I am very happy about that. Next up is our final exam and then the next class starts. Each class is 7 weeks.

I am excited about getting to go to the hospital soon.

There is so much more I would like to post, but I am exhausted and need to get some sleep.