Day 7

I feel as though my brain is fried.  There were two quizzes on Monday and then an examination and a quiz on Tuesday.  Fortunately, I studied hard and did reasonably well on all of them.  I am officially ready for relaxing though.

Week 2, Day 2 began with an examination over Health Assessment lecture material, and it really was not as difficult as I was anticipating.  Then, we had lecture about musculoskeletal assessment as well as nutritional assessment.  Thankfully, lecture got done a little early, which allowed time for more studying (and lunchtime!) before the pathophysiology quiz.

Even though it was a quiz, it was still pretty challenging, perhaps because there was just a lot of material that we crammed into a very short time.  Regardless, I did pretty well, and then lecture covered diabetes and cancer.  It was a pretty interesting day in lectures, and I love how all the material is supported with actual case studies and presented from the perspective of a nurse specifically for nurses-in-training.

So, that's that.  Mostly just rested after school to let my brain re-boot!

Here's a good quote that I think is good to live by:



We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. ~Aristotle

Weekend and Day 6

Well, I must say it was a refreshing weekend to sleep in (although you know when you get in the habit of waking up at a certain time and can't sleep in?  Yeah, that) and wrap my head around this amazing program.

I am happy to report that I am really enjoying myself.  In a conversation with one of our professors today, she said that the students in an accelerated program just have a certain personality; they tend to be more driven, more competitive, and are gluttons for punishment.  I think it is safe to say that I fit the bill:

* Driven:  I think overcoming all the challenges to get here at such short notice, as well as leaving behind my loved ones and not knowing anybody in a new town speaks to having a strong drive to be here.

* Competitive:  Yes.  Always have been, probably always will be.  Although I have become less competitive with others over the years, I still think that I compete with myself to push myself harder to do better.

* Glutton for punishment:  Yeah, anybody who subjects themselves to this much schooling is probably a glutton for punishment.  :)  Plus, it probably doesn't help my case much that I really enjoy school and I really have a love of learning new things.

So, there you go.  I wouldn't really say it's so much a personality type as a set of personality traits, because it seems like there is no pair of personalities in our cohort that is the same.  At least from what I can tell so far.

Right, on to Week 2, Day 1, also known as Day 6.  Today began with an abbreviation quiz.  Lecture was then about skin assessment, which isn't really separate from other body system assessments and should just be done as you do a full physical assessment.  Then, we also lectured on the respiratory system and how to assess lung sounds.  By the end of that lecture, I was chomping at the bit (figuratively speaking) to get down to the lab to hear the simulated respiratory sounds.  Unfortunately, I went in the second grouping down to the lab, so instead, another classmate and I did a basic respiratory assessment (we couldn't do a full respiratory assessment in the classroom for modesty considerations) and worked on the mountain of paperwork needed for the VA clinicals.

When we finally did get down to lab, we got to see the different methods of oxygen delivery (nasal cannulae, various masks, etc.) and learned the way to set these up.  Then, we listened to the simulated lung sounds: normal, clear; coarse crackles; and wheezes.  Of course, I had to ask what fine crackles sounded like, which wasn't standard information presented.  If anyone thought that the coarse crackles were a bit hard to hear, the fine crackles were even harder--barely there!  I don't know why I thought they would be easier to hear, but I believe our adjunct lab instructor that it takes years to get lung sounds down.

And that's all I have for today.  Tomorrow is an examination and another quiz.  And in case anyone was curious and I haven't mentioned this before, I am doing in 12 months what is usually presented in 30 months.  Yeah, glutton for punishment.

Goodnight everyone!

End of Week 1

The end of day 5 brings us to the end of Week 1!  It was a short day, with Health Assessment lab only in the morning.  We had a quiz to start, and then my lab partner and I began working on the head and neck assessment.  We got pretty far, but didn't get to do the eye examinations, so we plan to go in early on Monday to finish that up.  We also worked on putting on TED hose and glucometers.  The last task we did was to change the bed with a patient in it.  We were supervised by one of the instructors, and she gave us some tips that she learned along the way, which was awesome.  She also said that it was really good that we were speaking to our patient (who happened to be a simulation dummy), and she thought our conversation with the patient and questions we had were really good.  The only thing we didn't get done, besides eye assessment, was bathing a patient in bed, so that will have to wait until an open lab next week.  So, now that it's weekend, I plan on relaxing (of which I have already done quite a bit), and then commencing on homework and getting ahead for next week.  I've got three quizzes next week, so study, study, study for those!

Thus far, I am loving school.  I really feel that it is the best place for me right now and that I am doing the right thing with my education.  I admit, though, that I am still missing home and my loved ones very much, and especially with nothing to fill my day (like school or clinical) it makes it that much harder.  However, I do look forward to continuing and getting through this amazing program!

Day 4 (tomorrow's Friday!)

Okay, as promised, I am posting about Day 4 on the actual Day 4.

Today was a nice change of pace.  It was an all day go of professional communication.  The first part of the day was lecture, and the topics included privacy and confidentiality, and going over the nurse-client communication barriers (such as different value systems, anxiety, etc.).  Then, we did a few case studies of how we handle the situations, which were definitely tricky and hard to answer.  Each one was an ethical dilemma in itself.  So, the moral of the story from these is to know the laws in a particular state for these types of situations.

Then, the "lab" that was associated with this class took over in the afternoon.  We took a confidentiality quiz right off the bat, followed by an APA activity, making sure we know how to cite information correctly.  Then, we had a librarian come in to speak to us about the library resources and how to access information for future research papers and where to go to find relevant information.  Finally, we took an APA formatting quiz to make sure all the information sunk in.  Not a particularly exciting afternoon, although it was nice to shift gears for the day away from heavy science-type stuff.

Oh, we also had the opportunity to sign up for our support group activity.  I was one of the last to sign up, but I got into a Stroke support group fairly early on in the term.

That's that, then.  Tomorrow will be a Health Assessment lab quiz, and a short day (done at 12--YAY!!).  Then, the weekend will hopefully not be too full with studying, so I can rest, relax, and stock up on sleeeeeeep.

Day 3 (More than halfway done with week 1)

Okay, so clearly I'm falling behind in my posting, but thankfully not behind with my homework and reading!  So, Day 3 started out with Pathophysiology and concluded with more Health Assessment Lab.  Overall, it was a good day; patho seems to go by very quickly, even though it is a *LOT* of information crammed into three hours.  However, once again, I am very happy to have had it before and just have it reinforced again, to make sure it really sinks in.

And, Lab was awesome.  I have a cool lab partner who is fun to work with.  We did vitals on each other and started in on our health history assessment, so we basically know more about each other than we probably ever want to know.  We didn't quite get to head and neck exam, which I am pretty excited for, actually; I really, really want to see the insides of someone's eyes and ears (just for the tympanic membrane; I don't have a weird fixation on ears, I promise).  I'm less excited about seeing the inside of the nose and mouth.

BUT, I think what is most exciting is to get to see what I have been typing for a few years (as a transcriptionist).  All the words and phrases will suddenly have more meaning to me because I will be seeing it firsthand.  In any case, that is all I can really tell about day 3 -- I'm starting to get tired, so sleep just feels better and better each night.  Hopefully, I can just keep up the pace.  The school work is supposed to back off a smidge once we get through all the lab content, but it gets replaced by clinicals.

Speaking of which, I will be doing my clinicals in a VA hospital, which will be a great experience.

So, this time, I PROMISE I will be posting about today at some point tonight!  Until then, continue having a great day, wherever you are!

Oh, and one more thing -- check out my new countdown clock (which you probably already noticed, especially because it's been there for a while).  It counts down to my pinning, which is the graduation ceremony for nurses!  ^_^  Happy!  That time will start dropping off so fast here soon.

Day 2

Day 2 was also a success!  I started Pathophysiology halfway through the day, which was a nice change of pace from the Health Assessment lecture.  Even though I've already taken Pathophysiology, I really wanted to take it again to make sure all the information sinks in.  About 8 or 9 people from my cohort had also already taken it and left at the lunch hour, so Patho is a smaller class.  The subject material is interesting; Anatomy and Physiology goes over what the body looks like and how it functions normally, but pathophysiology is how the body looks and functions when there is an abnormality.

I know that I could opt out of this class and free up my Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday mornings; but, I see a few advantages:
* Taking it a second time will help the information really sink in, especially if it is presented in a way that is different
* I am getting the lectures from a nurse, so she can and has tied in case studies that make the information more applicable.
* Along with this, the information will be presented in such a way as is applicable to nurses--not in a general way that applies to anybody (i.e. biologists, doctors, etc.)
* My time slots will be full, which seems like it might be a disadvantage, but I think it will help me learn to budget my time a lot better, because this 5-6 days per week is how the entire program will be.
* Finally, I will be learning the information at the same time as I'm in clinicals--I'll be able to see the pathologies, see how it affects the body of my patient, and have positive reinforcement in this way.

Anyways, I finally got my bookcase, which I was very excited to put together and get my books up off the floor.  And now that my office is finally put together, my apartment is just about all set up and ready for just maintenance.  So, that's that.  Not too much else going on besides that.

I am currently writing during a break during Patho lecture.  So, I will write more about day 3 later this evening (hopefully).

First Day!

I survived the first day!  It was actually a pretty good day with interesting material.  Class today, Health Assessment and Interventions, started at 9 and ran until 12, then the lab portion of the class picked up at 1 and stretched on until 4.  Lecture began with infection control, and we watched a video about ways we can prevent the spread of infection.  Then, after lunch, we applied what we had learned and had lab check-off of hand washing!  Never before have I experienced being scrutinized and graded on handwashing.... except maybe in like Kindergarten.  Not that I am discounting the importance of handwashing; it is the front line in infection control.  It just struck me as somewhat funny.

Anyways, after handwashing, we started on Is & Os, or intakes and outputs.  This was actually a pretty interesting presentation.  We were shown a plate of food and asked to guess what counted as an intake.  Now, technically, everything was an intake, but in terms of Is & Os, only liquids.  Liquids, though, include things that can melt down into liquids.  So, ice cream is a great example, but Jell-O also falls into this category.  Outputs are similar-- only liquids.  I'll leave it at that, other than to say that this led into showing us all different kinds of drains.  So, on one of the dummies we have to practice on, the adjunct lab instructor had a Jackson-Pratt drain, a nasogastric tube, a Hemovac, and a Foley catheter.  We also got to see a chest tube, and learned how we would use it; rather than drain it every eight hours, they make a mark on where the fluid level is.  Kind of a neat device; it has a section that the drainage goes into, and if that column fills up, the drainage then spills into the next column over.

Anyways, it's been kind of a long, information-overloaded day, and I am anticipating some delicious sleep tonight, so off to bed early for me.  Starting early tomorrow with more Health Assessment and Interventions lecture, and then at 1, we begin on Pathophysiology!  Yay!!

Pre-Program Setup

Hi everyone, whoever you may be, and welcome to Check Your Vitals.  As you may have already read, I am currently a student in an ABSN program.  This blog is designed to keep my family and friends updated with my life, as I anticipate being very, very busy, as well as to provide a chronicle or perhaps set up some "recommended reading" for anyone interested in such a program, so you know what you're getting yourself into from someone who is in it already.  That said, my program doesn't actually start until Monday, so this initial post will be an introduction to myself, the program itself, the saga thus far, and any other little tidbits I think of along the way.

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So, me.  There are a few things you probably need to know:

*  I just received my first bachelor's degree in Sociology, with an option in Criminology.  Actually, I haven't received it yet; it was conferred on July 29, but I'm still waiting to get my hands on it.  I have experience in medicine as a transcriptionist (typing dictated medical reports), but nothing in a clinical setting.  So, I a walking into this without a science degree (although I believe sociology to be a science, it isn't a "hard" science; it is always evolving).  For those of you looking into this program, but are worried about not having a medical background--don't; if you do/did well on your prerequisites, you will be fine.  This program is designed to accommodate people from all backgrounds, although you may find yourself surrounded by mostly chemistry, biology, nutrition, microbiology, and/or exercise majors.

*  I have moved about 1200 miles from my family and boyfriend, so I am all alone in a new town.  Yes, I am sad about this, but I take comfort knowing that it is only for a short while.  Also, with technology, I am able to keep in touch with my loved ones, which helps greatly.  I think this will make the experience much more challenging, although from what I've already heard, I wouldn't have much time for my loved ones anyways.  In the end, this may prove to be a blessing in disguise, as I won't be distracted from my studies.

*  I was on the waiting list for this program and was just recently offered a position.  When I first received the letter back in May that I was on the waiting list, I was very disappointed.  I felt like giving up on this program, because it felt like a consolation prize.  But, I just prepared myself for just in case I got another letter (which I did, obviously) and kept tabs on when the applications were due for other programs.  My suggestion for anyone on a waiting list is to not give up--it is a foot in the door, and when you do get in, you will appreciate it and want it so much more than those who were in the "first cut".  I think I let it get to me a little too much that I was a "second choice", but I aim to prove that they didn't make a mistake by putting me on the wait list and then admitting me.

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For now, I think that's all you really need to know about me.  On to program information.

The program I am attending is 12 months long.  There are five terms in those 12 months, so the way I see it, it's about five semesters of schooling squished into one year.  The way the program works, as I understand it, is that your general education from your first (non-nursing) bachelor's degree plus your prerequisites are applied towards a second bachelor's degree, so all you do in the time in the program is upper division nursing courses.  So, long story short--you will have no life.  I've seen programs range from 12 months to 18 months, although I haven't seen many longer than 18.  What I've been told about this program, which I believe would apply to others, is that it is a full-time job, six days per week.  Looking ahead at my schedule, it is packed, so even with a portable job like mine (transcription), I'm not anticipating being able to work even very minimal hours.  Busy, busy, busy.

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And now, I present to you the beginning of my tale, which I will start when I got the phone call, e-mail, and then letter that offered me a position in the program.  I found out around July 21 that I could anticipate moving partway across the country to start school.  So, let me break down, bit by bit, the major issues I faced and that inevitably many others will face.

SCHOOL:
So, after I submitted the deposit and slip to the school to say that yes, I was accepting the position, I notice that they wanted proof of my degree by August 1.  I understood earlier this year that they needed proof of my degree by the time classes started (August 22), so I was suddenly on a time crunch.  This summer semester, I was finishing up the last 4 classes for my degree, and even though they were done in the first block, grades wouldn't be submitted until the end of the entire 10-week session, which would have been July 29.  I spoke with graduation and the registrar's office to see if they could expedite anything, but the earliest they figured grades would be in and finalized was August 5, and degrees would start being conferred around the middle of August.  Fantastic--my provisional acceptance was looking grim.

The best solution I could come up with was to get a letter from the graduation committee that said that after successful completion of my summer courses I would have a degree as well as a form signed by all three professors for my four classes with final grades that they would be submitting.  Luckily, the nursing adviser and the head of the program thought this would be sufficient.  And yes, I have amazing professors who were more than willing to work with me during their summer breaks to get this paper signed.

Oh yeah, and remember when my degree was conferred?  July 29.  So, I hunted down my professors for nothing, essentially, because my nursing program received a letter on August 1 that said I had my degree.  Hooray for the registrar's office being on the ball!

The only tidbit I can offer from this part of the story is to check and double check dates to make sure you aren't going to have any issues with a lapse in time.

HOUSING:
Trying to rent an apartment from 1200 miles away is not ideal, especially since I didn't know anybody in the new hometown that could go check places out for me.  In any case, when I initially got the call, I figured I only had about one week to get ready to move, to get there for the first of the month (when most apartments come available).  Lucky for me, though, I found a great place when I was here for my interview.  It was a complex filled with mostly medical personnel.  When I called, though, they no longer had the small apartment I wanted and had expressed interest in, but they did have something a little bigger.  Fine with me, as long as I'm not paying an arm and a leg, and as long as I have a place to live when I arrived.  The promised date on this apartment was August 10.  This gave me more time to finalize paperwork and coordinate a big move.  Also fine by me.  I should have been looking for another place, though, because this apartment was rented out but they had something exactly like it available at "around the same time".  When I tried pressing them for something more specific, I couldn't really get a straight answer; I felt awful being so pushy, but I was moving across a few states and really needed to have something when I arrived (so I could move stuff out of my rented trailer and not be charged extra for late fees).

It came down to the day before I was leaving and my apartment still wasn't ready; they found a leaky pipe and couldn't give me an estimated date, and then proceeded to all but call me a liar when I was just repeating back information I had already been given.  Not a good experience.  Upon arriving the day before orientation, I had no place to live.  Thankfully, I was able to find a great place that in the end is much better.  I moved in on the day of orientation and am now mostly settled.

Moral of the story: if you can't get a straight answer out of someone, it's probably best to move on and look for something else.  Also, don't panic.  There will be a place available.

AUTO:
My car is old.  It's 13 years old, and I've had it for almost seven years.  It died the week before I left, and ended up needing a new alternator.  Oh, and I had just replaced the battery (although the issue probably was the alternator all along).  And then, it started making this thumping noise that I noticed mostly when I was coming to a stop.  You know when you blow a whistle and the little ball rolls around inside?  That's kind of what I was hearing; something rolling or bumping about on the left rear side.  I am glad that my car was able to make the 1200-mile drive without dying, but then I had to drop a considerable sum of money to fix my springs (essentially the suspension) on both rear tires.

The advice that comes with this story is to get your car tuned up before you start school.  And take good care of it.  My car runs amazingly and has ever since I got it, and I know it's because I take pretty good care of it.  If my car dies during this year, it will make schooling very, very difficult.

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And now that you've read a novel (if you have, in fact, read this far), I will finish with an important caveat.  I am sure you've noticed that I have avoided mentioning the name of my school and my new home town.  I am choosing not to disclose my location and a lot about myself.  This is for protection, not only of myself, but also for patients.  Patient privacy is a top priority in the medical field, so I am making every effort to prevent harm.  Now, I don't really anticipate speaking much about patients specifically, although I recognize that there might be a significant or challenging case that I would want to share.  For this reason, please understand that I cannot disclose anything about where I am or anything more about me.

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Right, so that's all I've got for now.  Thanks for tuning in; I will try to make this a daily thing to keep posts much shorter than this one!