ICU so far

Well, I have what seems like a bit of a mess on my hands here. All last week I was attempting to get a hold of my preceptor. Everyday I called and even on the days that she was scheduled she wasn't there. I was beginning to wonder if she even actually worked there. So Saturday I went to the unit to get her schedule for this week and I was explaning my situation to another nurse. She was very kind to tell me to come in anyways and she could be with me. So I did, it turned out to be a good day, but pretty slow. I did get to go to a code blue, I got to watch assessments on a head truama case and fed a gal with severe etoh withrawl and dementia her breakfast with her pills mixed in, all while she was talking about her kitty and had her eyes rolled back in her head. You had to constatly wake her up and remind her to chew. Sad thing was she wasn't on any narcotics and her ativan was mostly worn off. I think she just has damaged her brain that exensively. My nurse was very, very nice, but I still felt a little let down that it wasn't as fast paced as I like. I like being busy, all the time. I'd rather have too much to do than not enough. Maybe I am more of an adrenalin junkie than I thought I was. I guess I have three months to find out. Meanwhile I really hope my real preceptor will call be because I'm showing up on Wednesday no matter what!

Last hurdle before preceptorship

Today I took my very last dosage calculation test. I was a ball of nerves, chest pain, GI upset and all that goes with that much anxiety. But, God was looking out for me and I was able to focus and I got a 100%. Yea!!!! We also took our ATI nclex predicter test. 180 questions in three hours. I was pleased with the results, I got an 76%, the average score was 72% ans it predicted I have a 96% of passing NCLEX on the first try. Now, I don't know if I completely trust this, but I walked away happy. Now is the real time to dig in and do the studying for the most important test of my life. AAAHH!

A new start

Well, I had a really nice break from school and thoroughly enjoyed the holidays. But, all good things come to an end and this week will start a new quarter and a new beginning of firsts. I found out I was placed in the ICU for my preceptorship and I am SOOO excited! Excited and nervous at the same time. Here are some things that I'm currently nervous about; will I pass the dosage calculation test? Will I do well in the ICU and not look completely stupid? Will I be able to study enough to pass the nclex on the first try? Will I find a job as a new resident?
Many things are up in the air, all I know is that I will take things one day at a time, and I will learn so much in these next few months. I have been waiting for this preceptorship for two years and it is finally here!

Fifth quarter finally over

I can't believe it's over!! I've never been so happy! The final wasn't too bad, got a 90% and ended up with an a- out of the class. The final was worth 2/3 of the testing points so the pressure was tremendous. It could determine whether you would repeat the quarter or not. Just horrible. Now onto bigger better things like cleaning the house and finally getting the tree. Then onto preceptorship second week of January. Yea!!!

Almost Done

Today was the last quiz in theory. Fortunately I did well but the real test will be the comprehensive final next Tuesday. This quarter has really been so so so bad! The constant stress has been building and building and I'm practically ready to blow! Right now I need 57 out of 80 points on the final to pass this class. I think this is doable but part of the points will be from a take home essay portion. Two pages on stem cell research. Are you kidding? Really? I have no idea how tough she's going to grade them but the thought of having to retake this class because she didn't like my paper is too much to think about. This entire program has been progressively been getting harder and it just can't get any worse!
Well hopefully by next week this will all be a distant memory!

clinicals are finally over!!!

I can't believe today was the last day ever I'll have to do clinicals! We turned in our badges and keys today and we now have three weeks until school is out for the quarter. And while I'm happy that this part it over, I won't breath my last sigh of relief until the very last test is passed and I know I've satisfactorily passed this quarter.
Have you started Christmas decorating yet? I don't know if I'm quite ready, I may wait another week before I get the tree. I really want to be able to relax and enjoy the process and it's hard to do with tests looming over you still. Oh, well I know it will get done eventually.
Nothing much elso to say exept, I've got to get back to studying:(

Mental health

Well it turns out that mental health is a lot of fun. We have an awesome instructor who is very easy going and the facility is really nice. I'm at the VA and I've gotten to go to PTSD support groups, dual diagnosis groups for people struggling with both a mental disorder and drug /alcohol problem, schitzophrenic cognitive therapy,all kinds of neat things. We are allowed to sit in on all interdisciplinary meetings and it's great to see the admit to discharge process from the beginning to the end. The only difference between the VA and other mental facilties is that people choose to come here, they are not being committed by someone else. The biggest theme that I see in just about everyone there is depression, not to surprising really. It has been nice also that what we are learning in theory correlates with what we are seeing in clinicals. That doesn't happen very often!
I'm also so thankful that we get an extra week off this next week for playing catch up and studying, I did well on the last test and hopefully can do well this next one. Then my stress level will be so much better.