November 10th, 2015

THREE more weeks left of this semester!! WOW! I can't believe I have made it this far!! A few more tests, two more clinicals, AND IT'S DONE!!! I am so relieved! I think I CAN, I think I can!! Next semester doesn't seem as crazy, 11 preceptor clinicals, a three day visit to the State Hospital, Cyndi teaching mental health and Amber teaching leadership.  The end is looking bright!

Halloween and another test

Halloween was fun this year.  Maylie was a little devil.  We stood in line at Fresh Market for the trunker treat and she was able to get quite a bit of candy.  Still hasn't touched it!
I had to take another test and actually did well.  I received a 73/95, probably my best yet! I am packing to go to Dixie Hospital for clinical's on Friday and Saturday this week.  I'm excited! I will update on my next post about what was done in Dixie!

Yipee

So I have finished all the community clinical's required. I have one hospital clinical tomorrow and then only two left!! EVER!! Until January when I have to do 4 weeks of preceptor, where I have to follow a nurse on the floor for two weeks then I'm on my own for to weeks.  Also I have to go to Dixie Regional next weekend for two days.  I'm excited to be in a big hospital again.  I miss that. 
I took another test yesterday and did really good!! About time.  I'm passing with good grades and only have 5 more weeks left!! I finally feel like I CAN DO THIS!!!!

Kanosh Health Fair

For the public health rotation I chose to go to Kanosh on the Indian reservation and participate in the health fair.  There were four of us and it was fun!! We did blood pressures, blood sugars and BMI screenings.  It was pretty busy!! Meet lots of great people.  Megan is the nurse practitioner that runs the Reservation Clinic there and she was very nice and seemed really fun!! They are actually looking for help, you have to be a MA or LPN so if I don't pass this semester maybe ill apply!! Hope I pass!!

Nurse Practitioner Rotation

Jason Okerlund is who I choose to follow.  He was great.  He definitely bashed on the doctors I work with at Sevier Valley Clinic, good thing he didn't know where I worked! He was smart and all his patients really enjoy him.  He is able to take xray and blood draws and all the usual immunizations right in his clinic which is a super bonus!! He sais they are adding onto the back of the clinic and have hired a new nurse practitioner, a female!! that's exciting!!

Another Med surg test

BOMBED!!! This teacher is really frustrating me! Why cant he even give us a hint on what to study? He gives us a 20 page PowerPoint handout and talks for 4 hours, then gives us a test with NONE of the same information on it! 41/60 is NOT ok! I feel that I am pretty smart and usually catch on really fast......but he is a HORRIBLE teacher!! Luckily I am still passing the class, but its tough!

Family time

I was able to spend the day with my sick baby today.  She woke up throwing up and we snuggled all day! Grandma Helen's bday was at maple grove and we were able to go.  May threw up on the way but it worked out ok! Got some really amazing pics of the fall leaves!!

Another Hospital Clinical

Today was pretty chill.  At the hospital for clinical at 5am! Was able to care for 2 patients on my own!! Lots of IVs and even one that infiltrated. Lots of meds and overall was really great! Got both my BIG papers out of the way!! Exciting to be done! Only 4 more hospital clinicals left!

School...

This week I have been very busy!! I went to dialysis clinical on Monday and it was a lot of fun!! Some great nurses work there and were so willing to teach me!  I have also had to write a 20 page care plan and a written report that had to be at least 7 pages long! Maylies birthday was over the weekend so I was very BUSY!! Tomorrow I have clinicals again at the hospital! I'm supposed to be in L&D so I hope it works out! I want to go in on a c-section!! All my assignments are completed this week so I'm actually ahead for a second!  

School nurse rotation

Today I was asked to help the school nurses Shelly and Jamie do eye screenings on the entire kindergarten through 7th grade Monroe school.  It was a lot of fun.  Some of the kids are pretty funny wanting me to know everything about them including what they are for breakfast and what their animals names are! I love kids but could never teach them!

Pharm test #1

BOMBED IT!! Not good! I am so bummed.  Hopefully the teacher will recorrect it since more than half was select all that apply. There were 103 question!!! BIG test! Still passing the course but..... DAMN!

1st clinical

1st day of clinicals at the hospital.  Was going well, I had a patient with a chest tube and a centeral line. Did a blood draw from the line! THEN..... Some idiot called in a bomb threat, because he missed his daughter being born! It was a scheduled c-section! How do you miss a scheduled c-section?? So... We went to a conference on elderly abuse, then to lunch at Chinese and were then able to go back and finish at the hospital!! Turned out ok!! 

Test #1

Went into the testing center not feeling great about the test I was about to take.  Came out with a 76% yikes! Hoping he will curve it somehow and I can get at least a 78! Pretty bummed! Try harder next time! I have to pass!!! Clinicals start on Thursday. Oh boy!!

Another one bites the dust!

Whew! Another week down! My first TEST is next Monday and ahhhhhhh I'm never going to be ready! I did pass my math test that had to be passed with 100% yea!! The first test is all about maternity and lots of cardiac! I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN!! 

Another week down!

I keep telling myself that I have to make it to the next holiday. It keeps me going!! I have been crazy busy with tons of assignments and the first test in bed surg will be next week on Monday. It's all about ekg strips and I am STRESSED!!!! I can not make my brain figure them out... I know what a normal strip looks like and I can tell when it's not normal but other than that I'm LOST!! Hope I can just pass!!

 We had our annual family reunion yesterday and it is always a great time! A time to relax in the wilderness at fishlike! With family!

 Maylie has a birthday coming soon! I have it all planned in my head but getting it to actually go smooth will be interesting! I hope it works! Need to get the invites ordered ASAP! 

 Tay starts swim team next week and I hope he enjoys it.  It will get him in the best shape!! Hard work!

Horrible no good day!

Today was HORRIBLE!! We talked about EKG strips today and I am so lost! Also, the dumb math test we had I missed two.... One was such a dumb mistake! Convert 2.5mg to grams. I moved the decimal left instead of right.... Grrrrrr! 

Then, for an assignment, I found out I have "HIV"! Great!! More busy work! We have to write a journal every week concerning our disease.  This week is 2 pages of "how I felt when I found out I have HIV!" Plus everything else to do. I've decided I really need to get a better attitude! I am really trying to keep everything organized with due dates etc. but I am OVERWHELMED! 

So my plan is: 

one day at a time!! 

Get everything done on time. 

It all has to be done so why fight it?! 

Type out lecture

Read pages

Get ahead on ticket to class

Get ahead on journal

1st week of "official class"

This past week was good! Even though school started on the 11th it was mostly orientation to each class and clinical site.  Lots of signing papers for privacy and procedures for each facility.  Going over what is expected and assignment s due in each course. Getting pics taken for the many name/school badges.  So last Tuesday was an all day, in class, nose in the books kinda day!  Studied maternity and neonatal for med/surg and in pharm had a jeopardy competition to review meds learned in the LPN program.  Lots of information and so little time!! Wednesday was a review skills day of LPN skills and was just a long repetitive day!  I've had to do a quiz for med-surg online so not bad!! A "ticket to class" assignment for pharm, which is mostly busy work and a lot of unneeded, time consuming work.  I have to complete a pharm math test in the testing center tomorrow and also have 4 quizzes on Kaplan website that are open book but timed and not easy, due tomorrow at midnight! Hope I'm not forgetting anything!  

This week will be class all day Tuesday again studying cardiovascular system and the many medications to go with that unit! Wednesday should be fun since we will be learning how to administer blood products, central lines, etc.  it will be something new and hopefully informative!! WISH ME LUCK!!

Taylor started high school and LOVES it.  He went to his first high school football game and RHS won!! Going smooth so far!!

Maylie went to meet Miss Kim at dance and hadn't had a nap, she totally flipped out and screamed for most of the time.  We were able to get new tap shoes and measurements for her dance costume. Class will be Monday's at 11am so it might be interesting getting her to class! Hope grandpa is willing to help!! And hope that she doesn't freak every time! Also received a call from the Sevier school district to have her tested for preschool. Hope they will accept her, and bus her to daycare, and that it's NOT on Mondays!! 

BUSY BUSY!! Wouldn't change it for anything!!

Struggling!!

I am having a super hard time getting into the swing of things! I haven't been in school for some time and it's HARD to retrain your brain to study and prioritize! It is going to be a LONG 8 months.  And Tay is starting high school! Such an adjustment. I hope he realizes that NOW all the hard work counts! The grades, the choices and the friends!  I truely hope this is the BEST year yet - for both of us!!! Maylie starts dance next week and I'm thinking about staring her in gymnastics too!!! Grandma and grandpa are gonna be busy helping me out!!!! Ha Ha! They say they don't mind, but I'm gonna owe them BIG time!! 

Orientation at Sevier Valley Hospital

Lots of information, lots of reports and reflection papers.  So much busy work!! WOW!! This is going to be crazy busy, but I CAN DO IT!! I have to do it!! I am going to have to buckle down and really go in head first!! Scary! Crazy! Exciting! LeTs Do ThIs!!

Orientation Day

RN orientation was on the 11th.  The day went well.  I kept thinking I was being crazy for even trying to go back to school.  I have to tell myself over and over that "I can do this!!" It is going to be crazy and my work hours will be sparse.  I have been reading the required pages in the text books and have decided to record myself reading them so I can go back and listen to them. Good idea right!! I think so! I am using an app named -super notes-.  It's amazing! I can record every lecture, the books I'm reading and take photos or whatever else as I go.  So cool!! I'm hoping it will keep me organized.  

I learned that I will have three weeks- one day each week- of 9-5 skills day, then every other week Thursday is clinical 5a-6p at IHC.  I also have clinical November 6-7 at Dixie Hospital in St George.  Plus I'll have 4 tests and a final in each class!!! WISH ME LUCK!

School orientation is in Two days

I'm getting more excited and nervous.  Can I do this? I know I can but will my stress level allow it?! Maylie will be turning 3 next month and I need to plan the party.  I got my first glimpse of the syllabus' for classes and it seems it's going to be busy!! Hopefully a lot of the information I already know and can get by just studying a little so I can still be a mom! Med surg and pharm are going to be a lot of work but there is NO turning back!! I'm going to need a LONG vacation when this is all done in May 2016! WISH ME LUCK!

LET'S GET REAL!

Received all my textbooks and required school scrubs, background check and drug screen completed, classes are registered, grant money approved and accepted...Its becoming real!!! I can't believe I am attempting to go to school full time, work full time and be a single mother full time!! Am I crazy?? The answer is YES!!! I'm excited but worried also!!