Week 3 Wrap-Up

  This week was quite nerve rattling for all of the nursing students in my class.  Besides having to read 5 chapters for Pharmacology, we had our big skills check off today.

My check off was scheduled for 9am, but the students ahead of us were running behind.  My partner and I had to pick a slip of paper from a hat that had a scenario of three skills that along with vitals and hand washing we were suppose to perform to get a pass/fail grade.  My three skills were transfer from bed to chair with severe right sided weakness, feeding, and oral care with dentures.  I was doing a little happy dance because these were easy skills for me.  My partner went first with her skills and then it was my turn but after I completed my set of vitals and hand washing I totally blanked on what my other three skills were and had to be reminded by my instructor. 

The instructor we got was a little on the harder side as far as she wasn’t as willing to remind us if we were doing something incorrect like the other instructor but I’m glad because it helps us to be more confident in what we do when we figure it out on our own.

Let me tell you my hand was shaking so bad that I nearly couldn’t pump up the bp cuff with my instructor looking over my shoulder and my partner staring at me.  Oh the pressure.  But after it was all said and done I passed each of my skills and got a “Good Job” written on my vitals!

Ahhh I’ve been able to take a deep breath now that it’s done and over. 

Next week is our first clinical at the nursing home to get our tour of the facility and meet the client we’ll be assigned to.  I’m so thrilled to get to start wearing my scrubs and get this health history assignment started.

On Thursday we were given the assigned reading in one of our books called Understanding the Nursing Process to read chapters 1-7, and after looking through the book it’s only 7 chapters long.  WE HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE BOOK THIS WEEKEND!  Goodness, I don’t even read whole books in one weekend for pleasure let alone required reading.  But I’ll be giving it my best shot, oh and not to forget to mention another 4 chapters in Pharm is due for next Thursday and I think its going to cover medication dosages.  Uggh.

On a more personal note, I went in to the urgent care this morning because I thought I had an ear infection but it turns out I didn’t.  Maybe the pain in my ear is due to clenching my teeth because of stress.  Who knows?