In case you haven’t been keeping count on your own calendars, according to my counter on the right side of my page I have 699 days until I’m done with school. Now that may sound like a really large number and while I agree it is, 699 is smaller than 700. Before you know it, next summer I’ll be deducting another 365 off that total and I’ll be somewhere in the 334’s and that will mean I’ll have less than a year left. WOW that is amazing to me.
Let me also tell you people how extremely scared I am of the next two semesters that I will be tackling in school. We were told the first semester is more of an introductory semester, learning what normal is and how to take care of a hospitalized patient, starting to develop care plans, etc. But the next two semesters will focus more on the abnormalities of the different systems and we’ll be more hands on in the skills lab with different bandages, lines, tubes, caths, IV’s etc. I’ve been told we’ll be learning something new each week. YIKES, I don’t think I’m ready for it, especially after my instructor shook my confidence by telling me at the end of last semester that I should get a tutor…hummm…not a good sign going into the next semester.
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| Triple A |
One of the things I’m most appreciative of, is my new CNA job. I am learning and absorbing so much as far as terminology and just hearing what the nurse’s talk about helps out a lot. For example we had a patient on our floor recently who survived a ruptured “triple A” which means abdominal aortic aneurysm and I guess the surviving rate for those aren’t good, only like 3%. When I took care of the patient, he was more worried about when he could start eating solid foods than what he had gone through.
Speaking of surviving, my daughter just finished a week long mission’s trip to North Minneapolis where recently a few tornados caused damage and the youth group at our church went to help out. They also helped out a few of the homeless shelters by playing with the children, helping in the soup kitchen, and packaging up supplies for children in Africa. She was so happy to help out with such a servant’s heart she didn’t want to come home, which made me proud. One of the days their group visited the Minnehaha Falls and met up with my Mom and Sister, this picture shows my daughter being in center.
Other than that I’m just trying to find my flow while doing my job, and today will be my first official day on my own outside of training and I get a little worried when I think about it. But the good thing about working at the hospital casually is that I choose which days I go. So this week, I’m working Monday and Tuesday at the hospital and Thursday and Friday at the Clinic. The next day I work is on the 4th to pick up some extra holiday money, but only a day shift so I can enjoy the fireworks with the family at night. Yup, I’ve got it made and my summer is finally evening out a bit.
I like the medical post, it is good information for others.
ReplyDeleteLike mother like daughter, working with people must run in the family
You'd be surprised how much that CNA job is going to prepare you for what you will learn in the next few semesters. You will actually be able to get more clinical hours in. So you learned about IV's well next time you are ambulating someone to the bathroom who is hooked up you will be able to name the particulars of the set, you should take a quick look at the fluids hanging and the medications as well. You'll be surprised how this stuff will click for you. Get a Med_Surg Made Easy book and a Pathyophys. Made Easy book if you don't already have them. They really helped in second semester.
ReplyDeleteThe CNA experience is one thing I wish I could have, but obviously won't considering the fast paced nature of my program. I think the experience will be invaluable and will prepare you more than you can imagine for your career as an RN. And so exciting to be out of the 700s... but I still couldn't imagine if I had that much time left in school. 22 years straight of education is starting to wear on me haha
ReplyDeleteI'm also scared for my 2nd semester this fall...Adult Health (Med/Surg), Mental Health (OMG!) and some research methods class (bleh). Adult Health is something like 8 credit hours and we are supposed to cover a whole lotta stuff. I'm going to start reviewing stuff and making notecards at the end of July because I'm going to be ready come August 22nd!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the job...the first time in non-training. I'm sure you'll do fine!
NPO – I’m not one to write much about the medical stuff, because half the time I don’t know what I’m writing about, but this term “triple A” was quite cool so I thought I’d give it a mention. Also my daughter has always been a mother hen and probably always will be, but thank you for the compliment.
ReplyDeleteChristine – Thanks for the advice, I’ve been noticing the different fluids that are being hung and I’ve also noticed that Magnesium tends to burn and the RN slows the rate that it is given. I’m afraid to buy a med/surg or pathophys “made easy” book because 1) aren’t they expensive and 2) I nearly can’t get through my regular textbooks let alone another one.
Marianne – Yuck, let me just say that after being out of school so long since I graduated high school, I’m not looking forward to how long the next two years will seem to take, especially seeing how long the past 2-1/2 years have already taken. However, it does feel nice to see the countdown clock and that gives me hope. I hope that this CNA gig helps me in the long run, or forget it. I’m sick of all the running around they expect us to do, lol.
Kendra – “notecards by the end of July”… are you crazy! Enjoy your summer; don’t go jumping in before you need to. You’re going to make me have a nervous breakdown for you. I don’t even know the name of my classes yet… let me take a look, hold on. Okay, the first one is 2 credits = Context of Practice (more nursing research {gaggo!}), second is 4 credits = Health Promotion with Children, Families, and Community (Concepts emphasized include health promotion, illness prevention, family-centered care, community health nursing, and environment. {Bleh}), and third is my big lab/clinical class worth 7 credits that has all the other stuff I mentioned earlier (UGH!). PS, my first day on the job sucked major! I’ll try to make a post about it all.