3 weeks til Graduation!!

[dee78]

There was a time I wasn't sure if I'd make it, even now it isn't a given. I got straight As up until mid-Oct when we started our Sr Med-Surg rotation. 81 is passing, 90 is an A.

First tests were cardiovascular, we spent the morning taking "key train" mandatory tests in order to graduate then took 2 tests that afternoon. We were there from 8-5 testing. 35 out of 38 failed it, we found out today that they did curve it 7 points but that still didn't help most pass, including me.

Second tests were respiratory. We spent the morning at clinicals then went in to take the test. One look and realized it was not the material we were told to study. It was from a book we used during 1st semester for basic nursing but didn't use for jr med-surg. Long ordeal later, we retook the test from our book and they gave us the better of the two grades. I passed systems but barely.

Third and Fourth tests (respiratory and endocrine) were uneventful, passed all and even got 2 As so I was up into the passing zone finally. We were told that we are responsible for all material we've been given, even if it we didn't use it. This means that for every system, we have to study 1-2 chapters from book 1, 2-4 chapters from book 2, and 3-7 chapters from the pharmacology book. We do a system a week. Because of the hoopla over the 2nd test, we were allowed to take one test on Thurs and one on Fri (both after clinicals) so it wasn't such a long day.

Fifth test was yesterday. They combined musculoskeletal and somatics (lectured on Mon/Tues only). That means we had 3 chapters from book 1, 6 chapters from book 2, and 4 chapters from pharm. However, we were told that book 1 is the primary book to study from, so we did. We went in this morning, we looked at our test and realized they had done it again. Lectured out of one book then the test came from another, some I couldn't even find in that book. I think I still passed but this pretty much eliminated a great deal of my classmates.

The only highlight is that most of our pharmacology tests have been open book. If they weren't then there would be more failing because the tests are absurd. As usual, they lecture out of the book but then there are only a few questions over what they actually state in class. The downfall to this is that our final is ALL pharmacology, not open book. So where we seem to be passing, who really knows how much we know. The final was originally scheduled on a Monday, that gave us the weekend to study. Well, they are now talking about moving it back to Friday. We have our last system/pharm tests on Thursday so that gives us one night to study for the final that's worth 26% of our grade!!!

The last month has been so incredibly stressful but the highlight is that I got engaged!! I have a wonderful fiance and supportive family that I'm so thankful for. I hope I can come back here on Dec 13th with the good news that I passed and will get to graduate!!!