I had suggested to Brian that maybe we could start a student nursing journals forum. I know he doesn't have the time to get it set up right now, so I am just starting a journal about my journey here and now. Please feel free to respond to me, but I am mostly doing this just to get everything out that happens in my day to day journey.
I had orientation yesterday. It was a full day, from 8 am to 4 pm. We started out with some general information about our uniforms, etc. I'm still unsure about what pants to get as they prefer white but said green is okay too. I would much rather have the green, but don't want to be the only one. I'll have to ask my classmates what their plans are. Then, we had the NET which was awful. Heck, I did better on the Algebra than I did on the fractions. And who knows if you capitalize school subjects? OIY!
Anyways, it's over and it doesn't have any effect on our standings, so no big deal in the great scheme of things. We had lunch after that and I ran over to the bookstore to get my books and some supplies. $888 later, I have almost everything and lunch is over.
Some second year students took us on a tour and during the library portion, I sat and chatted with one of our tour guides for a half hour. I learned more from her than I learned from anyone else yesterday. She was wonderful and very supportive and open about everything.
We then had cookies and punch and they gave out prizes. Then, I had to leave to go to a GI dr. appointment (blech)!
I am debating about getting a digital recorder for lectures, since I am more of a visual learner than an auditory learner. I don't want to put the money out if I don't need to. I think I'll give it a week in my classes before I make a decision.
It was funny to me how so many of the students were getting more and more nervous all day and I was getting calmer. I think I had myself more worked up than I needed to be and now I can't wait for Monday to come. Frankly, it can't come soon enough for me.
Yesterday was a bit nutty first thing in the morning. We all got up on time, got dressed and ready to go and went out to the van and it wouldn't start. This was at 7:30 and I had to be at class at 8. I call my Aunt and she brings a battery charger and jumper cables with her, but her car is screwy so we can't use it. The battery charger doesn't work so I call my upstairs neighbor and wake her and the kids up. She comes down and jumps me from her van. I only ended up being 10 minutes late, but I was late, all the same. Luckily they were very understanding. It was the first day of lab so I really didn't want to be late, even though I knew we were doing paperwork the whole time.
So, they hand us this three inch thick packet that is the syllabus, expectations of us, study guides, etc. For ONE semester, for goodness sake! OIY! For four hours, we just went over things .... good thing I had lots of coffee in me. I tried to press them about having the lab open on Saturday's for practice for those of us that have other obligations. They were very hesitant about it. Well, if you are going to add 30 students to our class, then you had darn well better make concessions for us to have lab time, etc. Ridiculous! Anyways, I'll bide my time and if I can't get in there, then I am going to have some issues with it. For now, I have spoken my peace and am going to lay low until I see what happens. I'm guessing Bry is going to be getting a LOT of bedbaths in the next couple of weeks. LOL!
We ended up getting a new battery for the van so I'm all set now as far as a vehicle. I also have two totes of books and supplies in the back, 2 pillows, a blanket and a box of snacks. I'm getting a travel alarm clock for in there and sticking some sodas, etc. in there as well. Any other suggestions? We've decided it is going to be my home away from home. In fact, dh is surrendering his book light for me so if I want to go out there at night when the kids are crazy, I can. My sanctuary, aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........
I'm off to Lifespan and Fundamentals lectures today. I got my Lifespan read and am going to work on more of reading the Fundamentals this morning. I got behind in my study plan with the chaos from the van on Monday night.
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I made it, Kimmy. It's gonna take me a while to read it all though, but girl, you have got one innovative head on your shoulders. I love your idea.:balloons:
Yesterday morning, it finally hit me (just for about 20 minutes though) that I am in nursing school! The feeling went away and comes back once in awhile. I don't really know how to describe it. It was sort of this wave of disbelief that I am realizing my dream. I mean, I really, really, really am!!! It's only gonna get better as I keep on going. I keep imagining how I will feel when I am actually going for my Master's for midwifery. Wow.
I didn't have to be in class until 11 yesterday morning so P. slept in and B. of course had me up early. I had Lifespan and Foundations of Nursing lectures. Then, I got to come home for three hours and go back to school last night for Soc. Luckily, the instructor just did an hour intro. and sent us home. I have a research paper in that class (the only one this term). ICK! Dang....I just did one in summer session. The college's reasoning is that they want the instructors to be able to show the students can write. Well, isn't that what college comp. is for? and why it's required in EVERY instance? *sigh* I like writing and I even like the research itself but I do NOT like to put the two together. I guess I'd better get used to it considering I have a good 8 years of school ahead of me!
Today is just lab from 8-12 and then I have to go order my uniform before they put the order in Friday morning. Friday will be a great day because dh is off and will pick the kids up and I can spend the day on campus doing assigments and studying. woot! If I plan it correctly, I won't have much to do this weekend and will be able to just enjoy it.
I got informed of a scholarship this week that could mean $1000 in my pocket if I can get it all filled out and in by Sept. 15th. I am going to have to ask someone for an academic reference and I think it will be my College Comp. professor. I already have a classmate writing up a personal reference and I am going to write my essay this weekend. I am hoping to mail it first thing Tuesday morning, though it would have been nice to have it out before the weekend.
I had lab this morning and we had four stations of learning. One for hand washing, one for restraints, one for gloves, goggles, gowns and masks and one for bed making. It went quickly and we watched a couple of silly videos (they were actually made to be silly) done by our college on bed making and general safety hazards.
After class I went and ordered my uniform ($65) and looked at some shoes. I have weird feet so I have to be able to try them on before I buy them. There aren't very many places in town that carry nursing shoes so I think a trip to a bigger city is in order soon. Actually, we are taking the kids to the Cleveland Zoo next weekend so maybe I can find some then.
I decided that I need to add some additional things to my HAH. I am going to get hairspray, a spray water bottle, hairbrush, deoderant, perfume, extra set of clothing, etc. to keep in there. That way, if I take a nap, I can refresh myself before going on to another class. I am also going to take my little battery operated cooler/radio out and keep freezer packs in it with whatever little snacks might need to be kept cold.
Ahhhhhhhh......people think I'm nuts, but when things get tough and the weather gets rougher, I'll be prepared.
I'm always thinking ahead. Sometimes it's a dowfall.
It doesn't appear that the scholarship is going to be something I can get. You have to have volunteer service and dang..I just don't. It's all I can do to take care of three kids and my apartment. I don't have time for volunteer work and I sure don't have the money to pay for childcare while I'm volunteering. As for the financial need one, if they take all my grants into consideration, I probably wouldn't get it anyways. It's not worth all the aggravation. I'll let someone who REALLY can use it have it. But, I'm going to start preparing for scholarships for next year because I won't have the grants to help me out.
I spent an hour in the lab yesterday filling out a checklist and familiarizing myself with it. I also spent three hours studying in complete silence in our building. Friday afternoons are really good for that because there are no classes in the building. I can't believe how long it takes me to cross reference our lecture guide and notes with our lab guide and notes and our text to get my notes organized together. OIY! This is going to be my biggest challenge, I think. Very time consuming and I need silence to be able to follow what I am doing.
I had Lifespan yesterday and the A & P one review. My instructor for the review is a lady I had for lab three years ago and she just lost her 18 year old son in a car accident a few weeks ago. I got her a card and stopped in at her office before class to chat with her for a few minutes. I have a whole lot of respect for her and hope that she is going to be okay.
Now, for the weekend, my plans are to study today in between cleaning. (half hour of study to 15 minutes of cleaning, I think) I am hoping to take tomorrow off so that I can spend the day with my family. And Monday, back to studying again. I have to finish my fundamentals notes and start reading for Tuesday's lab (approx. 80 pages, I think). I also have a chapter of Soc. to read before Wednesday night and a chapter of Lifespan to read before Wednesday afternoon. And, geez, I can't forget about Pharm. calculations and abbreviations for a quiz next Monday. OIY! It's getting crazy 'round here! LOL!
Larry....I am hoping I will make time to write here as time goes on because this is a sort of therapy for me. It helps me to straighten things out in my head and plan for my next move. So far, so good. Thanks for reading!
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I started to type this once and Bryce came over and deleted it with the touch of a tiny finger on the keypad! OIY! Anyways, I thought since it was Labor Day weekend that maybe I should take a break. Then, I realized that I absolutely did not want to get behind and now that I am caught up, I am reading ahead for the next classes (as they suggest we do). It feels good to have a handle on things and not be lost in space! LOL!
I thought I was going to have a tough time with fractions for my Pharm. class but the disk that came with our workbook is excellent and helped to refresh my memory. It helps that we can use calculators because the quizzes will be timed and I'll want to double check my work. I would bet that some will forget their calculators and have a harder time than those of us with them. The first quiz is next Monday and includes decimals, abbreviations and interpreting dr's orders.
So, some more review of that is in order today. I also am reading the next chapter for Lifespan on Wednesday morning. Luckily, much of the theories was covered in my general psych class three years ago so it's basically a refresher for me right now.
The big question is my Sociology class. She is having us read the first chapter and then in class on Wednesday we will have the lecture and then a quiz at the end of the night. Very odd if you ask me? I am going to have to really focus when I read the chapter and take my own notes to prepare. I just don't think it's feasible to read the chapter and walk in there "dry" and try to pass the quiz at the end of the lecture.
I have Nursing Lab tomorrow, so I have a chapter to read to prepare for that. I would also like to get a bit ahead with the reading for Wednesday's lecture. Wednesday is a tough day to study because I have class from 11-3 and then again at 6:30....by the time I get home, I have to go to sleep to get up for lab the next morning. So, studying is almost out of the question on Wednesday's if I want to spend any time with my family.
We went to a picnic yesterday at my Aunt's house and there were some people there I had met 20 years ago (geez...I was 11)! They have nothing to do with nursing and I love how they tell me what is right to do or not do like I haven't researched it myself. She was feeding me all this stuff that I know is not true and I just decided to not argue and go on my merry way. If it wasn't for All Nurses, though, I wouldn't know all this stuff and I would probably fall for the crap people try to feed me.
Piper's asking for lunch, so I'm done for now. Not much more to add anyways......
Whew! My oldest is off to Kindergarten. He has been throwing a fit for two days, but when he woke up this morning, he woke with a new attitude and couldn't wait for me to leave him at school. He only has a half day today and my MIL is picking him up, so I'm bracing for the fight with him when she leaves today. I have GOT to find someone to watch him on 1/2 days and Mon. Wed. after school for a couple hours. I just can't seem to find anyone. UGH! I might have to resort to the most expensive route and sign him up at the Y next week. Even then, he'll be on a waiting list. This is rough. I don't know what to do and I just don't need one more worry on my head.
I didn't get my chapter of Sociology read last night due to all the chaos here, so I'm trying to smoosh it in this morning and this afternoon during my three hour break (with kids). I'll just do the very best that I can, I guess. I can only do so much and there are only so many hours in a day, unfortunately.
There have been some serious roadblocks thrown in my way in the last few days. An excerpt from Friday morning:
For one of the very first times in my life, I am at a complete loss about what to do. Usually, I have a general idea, but this time the pros and cons are almost even (or maybe I can make them appear that way?) I don't know how I am ever going to do this (school) for two years with very little support. The last two days, I have been tested to the max.
Trey's first day of school went fine, but again, after my MIL left, he was a bear and acting horribly. I'M SOOOO SICK OF THAT BALONEY! I'm done asking her to watch the kids. Last night, he went ballistic on us again. He won't drink milk or water anymore because my MIL didn't make him....she gave him kool-aid and pop. She is letting him watch Cartoon Network there as I specifically asked her not to. He left my house singing a Veggietales song the proper way (all about God) and came home singing about butts to the Veggietales tune. He has been screaming at me and his father and hitting me, pushing me and just generally treating me like crap. I'VE HAD IT! He was no where near THIS bad when he left here two weeks ago.
He went to school yesterday with my upstairs neighbor and they sent him home because he had an allergic reaction to her cat. They were afraid it was pink-eye. She asked them to let him sit in the nurse's office for five or ten minutes until it went away and they said no and sent him back to her house WHERE THE CAT WAS! So, I get pulled out of class for this and finally got it all taken care of, but had to yank out $40 for a dr's excuse yesterday. OIY! So, now he can go back to school today.
Piper has a cold, but she is acting fine. Yesterday while all the hoopla was going on with Trey, I went to pick Bryce up and they said that he had a low-grade fever. When I took Trey to the dr, I had her look at Bryce and he has an ear infection. Since I have no sitter, this means I have to miss LIfespan today. I cannot keep doing this. I have nowhere to send Trey after school unless something magically happens with the YMCA and they are able to get a bigger bus. And what in the world am I going to do if the kids get sick? I have NO ONE to take care of them......
On top of this, I'm sick too.
I'm about in the pits of despair and cried for hours last night. I prayed and prayed and don't feel much differently this morning. I just don't know what to do......
And then from Saturday morning:
The YMCA called and said that Trey got a spot on the after school bus so he will start on Monday and go Mon/Wed/Fri until 5:30- 6. This will be so good for him, because he wanted to ride a bus so badly and he'll get to play with other kids after school. They also take them on field trips, etc. If I find out that we qualify for reduced lunches at school, then we can get a scholarship for him at the Y and possibly not have to pay anything. Where we get stuck is that they are putting Bry's reimbursed travel expenses in his gross income. UGH! Here we go again........
Now I only have to worry about days that the kids get sick. I called my Aunt and we are having breakfast to brainstorm this morning. NO KIDS, NO HUSBANDS. This will be the first time in forever that her and I have been able to just be together and talk.
Now for today:
I went to breakfast with my Aunt yesterday and feel much better about things. I am slowly getting myself back on track after my minor meltdown and have made some flashcards for around the house with my drug abbreviations for tomorrow's quiz. I am going to continue to explore my options (though they are few right now) for when the kids DO end up sick and cannot go to school. I am hoping and praying that it doesn't happen, but you never know with how sick Trey was last year.
I'm sort of playing catch up with my reading and test preparations now because I let it go to the wayside when I wasn't sure if I could continue.
I have also realized that I am trying to do way too much in the Nursing course. Generally, they make it pretty easy for us. They assign reading and we are supposed to read it before the lecture or lab and then they give us a class outline each day when we go in to class. If we follow the outline, it covers everything they expect us to know. The Sophomore students told me to just follow it and not worry about additional things, other than skimming the reading. (there just isn't going to be time to read all of it when things start getting tougher) Well, I have been doing the reading ahead of time but also taking time to take my own notes. There just isn't time for this and I have to recognize that and just follow their outlines and handouts. It's not going to work if I even try to study perfectly.
Unfortunately, I am a perfectionist and I am driving myself crazy about the way that I study. There's no time to be doing that anymore if I am going to have any kind of a life outside of school and I can see that now.
Today is Sunday and I have to clean out the kids' pool so it can dry to be put away for the winter. I also have to catch up on laundry. I never realized how much we could have with everyone off doing their own thing. I thought I had a lot before!!! So, I'll read and study in between housework. Our first nursing exam is in one week and I have to start working on my own study guide for it.
I also have GOT to find some time to get into the lab to practice my bedbaths or I am not going to do well on the re-demo that is due by Oct. first. I am going to make Bryan (dh) submit to my bathing this afternoon or evening. Should be interesting if nothing else! LOL!
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
Kimmy, My daughter Marie had all of that too, and in addition, her marriage was breaking up. When the kids got sick, she had to leave class or lab to go get them, etc. That would always end her school day at home with a sick kid. She was a fulltime student in an accelerated program too. It was one tough time, but she got through it. So I know you can too. It'll make you much stronger. Marie is now living in North Carolina, and has a cushy job, and is supporting the kids on her own, just like I did.
I prayed and prayed and don't feel much differently this morning. I just don't know what to do......
So, I'll read and study in between housework. Our first nursing exam is in one week and I have to start working on my own study guide for it.
Energizer Bunny
1,973 Posts
Let me check on the clipboard and get back to you. It's out in the van right now.
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Yesterday was a bit nutty first thing in the morning. We all got up on time, got dressed and ready to go and went out to the van and it wouldn't start. This was at 7:30 and I had to be at class at 8. I call my Aunt and she brings a battery charger and jumper cables with her, but her car is screwy so we can't use it. The battery charger doesn't work so I call my upstairs neighbor and wake her and the kids up. She comes down and jumps me from her van. I only ended up being 10 minutes late, but I was late, all the same. Luckily they were very understanding. It was the first day of lab so I really didn't want to be late, even though I knew we were doing paperwork the whole time.
So, they hand us this three inch thick packet that is the syllabus, expectations of us, study guides, etc. For ONE semester, for goodness sake! OIY! For four hours, we just went over things .... good thing I had lots of coffee in me. I tried to press them about having the lab open on Saturday's for practice for those of us that have other obligations. They were very hesitant about it. Well, if you are going to add 30 students to our class, then you had darn well better make concessions for us to have lab time, etc. Ridiculous! Anyways, I'll bide my time and if I can't get in there, then I am going to have some issues with it. For now, I have spoken my peace and am going to lay low until I see what happens. I'm guessing Bry is going to be getting a LOT of bedbaths in the next couple of weeks. LOL!
We ended up getting a new battery for the van so I'm all set now as far as a vehicle. I also have two totes of books and supplies in the back, 2 pillows, a blanket and a box of snacks. I'm getting a travel alarm clock for in there and sticking some sodas, etc. in there as well. Any other suggestions? We've decided it is going to be my home away from home. In fact, dh is surrendering his book light for me so if I want to go out there at night when the kids are crazy, I can. My sanctuary, aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........
I'm off to Lifespan and Fundamentals lectures today. I got my Lifespan read and am going to work on more of reading the Fundamentals this morning. I got behind in my study plan with the chaos from the van on Monday night.
That's about it for today.
Thanks for reading.