October 10th

I have been studying all weekend!  I can't believe the final is this Wed.  I hope this is not my last time to blog.  Yesterday I felt like I was accomplishing so much now I can't believe its almost 1:00.  I hope everyone does fabulous on the final.  I will be saying a prayer for all of us!

October 3rd

I had a very quiet weekend.  I think I studied almost all weekend.  I think I needed some time to myself.  I did miss my kids' acitivites this weekend.  My ll year old had a soccer touranment in Thomasville and my l7 year old had a soccer play date in Tifton.  I chose to stay home to sudy.  I did feel a little guilty.  My children have been very supportive of me!  My significant other has really helped out too.  I am really proud of my family!

I was getting a whinny, negative and down on myself.  I feel so much better.  I slept really good this weekend.  I have been working on my clincal calculations book.  I really need repetition.  I have bee trying to exercise too.  I tend to get a little depressed when I don't exercise.  I did get some laundry done too.  My house in a wreck but a little cleaner than before the weekend started.  I might not be humiliated if someone came over.

I am actually looking forward to next week's clincals!  I already know my goals.  I am a nervous about check off in labs on Friday but hopefully I will meet the challenge.

September 30th

Today we had clinicals!  Another good experience!  I just wish I had more knowlege and less anxiety.

September 21,2010

Last Thursday, we got stuck in the elevator at Clinicals.  I was really thinking we are going to die in the elevator at TMH.  Then the next day I go to Crisper to meet a girlfriend for lunch.  We were sitting on the patio and a lady passed out.  I did not see her pass out because my back was to her.   I ended up calling 911. I was prepared to answer all the questions the operator asked me.  It turns out she had a procedure at the oupatient surgery center and had just been released.   I have not been sleeping very well because of a variety of reasons.  Friday night, I am about to dose off and my neighbor calls me because one of friends is out of town and his seventeen year daughter is having a party!  I'm thinking I just want to sleep!  I think my sleep has finally improved.   Maybe I will be a little easier to be around!

September l5, 2010

Today is the day before our second clinicals and the day of our first midterm in nursing school.  I feel like so much is happening so fast.  I am very nervous about tomorrow and was nervous about today.  I hopefully am ready to give a bath tomororrow.  It is so nice to have met so many nice and supportive people.  I feel very fortunate to be where I am!  Tonight my ll year old runs cross country. I am thrilled to be able to see him run tonight!

Day Before First Clinicals

Today I took the math test over and the first quiz.  I also think I figured out how to post a new blog but not without the guidance of Ms. Damelio. I think I may have 3 blog sites but hopefully this is my official one.  I am a little nervous about clinicals especially the vital signs part.  I have been practicing on everyone that comes in the door.  I had 2 new victims today. 

Blog Assignment: Blog Assignment

I am becoming more stressed becuase I can't even figure the correct way to blog. I am also thinking about taking my math test again, taking the quiz tomorrow and taking blood pressures. I am surprised I always seem a step behind. I haven't even included family responsibilities in the mix. All I can do is do my best and take one day at a time!


Blog Assignment: Blog Assignment: "I have had difficulty sorting exactly what impacted me to want to become a nurse. As I think back to some of the most singificant and traum..."

Blog Assignment: Blog Assignment

I am feeling a little inadequate at this moment. I feel like I am always a step behind! I am having to give myself frequent peptalks. I am finding that I am either bouncing all over the place or very low energy. I am worried about the math test that I have to retake tomorrow, this blog assinment, the quiz tomorrw and my blood pressure taking issue. I am not even thinking about my family responsibilites at all. I am just going to do my best.
Blog Assignment: Blog Assignment: "I have had difficulty sorting exactly what impacted me to want to become a nurse. As I think back to some of the most singificant and traum..."

Blog Assignment

I have had difficulty sorting exactly what impacted me to want to become a nurse.  As I think back to some of the most singificant and traumatic times in my life, I have found that many of those times some of the individuals  that were there for me were nurses.  Some I can't even remember their names and some I can.

I too had a preemie.  I had an emergency C section when I was 27 weeks pregnant.  My daughter and I were both very sick.  I didn't even get to see my daughter until almost 48 hours later because were were both so sick.  One of the memories that sticks in my mind is the nurses washing my hair for me.  I don't know why this impacted me so much but I can still remember these nurses' names.  I ended up staying in the hospital 2 weeks and my daughter 2 months.  There was a time the Doctor and Nurse came to tell us that my daughter might not live.  She did!  In the time we were in the hospital I watched these nurses take such good care of us.  They dressed my daughter up in little tiny preemie clothes and they educated us about all the sounds and tubes and I. V.s. They always seemed warm and eagar to take care of our daughter.  I felt like my daughter was in the best hands she could be in.  These nurses touched my life in a way I can never pay back.

I also worked at the Psychiatric Center  with nurses.  I repected their skills, dedication and mission.  This was very difficult work at times because some of the patients were resistant to being at this facility.  For the most part, these nurses were compassionate, calm and treatment focused.

I had forgotten that when I was in middle school, I wanted to be a nurse and took advanced science and got a "C" and decided I couldn't cut it.  Now more decades later that I care to share, I have been given an opportunity to proceed with the opportunity to give it a shot at becoming a nurse.  Its not something that I can explain easily but it feels really right.  I have had several losses in my life and people have been so giving to me.  I hope this is a chance for me to give back to others.

I think my defintion of a nurse might have been at one time to say the doctor's assistant.  Truely, the nurse is the one giving all the hands on care.  I think the nurse helps the patient achieve their quality of life. 

I think rapport with the patient, empathy, communication and solid skills and knowledge makes the best nurse. Also, being respectful and nonjudgemental.  I know sometimes this is difficult.

I do not know exactly where I want to work.  I loved mental health but I don't know if I want to do something new and different.  I have thought I would like to work with AIDs patients.  When we watched the movie And the Band Played on in Microbiology, I thought this is what I want to do.  I have numerous loss issues and have thought in the past I couldn't work in this area but now in my life maybe that is where I am heading.

I have never blogged before so I am not sure that I am doing this correctly.  Please bear with me!

Melinda