Halfway there

As of this week, I'm halfway through my first term! The days are just flying by and free time is in short supply. (I am so poetic.) My clinical experience at the long-term care facility went MUCH better last week and I'm a little disappointed that I won't get to go back and check on the residents that I met. I was more "calm, cool, and collected" and didn't feel the need to apologize to everyone I met for being a student. I was familiar with the facility and staff and was thrilled when the CNA I was assigned to actually looked happy to see me! The resident who reprimanded me for making excuses for not answering his call light fast enough during week 1 (the one who calls me Starsky) was jovial and inquisitive about nursing school during week 2... apparently he's forgiven me. I completed my patient assessment much faster and even when I couldn't get the dang thermometer to work, I avoided looking like a total idiot. I assisted with a dressing change of a pretty serious chest wound and even probed around in it with a sterile cotton swab. I am happy to report that I can handle the gory stuff without fainting!

I have to turn in a heap of paperwork called an Interactive Worksheet (IW) after each clinical and we are required to receive a passing grade on at least one in order to progress to next term. My first IW was a little embarrassing, but I passed my second one! So now I can rest easy for my next two clinicals at the hospital, knowing that I've already passed my IW and that future ones are good practice for next term, when the passing requirements will be more strict. I'm also bonding with my fellow students and went to lunch last Friday with the 8 other girls in my clinical group. We were still in our scrubs and were strongly advised to refrain from drinking alcohol even though we were finished with clinical for the day, because it wouldn't look professional. I didn't want a drink anyway - I was so tired it would have immediately conked me out - but of course we made tons of jokes about how we should all order margaritas and then comment very loudly how we better "get back to the hospital and assist with that surgery." We're going to lunch again tomorrow, this time with our instructor, who has become my new role model. She is very direct and has high expectations, but at the same time is incredibly supportive and understanding. She admits to being a pretty tough instructor and I'm really glad I had her first because it's made me work harder and learn faster.

I took my third exam this morning and am happy with my grade, considering that I was trying to study during Election Night and had a tough time focusing. Thankfully Mr. Obama was very considerate and won the election by 8 pm, freeing up a lot of study time. Speaking of elections, I was elected to vice president of the Student Nurse Organization, along with my other cronies from anatomy class who got the president, secretary, treasurer, and pinning ceremony chairman positions. I guess it pays to know people! Today we had our first meeting and are planning our holiday charity events, such as sending Christmas care packages to the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are also hoping to get a group discount rate at Timberline during Winter Break so we can all go skiing... I can't wait! Tomorrow I'll be giving flu shots to the residents at an assisted living facility, so wish me luck. It will be good practice for the flu shot clinic I'm participating in on Saturday with middle school kids!