So far so good...

Today has been one of those uncharacteristically good days! I survived my first week of Winter term, have the afternoon off, and am finally enjoying some clear and sunny weather. I actually had time to go grocery shopping today and we have FOOD in the house! (Taco Bell has been a mainstay this week.) My car's backup lights are fixed and I don't have to worry about backing out of parking spaces anymore! And... I get to sleep in tomorrow!

I took my first exam this morning and am thrilled with my grade, especially after all the dire warnings we received Monday about how much more difficult the tests will be this term. I was up late last night going over medications with Kevin and was so focused on memorizing last-minute information during the drive this morning that I almost rear-ended someone! As promised, the questions were more application-based, but I forced myself to remain calm and think through each one. Instead of approaching it with the mindset of "What do they want me to choose? Which is the right answer?" I tried to put myself into the situation and asked, "What would I do in this scenario?" I'm amazed at some of the answers that I actually got right!

I passed my mandatory math test, so I can put that behind me and focus on other upcoming assignments. This term we get to do some interesting projects, including spending a day in the operating room observing a surgery, interviewing a community health organization and presenting our findings to our class, and spending a day in Pediatrics. The community organization my group chose is the Marion County Public Health HIV/AIDS Prevention Program. I'm really looking forward to all three experiences, especially the surgery. I used to assist my dad in veterinary surgery on occasion, and the sights/smells don't bother me in the slightest. I've never seen a human in surgery before!

The majority of my clinicals will be on the post-surgical floor of Salem Hospital from 3 to 11:30 pm, but I will be spending 4 days at a long-term care facility in McMinnville too. I will now be able to administer medications, so I think the time will go faster and I'll be of more assistance to the nurses. Last term was frustrating because I was only allowed to perform very basic patient care, most of which is provided by certified nursing assistants. (I usually felt like I was just in the way.) This term marks the transition into actual nursing skills, and I'm ready! This week in Skills Lab we learned how to hang an IV, attach all the tubing, then run it through the pump that is used to control the fluid rate. We also learned how to give subcutaneous injections like insulin and heparin, and how to mix medications in a single syringe. Now we're getting somewhere!!