Wrapping up term #2

My instructors really weren't kidding when they warned us that this was the most difficult term. They jam-packed tons of theory content along with clinicals and miscellaneous activities, and I think we are all feeling it. As of today, all I have left is my 5th exam on Friday and my comprehensive final next Tuesday. Friday's test covers 6 chapters of labor and delivery content, greatly contributing to my new fear of having kids, and small chapters on ethics and tuberculosis. (How random is that?)

Last week I completed clinicals with my final rotation at a nursing home, and I have to admit I really enjoyed shadowing the LPN charge nurse and trying to picture myself in that role over the summer. At long-term care, LPNs have much higher positions and essentially perform like RNs in hospitals. If I choose to work as an LPN, I would most likely start out in charge of 4 CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistants, who do all the dirty work) and 20+ patients. It would be excellent experience and allow me to practice many of the skills I will have learned this year, AND I'd hopefully make some good money to put towards school next year! The only downside is the licensure process... wow is that ever involved!

I also passed my "Comprehensive Skills Check-off" which is one of the more nerve-wracking aspects of nursing school. You are given a patient scenario and 30 minutes to prepare, then have to go into the skills lab with one of the instructors and show them how you would perform various skills pertaining to the patient (which is a mannequin). It's deathly quiet and the instructor is just watching you, so naturally I chatter away like a mad hen, insanely nervous and desperate to fill the silence. This time it actually worked in my favor, because I was talking through procedures as I did them and at one point mentioned how before starting a new IV bag, I'd flush the line with 3 ml of saline. I then completely FORGOT to do the flush, but she didn't say a word and just reminded me after I had finished all my tasks, and asked me to show her how I'd do it. If I hadn't previously mentioned it, she technically could have failed me, but thankfully she knew I was just nervous. I also accidentally contaminated my sterile field while setting up my catheter supplies, but again, she was really cool about it and chalked it up to nerves. Eventually this stuff with either get easier or I'll graduate... I don't care which comes first!

I did have a nice reprieve over the weekend... Kevin was in Chicago for work and was going to have to stay there by himself through the weekend, so we checked into his frequent-flier miles and were able to get a free plane ticket for me. His hotel room and meals were paid for by GE, so all we had to buy were my meals and parking fee at the airport. Of course I was really stressing just trying to GET to the airport and get the dog boarded, etc., but once I arrived we ended up having the best time ever! We walked around downtown and admired all the high-end shops, ate ice cream sundaes, and checked out two really amazing museums: The Art Institute and the Field Museum. I'm glad my Chemeketa ID is permanently attached to my wallet, because I ended up receiving student discounts at the museums! We saw two amazing exhibits: one on Edvard Munch, the painter of "The Scream" that everyone assumed was insane (but really wasn't) and one on pirates and the excavation of the Wydeh, a slave ship turned pirate ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod in the 1700s. I learned a great lesson over the weekend, that no matter how stressful life gets, I always need to take time for myself and my family and remember what's important in life. (And eat ice cream!)