I Did It!

I passed. I passed my test, and I passed my class. I have 6 nursing exams under my belt so far this semester, and I haven't failed one yet! I got an 83 on my test today, which unfortunately was two points shy of getting me a B in class, so I ended up with a C. However, I passed, and in light of the fact that 2 of my friends in my little group of 5 failed and will not go on ahead to the next course with us, I am thankful. I was going to apply for a scholarship in which you had to have a minimum of a B average in the two courses I took this semester, so its a bummer I do not qualify.

But I passed.

I passed TWO nursing school courses.

Two down, seven to go.

I have two clinical days left before I officially start my 3 week break until next semester, but my brain can rest easy as I no longer have to think about school or be studying. Next semester, my rotations are Med/Surg 1 (which we call GI/GU- gastroinstesinal/genitourinary) the first half of the semester from Jan-Mar, and Peds Mar-May. I am really excited about Peds.

But for now, I am just about on break.

And I passed.

What I Did

Here are some of the things I did yesterday and today:

• I changed the dressing on a PICC line. A PICC line is a peripherally inserted central catheter. It is a central line, which is like an IV but it goes straight into the heart instead of just being in the vein. A PICC is inserted in the arm, instead of in the chest, but it also goes all the way straight into the heart. Its quite a little procedure to change the dressing on a PICC line because it has to be very sterile since the line goes directly to the heart. I have to wear sterile gloves, a mask, I have to make sure the patient turns their head away from where the dressing is being changed so that they don't breathe over the site during the change. I have to clean the site with alcohol and betadine several times. It was very exciting to get to do such a simple yet serious little task.
• Today I hung 2 IV piggy backs. Piggybacks are secondary IV bags with certain meds that don't need to be run all day long like saline does, for instance. In my case I had one bag that needed to run over 15 minutes time, and the other bag needed to run for just an hour. So I have to set the bag up, prime the tubing and then connect it to the primary bag's line, lower the primary bag so that gravity will automatically make the secondary bag run and shut the primary bag off, and then will resume again once the secondary fluid runs out. This way, if you're not around when the secondary fluid runs out, the primary picks up and ensures that the vein stays open and fluid is always going in.
• I checked a patient's blood sugar with the glucometer today. I have done this on myself a few times with my mom's machine, but it was my second time ever doing it on a patient.
  
• I was supposed to give an injection to my patient today, but she refused the med.

I think that is all, but if I happened to have forgotten anything, I will post it at a later time. I am excited that I am nearing the end of my first semester. I have only 1 week left until my 3 week break, so I guess that means that 4 weeks from today semester #2 begins. Scary. I remember 4 short months ago I wasn't sure I'd make it to the see the end of the semester, but here I am. My final is on Monday, but grades won't be posted until sometime Wednesday. I have my last two clinicals on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I probably won't post much until then since I really need to hit the books hard and study for my final from now until then. Wish me luck. I need an 85 on the final for a B.

I'm Lagging

It seems that I have been lagging in updating this blog as to whats been going on. Honestly, things have been crazy. We started clinicals in the hospital last week and then I left to go on vacation for Thanksgiving and then I came back and had a test, and it was back to clinicals. Its just been a whirlwind of a week. Here's what's been going on, in easy bullet format:

• My first day of clinical (last Wednesday) I gave meds to my patient for the first time. This included giving the patient an injection. I thought I would be more nervous, but truth is, when it came time to actually do it, it went so fast, I really didn't have time to be nervous. And it wasn't nearly as bad as thought it might be.
• This past Monday was my last pharmacology class. I had my last exam, in which I got a 46/50 which is 92% and that is an A. My overall grade for the class ended up being a B and I am extremely excited about that.
• We had clinicals again Tuesday and Wednesday this week. I gave out meds again on Wednesday and was supposed to give another injection, however, I let my classmate give mine because she had't had the opportunity to do one yet, while everyone else had.
• I think I am learning more and more that I do not like the med-surg floor. I hope that as I continue on through the program that I do not find that I dislike everything. I don't think that will be the case, however. I think I just need something more exciting, something that makes me feel as if I am making a difference, that I am doing something. It seems as if all the nurses do on the med-surg floor is push meds. I never aspired to be a drug pusher. ;)
• On Tuesday I worked with a wonderful nurse. She was patient, kind, helpful, good with the patients, informative, and very open to having a student nurse working with her. I wish all the nurses were like that. She really treated the patients well, and all nurses should aspire to be like that. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I hope that I am like her one day. She is awesome.
• My final exam is on my little Nate Nate's birthday, Monday, December 14. I am currently preparing for that.

That's all I have for now.