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Sunday, January 30, 2011

I passed my first cardio exam with an 82 (1 point away from a B). I was hoping for at least an 80 so I was really thrilled to get higher than that. I sometimes still feel like for the amount of time I put in studying, I should get a higher grade, but I am really thankful because I was starting to get a little worried while waiting for the grades to be posted.

Clinical is going ok. We only had one day so far and it was not a full day. This week I have clinical on Tuesday and then I have to be in the ER on Wednesday, so 2 back to back 12's will be interesting. But I am SUPER excited about being in the ER. Next week I go to the ICU, so that will also be exciting. As always, I'll keep you posted.

Stay tuned!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

my first big Cardio exam. Yikes! Say a prayer for me! There is A LOT of info swirling around in my head. I have to know about Coronary Artery Disease, Acute Coronary syndrome (which encompasses unstable Angina and MIs aka heart attacks), Chronic Stable Angina, Heart Failure (right-sided and left-sided), cardiomyopathies (there are different types), shock (there are different types of this, too), critical care nursing, hemodynamic monitoring (oy vey- too much to explain), assessment of the cardiovascular system and I have to read EKG's and by read I mean interpret the rhythm, rate, determine the duration of the different intervals, figure out what's causing that particular rhythm and know how to treat it. Oh yeah, I have to know how to treat EVERYTHING I already mentioned above.

And this is all just for this first exam.

Phew. It's overwhelming just writing what I need to know for tomorrow. Well, I mean, I already have studied this and am supposed to "know" it already, but I still need to review because there's just so much I learned in the last 3 weeks.

I'll keep you posted tomorrow on how it went. For now, I must continue studying.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I think I am realizing.............where I want to "specialize" in.

Going in, I had a good indication I would see myself in either Peds, L&D (Labor and Delivery) or ER. As I've gone through my rotations, I've kept my mind open to new things, just in case. I went through my OB rotation and felt a connection, just like I had thought. Lately, however, I have been feeling this pull towards critical care- mostly ER/Trauma.

Actually, more than a pull. I REALLY feel like this is me. When I think of the words "ER" and "Trauma" I just feel such a passionate need to be there. Thing is, I haven't even had my ER day yet.

So I suppose that I cannot yet be 100% certain that is where I see myself ending up, but it is a strong opinion that my heart has been right all along.

As I think back on L&D- it is still an awesome field and I really do love seeing babies! I'm just not really sure why I feel more of a pull to ER/Trauma than L&D.

I just know that wherever I am, I want to help others and make a difference.

And I like adrenaline, just a little bit. :)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

I sit here the night before I begin my final semester of nursing school and a wave of emotions invade my mind. My final semester. Where exactly did the time go?

I'm excited. I've wanted this for such a long time, it's hard to believe I'm almost there.

I'm stressed. So much reading to do and I'm already behind. Time management has never been my forte.

I'm nervous. I know that I can do this, but there's always a small part of me that worries, "What if I don't pass?" (I have to say, though, after that last class I took, passing that helps me believe that I can just about do anything)

I'm relieved. The end is finally in sight.

I'm apprehensive. What if I don't do well as a nurse? What if I don't like it? I still feel as if I have barely scratched the surface with all there is to know, even though I know a lot more than I ever did before I started school. There's a lot of responsibility with the title....am I really ready?

I'm a little sad/scared mix. I have been a stay-at-home-mom for over 8 years now. Eight years of freedom to do what I want, when I want. When I graduate, I will have to go back to work for the first time in, by that time, 9 years. Nearly a decade. That's a BIG change. I will miss being able to jump at the drop of a hat to do whatever. I think this hit me hard realizing that this last Christmas could be my last Christmas off with family in a while. This is something that will take a while to get used to.

I'm enthusiastic. To finally have steady income and health insurance. Good health insurance.

I'm optimistic. I am hoping for the best job. One where I love to work, so that it's as if I am not working at all. I know for some, that seems like a dream, but in reality, I am just hoping I love what I do so much, more so than just having a "great job." I have hope that it will be everything I have looked forward to all these years.

I'm ready. I think.
 
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