Moving On!

I am happy to say that I passed the final and am moving on to nursing concepts 1! I have a feeling the pace of work is going to pick up, but I really enjoyed easing into everything these first 8 weeks. Now that we have the basics down I'm ready for whatever is next..even injections...yikes! Ms. Damelio, thanks for a great start into nursing school:-)

Time Flies

 I can't believe the final is in the morning! ahh! I better get some sleep...good luck tomorrow!

Over already?!

I felt way more prepared for clinicals this week and it turned out to be a wonderful experience! I loved helping our patient and enjoyed our time at TMH rehab. I am looking forward to moving on to other sites and finding what area I am most passionate about. This has been a great eight weeks and has only confirmed my desire to become a nurse. I am excited to see what is in store!! Now I just have to pass this final...!

3rd clinical down...

This past week at clinicals was slightly overwhelming...I wish I had better prepared for the full assessment because I felt like I kept forgetting to gather some important details and my patient wasn't all that cooperative, but the night got better as it went on. I am glad to have had that experience and I know I will be much better prepared for next week! I feel like I have so much to learn and I know the pace will pick up as we move on to the next eight weeks. Now on to studying for this final...!

Beds and Baths!

I really enjoyed the rehab experience at TMH, although it was much slower paced than I had anticipated. I guess this is because the patients are there to get therapy and rest so there wasn't too much going on besides routine checks and baths. I did get to help with two bed baths and I'm thankful to have had the experience. It's much different moving a real person who is older and frailer than our classmates we practiced on! We also had two contact isolation rooms so we were able to cover up with gowns and gloves. We had lots of bed making practice as well and I must remember to always lower the bed after! Always. Overall, I learned a lot at this clinical and feel way more comfortable now working with real patients. Can't wait for next Friday, especially because our group has a late shift! Yay for sleeping in:-)

Midterm done already?!

Every time I mentioned that I had a midterm this past week, people were so confused that it was already that time, but then I explained the whole 8 week schedule...At first I wasn't even sure if I would like the 8 week thing, but I do so far! It's nice only having this one class for now and then switching in just another 4 weeks. Hard to believe it's coming so fast, but I can't wait to see what's in store! The midterm went well and I'm happy that all that studying and reading paid off...I definitely want to stay on top of it more though so I won't be as stressed for the final. Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. See you in the morning!

Week 3 Reflections

      This past week has only confirmed my thoughts on pursuing a nursing career. I really enjoyed lab this week and I feel like our lab group is getting a lot closer. It's nice to know that everyone is on the same page and that we can all share in feeling nervous about clinicals, but so excited at the same time. 

      I was definitely feeling jittery when I woke up at 5 am on Friday, probably a combination of the time of day and anxiety about what I was going to do. I'll admit I was slightly nervous to take the blood pressure of an older lady because I did not want to do it so slowly as to take away feeling in her arm or too fast that I couldn't get an accurate reading. However, neither of these fears actually came true. I was happy to find out  a little later in the day that when the actual nurse took my patient's blood pressure with the automatic cuff that the results matched mine exactly! I am really thankful that my patient was easy to talk to and I enjoyed listening to all of her stories. During our clinical I kept thinking how I wouldn't want to do anything else (career wise) than providing care for people through nursing. I think having the clinical experience so early in our program is a huge blessing as well. It gives us a chance to practice everything we are learning on a real level. It is also great encouragement when I don't feel like studying for the midterm! I know in order to get to my destination I must study and learn all that I can. I will try to remember this when I get stressed and feel overwhelmed...

      I love knowing that everything I learn I will be able to use. I love wearing my scrubs and I love getting to brighten someone's day. I'm not sure which area of nursing I will end up in, but there is definitely something special about caring for those who don't have much longer to live and knowing that you have this opportunity to spend that time with them.

Two Weeks Closer

I really can't believe two weeks have already passed since we started! So far I am loving everything that we are learning. It is so practical, which makes it really easy to see how I will use it in the future (aka in our first clinical). Last Thursday was a really long day since I had lab and assessment immediately following, however I did enjoy practicing BP and playing nurse in lab. It is all feeling so real now. I will remember to bring my jacket next week to lab because I got really cold and my fingernails were turning purple, making it difficult for my partner to get an accurate assessment! I am appreciating this long weekend, since I know there will not be many more in the future. I am thankful that we are easing into everything, but I am trying not to get behind in reading!

Here we go...

        As I was growing up it was never really my dream to be a nurse. I have always loved to be around people and I knew I did not want to spend my adult life confined to an office space. However, since no one in my family is involved with the medical field, it was kind of a surprise when I revealed that I wanted to try nursing. I didn't actually discover this dream until my first year of college.When picking a major I couldn't think of anything else I would rather do then take care of people. While at Florida State I kind of got off track with my goal of becoming a nurse and ended up earning a degree in Family and Child Sciences. I know that the knowledge I have learned in that field has helped me learn how to relate to people more effectively and has allowed my desire to care for others to expand. Upon completing that degree, I am now ready to pursue my dream of nursing. As a nurse I will be able to be with people all day and see the results of my work daily. This sense of purpose draws me to nursing. The fact that I will gain knowledge and understanding to improve people's lives is so exciting to me. I have a huge passion for helping people and I can't think of a more rewarding way to express this passion.
    At this point in time I am not exactly sure which area of nursing I want to pursue. Eventually I want to be able to go on medical missions and travel as a nurse, but I definitely want to gain experience in hospital nursing first. I am anticipating finding my niche through our clinical rotations and seeing which area I can be used most effectively.
    My personal definition of a nurse would have to be someone who is willing to care for those with physical and emotional needs that cannot be done alone. A nurse uses their knowledge and skills to better humanity every day. I am excited to become a part of this profession. I know it will be a difficult journey, but i am confident that this is where I am supposed to be.