First Day of Clinical

Today was my first day in clinical in a Geriatric facility. I am very excited to be there and finally, really learning nursing. I partnered with another student nurse and we gave our first bed bath. Let's just say I am starting to realize just how much I have to learn. Not just the raw information but the techniques and the skills. There is so much I have taken for granted and now that I am actually faced with doing the job I see how little I know. But this realization brings me to "beginner's mind" which is where I need to be in order to continue this process of becoming. I had hoped that I was already there, but I see now I still have a ways to go. But I am on the path. And that is a beginning.

Tasklist from Hell

Sigh.... All right - time to start hacking away at this...

OMG what have I gotten myself into!

Yesterday we wore our uniforms for the first time. It felt really great to put it on and to be in a group with a whole buch of other student nurses all in their uniforms. Damn, we look cool. For the first time I really felt a part of this community. I did before, but this really made it feel more concrete. We validated in several skills in Clinical, too. This was kind of stressfull but it felt reassuring to actually have someone say "OK, you are doing that right". Then last night I decided to take all my assignments from all my classes and consolidate them into one task list. Holy Sleep Deprivation, Batman! I can not believe the volume of work when you pull it all together! First quiz next week, and all the reading, and assignments and.... It is really scary. Well at least I will not ever be bored!

Breathe, Monika, it's gonna be OK, just put one foot in front of the other and keep moving..... Yeah, sure, that's the ticket...

Study Break

I spent most of the day studying at the Pace NYC library today. Took a little break to look out the window at the Brooklyn Bridge on-ramp (whoohoo). Sure is empty in the library - I guess I am the only fool studying on a Saturday night!

HIPAA and Vblogging

In this post I talk about the direction I have decided on for this blog. My thoughts on being annonymous (or not in this case) and also how I plan to comply with HIPAA.

Critical Mass

Things are starting to get moving in school. I still have the feeling of being just a little behind all the time. It's good to be challenged, though. I spent almost the entire weekend reading. The reading load is staggering. I am a very fast reader, too, so I can imagine it feels even worse for some of the others. I spent hour after hour trying to slog through it. It paid off, though because in classes today nothing presented seemed unfamiliar and that is a good thing.

Also, our Student Nurses' club (Student Nurses at Pace, NYC) had its first fall meeting today. I was asolutely thrilled to meet a large room full of enthusiastic new students interested in being involved. Out of the group, no less than three people came up to me with ideas how the group could do volunteer work for Katrina survivors, or collect blankets for mothers and babies affected by the hurricane and similar projects. Not "how will SNAP help me" but "how can we use SNAP as a vehicle for helping others". Now we are talking! I love these guys! Several people volunteered for positions and committees and I know the new blood is going to do wonderful things for the club and the community. This makes me a very happy girl. SNAP, NYC is finally reaching critical mass.

Neonatal and Postpartum

Today (well, yesterday) I had six hours of lecture in the classroom portion of clinical on various aspects of postpartum care and neonatal care. I had no idea I could love a class this much! It is so cool! The instructor is really great. You can tell she is very experienced and loves her job. I can not wait to do the OB clinical!

I did get a little snippy with another student near the end of class, which I sincerely regret. I was getting tired. They were talking kind of loud. Instead of asking them to be quiet nicely, I just turned around and said "shut up!" Not my finest moment, but hey, I spent 12, 000$ to hear the instructor, not them! It is so damn disrespectful to talk in class - to the people around you, the instructor, yourself- for crying out loud! Take it outside or wait till later. Sheesh! Especially when several people start carrying on sidebars at once. Pretty soon you can not hear a thing the instructor is saying.

OK - rant over.

Day two..

Two new classes: Assessment and Relationship Centered Communications. They both are looking very interesting. Back to Clinical class tomorrow for lots of neonatal stuff. Yay! Babies! GaGaGooGOO BOoBoo? I'm used to my bird pooping all over me- how bad can it be? ;-)

A Terrific First Day

Excellent first day in the classroom portion of my clinical. There are tons of reading assignments and we already had a math test! We are starting with the basics handwashing, gloving, gowning, etc. I am so thrilled to be there. But, whew, do I have some books... A stack about 18 inches tall. And I am missing two books that were not available yet.

Big fun.

The Eve of a New Semester

My books are bought. Assignments and course documents have been downloaded and printed from Blackboard. The first reading homework is in the process of being completed... Tomorrow is the first day of class!!!! Here we go! 1, 2, 3... go! Yeeeeehaaaawww!

Katrina

Katrina has been a devastating catastrophe. Clearly the situation in New Orleans is getting much worse. I feel an overwhelming desire to help. As a lowly student nurse there is not much I can contribute, unfortunately. Fast forward, darn it!

Here is some information from the ANA site about the need for volunteer nurses for those of you who can help:

http://nursingworld.org/news/disaster/katrina.htm

Information from FEMA:

FEMA on Katrina

Other links:

http://www.disasternews.net/
http://www.nvoad.org/
http://www.firstgov.gov
Katrina blog