11.28.2011

Senioritis

Seriously? Gosh, I am sooo lazy. I have two more precepting shifts left (Thank goodness!!), I have TWO major papers to write and I have two more weeks of actual class time. Instead of the excitement and joy that I should be feeling to be so close to finishing school, I am instead dreading all the hard work I have to do just to get there. 
But I know I have to suck it up and repeat to myself that I can do this, I can finish this out strong. I am actually beginning to think this is a bit of apprehensiveness for the future-it is odd really. Being a nurse is something I wanted for so long and now that it I can basically grab my dream and put it in my pocket....I am scared. I need some motivation...from somewhere.
Then again I bet that this normal, so yes, I have a bad case of senioritis.

Positivity Beckons Positivity,

11.27.2011

Pinning Dress

I found the most perfect pinning dress!! I ordered it from Advanced Healthcare Shop after one of my classmates showed me her dress. Women have such a hard time finding a perfect dress to fit our curvy bodies much less those horrid nursing dresses-it is insane. I tried on about 10 dresses in the uniform store and I either looked like an old lady or as one of my classmates said so sweetly to me..."a stuffed sausage"-thanks. Anyways, so I took the plunge and ordered the dress online. It is a mock wrap dress that has a belt so I can adjust the dress to my liking. When I finally got my dress in the mail I was so excited (and scared) to see if it would fit. Let's just say I danced around for about 5 minutes because it is perfect! And I got the dress for way cheaper than my classmate too..$19.99 before tax and shipping of course. I am so ready to wear that dress...all I need are some new Dansko's and stockings then I will be in business.
Are any of you graduating soon and have found the perfect pinning dress? Or maybe still looking for the perfect one? Share it with me below!

Positivity Beckons Positivity,

11.19.2011

Biases

Since I have started my preceptorship, I have seen a lot of wrong and good things. Sadly it has been more the wrong than the good. 


We all learned in school to be culturally sensitive and to be nonjudgmental towards our patients. I have always been this way in my whole life, I was brought up that way. So for me being unbiased won't be very hard. 


I am worried that as nurses get older and seasoned, they loose that fundamental behavior. Nurses should always know and recognize their own stance on issues but never try to impose those views on patients. I believe in treating patients as we would treat our own family, no matter what. 


I hope as a future registered nurse, I will be able to remind my co-workers in an effective way, that we cannot treat our patients in a bad way just because they may be a pregnant teenager or because they do drugs. We have to treat everyone with a unbiased attitude, respect and be professionals every day.  

Positivity Beckons Positivity,

11.12.2011

ATI

My whole class was sent to Greenville, SC for three days to do a live ATI NCLEX review. It was a great overview and refresher of all the information you learn in nursing school. We learned funny dances and sayings to help us during NCLEX. I can see it now....everyone looking at me weird because I am dancing in my seat ha.


So today I had my ATI predictor test. This is basically a test that gives you a percentage on your likeliness of passing NCLEX on the first try. Guess what I got? A 98%!!! It was a 78 score but a 98% chance I will be kicking a** the first try on NCLEX. My whole class did really good too, so proud of all of us :)


This has given me the inspiration and push to finish up strong in school. More than anything I have more confidence about NCLEX.

Positivity Beckons Positivity,

11.09.2011

Confidence=Arrogance?

So yesterday I had my fourth shift of precepting. I would LOVE to say that it has been going great. Sadly, there seems to be an issue. A generational issue. The fact she is more than twice my age and the way our generation speaks is not what she is used to. I am going to try to explain what happened to you guys. 


One mistake on my part lead my preceptor to call my professor, which is okay and understandable. My preceptor then told my professor that I am arrogant and that I talk too much. Arrogant? ARROGANT?! I am far from. As a student, a measly student to a nurse that has been practicing for 20 years, I will have the nerve to be arrogant? 


More than anything, I am CONFIDENT. I carry myself a certain way. I do not show fear and I refuse to let anyone break me. And even if I am feeling a certain way on the outside I refuse to show it. Especially in nursing where "nurses ear their young" I have to have a protective shell. 


{SIDE NOTE} My teacher is so wonderful and of course she will always take her students side, called and spoke to me for an hour last night. I explained to her what has been happening recently. She gave me a lot of reassurance and gave me tips on how to finish strong. 


So back to the arrogant comment. Obviously since my preceptor doesn't really know who I am as a person is just judging me after four shifts. I do not know if its that the unit we are on is very stressful and things said can be misconstrued while under pressure. But that comment hit me like a TON OF BRICKS.


And to say I talk a lot, um no. I talk a lot about the information I am trying to learn, I am constantly making sure I understand the information she tells me about the patient. Is that a crime? I feel that sometimes she doesn't have patience for a student and she fails to remember that I need constant guidance. 


She also said some other things about me that made me say wow. But I am not going to allow anyone to take away my determination and shine. She will fail terribly if she tries. I got this far, I am 1 out of 8 students that's left in my class, I am strong.


This Sunday I have another shift, but I am going to act like my professor didn't tell me anything. I will use my communication skills that I learned in my leadership class and take it one day at a time. 


SIGH. So to say the least, four shifts down SEVEN shifts to go.... :/ 


Positivity Beckons Positivity,

11.06.2011

Cover letters, Resumes, Job recruiters, OH MY!

The other day, my teacher set an entire day of class time for preparation to help my class apply for jobs. First on the list was the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, who also doubles as the career services person. She gave us hints and tips on how to write a cover letter and a resume. We then had two representatives from a local hospital come and speak to us. They told us how to apply for the graduate nurse positions on the website and they told us what NOT to do in an interview.


Can you believe that someone actually came to an interview in daisy dukes and light up flip flops!? lol And someone else said their reason for doing nursing was that they couldn't get into medical school!? These people really didn't want a job!


I am a certified nurses aide so I have been on numerous interviews with hospitals, so all the information I heard wasn't new to me at all, but it was great to get a refresher. I have been giving my resume and my cover letter a face lift so I am really excited to start applying to graduate nursing positions. Wish me luck!


Has anyone started applying to positions or started a job search yet? Share it with me below!


Positivity Beckons Positivity,

11.03.2011

In my words

So yesterday was my first day on PCU (progressive care unit) for my preceptorship. I was so excited to experience feeling like a nurse and not having my professor marking my every step. It was even better not having to do any care plans at the end of the day :)


My day started at 6:45am, dark and early. My preceptor and I hit the ground running. Her case load included five patients and she gave me two of her patients to do assessments, chart and to give medication on. I was so nervous and I have no idea why. But I loved every second of it. 


My day included, giving medications, removing foleys and IV's, and doing discharge teaching on CHF on one of my patients. 


The only dislike I have is that nurses spend so much time charting on the computer that it hardly gives us any time to spend time with the patient. As a future nurse, I would like to find a way to give the patient more of my time and not the computer screen.


My day ended at 7:30pm, I gave report on my patient to the on-coming nurse, according to SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation), I was feeling like a nurse already. All in all it was a great day. 


Positivity Beckons Positivity,