Study, study, rest… then study some more June 7, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Uncategorized.Tags: Kaplan, nclex, study, tips
1 comment so far
So after I got all excited about studying daily I actually did it! Well, for four days… After that I was burnt out. I’m talking: online Kaplan lectures, reading the book, answering questions, and going over rationales… then reading some more. Yeahhh… not to mention my internal clock is set to wake up at 6:00 (sometimes 5:30!!!) no matter what. I was studying till lunch, watching an hour of TV, reading a little more, then taking a nap till my kids got home from school. (Yes, I take naps.) After dinner, I had my Kaplan class. NOT FUN. Don’t get me wrong, studying was going well, Kaplan was great… it’s just that I couldn’t continue that pace by the fifth day! I need a new plan…
Oh, by the way!!! Here is a tip: Take Kaplan with a friend or two! Seriously! I was lucky because most of the people there were from my graduating class, so there was no initial shyness… no worries about looking stupid for giving the wrong answer. It was easier to ask questions in class. It was awesome! Contrast that to a class I had to make up with the majority students from a “rival” school. Awwwwkward. They’re nice I’m sure, but I felt like they weren’t critical thinkers… hard to explain. Unlike my peeps, they didn’t really talk through the questions… and puh-leeze, how can you NOT know that Tylenol is potentially hepatotoxic?
lmao maybe I’m a little biased…
Anyhoo… I gotta go. It’s almost naptime. =)
The dreaded NCLEX June 1, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Uncategorized.Tags: Kaplan, nclex, review, schedule, worry
1 comment so far
The thing that nursing students fear the most… even worse than the fear of all nursing school exams combined!!! The fear, the worry, is so bad that people (me) would plunk down hundreds of dollars for a review course. Yup. It’s the NCLEX-RN.
Ever wonder why we fear the darn thing? Well, it could be because it’s a computerized adaptive test (CAT) and that practically every review book or course instructor tells us it’s “nothing like we’ve ever taken before”. OR it could be that all our years of hard work on care plans, med cards, flow charts, research papers, examinations, etc. are riding on those 75-265 questions. AND just the fact that it could last up to 265 questions or up to 6 hours is so intimidating!!! BUT in the end it really is just a test. Sure we pay a lot to take it, we paid a lot to even be qualified to take it, and maybe even paid a lot to review for it… but ahhhhhhh!!!!! It’s just a test.
Just a test. Hmmm. I’ll let you know after take it… (but I’m not saying when!)
For now I am sticking to waking up at 6:00 am and studying… I’ve mapped out the chapters I want to read in Saunders and the (Kaplan) QBANK tests I want to take daily. Yes, daily. It actually works out perfectly for when I plan to take my test. I just have to stay disciplined and actually study.
I know… I know… you’re thinking, “How long will THAT last?” I’m skeptical, too, but I figured if I put it out there I’m binding myself to it. Ya know?
Anyway, happy Tuesday!
And so it begins… May 27, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Uncategorized.add a comment
Read chapters 1 to 7 in Saunders
Answered questions in chapters 6 & 7
I wish I did more but it was an uphill battle just getting through those chapters. I kept falling asleep. LOL The first few chapters were “easier” and/or shorter… not so sure if I can go at the same rate (7 chapters/day) throughout the entire review book. I think to get through the remaining 70 chapters in one month I am going to have to tackle 2 to 3 chapters a day. Yikes.
I get my Kaplan book tomorrow. I think. So I’ll be reading that too. Fun times.
The Graduate May 26, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Uncategorized.2 comments
Well… I did it! I’m just waiting on my grades to come in from 3 more classes, but I am 99% sure I passed. Two classes I was hecka worried about turned out to be one A and one B… so yeah.
Graduation was great, but the Pinning Ceremony was even better! (I went to both.) I didn’t cry, but I was close to it. You guys, it was so beautiful. I wish I could explain, but just hearing from the faculty speakers and our student speaker. Seeing pictures of fellow students from the last 3 years… hearing my classmate sing a song she wrote for our pinning. *sigh* It was the best ever!
Of course now it’s 3 days in to the new week. I’ve just gotten my ATT (authorization to test). Thank you, Pearson Vue. I haven’t scheduled my NCLEX yet because I am so freaking worried about WHEN to do it!!! What if I’m not ready? Eek! I ended up choosing Kaplan over Hurst or ATI. I start next week. I am also using Saunders to review content… I still have my ATI books and access to my ATI tests. It is so nerve-racking! Not to mention all my relatives are asking when I’m going to take the NCLEX. haha no pressure…
I’ve also started applying. How discouraging to hear about how bad it is for 2010 grads. I just wanna tell the newspapers and the news media to shove it. lol Oh well. Thanks to some savings, I can survive for a couple of months… maybe three without a job. After that I’ll be relying on the mercy of God. And my parents. Ahhhh kinda sad…
Anyway, I am going to stay positive. Optimism is not my strong point, but I will try my best. Hopefully I can chronicle the ups and downs on this blog? I know it’s been neglected over the last couple of months, but that’s part being busy and part being kinda embarassed of how stressed out I was. For some reason nursing students are supposed to have it all together, but I felt for a while that I didn’t. Let me tell you, I was stressed the eff out!!! I was literally going from deadline to deadline. There was hardly any down time. I am soooo glad that’s over… Or is it?
Still have much studying to do! First… make a schedule.
Stress galore (but I’ll spare you the gory details) May 4, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Student Life.3 comments
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Had our last nursing lecture. Ever. Unless I ever decide to come back for more (i.e., post-bac) haha
So many things to finalize still, assignments to do, papers to write, my g.e. classes are killing me. I have an essay due tonight, another essay and 2 papers due next week, and another paper due on finals week. Of course, there are finals to worry about too. Arrgh!
Note to other nursing or pre-nursing students: don’t put off your g.e. classes till your last semester. By then, all you want to do is focus on your nursing classes, study for the NCLEX, and start applying for jobs. Ha!
I miss reading your guys’ blogs… I swear I’ll try to catch up. Really, really.
Update!!! April 30, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Clinical, Student Life.1 comment so far
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I know, I know… I’ve been a very bad blog-friend. The only thing keeping me from feeling too guilty is the belief that you all have been just as busy while I was afk. =)
Lots has happened in the last month. Obviously. For the most part I’ve been busy with writing essays and papers for my classes, that I have no brain space left for blogging. Seriously. I mean, I even Tweet less these days. (I know! Who’s too busy for 140 characters per Tweet?!?)
Anyway, I think my last post I had just gotten a letter to let me know that I am on track to graduate. Recently, I received a letter from the BRN to let me know what other items I need to complete my application–basically my transcripts, which will be sent off by my school right after I graduate (*knock on wood*). All I have to do is register with Pearson VUE $$$, which I will do soon. After they get confirmation I am eligible to test, they’ll give me authorization to test (ATT). Then and only then can I even sign up for a test date. At least, that’s my whole impression of the process.
Catch all that? lol
I’m almost done with my clinical hours. My time in the ICU has been great! I feel like I learned a lot about what it means to be a nurse. Just to be able to apply theory and evidence-based practice gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling. (I know! I’m still in that honeymoon phase…) Anyway, I guess what I mean is that in previous semesters I was doing things because I was *supposed* to do them… now I know why I do them. Not that I didn’t know back then, but being in my senior year, my last semester, I can really just focus on the my role as a “nurse”, instead of worrying about what forms and paperwork I need to fill out for my instructor. It helps too that my preceptor is awesome! She has really allowed me to grow as a soon-to-be nurse. Sure, there are plenty of days I still feel like a student. (I am a student! lol) But I feel more confident now that I did, say… last year and even just this past semester.
My senior project hours in the skills lab are almost at an end, as well. My kiddos (haha) have their comprehensive skills final next week! It’s been great to work with the 1st year nursing students. What an amazing feeling to see them grow. Seriously. The students I really enjoy having are the ones who want to know how they can improve. The best part about teaching is when you see the concepts finally click. We try to push the critical thinking aspect, because anyone can memorize a skill; but do they understand the WHY behind it all? Listen to me, all excited. =) It makes me think about going into education one day. Not soon, but some time in the future…
My grad invitations have been mailed out. I’m just waiting for people to R.s.v.p. to the pinning. I’m disappointed that our tickets are limited, but that’s another story for another post. Or not.
Let’s see… what else? I have to start applying to jobs soon. Somehow I feel like I should have been job hunting sooner. Argh! Hopefully I’m not too late to the party and can still get something close by!
Other than that, things are great. I am stressed out, but I am surviving this semester and right now that’s all that matters. I hope you all are doing well with school (or work). Take care!
Happy Friday!
Prepping for graduation! March 27, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Mommy stuff, Student Life.Tags: 6th sem, blogging, BRN, BSN, busy, final semester, graduation, pinning, schedule, student nurse, worry
4 comments
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I got a letter to confirm that my graduation date is this May! That is assuming the completion of in-progress classes.
What a relief! I was a little worried, some of my classmates were too. I think it’s natural to worry. I mean, there’s the excitement of being in your final semester, and the dread that there’s gonna be one little thing to hold you back. I noticed my GPA and tried not to be too disappointed with it. I wonder if I can still salvage it to graduate with honors… I suppose I can ask my adviser. I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to ask, yeah?
I turned in my transcript request yesterday. It will be sent out to the BRN after my degree posts. (Yay!) I have to get my fingerprints done and passport-type photos taken. I plan on mailing my application to the BRN this Monday. (Or today… are post offices still open on Saturdays?)
Let’s see… I’ve gone ahead and ordered invitations to the main graduation ceremony and to the pinning ceremony. So exciting! All I need to do is buy my cap and gown… and order my GK honour cords and stole!
I am so close to the finish line!!!
When I started this program 3 years ago I thought to myself, “Three LONG years!!! Am I ever gonna finish? Will I make it through???” It hasn’t been easy. There have been sacrifices. I’ve many times had to choose between my kids and study time, till I finally decided I could balance them if I just let go of my straight-A mentality. I’ve had two relationships that couldn’t survive nursing school… but I’ve found this year I am actually less stressed without a man in my life. (LOL!) There have been some friendships that I lost due to drifting apart, but that’s life… I’ve also made new friends through nursing school to balance me out.
The most important thing about these past years is that I finally figured out what I wanna be when I grow up. I want to be a nurse! A damn good nurse. I was a little iffy at the beginning… wondering what was this thing that I was taking on? Am I nurse-material? Talk about going in on faith! (Don’t people usually have these things figured out before they dive in? LOL apparently not me.) Now… I am so glad I went for it! Even with all the doom and gloom of the economy I am still optimistic about this profession. =)
Anyway, I’m on spring break… sort of. I won’t be going out of town or anything exciting since I have a few papers (yes plural: paperS) due the week after break. I’m sure I’ll be on here trying to get away from writing… by writing. (Don’t ask me how that makes sense…)
Happy Saturday!
*cough cough cough* March 24, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in General.Tags: blogging, busy, sick
2 comments
59!
I think I’m sick again. Dangit! I mean, I’m not even sure I got completely better the last time. Of course, I didn’t make a follow-up appointment (silly me with all my free time and all). For weeks I’ve just felt like there’s this stuff that I can’t clear from my throat (I know, eww gross, tmi. But you’re nursing students you’ll get over it.) Anyway, so yeah the only way to really clear it is to cough. Lately though, I’ve had a sore throat and I’m thinking it’s from all the “coughing”… then I developed a dry cough and now my chest hurts from coughing. *sigh* So it’s off to see the doctor tomorrow.
I know I haven’t really posted much lately. I need to jot down my ideas of things I could write about so I don’t totally space out the next time I sit in front of my computer, and then end up writing about my phlegm like I just did. (haha sorry) I did listen to my own lungs (though I’m not sure how effective that is) and they sounded fine.
This is it for now. I am going to make a to-do list for tomorrow and end my night with some reading. I hope you are all well.
2 weeks March 16, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Clinical, Student Life.Tags: busy, classes, ICU, mentoring, midterms, preceptorship, senior project, student nurse
3 comments
Wow it’s been 2 weeks since I last posted? I wish I could say that I was on vacay and just having so much fun that I didn’t have time to post… but alas, that isn’t why I’ve been away. To be honest, I forgot my password and I didn’t bother till yesterday to reset it.
So far I have 2 midterms out of the way. (Yay!) I have one more coming up. I’m just glad they aren’t all lumped together in 1 week. There is much writing (essays) left to do and I’ll probably be using my spring break to do that. Fun fun…
Senior focus is going well. I am really enjoying the ICU. =) I love the work environment… who ever said the ICU is filled with a bunch of loners? lol The nurses work together and have great communication. I get a really good vibe there, like it would be an awesome place to work! I’ve found that your 3 best friends in ICU are: the unit clerk, the RT, and the charge nurse!
Senior project is also great! I have fun testing the 1st year students. If your nursing program allows you to do that, I recommend it! Not only is it helping me brush up on my skills, but the teaching aspect of it helps me to think of skills more critically than when I was the 1st year student nervous to pass the skill.
Sorry I don’t have any stories. When I think of something I’ll let you know!
Medical stuff #3 March 2, 2010
Posted by futurenightnurse in Medical Stuff, Medical Terminology.Tags: anti-depressant, definition, medication, side effect, yawngasm
2 comments
Yawngasm. Under adverse effects for a certain tricylic antidepressant:
“Rarely, patients taking clomipramine [Anafranil] experience yawngasm. A spontaneous orgasm while yawning. This unusual side effect, which affects both males and females, may be considered adverse or beneficial, depending on one’s own view of such things. In at least one documented case, yawngasms strongly influenced adherence, as evidenced by the patient asking how long she would be “allowed” to continue treatment. Although data are scarce, one might guess that the occasional yawngasm would help relieve depression” (Lehne, 2007, p. 335).
*giggle*
The Life of a Student Nurse 