Clinical Time

Break is over...how did that happen so quick??

Week six is off to a fast start!  Two full days of lecture as a junior nursing student complete.  This course is a whole six weeks long.  This is the longest course so far.  The previous three courses (yep three courses in five weeks) were only one or two weeks.  This course involves med/surge, or medical/surgical.  I have heard from other nursing students that this class is one of the ones to dread.  We have a professor we haven't had yet and so far she seems pretty good.  However, today, we learned all about diabetes from our program director.  I really enjoy her lectures, she is thorough and explains everything in detail and relatable to our level.  I feel like a diabetes expert after today!  Well, maybe a basic expert. 

This course is worth 12 credits...6 for lecture and 6 for our clinical rotation.  We have class Mondays and Tuesdays, and then, since I was placed in a nine hour clinical (not 12) I will have clinical Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 6:30am-4:00pm.  Day 1 is tomorrow!  I have my uniform all washed and ready to go.  I tried it on tonight...

This is so not a flattering picture...I'll blame it on my exhaustion.

 I am so nervous, but as I sit here now, I feel ok.  I know tomorrow as I am driving to meet my carpool buddies, I will be in full panic mode!  Our program director told us on day one of this program as well as today to make either a mental note or write in an actual journal how we feel going in to clinical.  Then we are supposed to compare this night's journal (blog) entry with the night before our last day of clinical in a mere 6 weeks.  The difference will blow us away...I am looking forward to seeing that for myself.  She said, as Express students, we are always the most nervous (check) but, we are also the group that soars the fastest (hopefully check).  Based on our backgrounds, a previous degree and life experience, after the first couple days of getting introduced to everything, it clicks and we will apparently do really well.  She said very emphatically, " TRUST ME on this one!!"  I sure hope she is right!

July 2, 2013
The night before my first clinical rotation
I am nervous.  I am anxious.  I am mildly excited. I probably won't sleep well.
My first clinical rotation, I think, is dealing with internal medicine.  I will for sure be with adults, most likely older adults.  Our first day is our orientation day, so we may not even see or touch an actual patient.  I am most overwhelmed with forgetting what we have learned thus far.  Our professor today reassured us that we are expected to know what we have been taught, nothing more.  Our clinical instructor will know tomorrow is day 1.  We are supposed to be nervous, anxious and uncomfortable.  We will meet as our group of 8 at 8:30am and stay until 4:00pm (a little later than our normal time). 

 

I am still finding moments where I am in awe at the fact I am in nursing school.  It has been a long journey and still a long way to go.  I am excited to actually get a glimpse of what nursing is actually like and to actually use the skills I have learned with real patients.  I hope my first day goes well, and my nurse is friendly and excited to teach (and not bothered by the insane amount of questions I will ask).  I also hope I have a patient who is thrilled to have a student nurse with them all day.

I must remember to breathe, trust myself, ask for help and always speak up when I do not know something.  Off to bed to try and get some sleep before my early alarm.