Grades for fall semester were due yesterday....ahhhh, a little sigh of relief. But it doesn't last for long. This also means we started full-time clinicals yesterday. This means not only 50+ hours of clinicals a week, but two classes starting in January. I volunteered for this why?!
Some clinical days are better than others. One day things will "click" and I will be reassured in my decision to pursue this career, but then days like today, when nothing goes right makes me question if this is really for me. No quitting now though....I've got way too much time, money, and will-power invested!
I am definitely looking forward to Christmas. We have the WHOLE week off! I'm going to be spoiled getting to sleep past 5 am for 7 days straight. Just gotta focus on getting my shopping done!
So, how were the grades?! 2 A's and 2 "B"s. In quotations because those B's were a 90 and 91....A's in my book!! I'll take that any day though.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
What goes around, comes around...
Interviews for the class of 2012 were last week and I can't believe it's been a year since one of the most gut-wrenching days of my life! When I left Erlanger that day I thought I'd never be back, and a year later here I am. If I can do it, anybody can! The stars must have been aligned that day. Rumor has it there were applicants from 13 states, even one from Hawaii. (I can't imagine what would make one want to leave Hawaii to come to Tennesee and endure 27 months of torture!!) But just as we were all so oblivious as to what we were getting into, I'm sure it's the same story this time around.
It's amazing at how much we've all learned since May and I'm sure it will be even more evident when the new class starts in 6 months. I think we are all looking forward to having a couple of people around that make us feel a little competent!
Clinicals have been interesting lately with the national shortage of so many drugs we have all come to love and depend on....rationing the "milk of anesthesia" has forced us to learn about ketamine and brevitol, who knew there was anything out there besides propofol??
We start full-time clinicals (7-3) December 9th. I'm somewhat looking forward to it, only two classes as compared to the four we are taking currently, but am unsure how I'll manage to survive without an afternoon nap at least once a week! And we also start taking call in January....I'm hoping for a few quiet nights here and there.
I will officially be done with core MSN classes (Ethics, theory, research) on December 2nd and might just have a party to celebrate! What a load of miserable torment.
Off to get a little R&R before my day tomorrow in the GI lab....without propofol, it should make for an interesting day!
It's amazing at how much we've all learned since May and I'm sure it will be even more evident when the new class starts in 6 months. I think we are all looking forward to having a couple of people around that make us feel a little competent!
Clinicals have been interesting lately with the national shortage of so many drugs we have all come to love and depend on....rationing the "milk of anesthesia" has forced us to learn about ketamine and brevitol, who knew there was anything out there besides propofol??
We start full-time clinicals (7-3) December 9th. I'm somewhat looking forward to it, only two classes as compared to the four we are taking currently, but am unsure how I'll manage to survive without an afternoon nap at least once a week! And we also start taking call in January....I'm hoping for a few quiet nights here and there.
I will officially be done with core MSN classes (Ethics, theory, research) on December 2nd and might just have a party to celebrate! What a load of miserable torment.
Off to get a little R&R before my day tomorrow in the GI lab....without propofol, it should make for an interesting day!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Another manic Monday...
Clinicals are in full swing and going about as well as can be expected. It's been a challenge to even do the things I used to feel competent doing as a nurse. All of a sudden, starting IV's, putting on EKG pads and writing orders seems like rocket science! I could have sworn I was an ICU nurse for two years! We've had so much information shoved at us in the past 5 months, it's scary to realize how little I knew. Trying to retain all that new knowledge is another story....
Dealing with the different personalities has definitely been interesting. The sad thing about the medical profession is a lot of practitioners "eat their young". Don't get me wrong though, there are plenty of wonderful, knowledgeable, friendly CRNA's and MDA's out there, but many times the bad ones overshadow the good. I can understand how frustrating it might be to deal with a new group of students every year, but you think these people would realize that before they sign a contract to work at a "teaching" hospital. I try my best to just take it with a grain of salt, smile and nod, and check any ounce of competence I may have at the door.
Research is one of the most pointless, useless, time-wasting classes I have ever suffered through. What have I learned? That I hate research. Enough said. (I also advise anyone who is reading this that might be considering going to UTC to take this class before starting anesthesia school and also take it somewhere else!! just make sure it is the 4 hr. class)
The other 3 classes are bearable, but studying is a constant in my life. I feel guilty if I sleep past 8 am on the weekends, take more than a 10 minute shower, or spend more than a few hours away from my books/notes. I don't even think I have any clothes to wear this winter, but I have no time to shop! (I will have to make that a priority in the next few weeks)
Sadly, we have already lost two classmates due to personal reasons. If the rest of us can just make it through to January, hopefully things will begin to look up. Everyone always asks how school is going and my answer is usually some version of "it sucks". Then I get the dreaded "It will all be worth it in the end"....I know that, or else I would have quit already, seriously. I just try to remind myself that this too, will pass.
Back to the books!
Dealing with the different personalities has definitely been interesting. The sad thing about the medical profession is a lot of practitioners "eat their young". Don't get me wrong though, there are plenty of wonderful, knowledgeable, friendly CRNA's and MDA's out there, but many times the bad ones overshadow the good. I can understand how frustrating it might be to deal with a new group of students every year, but you think these people would realize that before they sign a contract to work at a "teaching" hospital. I try my best to just take it with a grain of salt, smile and nod, and check any ounce of competence I may have at the door.
Research is one of the most pointless, useless, time-wasting classes I have ever suffered through. What have I learned? That I hate research. Enough said. (I also advise anyone who is reading this that might be considering going to UTC to take this class before starting anesthesia school and also take it somewhere else!! just make sure it is the 4 hr. class)
The other 3 classes are bearable, but studying is a constant in my life. I feel guilty if I sleep past 8 am on the weekends, take more than a 10 minute shower, or spend more than a few hours away from my books/notes. I don't even think I have any clothes to wear this winter, but I have no time to shop! (I will have to make that a priority in the next few weeks)
Sadly, we have already lost two classmates due to personal reasons. If the rest of us can just make it through to January, hopefully things will begin to look up. Everyone always asks how school is going and my answer is usually some version of "it sucks". Then I get the dreaded "It will all be worth it in the end"....I know that, or else I would have quit already, seriously. I just try to remind myself that this too, will pass.
Back to the books!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Not enough time to think of a snazzy title!!
Clinicals are in full swing and with four classes on top of that, our plates are pretty full! My first week in the OR in children's was much better than I anticipated. I actually liked working with the little ones and the fast turnover meant there was never a dull moment. I intubated several kids, mask managed a few and even got to do a caudal (pretty much an epidural for a child). Although I wasn't sure of what I had done until it was over with and I started breathing again!
Last week and for the next 5 weeks I'm in the main OR at Erlanger just trying to learn the ropes and figure out all the crazy personalities....and there are lots of them! I think most of our anxiety revolves around our CRNA/anesthesiologist team that we are assigned to for the day. Let's just say that some are less intimidating than others. I've mostly been doing hands-on "skill work", IV's, intubations, mask ventilating and a little bit of charting. Once we get deeper into our pharmacology class and start learning more about the anesthetic drugs we can focus on the 'big picture'....until then I just try to get the tube in the right place and stay out of the way!
Last week and for the next 5 weeks I'm in the main OR at Erlanger just trying to learn the ropes and figure out all the crazy personalities....and there are lots of them! I think most of our anxiety revolves around our CRNA/anesthesiologist team that we are assigned to for the day. Let's just say that some are less intimidating than others. I've mostly been doing hands-on "skill work", IV's, intubations, mask ventilating and a little bit of charting. Once we get deeper into our pharmacology class and start learning more about the anesthetic drugs we can focus on the 'big picture'....until then I just try to get the tube in the right place and stay out of the way!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Early to bed....early to rise
My days of sleeping in are almost over! I've got to learn to function on 6-7 hours of sleep (if I'm lucky!!) instead of my usual 8-9. Clinicals start Monday so it'll be up by 4:30 for clinical days, M, Tu, Th, Fri...and 5 on Wednesdays (my "sleep in" day!). So we got our clinical schedules and of course I start out in the children's OR, by myself....there will be a senior student there, but no one else as virginal as me!! My senior "big sis" who was assigned to me at the start of the program was nice enough to take time out of her day this afternoon to show me around the children's OR (TC Thompson) which helped to ease my anxiety to some degree. I've never worked with kids much less even intubated an adult yet, so it should make for an interesting week! Hopefully, just like nursing school, I will be able to look back at laugh at all the silly little things I stressed over, but for now I think a little Xanax wouldn't hurt!
We were told today that interviews for the new class have already been set for November (letters haven't been sent out yet though)...it seems strange that it's almost time for interviews again! How time flies!
We were told today that interviews for the new class have already been set for November (letters haven't been sent out yet though)...it seems strange that it's almost time for interviews again! How time flies!
Friday, August 7, 2009
1 semester down....6 to go!
Summer semester is over, and fall classes resume August 17th. I'm trying to enjoy my last real break between now and graduation. Of course Daniel starts back to school Monday so while my classmates are at the beach, I'm stuck here in Gadsden!!! I've come to terms with it though. I've got a whole week to get some shopping done, not to mention this weekend is AL's tax free weekend!
My second day in the OR wasn't much more exciting than the first...I did start an IV, put down an OG and chart, but no "tube dance" yet. I'm sure I will have plenty of opportunities come fall.
Grades have been posted for the summer, and here is my "report card":
Semester: SUM 1 2009
NURS THEORY- B
ADV HEALTH ASSESSMENT-A
ADV HEALTH ASSESS LAB- A
Semester: SUM 2 2009
DIVERSITY/ETHICAL ISSUES- A
AD ANAT/PHYS NUR ANESTH- A
INTEG HEALTH SCIENCE NUR ANEST- B
I can live with those grades, especially since a "B" is now an 85-92 on the grading scale!
Fall is reportedly the most stressful semester of the program and I've heard things will finally start to "click" around April of next year...if I can make it til then, I've got it made! I'm not much of a morning person, but that will soon change. We will have clinicals for 4 hours a day, 4 days a week from 7-11 am. Although our scheduled start time is 7am, we are required to have our rooms set up and ready to go by 7, so for the first few weeks we will all be getting to the hospital around 5 am. (every week day except Wed.) On Wednesday mornings we will get to sleep in and won't have to be at Erlanger until 6 am! Wednesday mornings are set aside for clinical conference (discussion of cases, etc.) The afternoons are reserved for class time and the schedule is as follows:
NURS 501 NURS RESEARCH W 830-1200
NURS 543 AD ANAT/PHYS NUR ANES II TH 1230- 300
NURS 545 PRIN NUR ANES PRAC-BASIC W 130- 400
NURS 581 AD PHARM FOR NUR ANES I M 1230- 300
I've heard most of Research is online but we will still meet every other week, so this gives us Tues. and Fri. afternoons off. I guess I might have to become a coffee drinker too!
My second day in the OR wasn't much more exciting than the first...I did start an IV, put down an OG and chart, but no "tube dance" yet. I'm sure I will have plenty of opportunities come fall.
Grades have been posted for the summer, and here is my "report card":
Semester: SUM 1 2009
NURS THEORY- B
ADV HEALTH ASSESSMENT-A
ADV HEALTH ASSESS LAB- A
Semester: SUM 2 2009
DIVERSITY/ETHICAL ISSUES- A
AD ANAT/PHYS NUR ANESTH- A
INTEG HEALTH SCIENCE NUR ANEST- B
I can live with those grades, especially since a "B" is now an 85-92 on the grading scale!
Fall is reportedly the most stressful semester of the program and I've heard things will finally start to "click" around April of next year...if I can make it til then, I've got it made! I'm not much of a morning person, but that will soon change. We will have clinicals for 4 hours a day, 4 days a week from 7-11 am. Although our scheduled start time is 7am, we are required to have our rooms set up and ready to go by 7, so for the first few weeks we will all be getting to the hospital around 5 am. (every week day except Wed.) On Wednesday mornings we will get to sleep in and won't have to be at Erlanger until 6 am! Wednesday mornings are set aside for clinical conference (discussion of cases, etc.) The afternoons are reserved for class time and the schedule is as follows:
NURS 501 NURS RESEARCH W 830-1200
NURS 543 AD ANAT/PHYS NUR ANES II TH 1230- 300
NURS 545 PRIN NUR ANES PRAC-BASIC W 130- 400
NURS 581 AD PHARM FOR NUR ANES I M 1230- 300
I've heard most of Research is online but we will still meet every other week, so this gives us Tues. and Fri. afternoons off. I guess I might have to become a coffee drinker too!
Friday, July 31, 2009
1st Day in the OR
Today was my first "official" day in the OR...a sort of mini-clinical before the real thing in September. My day was mostly observational, and I came in at 11 so the morning rush was over. I received some good advice: "Learn something new every day, even if it's only where the restroom is!" Here is what I learned today:
1.) At Erlanger, OR rooms 1-12 are to the right of the surgery board, the rest are to the left. I learned this after my instructor told me to go observe in room 6 and started walking down the hall to the left.
2.) If your CRNA tells you to sit in the breakroom for 5 minutes while she runs a quick personal errand, your instructor WILL happen to walk in the breakroom and ask "Do you need something to do?"
So, even though I didn't get to intubate or place an LMA, I learned two valuable lessons. Hopefully Tuesday in the OR (the 6:30-11 slot) will be more interesting!
1.) At Erlanger, OR rooms 1-12 are to the right of the surgery board, the rest are to the left. I learned this after my instructor told me to go observe in room 6 and started walking down the hall to the left.
2.) If your CRNA tells you to sit in the breakroom for 5 minutes while she runs a quick personal errand, your instructor WILL happen to walk in the breakroom and ask "Do you need something to do?"
So, even though I didn't get to intubate or place an LMA, I learned two valuable lessons. Hopefully Tuesday in the OR (the 6:30-11 slot) will be more interesting!
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