Weeks 4 & 5

Hi all,

Sorry I was unable to write a blog last week. I got very busy with studying and with different projects while working in the Graduate Admissions office. Boy, this grad school thing sure does keep you busy. Anyways, I will give you an update on the past 2 weeks!

So week 4 was filled with exams! I was signed off on the remainder of my vital signs in order to perform these tasks in the clinical setting. I had my first clinical pharmacology and health assessment exams on Monday and Wednesday. I spent the weekend studying for pharm and the beginning of the week focusing my attention on health assessment. Clinical pharm was basically an intro to the detailed information we will be learning throughout the year. Health assessment included everything we learned in class on the interview with the patient, abdomen, heart, and lungs. I ended up doing well on both of these exams. However, I did feel like I had a justified argument for a couple of the questions I got wrong on the health assessment exam. However, when I asked about the wording of these questions, I was told that they were actual questions taken from past NCLEX exams. Although I still feel like these questions should be worded better, I need to stop thinking too deep into questions and adding information and just answer the question based on the information provided.

Week 5 included 2 more assessments! Basically every week until the end of the semester is going to consist of studying for an exam or writing a paper!!! This week included my first math meds and professional nursing exams. The math assessment included a majority of the conversions that we have gone over in class. This is essential to every nurse in order to properly obtain the correct amount of medications prescribed to the patients in a clinical setting. The professional nursing exam covered everything that we have learned up until this point, including topics ranging from legal aspects and communication to mobility and skin integrity. I felt very prepared and I thought that Janine did a great job preparing us for this exam. All in all, I was very pleased with the results from these exams as well.

During both Friday clinical rotations, we were assigned an individual patient to care for throughout our day at Lahey. I was pleased to find out that both of my patients were extremely compliant and willing to help me in any way possible. Since it is a teaching hospital, the patients and staff at Lahey have become accustomed to helping out the nursing students. I am especially grateful for the nurses that I was paired up with throughout each day. Both of the nurses that I was paired up with were in the process of teaching 2 relatively new nurses (both who graduated from undergrad this past May and passed the NCLEX exam). Since I spent the majority of the time with the new nurses, I felt like we could connect with me on an even greater level. I felt comfortable with them because I knew that they were in the same position that I was in preparing for the NCLEX exam only 1 year ago. I definitely feel like I am learning a lot while at my clinical rotation. While there, I get to learn the ins and outs of the hospital as well as the daily routine of a nurse. As the weeks go by, I find each day to run even smoother than before. I am getting better at reading charts, taking vital signs, evaluating patients, finding items in clean utilities, etc. I am very grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to learning more in the future!!!

That's all for now! Next week is a short week, seeing as I only have 1 day of class and my clinical rotation. But I will let you know how that goes next week!!!

- Katie : )