Nursing School: Week Two

September 2, 2018


Normally this is the part where folks would say "time slow down please" but not me. 
I look forward to the weekend because I can:
  • Go to sleep without setting an alarm and know that I'll still wake up at a "decent" hour.
  • I can study all day and not feel guilty for watching one or two episodes of something on Netflix. (Side note: American Horror Story comes back this month and I'm pumped. I hope it's amazing!) All the good tv shows come back in the fall,  smh. Waste my summer, not fall when I should be facing my books.
  • I can take care of all my adult chores I neglected during the week. 

Even though I worked this weekend I still have a 3 day weekend because I have Tuesdays off.
Image result for raise the roof gif

This week we really got into the "steak and potatoes" of our coursework. Up until this point, everything has been a refresher of my CNA course. Now it makes sense why some hospitals let students become an extern after their first semester.

In terms of notetaking in lecture, I think printing out the slides + recording lecture seems to be working. 
I told my oldest sister I'm going to start listening to lectures in my sleep and she laughed hysterically at me. 
I was being serious.  
I digress, printing the slides allows me to actually pay attention during lecture without frantically trying to write everything down. Anything I miss is on an audio recording. I've also noticed when I listen to the recording there are certain things my professors will repeat so many times or they'll stress something with their tone of voice.
Pretty clear indication it may be a test question.



This week for campus clinical we actually got to do stuff! Stuff that I already do at work but it was still nice to practice.

Some of the skills we performed:
  • Bed baths on each other (minus perineal care)
  • Oral care on each other
  • Denture care
  • Applying a nasal cannula
  • Applying + Removing a condom catheter
  • Perineal care on male and female mannequins
  • Weight and height + calculating BMI
  • Breast exams 
  • Care for obese patients.
  • Changing beddings 
  • Making a closed, open and occupied bed
  • Turning a patient
  • Feeding each other
  • Applying SCDs
  • Applying a TED sock
When we were applying the TED socks someone said: "Oh it's like applying a condom."




I had to pretend like I was coughing to play off the fact that I was laughing like a child.
Why was that the first thing that came to mind?
Of all the things?
It's literally a compression sock with the toes cut out.
Like putting on pantyhose. 

I found out I've been applying nasal cannulas the wrong way at work.
This whole time I thought I was doing them a favor by putting it behind their head but apparently, it needs to go behind their ears.
Behind the head was a comfort thing.

Incentive spirometers should be used with adult supervision. 
This turned into a game for us because we were trying to see who could get the highest number.
This is for patients to use after surgery + anesthesia.  It opens up the lungs and decreases the risk of developing postoperative pneumonia by inhaling slowly. 
The key according to our professor: " the longer and slower you suck the higher your number will be."


I don't know why people don't like wearing SCDs.
These felt like a massage chair for your feet + legs.

Fun fact: The proper name for a FUPA in males and female is a Pannus.
FUPA - Fat Upper Pelvic Area
Pannus or Panniculus.
A pannus is a dense layer of fatty subcutaneous tissue in the lower abdominal area.
Used in a sentence: The gentleman pictured above has a rather large panniculus.


Thursday we went over case studies that are similar to questions we'll see on our exams.
Real world application-based learning helps everything makes sense.
It's also very scary.
One of the many things I learned this week: Never push or bolus  Potassium Chloride.
You will kill your patient INSTANTLY.
My professor said, "No need to run and grab the crash cart, they're already dead."


Friday we had a guest lecture from the 1st dean of the college. 
This woman is sharp!
When our school was still a diploma program people were expelled for having a social life.
They were also expelled for getting married while in the program. 
That's wild.
It should be noted that my school used to be an all-girls diploma program and college.
 The first man was admitted to the program in 2004.
That's basically yesterday. 

I'm happy we finally have a regular schedule. I'm still taking (shorter) naps. I need help meal-prepping. Working while in school may not be feasible.  I'm dreading actually moving because I opted to buy a small car instead of an SUV and all my friends drive small cars as well. I'm in so many group messages it's slightly overwhelming, but always entertaining. One of my professors said to me "You must be an extrovert?" and I said "Ew"(EL OH EL).  I need to get a flu shot for school, soon. My mentor has already dropped some solid gems on me.  Still debating on what to do with my hair. I need to stop dressing like a dust bunny for class.

Happy New Month! 
As one of my friends told me "good things happen when you least expect them to."
So cheers to not setting any expectations this month.
Other than good grades on my exams.



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