Here's a link we were given this week to find further Dosage Calculation problems for Nursing Students:
http://www.alysion.org/dimensional/analysis.htm
If you are considering nursing school...you would be very wise to go ahead and learn about Dimensional Analysis! In my ADN program, we are required to take a Dosage Calculations Test every semester! First semester we must pass with 80% proficiency or better. If we do not pass, we have ONE more opportunity to retake it. Second, Third and Fourth Semesters we have to pass with minimum of 90% proficiency. I'm thinking there are only 10 questions.
There are people who do not pass and have to end up dropping out of the program b/c they did not pass the required Dosage Calc Test during their first semester. If you've been reading my blog, you'll know I took the Dosage Calc class this past summer in order to prepare me. It's not a required class--but it can help if you are feeling a bit insecure about your math skills (and unit cancelling). Our class focused on using the Dimensional Analysis method (there are other methods--fractions/proportions which are being phased out of many nursing programs).
Obviously, the last thing I wanted to do was to get into this competitive program, quit my job and then get dropped from the program after week 2! So it was worth the $150 for the class (tuition/book) and the time. It was frustrating at times...but now I feel adequately prepared and confident I will do well. For all the problems that I do now...it's rare for me to get one wrong. So I am confident I will do well. Our first official Dosage Calculations Test will be Sept 17th.
Some other problems that some 2nd Year students found are located here and here. The answers are provided for the first link...but they don't offer DA for how to check your work. The second link does not have answers attached (sorry).
Well, this was the first official week of fall semester. All in all a good first start! I have clinical on Wednesdays, lab skills on Thursday afternoons and then lecture/theory on Friday mornings. Those three components make up our NUR 108 course which is called "Fundamentals of Nursing" or Nursing I. Not sure what the equivalent is for other ADN programs. Clinical did not meet the first week and will start next week. For our first 3 weeks we'll be at a long-term care facility (aka nursing home) and will be "gently" broken into the clinical experience that way. After that I will be at UVA for clinicals. Which kinda adds another layer of excitement/stress.
Donated platelets today and ran into a gal who is starting her 2 year at the same school. It was good to hear from her about her experiences. Everyone's experience is different, but I like hearing about it. Helps prepare me.
Not much freaking out. I do have moments when I have to calm myself down and basically remind myself: "This is something you can do...THOUSANDS of nursing students survive and graduate every year. You are intelligent and organized and will do well". Positive self-talk...but it's true. I have totally surprised myself in my ability to do well the past year with some tough classes. It will get tougher, and I may struggle...but I can do this. I think nursing school is going to be a multi-vitamin to my prayer life!
I do need to apply an update about expenses thus far (Boy am I grateful for my scholarship!!!)
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Countdown Begins
Next Thursday it all begins. Not nervous yet. But it's kinda like a first date. Only excitement and hopefulness in weeks or days leading up to it...but as the days approach irrational fears kick in and nervousness ensues. What am I doing? Am I cut out for this? Will I survive? Do I have what it takes? Have I just signed myself up for another 2 years of being single?
The fears jump out when I least expect them and I have to talk myself down with "Think about it, Joy. There are thousands who have gone before and survived! There are those who survive the program while managing their families. You are smart, tough and determined...You too can make it!" Then I pray and ask the Lord for peace and grace and faith. He has not lead me into this to abandon me. So after 60 seconds of crazy heart-palpitating nervousness...the peace comes. I expect I'll be having more and more of these moments over the next six days. Once classes start and I have a sense of how things will be...I will be okay. It's the Type A in me that wants to know how it will all go down before it goes down! ha.
I noticed we've been given online (Blackboard) access to our NUR 108 class already. Have I gone and peaked? Nope. Normally I am waiting--practically holding my breath while waiting for online access to our class...so curious. But not this time. Thankfully I've been distracted this past week with adventures in DC, so while I got an email that I had access...I just ignored. I better take a peak tomorrow--to see what I'm not aware of. They did send us a snail mail letter with all sorts of readings for our first day of Skills Lab (Thursday) and lecture (Friday)... but I have yet to buy my books. Such a slacker! Actually I've been waiting for my scholarship monies to be made available to the bookstore. I was hoping to buy books this past Monday when I was on campus (taking ITE 118 credit-by-exam), but the line was like 40 people long! Now I remember why I've bought my books online up until now! But with my scholarship it's preferred that we buy our books from the campus bookstore. No big deal, just less convenient (and more expensive!)
Work is over! I'm giddy to contemplate what it will mean to have those 40 hours a week to spread around to other necessary activities. Running/going to gym (school's) again! Yay! Join a Group Bible study again! Cooking more! And of course more time to study and practice my nursing skills. AND, Lord willing, maybe find room to date or at least spend more time with my friends.
I just got home from spending most of the week in DC with a new friend, but today before I left town I drove up to the National Health and Medicine Museum located at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It was nice to just lazily walk around and see what they have there (they are preparing to move it to another location). One of their ongoing exhibits is "From a Single Cell" which provides some unique views of teeny tiny babies who are just a few weeks old in-utero (but did not survive for some reason). They also showed the Discover Channel's 50 minute DVD "Conception to Birth" where they followed nine women through various parts of pregnancy and birth (and death). I think there were about four women that they actually showed laboring and birthing (non-graphic)...I shed a few tears and gulped back a couple sobs as the babies popped out. Just so amazing and beautiful. All too poignant as my friend Rebecca just birthed her second daughter while I was in DC! :0)
Well, I better get to bed. Hope to do some mass cooking tomorrow, see the new baby and perhaps pick up textbooks if the bookstore is open. And if I'm feeling on-the-ball...maybe I'll even get some reading done for school. hmmm?
The fears jump out when I least expect them and I have to talk myself down with "Think about it, Joy. There are thousands who have gone before and survived! There are those who survive the program while managing their families. You are smart, tough and determined...You too can make it!" Then I pray and ask the Lord for peace and grace and faith. He has not lead me into this to abandon me. So after 60 seconds of crazy heart-palpitating nervousness...the peace comes. I expect I'll be having more and more of these moments over the next six days. Once classes start and I have a sense of how things will be...I will be okay. It's the Type A in me that wants to know how it will all go down before it goes down! ha.
I noticed we've been given online (Blackboard) access to our NUR 108 class already. Have I gone and peaked? Nope. Normally I am waiting--practically holding my breath while waiting for online access to our class...so curious. But not this time. Thankfully I've been distracted this past week with adventures in DC, so while I got an email that I had access...I just ignored. I better take a peak tomorrow--to see what I'm not aware of. They did send us a snail mail letter with all sorts of readings for our first day of Skills Lab (Thursday) and lecture (Friday)... but I have yet to buy my books. Such a slacker! Actually I've been waiting for my scholarship monies to be made available to the bookstore. I was hoping to buy books this past Monday when I was on campus (taking ITE 118 credit-by-exam), but the line was like 40 people long! Now I remember why I've bought my books online up until now! But with my scholarship it's preferred that we buy our books from the campus bookstore. No big deal, just less convenient (and more expensive!)
Work is over! I'm giddy to contemplate what it will mean to have those 40 hours a week to spread around to other necessary activities. Running/going to gym (school's) again! Yay! Join a Group Bible study again! Cooking more! And of course more time to study and practice my nursing skills. AND, Lord willing, maybe find room to date or at least spend more time with my friends.
I just got home from spending most of the week in DC with a new friend, but today before I left town I drove up to the National Health and Medicine Museum located at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. It was nice to just lazily walk around and see what they have there (they are preparing to move it to another location). One of their ongoing exhibits is "From a Single Cell" which provides some unique views of teeny tiny babies who are just a few weeks old in-utero (but did not survive for some reason). They also showed the Discover Channel's 50 minute DVD "Conception to Birth" where they followed nine women through various parts of pregnancy and birth (and death). I think there were about four women that they actually showed laboring and birthing (non-graphic)...I shed a few tears and gulped back a couple sobs as the babies popped out. Just so amazing and beautiful. All too poignant as my friend Rebecca just birthed her second daughter while I was in DC! :0)
Well, I better get to bed. Hope to do some mass cooking tomorrow, see the new baby and perhaps pick up textbooks if the bookstore is open. And if I'm feeling on-the-ball...maybe I'll even get some reading done for school. hmmm?
Monday, August 9, 2010
Preparing for Semester Two
Grades are back and I am grateful to have managed an A in the Dosage Calculations class. There was no certainty about it--as we left our last class with only one known grade (which for me was a B on our first quiz). So I was pretty giddy when grades were posted this past week). So...another 4.0 semester. Yay!
I attended and passed the CPR certification (for healthcare professionals) this past Saturday. So I've FINALLY jumped through all the hoops of the initial stuff. Please do not stop breathing. That would not be good.
Fall semester (Semester 2) starts the week of August 23rd, with my first class on August 26th. I still need to buy textbooks and the "nurse in a bag" thing with all our supplies for the semester. Feeling oh-so grateful for my scholarship!! Still need to buy petite uniform trousers and sew on patch to the top. My to-do list is a mile long. The first thing on my schedule (the day after my last day of work on Wednesday) is a Dentist appointment...next thing is to get my car to the mechanic (exhaust issue, idle issue, oil change, state inspection...). Nothing urgent...just ideal time to do it. I also need to go shopping to pick up some "business casual" clothing items for the fall semester. My closet it rather bare--as it's currently more casual and less business...but then again, it IS SUMMER! And I'll also need to be enrolling in health insurance (I'm looking at doing it through the National Student Nurses' Association--accessible via www.studentinsuranceusa.com). I'll also probably be obtaining liability insurance through NSNA too.
My last day of work is Wednesday of this week. I have a friend who has invited me to dinner on Wednesday night--so it's a GREAT excuse to not work late my last night (& to celebrate a little). It's going to be a crazy week. I feel for the new hire--just too much to absorb. He'll do great--he just needs to get to know people and get a few Sundays under his belt. God is good.
Later.
I attended and passed the CPR certification (for healthcare professionals) this past Saturday. So I've FINALLY jumped through all the hoops of the initial stuff. Please do not stop breathing. That would not be good.
Fall semester (Semester 2) starts the week of August 23rd, with my first class on August 26th. I still need to buy textbooks and the "nurse in a bag" thing with all our supplies for the semester. Feeling oh-so grateful for my scholarship!! Still need to buy petite uniform trousers and sew on patch to the top. My to-do list is a mile long. The first thing on my schedule (the day after my last day of work on Wednesday) is a Dentist appointment...next thing is to get my car to the mechanic (exhaust issue, idle issue, oil change, state inspection...). Nothing urgent...just ideal time to do it. I also need to go shopping to pick up some "business casual" clothing items for the fall semester. My closet it rather bare--as it's currently more casual and less business...but then again, it IS SUMMER! And I'll also need to be enrolling in health insurance (I'm looking at doing it through the National Student Nurses' Association--accessible via www.studentinsuranceusa.com). I'll also probably be obtaining liability insurance through NSNA too.
My last day of work is Wednesday of this week. I have a friend who has invited me to dinner on Wednesday night--so it's a GREAT excuse to not work late my last night (& to celebrate a little). It's going to be a crazy week. I feel for the new hire--just too much to absorb. He'll do great--he just needs to get to know people and get a few Sundays under his belt. God is good.
Later.
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