You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January 2008.
I report to my floor tomorrow morning for my first day as a registered nurse a little nervous and a lot excited.
What’s with the economical paper and perforated edges? I was thinking this would be something special to frame and hang next to my BSN diploma, but I clearly overestimated the Texas Board of Nursing’s superficiality, materialism, and swirly artistic ability. Cheap rat no-talent bastards.
Just kidding, President Rounds and Executive Director Thomas. An ugly license is still a license I’ll treasure and guard with my life.
My beloved BON was also kind enough to include a black and white copy of the mug shot taken the day of my NCLEX. Ok, now that’s low.
Oh…. styled – “to call by a given title or appellation.” Well, at least I get a new name badge!
1. Tiny pockets perfect for pens and scissors on my scrub pants make me happy.
2. I would like an electronic stethoscope, please.
3. Fried yuca tastes SO good!
4. Saturday is my favorite day of the week because I don’t have to wake up to an alarm.
5. Persistance is my best feature.
6. We could learn so much from each other.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to staying warm, tomorrow my plans include shopping for more long-sleeved tees to wear under my scrubs (to stay warm) and Netflix’n, and Sunday I want to see our high school’s production of Grease (and stay warm)!
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By next Tuesday my classroom orientation will be over, and I’ll start orienting to my floor. Hopefully then I’ll have a lot of material for blogging. (I’m excited to be able to focus more on nursing topics.) This past week has been good, if a little boring giving the fairly dry material we cover – hospital policies and procedures. Now we’re going over the newly upgraded computer system and learning how to document, place orders, and administer medications. The last day will cover some skills check-offs as well as include CPR certifications.
My hospital assigns colors to various departments and positions. Though not technically sanctioned by the administration, I can wear different colored and patterned tops underneath. The particular assigned color lends itself well to pairings with a variety of colors, so I’m happy. I like simplicity with a little personality.
I’m looking for a quality cardiac stethoscope by doing a little on-line research on stethoscopes as my current one is of the “bought cheap for nursing school” variety. It was once a pretty, clear glacier blue (inspired by a lovely, clear lilac one used by E.R.’s Carol Hathaway), but I failed to anticipate the cruddy, clear yellow-green it would become. I don’t really know if a particular brand is better than another, so feel free to pass along your experience and advice.
The same goes for these z-coil shoes. Does anyone wear them? I’ve only known one nurse who did (and she swore by them), but she was also a little kooky. I wear diabetic socks now (have since my first clinicals) with running shoes, and I just want to know if those coils are worth the price (and funny looks from everyone else). I’m determined to start off my nursing career on the right feet.
U-Necked Pullover
Lover’s Knot Afghan
Jaywalkers
Edit 02/10/08 – The jaywalker has been frogged.
I got to just past the heel before trying it on to find it was too small. I may try another pair later with different yarn as I liked the stripe effect. I don’t like Lion Brand’s Magic Stripes at all (bought on sale); the two other socks I’ve made with it are itchy and not any softer after repeated washings.
1. The last compliment I got was from the nurse giving me a TB test today; she said I had a pretty name .
2. I’m reading Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King.
3. I woke up today and thought “What time is it?”
4. Why does it have to be so cold?
5. The last thing I ate was an egg sandwich.
6. January… is the month I officially became a nurse.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to watching TV and working on my friend’s engagement gift, tomorrow my plans include buying scrubs and a new stethoscope and Sunday, I want to go for a morning run!
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After the initial excitement gave way (hell, yeah!), I found Pearson’s way of announcing NCLEX results quite sterile and unsatisfying. Why aren’t there trumpets playing in the background? Fireworks? The very least they could do is tack on an exclamation point after “pass.”
* price of using the unofficial Quick Results versus waiting four weeks for official word from the board of nursing; also price of maintaining mental health
Three weeks ago I scheduled my test, and now I’m waiting for my results. I knew what to expect this morning, but nothing fully prepares you for the experience that is the NCLEX.
I walked into the testing center at 7:30a and took the glass elevator to the second floor. The small, dim reception area was already full with only eleven people. I took a number and stood in the back. The proctor soon began calling numbers and processing people for the exam. I sat down when a chair became available and was attacked by threatening waves of nausea. I took off my jacket in hopes that the nausea was just a result of nerves mixed with an uncomfortably warm room. I was ready to bolt if necessary, but the waves passed until I was left with a familiar knot in my stomach.
“12?” I walked up to the desk and handed the woman my drivers license and a print-out of my Authorization To Test. She was friendly and made small talk while inputing the information and checking papers against IDs. “How do you pronounce your last name?” I told her. “What are the origins?” I told her that, too. She then took my electronic signature and fingerprint scan. “Ok, sit in that chair for your picture.” It was a bit early for the spotlight on my face, and I noticed the camera next to it sat low in an angle not remotely flattering. “Look at the camera, and I’ve got it.” No time to smile, though no one did. I put my purse in a locker and held onto the key.
When my name was called, I walked past the desk to another woman holding a dry erase board, marker, and ear plugs. More instructions and another fingerprint scan before she escorted me past a door to my computer station. I adjusted my seat and glanced up at the camera over my head.
The exam began after a short tutorial. The test itself was just what I expected: some drug math, questions I immediately knew the answers to, questions I reduced to two answers, and questions that required complete guesses. There weren’t too many of the last kind, and I was feeling pretty good about the exam.
I started watching the numbers at 65. The countdown in the top right corner of my screen indicated I had just over four hours left. After question 75, the screen blanked for a moment; for that moment my cool confidence gave way to a sudden burst of doubt, but that panic was just as quickly replaced by relief that I was finished. A survey popped up, and I began answering questions about my testing experience. Halfway through the survey the screen blanked again to ask me if I wanted to take the first scheduled break. (After two hours, you can take breaks whenever you want.) I clicked no and finished the rest of the survey.
I raised my hand to have the proctor escort me from the room and scan my fingerprint one more time before I could leave.
I took the four day Hurst review in October and studied with the book (given to us during said review) before my HESI exit exam and the NCLEX. I highly recommend this review for NCLEX preparation. Of course, I don’t know my results yet, so…
Update: PASS!!!
Will lived on the first floor of my dorm during freshman year. He was tall with deep-set eyes and an endearing awkwardness. One night a group of us were walking back to our dorm after leaving the school’s movie theater, and he hung back to poke me between jokes. I remember thinking how childishly sweet he was. A few weeks later he asked me out.
That weekend my roommates went home, and I had a lazy Saturday to myself before getting ready for the night. I was wearing a “borrowed” pink top and black skirt after trying on several outfits, unsure of what he had planned. He came to my door to pick me up wearing dress pants, a button-up shirt, and his short, curly hair slicked back.
We went to Applebee’s where he recommended the chicken-fried steak. I don’t remember what we talked about, but I do remember that there were no awkward silences. We just never ran out of things to say to each other. He seemed completely at ease, so different from the general silence that he exhibited when others were around. The only clue to any inner anxiety came as we got up to leave the restaurant when he removed a large pile of napkin shreds from his lap and placed it on the table.
Once in his car, he offered me some mints while we headed back toward campus for a concert. He admitted that it was a concert he had to attend as a music major, but he promised that it would be good. We arrived about fifteen minutes early, so he pulled out pen and paper to challenge me to a game of tic-tac-toe. We managed to squeeze in several games before the lights flickered to signal the beginning of the concert. It was lovely, and I sneaked a few glances at him to find him completely engrossed in the music.
At the end of the night, he walked me back to my door. I hugged him and thanked him for showing me a good time. It was the best date I’ve ever had with someone I knew deep down I wasn’t interested in dating again.
He and I remained friends after that one date, and I remained slightly frustrated that he couldn’t let everyone see the charming, funny guy underneath the shy exterior.
Will later dated another friend for almost two years. He originally intended to go to law school but then ended up at a NY culinary school instead. I was happy to hear the news because it seemed perfect for him. He’s now engaged to a sweet girl and working at a fabulous restaurant in Atlanta.
I still listen to the cd of classical music he gave me for my birthday that spring. I haven’t seen or spoken to him in several years, but I occasionally look him up on Facebook to see how he’s doing. He deserves the best.
Click here for more dates…
