Coming Up for Air

I made it! One week down and 15 more to go for this semester. My first week of nursing school was filled with excitement, doubt, anxiety, wonder and just a touch of external genitalia.

I started the week going to my clinicals. Of course we're not in a real clinical setting right now, but we go to the hospitals in about 2 more weeks. Our instructors walked us through the syllabus and going through some of the things we can expect out of our experiences. Some of the major assignments were discussed as well as the grading procedures. Later in the week we had our library orientation which included signing up for all of the websites we will need to access for the semester. One of the really exciting things about my school is that there is a lot of computer based testing and online facilities that will help us learn the skills we need to learn. In addition the faculty seem to really be a dynamic group of people who are working together to assist us in becoming the best nurses we can be.

I have to admit that all of the introduction stuff can make you want to crawl up in one of those comfy looking hospital beds at the side of the room, but I think each week will prove to be more interesting and fun. We did get into a couple skill however. I can now wash my hands effectively as well as make your bed (with you in it of course), and I can give you a bed bath while remaining completely professional when I find your tattoo that says, "Easy Lovin'"

There was a lot of reading this week and there remains a lot of reading and preparation for next week, but I'm looking forward to it. I am really glad that I made a detailed schedule for myself. It not only includes my class schedule, but my work schedule, study schedule, dinner schedule and play schedule. The instructors tell us that about 30 - 35 hour of preparation out side of all of our classes should be expected. At first I thought that might be a little extreme, but after my first week I'm beginning to think that that is pretty accurate.

Time to go read some more......

-DV