Week 6...or is it Week 1?

My 5 week classes have officially ended. That last week was a doozy. All the work paid off, though. I managed to ace my Fundamentals lecture final and get an A in the class. Two weeks into that class I was certain I would only get a B. I was just starting to get the hang of that class and now it's over. Don't get me wrong. I will not miss 3 days of 3 hour long lectures in a row with a test each week.

I also got an A in Fundamentals Lab. It was a low A and I should be happy but I'm not because it should have been a breeze. I stunk at the weekly quizzes (Spell check tells me there are 2 z's in quizzes. I did not know that at the time, but it makes sense.) Each quiz had 10 questions and I always read the chapters ahead of time but I still managed to miss one or two on each. Whatever. It's done.

I am still in Pharmacology. I got an A on the last test so I do have an A in the class. However, I still have many more tests this semester, including one this week (week 7).

I have one week of Med-Surg lecture and lab done. I don't know how I feel about the lecture other than being glad it's only once a week. Lab is going to be interesting. The skills have stepped up a bit and my instructor is not intimidating as long as you pay attention to her...and I will. The quizzes are only 5 points and, true to form, I missed one on the first quiz. That's a stinking C. What is it about nursing questions? They're not normal. And we were already told they don't give A's in this lab. That's encouraging. If they only give B's, maybe I'll only do the work for a B. Nah, I'll still work my butt off for an A and then feel suicidal when I get that B. I guess it's good to know early on.

I also have a week of clinicals done. This semester I am at a long term care facility (nursing home). Thanks to HIPAA regulations, I won't be writing much about my experiences. This past week I basically followed a CNA around trying to help out and learn from what she did. It was a bit chaotic and depressing. I'm looking forward to having a partner and focusing on one resident so I can get a better feel for the entire process. Each week I should have a new resident and probably new CNA's to work with so by the end I will have wide range of experiences.

Wow. This semester is flying by. (Sarcasm is lost in type.)

Week 5

Today is the beginning of week 5. This is hopefully the hardest week of the semester. We are finishing Fundamentals and the Fundamentals lab. I have a regular exam Wednesday and a final Friday (yes that's two days apart). And nestled snugly in between those tests is the hardest Pharmacology test of the semester. So, if you are doing the math, that is a test Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The final on Friday is not only cumulative but it also has 5 brand new chapters. "When will you have time to study all the new material?" you ask. That is a good question. Thursday night will be very long.

I'm so tired. I sleep, but it's low quality sleep. I have nursing concepts swirling relentlessly around my head all night like fever dreams. I spend each day a bit more tired than the last. I spend almost every free minute studying. I go to bed and read an additional pharmacology book. I'm going to have to take off this weekend. No reading at all. Hopefully I will catch up on good sleep (and some cleaning).

Right now I have a B in Fundamentals. I got a B on the first two tests and an A on the third. It could go either way this week. In Pharmacology, I got an A on my first test, but it is the easiest test of the semester. I think I am just fine in lab, but I have no idea how this last week will play out.

People said the first semester goes by quickly. I don't know what they were smoking.