Yet I'm able to post comments. Am I in the Twilight zone again?!

Having trouble posting. It says "saving" terminally and doesn't save. I'm also unable to log out, as it goes right back to the dashboard. Seems to be a Blogger problem.

let dusk ascend

Ever have one of those days where you feel out of sorts? thoroughly discombobulated? That was my day, today. It probably doesn't help that I awakened in the wee hours of the morning, 2 a.m. to be exact. Rather than lie there fitfully trying to go back to sleep I decided to do what I do when insomnia strikes and that is to get on the computer. Module 1A & B were due today for psych class, and I had a bit left to go before it was finished. That I did. After checking my usual stuff on the 'net, I set out to finish writing up what was left.

That has to be the worst thing about not having a laptop. It can get incredibly uncomfy sitting here at the computer desk all day. I could never work at a desk job, that's for sure!

Anyway...

By the time I'd finished it was about 4:30 a.m. and I went into Blackboard, which is our online classroom forum. Wouldn't you know it when I tried submitting the assignment it kept shooting an error message at me, "please enter a valid file".

Excuse moi?!?! I haven't spent hours on this for you to call it invalid!!!

By this time I'd grown weary and decided rather than have a complete and utter meltdown that I would head back to bed. My thought processes at that time were to the effect of, maybe by the time I wake up later in the morning, whatever this glitch is will have miraculously worked itself out.

Wrong!

Because I have to supervise the boys in their morning routine (from my bed) it was about 6:45 a.m. by the time I'd fallen back to sleep. A lot of times I only sleep for about an hour to an hour and 1/2 tops. I slept until 9:45 a.m.!!! That right there is a major reason for my discombobulation, most assuredly!

Miracles didn't happen in the world of Blackboard and of course the assignment wouldn't upload in my later attempts. Grr. I'd emailed my professor earlier, and had received one back. She referred me to the man who is now my favorite techie!! He ended up having to submit the assignment for me after I'd attached it in an email to him. He told me to download Mozilla Firefox, because Blackboard usually works better with it.

Where has Firefox been all my life!!?? Certainly not on my computer, but boy am I glad SuperTechie pointed me to it! Normally I use Verizon Yahoo as my browser, and when it doesn't work for me (which happens quite often) I switch to IE.

I am now converted and happily so!

My whole morning had been thrown off though. Originally I was supposed to go up north and take my first exam for A&PII today. Since I have my opthalmologist appointment in a nearby location to where I have to go for my exam Monday, yesterday I emailed my professor and asked if it was ok to take my exam then. Gas prices are rising for some gosh-darned reason, ya know! And who wants to drive all that way? Certainly not me! Big B's the commuter of the family and we're keeping it that way. (I really hope to not be eating those very words next year about this time, if I have difficulties finding a job nearby).

I just couldn't shake the weird feeling I had all morning. Actually I still feel like my moons aren't in line or something. Harumph!

I either need some serious retail therapy, a vacation, a day at a spa, or heck maybe even psychotherapy! If you've read this entire post...bless you!

final decision

As many of you that have been with me since the inception of my blog know I had thought about transferring from my current program to a different program.

After careful consideration I have chosen to stick with my current program.

WHY?!?!?!

I'll gladly fill you in:

*current program is not privately accredited, although it is state approved
This still holds true. This issue is still important to me, but I believe things are changing. Will it happen during the next (my final) year? I cannot answer that.

*current program is on the July '08 State Board of Nursing report as being one of the programs in the state with a less than 80% NCLEX pass rate
I believe my class, and maybe even the class that just graduated, may be the benchmark for exceeding the pass rate of the July '08 report.

*current program in a state of transition due to previous instructors leaving just prior to classes starting this August
This turned out to be a blessing.

*One of the replacement instructors walked out after being forced to by the second year students because they didn't like her teaching style(yeah, that speaks volumes about so much, but it is not what is at issue here).
Good riddance.

*The dean of nursing, who has been teaching our intro class, has not been able to answer questions from us students, that a dean should be able to answer. Examples of such a question include general information about ATI testing, or information about classes of the upcoming semester.
We no longer deal with the Dean as she's gone back to her perch at the main campus. Any questions I've had since have been, or are being, addressed.

*The instructor who came back is actually an awesome teacher, but it's not certain she will remain past the spring semester.
She is remaining as adjunct faculty, and will be teaching the Cardiac portion of material during our 3rd semester.

*When we've been taught skills we're taught one day, tested the following week, and that's it. Those skills are not re-visited, at all, the rest of the semester. There is no skills final. Because of my previous medical training (Air Force medic, and Medical Assistant) I am ok with this, so far. What about later when we're learning other skills that are new even to me? I can't imagine being one of the students in this program who have no experience. Some of them have voiced their concerns over not being sure about their vital signs skills.
What's done is done. The program is being revamped for improvement.

*This semester we were in lecture a total of three hours(two for intro and one for basic skills), and lab 5-6 hours, during the "on" weeks. Our intro class was a "hybrid" class and the off weeks were spent online answering some sort of nursing related question:
The nursing process is defined as being composed of five phases: assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate. Which of these phases do you believe is most important to the delivery of high quality nursing care, and to the achievement of positive client outcomes? Do not respond that all of the phases are equally important – that evades the question. Demonstrate critical thinking in the argument you present to support one phase over the others.
The (worthless) "intro" class we took is no longer a part of the program. Classes have been switched around.

*one hour a week dedicated to basic skills?
They've increased the amount of time dedicated to Nur 105-Basic Nursing Skills lecture from 1 to 3 hours, and lab remains at 6 hours. Pharmacology has been moved from second semester, and only half semester in length, to the first semester. It runs through the entire length of the semester.

*next semester we have two hours for Nursing Principles and Concepts I, six hours for its lab, 1 hour for Principles of Pharmacology, and two hours for Mental Health Nursing. Supposedly this semester they were extending the latter two to span the whole semester, whereas in the past they've been eight week courses, first pharm, and then mental health. I've heard they'll be changing it back?
Once again, what's done is done. In my opinion Mental Helth could have been a hybrid, if not only online class, but that's just because of the way it was taught.

*We start our first clinicals this spring, after which we will no longer be in lab. So we'll go from 6 hours of lab a week, to only clinicals Wednesdays and Thursdays 6:30a-12:30p.
Quite frankly clinicals went well (we learned tons) and I don't think having lab time during would have been anything more than redundant and exhausting. Real world experience beats out working on dummies any day!

*there is no availability for open lab to practice
Wouldn't you know it, they've opened up the lab for summertime use! Hopefully they'll be able to slate times during the regular school year for people to utilize open lab, in case they wish to hone their skills.

This fall we look forward to what we've been told by the departing second years/graduates is our hardest semester. Bring it on! Teach me! We have a full day of lecture on Mondays, to include maternal/baby, med/surg, peds, principles and concepts II, and the different body systems. Tuesdays we have our health assessment class. Wednesdays and Thursdays we spend all day in clinicals.

The changes I've mentioned aren't the only ones taking place. I am working with my director to start a student nurse's association for our program.

Bottom line there is no perfect program. With all the improvements being made in my current program I was leery to transfer and the grass not turn out greener on the other side. I'm comfortable and at peace with my decision.

Change of Shift

Yesterday, Codeblog posted the most recent of Change of Shift. Topics include several items nurses and nursing students might find useful, if not just plain interesting! I've included a link to 100 Useful Job Search Tips for New College Grads over on my sidebar under "Gems for Nursing Students". It's all-inclusive, so even if you're not even graduating with a degree in the nursing field you may find the article useful. Check it out!

they strike again

Two female Labrador Retrievers for sale....lowest bidder takes both!


The above photo isn't even from today...they were probably being bad some other day a while back.
Please excuse the (bad) quality of the following photos. The point is sure to be fully understood, quality of the photos not withstanding.

Minnie was the only one brave (read::stupid) enough to go investigate what the travesty of CWF (Canine Wrestling Federation) caused today in my living room.

The girls' antics pulled the curtains down and the left-sided curtain bracket clean out of the wall, screws and all!

nurse jackie

Any Edie Falco fans out there? I didn't know who she was until I'd seen a few episodes of The Sopranos that Big B used to watch. I thought she was great as Carmella.

As many can attest the profession of nursing is very poorly represented in the media. I've seen a few blogs on the subject and wrote a post of my own. Around the time of my post, and I don't remember where I saw it, I saw something about a new Showtime show that would be premiering Spring 2009.

It is time. (Said in the solemn, monotone voice of Rafiki from Lion King.)

Nurse Jackie premieres Monday, June 8, 2009, at 10:30 p.m. Hopefully it will do the profession proud! One of the main characters is a first year nursing student, Zoey.



Here's a video from the "From the Behind the Curtain: Real Nurses, Real Stories" page of the Nurse Jackie website:

ho hum diddly dum

If I would have been one of the chosen ones I would be starting an externship today. In lieu of the pressure of the level of activity (work) my summer classes I know it's a good thing I didn't get either of the positions I applied for. It still hurts. Knowing my girls would be up and at 'em this morning readying for their first day I texted the two I have numbers for and wished them luck. Later on as I was working on my A&PII schtuff I had to reflect on the fact that it is indeed a blessing. There's just no way I could do it all. As is said, things happen for a reason.

duct tape please

I'd posted my status on Facebook recently as something to the effect of "I'm falling apart" and a friend commented "You need duct tape". It made me laugh. If only it were that easy.

work found at http://spoofe.tripod.com/art1.htm

My PCP wrote referrals for GI, ENT and opthalmology. I need to see GI and ENT specialists for my lump in throat sensation, as my CT scan came back clear. I need to see the opthalmologist for my vitreous floater.

It's time to dig out the referral to the OBGYN that my PCP wrote up and make that appointment. I'm convinced that it is time to switch OCPs, or go off them altogether. While taking the generic version of Seasonale is helpful for reducing the number of migraines I suffer from, it is not helping as far as other PMS symptoms go. That's if you could even call it "PMS". About six weeks into the pack I start having rapid mood swings, and basically feel like Queen Bitch. If that's not all bad enough now I'm having spotting, and haven't even missed any pills. That may just be TMI, but along with everything else I'm thinking duct tape is sounding pretty good right about now. It even comes in pretty colors!

and the emmy goes to...

Ok, it's not an Emmy. It's even better, cuz it's personal! LivingDeadNurse over at Living Dead Nurses Psycho Ward gave me this award:



I am honored! Thanks LivingDeadNurse for making my day!