This past May marked the end of my third semester in nursing school. I was told before hand that it would be the hardest because we would have so much more to juggle with more classes and a lot more clinicals. Fortunately, I did not have to drive to another city this year for my Med/Surg clinicals, but I still felt all over the place.
This semester included Med/Surg II, Women's Health, and Pediatrics. Med/Surg was a lot of fun and I am starting to see and feel that I might actually be able to be a decent nurse. During women's health clincals I was in labor and delivery and got to witness a c-section...and yes I almost passed out. I have observed longer and bloodier procedures, but when I smelt the burnt flesh and saw so much blood quickly rise out of this woman's stomach that was it. Good thing there was a stool in the corner. It was embarrassing at the time, but now I look back and can't help but laugh.
I have been trying to narrow down what kind of nurse I want to be and this semester really shook things up for me. I got to experience a day in the life of a nurse in a clinic. I must say that a 9 to 5 job with an hour lunch break and weekends/holidays off seems really nice. Alas, I really think I need to step it up and get my hands dirty in a hospital setting.
I also got to spend some time in a dialysis center. For a long time I have thought of working at one and doing community education classes as well. After spending a year and a half at the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii there is a special place in my heart for people on dialysis.
Crossing the boarder into Arizona for clinicals was another treat. I got to spend the day at a special education school up by Window Rock. It was an amazing facility with modern hogans, a green house, art studio, etc.... it was nice to see people come together for these special kids.
So as I mentioned before this was a hard semester. I don't ever remember crying on the phone to my parents before...and I did it a lot. I spent the entire semester wondering if I was going to pass. My teacher decided to not give us study guides and we all suffered for it. I know she meant well, but when you are tested every week (sometimes twice a week) over so much information old and new, you are going to need a little help. Fortunately, I made it through!!! Unfortunately, some of my friends and classmates did not. They will be held back to repeat Med/Surg II and it is scary to think how close I came to not passing.
My fourth and final semester starts at the end of August. I am both excited and scared. There are six students who did not pass forth semester and will be in my class now. I am trying not to compare myself to them, but it's hard not to. Things will go fast and finals will come about a month and a half before the end of the semester. This gives us time for our preceptorships were we will be working one on one with a nurse. Ahhhhhh!! Breath! It's going to be a bumpy ride ,but I am looking forward to it.