I'm still alive!!!
I made it through finals!!!!!! B's all around, but that will do. I mean, there are people who failed the class, I can at least be happy with my Bs.
Let's reflect a little bit on the past semester. It's been a LOOONG HARD road, but another under my belt. I started clinicals this semester. I've bathed many bodies, changed several beds, administered medications (both pill and injection form), I've checked glucose levels, given IV pain meds, STARTED AN IV (whoo-hoo!!), emptied catheter bags, seen a catheter put in, and many other little bits and pieces of this whole nursing deal. I took tests where I thought I wouldn't come out alive,I've done oodles of other fascinating skills on dummies for practice. I can take blood pressure, and do head to toe physical assessments. I can analyze your diagnosis. Show me your chart, and I'll do wonders with the paperwork and critical thinking to figure out your plan of care. HOLY CRAP, I'M REALLY GETTING INTO THIS NURSING THING. I can't believe that in 3 more semesters, people's lives will be 100% in my care. SCARY!!!!!!
In January I'm doing this internship at Princeton Hospital. I'm scared to death! To my understanding, I will be with a nurse, and I will help her do all the daily stuff taking care of adults on the floor. I'll have about 6 patients, and after the first week or 2, I'm mostly on my own. Independently working to ensure the care and safety of human beings like you and me. This sounds so obvious, I know. But when I step back and realize what all I will be expected to do, it scares me to death. It is going to help TRAMENDOUSLY however to prepare for Adult Health 1 class next semester. I need to do this so I won't freak out so much in the actually hospital setting. I'll let you know how it goes in January.
Until then, I'm home, I'm mostly unpacked, and I'm ready for Christmas to hit full blown. I gotta get started on some shopping for all those wonderful people I love. Hard part is, I don't know where to begin. However, I do think I will start with haircut, cause my poor head needs it. Patrick will be home on Wednesday, so I'm pretty excited about that. I was sick last weekend when he came home, so we pretty much just sat around my house all weekend. Hopefully this next visit will be a bit more exciting. I get to do Christmas with his family this year on Christmas Eve, then maybe he'll come with my family for Christmas day lunch. (we'll see about that one). Graves family Christmases aren't exactly how they used to be. We'll just see this year.
I hope all of you have a wonderful break!!!!!!! For all your Hoover kids, we should do lunch! :) Love you all, and I'll try to update a bit more. MERRY CHRISTMAS
"The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and will give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High!'" -Luke 1:30-32