Learning To Have Patients

Celebrating Success & Facing Failure

2011-07-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

I did it. I graduated Nursing School. Never in my life have I felt such a sense of accomplishment. Nursing School was one of the

most difficult obstacles I have ever overcome. Many life changes have happened during this time; the birth of my special need son and going through a divorce just to name a few. I feel so blessed to have so many people who cared enough to push me when I was about to give up. My mother and sisters for babysitting and offering moral support. For my dear nursing friends who never gave up on me and refused to let me give up. Noelia, Ana, Kim, and Diala. Names that will always have a special place in my heart! Success is so much more sweet when you can share it with the ones you love. One of the sweetest moments during our Graduation Ceremony was watching my 9 year old son clap and wave as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma. That moment alone, made it all worthwhile.

Nursing school took me a total of 6 years to complete. Every day I would think of how I could not wait for it to be over. However, when it's over...it's not REALLY over! The entire time we are preparing for our dreaded state boards. The NCLEX. This is the licensure exam that gives nurses the title "Registered Nurse." Well, provided you pass the boards that is. Studying, studying, and more studying. Exam after exam. Practice test after practice test. It all builds up to the big day.

So, there I was, sitting in a cubicle along side 8 other nurse wanna-be's. Now, when taking the NCLEX you can get anywhere from 75-265. Usually if the computer shuts off at around 75 you know you did well. When I hit 76 questions, I started to get really nervous. Then I hit 100, 150, 200, and finally 265. I was devastated. I knew I failed. After I hit 200, I felt like I was just clicking answers. Everything was a blur. The next day I received confirmation that I did in fact, FAIL. I felt like a failure and extremely humiliated. It was so difficult! How could I fail this? I spent the last 6 years of my life preparing for this exam! All I can do is study hard and hope to nail it the next time around.

I guess this serves as an important lesson that failure is a part of life. We just have to take it for what it is and go with it!

The Pits

2009-11-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have posted. I have been having a hellish semester, to say the least! I am doing my Adult Med Surg class right now and I feel like I am drowning!! Help!! I am excelling in my clinical but the tests in this class are nothing less than impossible!! I have done fairly well in all of my other classes....but this one is a beast!! I hope I survive!!!

My L&D Nightmare!

2009-08-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read the latest post over at At Your Cervix....you really need to go over and read it. It just is a great example of how nurses do and should advocate for their patients!! Sometimes we can fall into the hands of the wrong professional, and things could go terribly wrong!!

I was 21 when I had my first child and extremely naive. I had no major problems and a relatively healthy pregnancy. About 8.5 months along, I was not feeling well and voiced this to my Dr. several times. He convinced me that this was very normal being so close to my delivery date...and I figured it was. My due date was Sept 9th and that came and went in a flash. I was constantly having unbearable pressure and unsteady contractions. Finally, the evening of Sept 28th....I knew it was time. My contractions were about 3 minutes a part and intensifying very quickly. I was ready. I with my husband checked myself into L&D and was relieved to find out my Dr. was already there. I could barely handle the pain...I was having back labor. The nurse checked me and I was about 3 cm dilated. The doctor came into the room...looked at me and said "I'm not sure if we are even going to keep you.....I don't know if this is actual labor yet." WHAT!! Are you friggin kidding me man!! I am almost 3 weeks over due and feel like something is going tear me in half!! He left the room and I told the nurse I was not leaving....she agreed with me that I Was in fact in labor. About 4 hrs later I received and epidural at about 5.5 cm dilated. The next morning, my doctor turned off my epidural and yanked up the pitocin....I felt like I was going to die....as most women do when in labor. He kept yelling at me to push...except...I had No urge to push at all and I was still numb from the epidural. He got the vaccum out, cut me every which way, and tried to pull my son out. He was stuck. Then he tried forceps...nope...no dice. Then he cut me some more....didn't know I had anything left to cut!! He put the vaccum back on my sons head and kept pulling while yelling at the nurse. Finally my son was delivered and not breathing. He had swallowed meconium from all the distress during labor.

He was then intubated and taken to the NICU...luckily he recovered quickly...but we did have to leave him at the hospital a week after my discharge. I however could not even sit down. I had to sit on my side at all times. It was so incredibly painful and uncomfortable....did I mention that

his colleague was in pure shock when she checked my episiotme before I was discharged? Well, to sum things up, I ended up incontinent for about a year after giving birth and had to have full reconstructive surgery to repair what the Dr. did. I have permanent nerve damage and cannot have children naturally.....only by c-section now. It was a nightmare! When I went for my check-up after my son was born, I was politely handed a letter saying that he did not take my insurance anymore.....how convenient huh?

Of course since this whole ordeal I switched Dr.'s and delivered my second son by c-section last year. It was really nice to sit down after I had the 2nd one!!! LOL!!

School Time Again!

2009-08-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't excited about getting back to school. I am really looking forward to getting back into clinical work and being one step closer to RN. Although it still seems like a lifetime away, experiencing clinicals validates why I want to be a nurse. I really look forward to graduating,, staying home with our youngest son who is special needs (he has a nurse who cares for him while I'm in school) and working part-time. I really hope to get a job in an intensive care setting seeing as I would like to eventually become a neonatal Nurse Practioner. I could never of gotten thru the difficult moments with my youngest w/o the support of the nurses who treated him. I will always be grateful for their compassion. I also would love to come across children with the same diagnosis as my son. This is Cornelia de Lange Sydrome...aka CDLS.

One of my favorite things about starting a new semester is SCHOOL SUPPLIES! I am a junkie! I love school supplies, office supplies...all that stuff! There is nothing like new pens, notebooks, and planners!! Love it!! I know....I'm a dork!

UGH!!!

2009-08-03T14:52:00.000-07:00

I am so frustrated trying to get all of my paper work together before school starts in 2 weeks. I needed to get documentation of certain immunizations I have had in the past and ended up in a fight with my old doctor's office! You think most Dr.'s should know the difference between a PPD and TDaP! Anyways, long story short....I have since changed offices:)

NCLEX

2009-07-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

So, being that I have the summer off, I have been practicing some of my NCLEX questions. What are some of the best study materials you use or have used to study for the NCLEX exam? I currently am using the NCLEX 3000 CD along with a few books from school.

Schools Out!

2009-05-11T22:00:00.001-07:00

Okay...so the spring 09 semester has officially come to an end....my summer class has officially started. I am taking my nursing health promotions class and need to come up with a topic to do my presentation on. I really want it to be unique. As some of you know, I have a special needs baby, and would really like to incorporate this somehow...but that may be difficult. See, I need to present this at a local community center where people from the community come to get educated on various health topics such as breast cancer and such. We can also go to an elementary school and present there...perhaps proper universal precautions? Ahhh so many things to think about....any suggestions are welcome!!

Anyways, a great site for all of you to visit!! Scrubs online magazine: http://www.scrubsmag.com/

This has some great and fun info for nurses and nurse students. I have a little article posted here: http://www.scrubsmag.com/articles/beauty/your-life/lipstick-stat#1 and hopefully will be contributing on a regular basis!! Very exciting for me!! It is a great resourceful site with some great stories from experienced RN's. It really reminds me why I want to be a nurse!! Stop by and visit....it is a really fun place!!

Where Have I Been?????

2009-04-28T20:52:00.000-07:00

Well...I have been neglecting my blogging due to school, family, health...basically life is just catching up to me!!!!!

I was really bummed this semester because it was thought best I drop my Adult I clinical. I was sick and constantly tired...come to find out I have Epstein Barr Virus. Anyways, I will pick the clinical back up in August, but am finishing up the rest of my classes with my last final this week. Not bad since they are internet classes!! Then summer school starts second week of June....not a big load at all...just one class...online:)

I just can't wait to get school over with!! Being a parent and getting a degree is no picnic. I have been in school since 2005!!!! Will it ever end??? I hope so...I need to start making some serious Benjamins!!!! I will be 30 next year and Botox just doesn't pay for itself...along with other things!!! LOL!! What am I going to do until August? I feel so out of loop without doing bedside care. Whose arms am I going to plunge needles into at frightning speeds as if I were throwing darts? What about all the other fun nursey stuff? I guess it will have to wait a few months...I wish my school offered more clinicals in the summer. They only offer Adult II and Pediatrics. Bummer!! Oh well, I guess episodes of Greys Anatomy will have to do!! I will be sure to update more now that school is out!!

Busy Busy Busy!!

2009-02-04T16:27:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't posted in so long! We have had a lot going on with Mason's Dr. appts and school.

I really am enjoying school this semester. It feels as if everything we are learning is finally tieing together. Tuesday we start our on site clinicals at the local hospital. We have just been working in the skills lab the past few weeks. They have been testing our ablilities to draw up meds and give injections....it is fun!! They also made us brush up on vitals and assesment skills. I switched instructors at the last minute. Many of the students try to get out of the instructor I have, but I love her! She is very strict, by the book, and will call you out on something in front of the whole class. She is super smart and will take anyone who is dedicated and willing to learn under her wing. I am really excited about the hospital. I really enjoy all the hosptial clinicals. I love the hands on stuff and I really good at it too! (I can brag about that because I am terrible at academics...I have to try so hard for the grades!) Our lecture for the clinical is really interesting. It is one of the few lectures I don't fall asleep in! Right now we are focusing on Diabetes. We are really in depth into the whole disease and its process. I find it really facinating! I know I am a dork!
Monday I have to go to the hospital to pick my patient out for clinical on Tues. I have to come to class with prior knowldege of the Dx, the medications they are taking, why they are taking them, the side effects of the meds, and a formulated care plan! Whew! That is a lot. I hope all goes smoothly. Until then I will be focusing on my other 4 classes:)

First Day Back!!

2009-01-12T18:48:00.000-08:00

So first day back to school!! I wasn't looking forward to it after being off for almost a month! It's a good thing though, I need to get back into the swing of things. Today I was introduced to two of my classes. The first was my Philosophy class. In our nursing program we are required to take at least one introductory philosophy course. I chose music and fine arts philosophy. I think this is going to be a really interesting class. I have always had music in my life and it is a big part of who I am, so it will be interesting to view it from a philosophical point of view. We are also required to attend several events at different museums and musical venues throughout Chicago,so it is going to be a lot of fun!!

My second class I attended today was my Adult I class. We dove right into lecture for a quick review of electrolytes and values. We start clinical in 2 weeks from today. I am nervous about this class.....we have a huge number of students from last semester in our class:0 Yikes!! Rumor has it the tests are killer!!!! Really gonna have to buckle down. I can't wait for the clinical portion. That is where all the great stuff happens....the hands on stuff!!! I know foundations and text books are really important, but I love the clinical setting. I'm the type of person who has to work really hard for grades, but Really excels at hands on!! Tonight, I have to open up my Internet classes and check them out. I am sure I will have some assignments due in the next couple days! So tell me....what courses are you taking this semester?...if you are already a nurse...what class was your biggest challenge?

Article Worth Reading

2009-01-05T22:14:00.001-08:00

Saw this article today and I thought I would share it with all my Nursing Buddies!!

Nursing

Awareness

2008-12-27T23:03:00.000-08:00

Since school doesn't resume for a few more weeks, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a little about my Mason. Mason is my 7 month old son who was diagnosed with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (aka CDLS) the day he was born.

CDLS is a rare syndrome that affects 1 in 10,000 live births worldwide with several thousand undiagnosed. Children who are diagnosed with CDLS are usually identified by their prominent facial features which include: arched eyebrows that meet mid line, turned up nose, down turned lips, and very long eyelashes. Some children have limb abnormalities and many health problems ranging from heart defects to GI problems. Other problems include acid reflux, seizures, and cleft palates. Physical and developmental delays can range from moderate to severe. CDLS children are also very small.

Mason was very lucky to be diagnosed the day he was born...at just 4 lbs. the neonatologist recognized his facial features because he saw a CDLS baby one time in med school....and that was over 30 years ago. To be sure, a geneticist was called in to confirm. Since Mason has a normal number of Chromosomes, the syndrome could not be detected while I was pregnant, which is the case most of the time.

Early intervention is a huge part and key in the development of a child diagnosed with CDLS. Mason currently has Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy (aka feeding therapy) each week. Soon we will be adding developmental therapy and occupational therapy each week. To date, Mason has had two surgeries, one GI and one for his feeding tube by which he gets fed each feeding. He cannot be fed by mouth because he is at high risk for aspiration due to a weak swallowing reflex. We are hoping that he does a bit better with baby food since the consistency is thicker.
Although, Mason has a long road ahead and several more surgeries,we are so proud of the progress he is making. At just barely 10 lbs and 21 in. long, he is such a joy!! Never in my life did I ever picture myself as a special needs mother....but this has taught me so many lessons and has allowed me to view life in a whole new light. The whole idea of raising awareness is so that people recognize the facial features of a CDLS child so that an undiagnosed child can get the early intervention that is so vital to their future. If you would please kindly take a moment to visit the site and learn a bit more....I would be truly grateful!! Please comment with any questions you may have!!

www.cdlsusa.org

To read updates on Mason you can visit my personal blog by clicking the link to Megzys World at the top of the page....or visit Mason's caringbridge page at:

www.caringbridge.org/visitmasongilbert

Pink Eye

2008-12-17T05:28:00.001-08:00

This was the conversation with my son Reece this morning:

Reece: Mom, my eyes itch really bad!

Me: Yeah, looks like you have pink eye in both eyes...no school for you!!

Reece: (Angry) What? No fair now I am gonna have a ton of work to do!!

Me: Well, you can't go to school with pink eye, Reece.

Reece: Why? This kid who sits across from me got to come to school yesterday, and he had crusty pink eyes!!

Me: Ewww

Don't cha just love school?

Scheduling and Such

2008-12-12T22:57:00.001-08:00

So now that this semester is over, we have a nice break until after the new year. I have been getting things in place for my schedule for next semester and I am totally annoyed. In our Nursing Program, we are really only allowed to do one clinical at a time! Ugh...sometimes you could do 2 at a time...but not likely. They are pretty strict about it. So this really annoys me, because there is no way to "get ahead" or take more classes. I started in '05 taking just a few prerequisite classes at a time because of Reece at home. Now I am full-time...but still even the students who have been full-time from day 1 are taking 5 yrs to get a 4 yr degree because of this. One of my friends is on the verge of losing her financial aid because she can't uphold her full-time status because they won't let her take anything else....so she has no choice but to take random classes just to get her loans. Is this common for other institutions? Just wondering!

Temporal Scanner Giveaway!!

2008-12-06T05:33:00.000-08:00

Jennifer over at The Dirty Shirt is giving away an Exergen Temporal Scanner. I don't know about you, but I would love to have one of these for my kids!! Get on over to The Dirty Shirt and enter!

Mental Health Clinical

2008-12-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

So, the semester is over and yesterday was my last day for clinical. This past semester was my mental health clinical and we went to the locked unit at the local hospital. Yep, I said "locked". I was terrified before day one. I had heard stories from other nursing students and my brother-in-law who is a Psych nurse. I just wasn't sure what to expect. So needless to say, going in my armpits were working over time!! Surprisingly, I ended up LOVING it!!!! Not to mention my instructor was awesome!! The unique thing about this clinical is that we didn't touch the patients aka "clients" at all....it was all about working on our therapeutic communication skills...no questions were off limits as long as it had a goal. I was surprised also at how forward you have to be. For example, if someone is suicidal you have to ask them: Do you want to kill yourself? Do you have a plan? If so, how would you go about it? Pretty forward huh? Well, I guess most people who are suicidal have a plan in place and the means to carry it out. Interesting.
I did get a chance to go into the intense treatment locked unit where there were people there who were very mentally incapacitated. Some of the clients were very intimidating (like your run of the mill murderer) and took advantage of the fact I was a student.....but I think I stood my ground pretty well. But the most rewarding of the experience was working with the adolescents. This truly was an eye opener. Some of these children are just so troubled. Their home lives are so terrible, but yet the state keeps putting them back in these homes! I really enjoyed working with them...there were a few really defiant ones and it was interesting to see how the staff interacted. Very strict and structured!! So important lesson learned....people aren't just "crazy". There is usually a reason behind the behaviors. For example, a client was misdiagnosed with Schizophrenia a year ago because they were having intense delusions of grandeur and hallucinations. Turns out they had 3 large brain tumors....they were completely fine after the surgeries were performed! Can you even imagine? I don't know what would be worse; brain cancer or having a mental illness. All in all it was a great experience!

The Beginning

2008-12-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

People often ask me, "why do you want to become a nurse?" Well, I have two sisters who are nurses. I have always enjoyed their stories and I love anything medical related. So initially, I became a Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA) to test the waters and see if the medical field was really for me. I obtained a job in an ICU at the local hospital and I really enjoyed it!! So I have been in school ever since. It isn't easy being an adult student with family and kids, not to mention I am NOT one of those straight "A" students....I never have been....but I am great at hands-on stuff....that is where I really excel! I am not sure what kind of nursing I want to do yet....there are so many things I want to try!!! Neonatal maybe....because both my sons had stays and I learned a great appreciation for what goes on inside the NICU. ICU maybe....because there is so much going on and you get to work with patients who have all different diagnosis'. Mental health maybe....just finished this clinical and LOVED it! I would like to work with the adolscents....it was very interesting! The great thing about nursing is that there are so many avenues to take! It will be intersting to see where I end up!!

Follow Me!

2008-12-04T11:19:00.000-08:00

Thank you for visiting my new blog! I hope you enjoy my posts as I share my adventures of going through school as a student nurse!! Please leave feedback for me in the comment section and don't for get to tell your friends about me!!