Floating on cloud nine....

Yesterday I received my results from the state board exam and I am elated to report that I...

PASSED!!!!!!

Each day waiting for the results (4 weeks) seemed like torture but finally the envelope arrived. Then I was afraid to open it. My daughters were home so it was exciting to have them there. It seems so surreal to finally be able to call myself a Nurse.

Ironically, it was 3 years ago this month I started my pre-requisite classes not even sure what nursing was all about but that I wanted to have a great career and a steady income.

What is next to come?

Well, I am still working at the facility (acute rehab) where I was a CNA. I moved to the nursing desk after I graduated and I am doing ward clerk type duties (processing Dr. orders, faxing the pharmacy, ordering xrays and labs in addition to other paperwork). I will continue in this capacity (slightly expanded but still no patient care) until my license (and #) arrives in the mail in another 30 days or so. Then I will begin my training on the floor. I chose to stay at this facility because they are offering a tuition reimbursement program for current employee's who move up and it will be a good to have at least a year of acute nursing experience in a med/surg environment.

So, as my instructor used to say it's time her 'nurse-lets' fly from the nest.

I do plan on going for my RN but at a slower pace I have about 6 pre-requisite classes left. I plan on taking them (mostly sciences) one night class per semester and then enroll in the upward mobility program that is 1 year full time. So, by maybe 2010 I will be an RN.

A big thank you to everyone who has read the blog. I hope maybe some information was helpful to other student nurses. My original intention was just more of a journal but the feedback has been so encouraging especially on the rough days. The medical community is certainly a great one as well as all my other faithful readers.

I have no plans to continue the blog at this time. I don't have an interest in writing about my work but I also don't like to say never. I did start another blog but I find I am not writing much there either maybe I will take a small hiatus and then reconsider. Best of luck and happiness to everyone.

with love,

Nurse Carolyn

Joke....

Ok I heard this today at work ...y'all have probably heard it before but it got a laugh from me.....


Dr. says to his patient, "I have bad news and horrific news which do you want first?".

Patient replies, "I'll take the bad news first".

Doc says, " I am very sorry to tell you that you have only 24 hours to live".

Then the patient asks, "What possibly could be the the horrific news?".

Dr. tells the patient, "I forgot to call you yesterday".

ba-da-boom!

Critical thinking....

That's the name of the game with NCLEX. It's not a fact based exam, oh don't get me wrong, facts are mixed into the equation but it's all about judgment and critical thinking and a dose of common sense.

Is it possible to study? Sort of. Review terms, values, anatomy, meds and diseases. Do as many NCLEX style questions you can tolerate and call it a day. You either know this stuff by now or you don't.

I have all day tomorrow to study. Then it's the day I have been preparing for for three years. (That felt odd to type did I punctuate it right? ...for for...)

Anyways, no pressure, noooo (insert sarcasm).

Results take 30 days to receive by mail after the exam.

I'm numb. Behave y'all. TTFN.

Listless and calm....

I was looking for the French word in card game I used to play as a kid called "Mille Borne" it's about an auto race and I thought one of the words was Coup de --?-- (graw?) kind of meaning the grand finale but alas Google has failed me or may patience ran out. Help anyone??

So, the title of today's blog describes my current state. I can't kick it --the listless part. I work part time from 1-9pm and on my days off I veg out. I am calm about my upcoming NCLEX-PN exam on July 12th. I know I should be a crazy woman about it but I took 4 days off of work prior and that will have to suffice for crunch studying. The feedback from classmates has been varied. But both had the exam turn off at 85-90 questions. One felt good the other completely unsure. One we heard nothing from.

Oddly, I thought I had posted since the pics. Does blogger eat posts entirely?

Today is day 3 of three off. I am nursing a pulled muscle in my lower neck upper back. Can't move my chin towards my chest or lean it back. Slept in a bad position. Damn this getting older sucks.

PICTURES!!!! Can you believe it? ....I had to fend off the paparazzi

The bestest folks in the world and fellow Nurses.



The entire graduating LVN Class of 2006



Me and my best buddy Brenna after the ceremony, the proud new Nurses *awwww*



Waiting patiently ....



Getting pinned by my all time favorite instructor :o)



Here I am during my 'speech ' to the crowd



This is my 'official' graduation picture with the traditional Nursing cap and all.



Me ...on a regular day

Sorry this took so long. I know I promised it long ago (I had trouble with Blogger and the pics) I hope some of you are still hanging around...

with love, Student Nurse, prn

*Beep, beep* back it up baby...Pinning Ceremony and Graduation

Oh, how remiss of me not to blog about the pinning ceremony/graduation.

It was sureal. All that anticiption, planning, anxiety then it went by in such a flash. Not unlike a wedding. I want to rewind and do it again. Partly, I think, because I was nervous that I was speaking (I hate to call it a speech) therefore I was not able to absorb and relax about the event.
According to family and freinds I did well (do they EVER tell the truth?) ...well, actually I spoke too fast in the beginning then I calmed down, realized it (had a nice internal dialog) and slowed it down to finish quite well if I do say so.

Three students recieved awards from either one of the facilities we did clinicals at or from the faculty. And then the 4 remaining were also honored by the faculty ...because they could not agree on who deserved the award the most so we all got one!

Of course we all looked like a blast from the past in our nursing hats and white uniforms. Guess I'll use mine now to either loan out for Haloween or use for adult dress up *smirk*.

Afterwards, my family and a few friends went out for a nice dinner and I stayed out to have a few cocktails with some girlfriends. A nice way to end a great day.

The future begins.............

update: pics will be delayed a few days the ones my daughter took are all blurry, currently waiting for pics other family friends took.

Schedule for Friday....

Not a damn thing :o)

(the sound you hear is the slow leak of stress from my brain and body)

oh and *pssst* pics will be up Monday and for ONLY one day, for my dear sweet regular readers