Put On Your Roller Skates....

I got my final semester's class calendar today in the mail. You can imagine my excitement as I opened it. Why? I don't know, probably because everything we'll be doing is written there and I can truly see that the end is near. The first thing I did was skip to December to see when our final exam is going to be. I didn't see anything..hmm... Skipped back to November scouring, scanning the days searching for the date....not there either. Huh? Skipped back again to October and there it was. Written in small font at the bottom of the page...Final Exam October 31st. Yippy! October? Really? The last exam ever? The last test I'll have to take until NCLEX is on Halloween? Is this true? Is it real? Oh my!

I am so excited that the end is near. My stomach was, is, in excited little butterfly knots. Fear, joy, nerves, happiness all rolled in one. According to our calendar, the last semester is going to be a busy ass time. Class begins August 20th...cool, it normally begins 2 weeks before that. Our math exam is the 24th, the same week class begins and you all know how that goes....you have to pass and you only get 2 shots or it's adios amigos for you. I'm not worried, because I've never failed before and hope that I don't now that it's almost over. It covers IV drip rates, dosages and equivelents, IV administration etc... Nothing we don't already have down pat at this point.

We begin lecture with OB-Intrapartum care. Our first exam is on the 31st..one day after my b-day. (OMG I'll be 32...how'd this happen? Not fair!) By this time we have to come up with our cap and gown money, buy our pins for the pinning ceremony, put our deposits down for our graduating photos, (Yes, we must wear those silly nurse hats...it's tradition), of course buy our books pay our tuition, and pay for our ATI testing fees. Grand total= A lot of dinero $$$!

OB clinicals begin in the 1st week of September. We have 4 OB clinicals total and I believe we're also on call incase one of our pt's goes into labor. Yes, on call, which means no matter where you are or what you're doing..you're off for the races. Out of my way folks, a baby is coming! I will more than likely be an hour or so away, so this may present a problem. Not to mention I have my own "babies" at home who can't be left at home alone. I'll have to have a sitter on call for me when I'm on call. 2nd exam....Sept 17th. (Eeek...that's a long time between tests= lots of meterial=cramming and stressing).

2nd week of October is our fall break and signifies the end of our OB rotations. After fall break we begin our Peds clinical. There are 4 of them total as well. BUT because I was one of the volunteers from our class (along with others) that chose to do this camp, we're exempt from the last clinical day...meaning only 3 peds clinicals. Yay! PLUS those of us who volunteer also get the opportunity for 5 extra bonus points, and we all know how important those are! This coming Monday we have to go to a meeting with our instructors regarding asthma camp. The camp is on the 20th from 8-3...not too bad. After October 15th we begin our precepting hours. We have to have 120 by the end of the semester. You can either choose your preceptor or they'll assign you one. I hope I can find someone on my own, otherwise I'm afraid I'll get a Nurse Ratched, Ugh! Horror stories... We have to go to work when they go to work and they will grade us just as our instructors have done. Hopefully I get someone decent who doesn't loathe students.

OCT 4th is exam III and Oct 31st is the final exam (WOOT!). It looks as though the month of November is lots of seminars and activities preparing us for graduation and NCLEX. Lots of assignments to turn in, evaluations, etc, etc. Beginning the 21st is Thanksgiving and it looks as though the Monday after the break is our last and final day of anything class related...EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

December 7th and the 14th are the chosen days for our pinning ceremony...final date still pending. SO basically, this semester, my last semester of being a student nurse, will be a total of 3 months. That's a short amount of time and it will be so hectic our heads will spin, but I'm glad...I'm so incredibly glad.

Went to see the movie Knocked Up..it's hilarious....and sweet and sometimes a lil sad. Here's the trailer: