Monthly Archives: January 2019

Coming Up For Air

That’s what it feels like. I’m surrounded by a sea of flashcards, notebooks, and mass quantities of information. My math and micro test loom like sharks circling while I hold my fear in so they can’t smell it.

The past two weeks look like a tornado unexpectedly tore through my life. CNA 2 class ended which means I have my evenings back. However, I’ve since been playing catch up with micro and math, studying non-stop until the wee hours of the morning. It has not been easy. I’m tired. Really tired. The kind of tired where I’m mentally exhausted as though my brain has been in sprint mode. Microbiology is interesting, to say the least. We’re learning all about bacteria and viruses. I’m no germaphobe but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me think twice about touching a public doorknob. Our bodies are amazing machines in that we can fight off all the harmful things both inside and out of it. Seeing E. coli under a microscope was fascinating and disturbing all at the same time.

I can’t say I’m thrilled with our instructors. Our micro professor, while funny, is a hot mess. His lectures are scattered, his notes totally and utterly disorganized. It’s as though the Tazmanian Devil has been running the class. He doesn’t like technology and it shows when he pulls out an overhead projector that looks like it’s been around since 1985. He doesn’t allow us to video record his lectures, only audio. While this may seem harmless, it’s challenging when the guy mumbles most of what he says, skips around, and uses a lot of visuals. When students volunteer an answer to a question he asks in review, 99% of his response is, “Yeah, I wouldn’t accept that on the exam” or “That has nothing to do with it” (when it comes out of his notes). Labs are hurried and lack much direction.

Our math instructor is super particular. Even that is an understatement. I definitely lost the instructor lottery this term. But that’s how it goes sometimes. This term has been about adjustment. It’s been completely and utterly out of my comfort zone. What worked to study previously did not work for micro so I’ve had to pivot and redirect my focus and study methods several times to be more efficient in taking in the high volume of information in a short period of time. Inside my head, I want to scream. I miss the warm, fuzzy AP study zone where I had a routine. In hindsight this will be a good lesson. The nursing program is fast and furious. It requires being self driven and the ability to flex. I have to have this skillset or I’ll sink.

In less than a month I’ll start working two days a week and will again have to readjust. As much as I hate it, I also appreciate that I have the time to test run new study techniques between now and the fall when the program would begin. I’m grateful to have such an awesome study group- who works hard but knows when to laugh and when we’ve “hit our wall” after hours of studying. Study group has been crucial to my success in my previous classes and I don’t see that changing any time soon. We bounce ideas off one another. We use A LOT of humor to come up with creative ways to remember terms and concepts. It’s a wild ride, but being on it with such fun, driven people sure makes it better!

Time to dive deep again. See you when I surface in a week.

2 Is the Magic Number

This morning I checked the Oregon License verification website and saw this. For the past 12 days, I attended a CNA2 class at night. We had only one day off through it all and on 1/8 I began my regular college classes during the day. It wasn’t easy and I’m still catching up on sleep as I type this. The first day I was able to sleep in I slept for 10 hours. Anyone that knows me is fully aware I’m up after 7 hours of sleep. Anything beyond 7:30AM is considered sleeping in for me. I got up at 9AM that day. Sheer exhaustion had set in.

CNA2 care is more focused on an expanded scope of care versus the type of work you do in long term care (think nursing homes). After nearly 8 days of lecture and skills practice, we started our clinical shifts at a local hospital Thursday evening through Sunday evening, for 8-hour shifts. There were skills we needed to complete and some required our instructor to see in order to get signed off on to show we were proficient such as CBG blood tests, adjusting oxygen flow up or down, and JP drain emptying. Other skills we were able to apply were bladder scans, IV withdrawals, and emptying/ “burping” ostomy bags. I clocked in just under 4 miles walked per night! Cue the music . Yeah, it’s a horrible video, don’t hate!

There were so many different illnesses we dealt with. Night one I was very nervous. These were real patients; some scared, some irritable for a variety of reasons, and some with memory issues. I had to do to a CBG test (Capillary Blood Glucose) which is a finger stick- on a patient with a disease that causes shaking and when they curl their fingers is not easy. It was quite the learning experience! The word nervous would be a gross understatement. I had to look confident and act quickly while inside my head were thoughts of, “Oh shit!” and “You’re holding a sharp!”.

I was very fortunate to have a CNA2 mentor (the person we were paired up to shadow with) that loved to teach and was patient as I learned. Night two was better. I was starting to feel more confident entering the patient’s rooms and with what I was doing. The nurses were great to watch (when that was possible). Night 3 followed suit. It just kept getting better and my nerves were less rattled with each patient I dealt with. When all was said and done, it really solidified that I was in the right field and got me excited about all the “firsts” and experiences that would come later. Of course the nervousness, fear, and adrenaline come with those moments too.

Next month I’ll start working part time as a CNA2 in a hospital. I can’t wait to see more and learn more. During my brief time in clinicals, I saw several things we had studied such as “barrel chest“, Cheyne Stokes breathing, palliative care, learned what a GI bleed smells like (good times), and saw Parkinson’s up close. Seeing what you’re learning about really puts things into perspective.

I’m not gonna lie- I’m grateful to be done with class and just studying for my current daytime courses. That last two weeks really stretched my focus. With that said, it will give me so much invaluable experience before I enter a nursing program. Or turn me into a complete germaphobe, but we’ll save that for a different post. My brain is a sponge and I plan to soak up as much as I can before that.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a sofa waiting for me to collapse into it before I resume my studying and homework routine.

Are we there yet?

Remember when you were a kid in the back of your parent’s car on a road trip and the excitement of reaching the destination made an hour-long ride feel like an eternity? The “are we there yet?” questioning would ensue, only to be followed by threats of pulling the car over if the said question was asked one more time? That’s where my brain is at. Get.There.Faster.

I’m tired. I wish I had a more eloquent statement to make but I’m running on fumes at this point. As I previously stated, Oregon splits there CNA license into two parts- 1 and 2. Part 2 allows you to work in a hospital or acute care facility. Right now I’m in the CNA 2 class, which focuses more on acute type of care. We’re learning to perform Capillary Blood Glucose (CBG) tests (finger prick you get at the doctor or to donate blood), Urine Dip tests, bladder scans, disease processes, signs and symptoms. It’s actually really interesting and makes me excited to start my hospital job. It’s also a lot of information and a somewhat scary amount of information to shove into your brain. Our class is 11 days with one day off (today) from 2:30-11:00. The last four days are clinicals in the hospital. This week I start my regular college classes for winter term. It’s going to be quite a stretch for my brain but I’m keeping my eye on Sunday – the finish line.

Friday we learned to do the CBG test- my first finger prick. That was pretty cool. It’s small potatoes, I know. But being licenses to do actual medical tests and things that do not just involve bed pans is so exciting. The things we’re learning now and the hospital experience are ways to develop really good critical thinking and patient communication skills. Last night we learned to do urine dip tests, how to perform a urine test on a patient with a Foley catheter and how to remove a Foley catheter. The skill labs are where we learn to do the process ourselves with the instructor watching. They are invaluable to both learn the skill and gain some confidence before we actually perform these procedures on actual patients.

Today I woke up with a fibromyalgia flare. I could feel it starting last night. My whole body feels over sensitive. Even a light poke is extremely painful. It’s like a combination of electrical shocks and joint/ muscle pain. The medication I’m on has given me some of the best sleep of my life and does take the edge off the pain, but unfortunately I’m maxed out on the dose because an increase would make me too drowsy. Note to self to discuss with the doctor. Any time I’m feeling pain through the medication in addition to another one I take, is cause for discussion. It felt great to get out today and have lunch with my other half and walk around in the fresh air. Being indoors for the week has been tough. I’m looking forward to next week when things settle a bit and I can get into a routine with my regular classes and study group. If the weather clears for a period of time, a hike will definitely be in order. For those of you starting class this week for the new term- go kick ass!