Class Talk Fall 2016

My suggestions for future cohorts are to learn time management, scheduling, and organizational skills quickly. Having these down helps decrease anxiety. I suggest finding a group of friends or like-minded students to work with. It’s helpful to discuss your thoughts and study with groups because it allows you to discuss what you know. If you can teach it, you know it. Students should figure out how they study best and who with.

Don’t tap out!! Push it to the very end. It gets difficult and that senioritis kicks in hard. Just keep going. I don’t know what you can do to manage senioritis but find yourself some treatment and push.

I suggest asking the nurses on the floor many questions. Have a plan and tell them what your goals are for the day. What do you want to see? What skills do you want to perform? What concepts aren’t making sense? I find I have much less anxiety talking to the nurses because they aren’t grading us. I always tell them when I’m nervous because they will push me but keep me comfortable. Just be honest.

My suggestions for future cohorts are to learn time management, scheduling, and organizational skills quickly. Having these down helps decrease anxiety. I suggest finding a group of friends or like-minded students to work with. It’s helpful to discuss your thoughts and study with groups because it allows you to discuss what you know. If you can teach it, you know it. Students should figure out how they study best and who with.

Don’t tap out!! Push it to the very end. It gets difficult and that senioritis kicks in hard. Just keep going. I don’t know what you can do to manage senioritis but find yourself some treatment and push.

I suggest asking the nurses on the floor many questions. Have a plan and tell them what your goals are for the day. What do you want to see? What skills do you want to perform? What concepts aren’t making sense? I find I have much less anxiety talking to the nurses because they aren’t grading us. I always tell them when I’m nervous because they will push me but keep me comfortable. Just be honest.

My suggestions for future cohorts are to learn time management, scheduling, and organizational skills quickly. Having these down helps decrease anxiety. I suggest finding a group of friends or like-minded students to work with. It’s helpful to discuss your thoughts and study with groups because it allows you to discuss what you know. If you can teach it, you know it. Students should figure out how they study best and who with.

Don’t tap out!! Push it to the very end. It gets difficult and that senioritis kicks in hard. Just keep going. I don’t know what you can do to manage senioritis but find yourself some treatment and push.

I suggest asking the nurses on the floor many questions. Have a plan and tell them what your goals are for the day. What do you want to see? What skills do you want to perform? What concepts aren’t making sense? I find I have much less anxiety talking to the nurses because they aren’t grading us. I always tell them when I’m nervous because they will push me but keep me comfortable. Just be honest.

I’ve thought about end of life care and what I’d desire for myself. I don’t think I want to be kept alive long term with tubes, drains, or ventilation. I want my aunt to be my decision maker and as far as my remains go, I want to be cremated. I’ve never expressed this to my family but it would be a good discussion to have since I know these decisions may not sit well with some of my family. Additionally, I went through my grandmas declining health and eventual death with my aunt. I was very involved in ensuring she had a POLST and her wishes were being met as she could no longer express them. On the complete other spectrum, when my mom passed away she had not expressed much desires. The only thing we knew is that she wanted to be cremated and spread in Hawaii and with my grandma and grandpa. Sometimes in conversation I ask family and friends about their beliefs of death and what they desire for themselves. I think death is a topic we often avoid but it’s inevitable and something we need to prepare for. This is not only for the individual but for the family and friends too. When someone passes away, it creates a lot of stress for the loved ones. Having set wishes to follow makes the process a little smoother. Losing someone is never easy but the guidance that the deceased has left for those who have to make the final decisions makes the process more tolerable.

I’ve thought about end of life care and what I’d desire for myself. I don’t think I want to be kept alive long term with tubes, drains, or ventilation. I want my aunt to be my decision maker and as far as my remains go, I want to be cremated. I’ve never expressed this to my family but it would be a good discussion to have since I know these decisions may not sit well with some of my family. Additionally, I went through my grandmas declining health and eventual death with my aunt. I was very involved in ensuring she had a POLST and her wishes were being met as she could no longer express them. On the complete other spectrum, when my mom passed away she had not expressed much desires. The only thing we knew is that she wanted to be cremated and spread in Hawaii and with my grandma and grandpa. Sometimes in conversation I ask family and friends about their beliefs of death and what they desire for themselves. I think death is a topic we often avoid but it’s inevitable and something we need to prepare for. This is not only for the individual but for the family and friends too. When someone passes away, it creates a lot of stress for the loved ones. Having set wishes to follow makes the process a little smoother. Losing someone is never easy but the guidance that the deceased has left for those who have to make the final decisions makes the process more tolerable.

I’ve thought about end of life care and what I’d desire for myself. I don’t think I want to be kept alive long term with tubes, drains, or ventilation. I want my aunt to be my decision maker and as far as my remains go, I want to be cremated. I’ve never expressed this to my family but it would be a good discussion to have since I know these decisions may not sit well with some of my family. Additionally, I went through my grandmas declining health and eventual death with my aunt. I was very involved in ensuring she had a POLST and her wishes were being met as she could no longer express them. On the complete other spectrum, when my mom passed away she had not expressed much desires. The only thing we knew is that she wanted to be cremated and spread in Hawaii and with my grandma and grandpa. Sometimes in conversation I ask family and friends about their beliefs of death and what they desire for themselves. I think death is a topic we often avoid but it’s inevitable and something we need to prepare for. This is not only for the individual but for the family and friends too. When someone passes away, it creates a lot of stress for the loved ones. Having set wishes to follow makes the process a little smoother. Losing someone is never easy but the guidance that the deceased has left for those who have to make the final decisions makes the process more tolerable.

At orientation I felt like I was starting the greatest journey of my life. With all the helpful information from third year students, I felt like I was mentally preparing myself. My first clinical day I felt confident to perform skills such as ADL’s. Getting used to the equipment was something that made me a bit uneasy. I felt year one I was just getting to know the patient and practice my assessment skills. Year two I felt pushed to know medications better, time management, and documentation. Year three I feel I have all those pieces moving smoothly together. I’m able to tackle the tasks of the day with much less stress because I’m more efficient and knowledgeable. My critical thinking skills have improved through the years which helps make the clinical day run organized.

In a year from now I have a few goals in mind. I would like to feel more competent in my training most especially. I try to model nurses that have qualities I thrive off of and want to embody that fully in 1 year. My other goals involve fitness, dieting, and lifestyle. In 3 years, I’d like to be fully competent and applied or in a nurse practitioner program. In five years I hope to be set in the best job for me and my lifestyle. I’m ready to graduate from nursing school. I’ve learned so much and just need to bring all my knowledge to the field and live and appreciate the life I created for myself and worked hard for.

This picture was taken for orientation at VCMC for critical care. This represents how I feel about graduating the program. Like I’m excited and ready but still bound to schooling and not quite free!

At orientation I felt like I was starting the greatest journey of my life. With all the helpful information from third year students, I felt like I was mentally preparing myself. My first clinical day I felt confident to perform skills such as ADL’s. Getting used to the equipment was something that made me a bit uneasy. I felt year one I was just getting to know the patient and practice my assessment skills. Year two I felt pushed to know medications better, time management, and documentation. Year three I feel I have all those pieces moving smoothly together. I’m able to tackle the tasks of the day with much less stress because I’m more efficient and knowledgeable. My critical thinking skills have improved through the years which helps make the clinical day run organized.

In a year from now I have a few goals in mind. I would like to feel more competent in my training most especially. I try to model nurses that have qualities I thrive off of and want to embody that fully in 1 year. My other goals involve fitness, dieting, and lifestyle. In 3 years, I’d like to be fully competent and applied or in a nurse practitioner program. In five years I hope to be set in the best job for me and my lifestyle. I’m ready to graduate from nursing school. I’ve learned so much and just need to bring all my knowledge to the field and live and appreciate the life I created for myself and worked hard for.

This picture was taken for orientation at VCMC for critical care. This represents how I feel about graduating the program. Like I’m excited and ready but still bound to schooling and not quite free!

At orientation I felt like I was starting the greatest journey of my life. With all the helpful information from third year students, I felt like I was mentally preparing myself. My first clinical day I felt confident to perform skills such as ADL’s. Getting used to the equipment was something that made me a bit uneasy. I felt year one I was just getting to know the patient and practice my assessment skills. Year two I felt pushed to know medications better, time management, and documentation. Year three I feel I have all those pieces moving smoothly together. I’m able to tackle the tasks of the day with much less stress because I’m more efficient and knowledgeable. My critical thinking skills have improved through the years which helps make the clinical day run organized.

In a year from now I have a few goals in mind. I would like to feel more competent in my training most especially. I try to model nurses that have qualities I thrive off of and want to embody that fully in 1 year. My other goals involve fitness, dieting, and lifestyle. In 3 years, I’d like to be fully competent and applied or in a nurse practitioner program. In five years I hope to be set in the best job for me and my lifestyle. I’m ready to graduate from nursing school. I’ve learned so much and just need to bring all my knowledge to the field and live and appreciate the life I created for myself and worked hard for.

This picture was taken for orientation at VCMC for critical care. This represents how I feel about graduating the program. Like I’m excited and ready but still bound to schooling and not quite free!

The very beginning of nursing school was very up and down. I got an email that I was accepted! Then I got an email that the previous message was a mistake. Then later surprise! I’m back in! Even at orientation I wasn’t 100% sure that I was officially allowed to be here.

Year one was a whirlwind. Year two was a marathon. And now this last year is playing out like the Wizard of Oz, where I’m Dorothy and the Good Witch is reminding me that I had the power all along.

I am so ready to graduate. My year one goal is to get a job in Med Surge, then in 5 years use my experience to go into public health.