Suprise!!!

I got an A on my Pharm test. I would write more, but I am still in shock...okay maybe a little bit more. I haven't gotten my clinical grade back, still don't think its nice, but again I got an A on my Pharm test and that's all that matters right now. I have 3 papers due over the next two weeks so I am going to do a little research then I am going to hit the road to my in-laws. Have a good weekend y'all.

2nd and 3rd test

This week Vanderbilt's accelerated MSN program served me my a$$ on a platter...I had two back to back exams and they were nothing nice. Not so good on the clinical exam, better on the pharm...

So, I am going to be a "hater" for a moment...There is a substantially lower learning curve for many people in my class. Hey people that are paramedics or LPNs, how about you pair up with us "non-hospital experienced" students instead of watching us stumble through lab. By the way, I still hate lab. Last week, my male partner, male!!!, was practicing the cardiac assessment on me and I was so uncomfortable. I know, I know it is all for the sake of learning, but it is my breast (that I am only willing to share with my husband and our future kids). Again, I was so uncomfortable having him search for my 4th and 5th ICS with happened to be under my bosom. He was really nice (and I did feel a lil weird touching him, he was super muscular and all I can think is that if I am noticing how muscular he is , is he noticing how flabby I am?) In the world of make believe, I love my body and have all the confidence in the world. But in reality, I feel like damn, I am one cupcake away from obese.

I am volunteering at a clinic now. My job description is calling in referral and contacting patients for right now. The coordinator said that after I passed the NCLEX I could do more assisting with the midwives, very exciting! I am really excited and even more excited that they are excited to have me. I am still waiting for news from good old Uncle Sam, but I plan on getting the scholarship! Well, I am off to Facebook stalk for a little bit ;-) No tests next week!

First test of School

We got the result back from our first test this week...the class average was a 91% Ladies and gentlemen, I got above average!!!! For the first time in a long while, I am pulling up the average. Onward and Upward is what I say! 1 test down, Pharm and Foundations of Clinical nursing to go this week. I think I can, I think I can! My husband and I have a deal, and its a good one, so my motivation is high. Well that's all for now.

Please help me understand...

I know that my reading audience is small right now, but I value the knowledge of those two wonderfully intelligent women, so could you answer me this...Why is inducing labor so popular now?

Babies, Babies, Everywhere!

So my sister in-law had her beautiful baby girl. All 6lbs of her are very pretty, but she seems very lethargic. They (as in I assume the docs at the hospital) say it is due to the epidural. Is it me or is that really scary? She had an epidural 2.5 days ago and the baby is still feeling its effects...wow. Not to mention, my sister in law said "...the contractions didn't hurt, it was the pressure that was uncomfortable." My reply: "...of course it didn't hurt, you had an epidural when you were 3 cm." The nurse gave her an epidural early in the game so that she wouldn't feel too much pain when the doctor broke her water. They also sent her home with bagfuls of formula and a nipple shield. Bagfuls of formula to a mother who was in tears because her baby was latching on but not sucking. Here's a thought, maybe she wasn't sucking because she was still drugged up. My lil' sis is feeling rather overwhelmed at all the post-partum information and stated I wish someone had told me some of this before. Ding, ding, ding!!! This is all that I want, patients to be able to be make informed decisions. In order to make informed decisions, education must be performed FIRST. I think it would probably be better to educate before the baby gets here, and before the hormones are all over the place.
Everything I have been reading on other blogs has come to surface it seems in this experience. An unnecessary inductions, super aggressive drug intervention, the hospitals pushing formula like drug dealers none of these things seemed out of the ordinary to anyone else except for me. I did not want to make anyone feel uncomfortable about their experience, but all I could do was vent to my husband that this is not what I want for our children, really anyone's children. I am having such a hard time with this hospital childbirth situation.
Speaking of hospital births, my sister just told me she is expecting her third child. Congratulations!? I add a question mark because I know that this was not planned and she had actually made plans to go back to school to eventually become a midwife. I just pray that she is still able to explore that path.

Yea Babies!!!!

A must have!

After searching long and hard, I have found some shoes for clinical. They are comfy, supportive, and I may be biased, but I think they are so cute. Not to mention, they were on sale!!!! I also finally picked up my blood pressure cuff and some extra cushy socks. My husband has however forbade me from wearing any shoes that are going to walking around on hospital floors with "all those gross germy medical things" (lol, gotta love him) in my house. I can't say I blame him. I have recently stopped eating in the hospital cafeteria, all those uniforms reaching over my salad...you get the picture.
My sister-in-law had a healthy baby girl at 6:51 today. Both mom and baby are doing well. Prayer does work!! Anyhow, I have to get up early and practice my sterile techniques with my classmates. So I bid everyone adieu.

Why Am I So Upset?

Let me start this post by saying I love my in-laws. Most of them are some of the best people I have ever been privileged to know. I truly care for them, more than they know...Now on the meat.

I AM SO UPSET!!!! There is a younger member of the family (under 20yo.) that is very pregnant. When I say very pregnant, I mean 2 cm dilated, being induced Thursday if no progress seen (reason for induction deserves a whole nother post and I have a trillion questions, but I am just the sister in law right?). This child that is about to have a child and has no clue. NO CLUE. How is she ever going to be successful at pushing a baby out if she doesn't know where her perineum is, nevertheless what an episiotomy entails? If someone was going to cut open my vagina, I would want to know the details. No, her ignorance is not entirely her fault, but why has her doctor not made sure her patient is informed?

My people, my people. Ignorance doesn't make things go away. Acting like a 8 yo. is not going to fight exhaustion during labor, its not going to prevent a perfectly healthy woman from having an unnecessary c-section. Knowledge is power. Knowledge is the difference between being convinced that you can't do it and convincing yourself and everyone else that you can do anything. In this instance, my tears may go in vain. But God help me, my patients will be empowered and have enough knowledge to do whatever, however they feel is best for their babies and their lives.

I am a midwife...okay in 26 mos., technicalities ;)

How things are going...

Tomorrow will be the end of my second week of school. Some people seem so stressed out. I feel as calm as I ever have...and that is making me very nervous. I have my first quiz next week, and I am going to start studying Friday. That's five solid study days. Then I have my first exam the next week, so if I start focusing on that Tuesday that will give me eight days of studying. The plan is in place, now all I have to do is execute. That should be the easy part right, lol. I am a self professed procrastinator. Lord help me get off the couch.

My next area of anxiety is that next week is our assessment of weight and BMI and what not. Right, so I know that I need to lose weight, but I hide it well under strategically placed clothing. Now, I have to take off my shirt and have someone pinch my fat. Confidence shooting through the roof as we speak. I will have to face this obstacle, but I think I really need to utilize the health center nutrition center, sooner than later.

Okay thats all I have to say about that.