Do you like-a-de-peppa?

Today at school, we had the opportunity to help decontaminate, transport and take vitals for Police Academy students. They were pepper-sprayed directly in the face, then they were required to fight an "assailant" (their partner) for a full 1-minute, handcuff them, put them into the squat car and radio for medic help. My job was to decontaminate them by assisting them to sumberge and rinse their face in water. Then after about 10 minutes of rinsing, while it feels like their flesh is burning, they are then transported to a medical room at school. A fellow student was so excited when she was chosen to drive the ambulance. After the first half of the students were taken away, I then did ambulatory care. I helped transport the student, take vitals and encourage them. Their pain was so intense, that it seemed like nursing school was a breeze. At least for now. Next Wednesday, I will be starting an IV on a student, and then I will be the guinea pig. I'm not looking forward to an inexperienced student poking me and placing a catheter in my vein.

I passed my math test today. I had to get 100%, and I only have 3 tries or I'm out. I stressed over it a bit more than I should have. Now I can focus my attention on reading my oodles of chapters for cardiac, mental health and pediatric respiratory. There goes my weekend!

My first post with photos from school!

More than half done

Officially I am more than half done with school. Yesterday was my first day of my second year of my RN nursing program. I have a good feeling about my teachers and hope that this is a good quarter. I am already behind in my reading. I have to drive to Bellingham 2 days this week for computer training. I have a math test on Friday I haven't studied for yet. Wow, I'm off to a good start! I am looking forward to my clinical adventures this quarter, although I am not looking forward to the 3 hour round-trip drive.

My clinical assignment

I have been placed to do my clinicals at St. Joe's Hospital in Bellingham. I was dreading this assignment because it is a 3 hour drive round trip. Luckily it is in the evenings and I can put the girls on the bus, so I don't have to pay for care in the morning. I hope that my clinicals goes by super fast this quarter and pray that I get Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon for the winter quarter.

School starts on Monday. I am looking forward to getting this year over with, but I am not looking forward to all the work that comes along with it. It's only 9 months of school, then I will be officially an RN...after I pass the state boards. :)

Don't you just love the music? I watched it on Scrubs a few seasons ago, and although it is a little crude, I thought it was very fitting for my nursing blog. Hopefully it makes you laugh as much as it made me.

I've been accepted

I finally found out that I have been accepted into Everett's Nursing Program. I had an interview this summer. It went well, but my voice was completely gone. I managed to get through it, and within a few days I was notified that I had been accepted. Unfortunately, because of the course syllabus provided of my previous courses, they did not match up entirely to their program. They stated that they would place me in second quarter, or if I take a test and score well, then I would be placed in third quarter. That won't help me much, because I have already completed three quarters of nursing school. I have decided it wouldn't serve my interests to transfer and basically repeat a quarter, so I should stay where I am at and complete my nursing program as scheduled. I am anticipating this next year and hope it goes by fast and I am able to be successful.