How to eat a watermelon...

An accelerated nursing program is like trying to eat a watermelon in one big gulp.  One my instructors, who is such a wonderful, engaging and charismatic person offered the analogy that nursing school is just like eating a big watermelon....don't shove it down in one big bite.....but slice it up really thin and eat it one piece at the time....so now picture this: me shoving in the proverbial watermelon at least five slices at the time because I am busy...and taking in just one slice at the time may not be fast enough!!!! 

The first term of nursing school is like putting out fires ... there is always something due or needing to be done.  It is both exciting and an incredible amount of work to accomplish.  It took the first few weeks to settle into a new routine.  Then week four brought the first midterm, week five another, and week six yet another one and add to that over a handful of online quizzes, 2 case studies, 3 midterms and plenty of written reflections have been done.  At this point half the term is over and finals will be looming before I know it....but first a whole lot of more project assignments are coming up in a snappy order.  Tomorrow is our medicine calculation exam, Friday offers competency sign off on vital signs and the first set of injections....and next week - well actually my brain have not caught up to that yet ... woot woot ... better keep that helmet on because we are going full speed ahead!

I love nursing school.  It is a big adjustment and so much is coming at me very fast and I am just trying to take it all in.  I feel very competent in the things we do and learn but I will admit that I have not performed quite as well as I wanted on my exams.  I know my material but I am learning that tests in nursing school requires a different approached...and I am slowly adjusting my learning.  The learning is tough, challenging and wonderful ... I feel such a great sense of accomplishment just being here.

There are some tough parts too and the hardest one for me is being away from home.  I knew that I would miss the kids more than anything in the world ... but if possible I miss them more than that!  They are my everything .. and I totally miss tucking them in at night, giving them hugs, and just have all the little everyday moments with them.  Nothing is better than getting home Friday night and getting the most wonderful hugs and smiles :-)

Lots of steps...

I am 13 days into keeping taps on my steps again and I am on the plus side :-) 

13 days = 130,000 steps needed .... 163,734 taken!!!  Woohoo

It is so easy for me just to sit back down and read.  There is SO much to read and even if I spent every waking moment reading, I am not sure it could all be done.  Keeping taps on my steps keeps me focused on getting enough exercise into my days.  I also helps to change my study space - my room, the library, the school of nursing, outside, the hot tub by the pool ;- ) - you name the place and I have probably been there reading.

Anyway back to the books ... have a mountain to conquer ;-)

Two weeks in...

And the work load is mounting!!!  I expected it .. still it is a lot of information to take in in a short amount of time and I need to continuously stay on top of deadlines to make sure everything is accomplished on time.

The hardest thing about going back to school is missing my kiddos.  I know this will be my personal struggle for a long as I attend classes.  Being a mom is the best thing in the world and being away from my loves it hard.  I am determined to get the most out of every weekend and break with them to minimize the impact of my absence during the week...and lots of phone calls and texting in between.

The first two weeks of school have been GREAT.  I feel so strongly that this is the right path for me and it is a very very good feeling.  Today I am catching up on reading and hope to get situated with a couple of study groups in the coming week as it is always nice to have other people to bounce ideas off.

The faculty is great and collectively very enthusiastic about teaching and the nursing profession.  I was super excited to get accepted ... I am even more excited now!   My cohort comes from a variety of backgrounds and it will be exciting to learn along with them as we all bring different perspectives into the learning process.  Another student (see blog link below) wrote this great little list of nuggets from the first week - these ring totally true to me so I want to share: 

• 90% of all questions can be answered with either “It depends” or “Wash your hands.”

• Hold onto truth lightly.

• We are on the frontline of creating new nursing roles for ourselves. Put nursing to work in the parts of our lives we already love. What takes our breaths away?

• Make time for reflective practice. 

• Bring everything you are. But it’s not about you.

• Ask your questions. Stay curious. There are lots of right answers.

• Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

• You can’t be a cowboy/girl if you’re afraid of how you look on the horse.

• Lean into your fellow students for support. Now is not the the time to be the lone wolf. Learn to work in the wolf pack.

• Trust the process.

• Sloooow. Down.

http://notesfromastudentmidwife.com/2013/06/28/first-week/