I can hardly believe that I am half way through my first semester of nursing school. I don't think it will be real until this semester is over & I've actually passed everything. It's weird b/c even though I'm doing good, I still worry that I can just screw it all up at any second. Like failure is just a test away. I guess that's just the way it is in nursing school, constant self doubt. But, one thing I feel MUCH better about is the head to toe assessment. I started practicing on Alei (which she loves) and so far we're down to lungs & I can get from head to lungs in 6 minutes. We only have 20-25 minutes to complete the whole thing. I was nervous at first about remembering everything, but I think if I just continue to practice it every night on Al that it will be like 2nd nature when I do it in front of the professors. Another good thing is, my friend that's a semester ahead of me is going to meet w/me & my partner tomorrow & watch us do the assessment & critique us since she's already been through it. I think that will help.
I know some people are really struggling & it will be interesting to see who goes on & who gets "held back". In our program you're allowed to fail ONE class out of the program. If you fail it then you have to retake it, but if you have to retake it then you have to stay with that semester. So like if someone has to retake any of these classes then they'll be in the class of the Fall 2012 semester instead of the Spring 2012 semester, which I think would REALLY suck. (Please God don't let that be me)
Also, I have started looking into some Master's programs in my area. I'm thinking I want to go the DNP route, instead of doing MSN & then DNP. There is a program not far from here, well it's about 4 hours away, where I could go straight from BSN to DNP. It's a 3 yr program in which I'd only have to go to campus 4 times a semester. So, basically I'd work as a nurse while I was getting my DNP. I suppose they've just combined the MSN & the DNP together. The DNP was never my goal, but it seems to be what everyone is talking about so I figured I might as well go ahead & get it. So that means that by the time I'm 45 I could be Dr. Kinney :). Wouldn't that be completely wild!! I mean it's just so wild to think about all of this. Wild & exciting.
Anyhoo, today is my study day so I guess I'd better get to it.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
I know some people are really struggling & it will be interesting to see who goes on & who gets "held back". In our program you're allowed to fail ONE class out of the program. If you fail it then you have to retake it, but if you have to retake it then you have to stay with that semester. So like if someone has to retake any of these classes then they'll be in the class of the Fall 2012 semester instead of the Spring 2012 semester, which I think would REALLY suck. (Please God don't let that be me)
Also, I have started looking into some Master's programs in my area. I'm thinking I want to go the DNP route, instead of doing MSN & then DNP. There is a program not far from here, well it's about 4 hours away, where I could go straight from BSN to DNP. It's a 3 yr program in which I'd only have to go to campus 4 times a semester. So, basically I'd work as a nurse while I was getting my DNP. I suppose they've just combined the MSN & the DNP together. The DNP was never my goal, but it seems to be what everyone is talking about so I figured I might as well go ahead & get it. So that means that by the time I'm 45 I could be Dr. Kinney :). Wouldn't that be completely wild!! I mean it's just so wild to think about all of this. Wild & exciting.
Anyhoo, today is my study day so I guess I'd better get to it.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Dr. RN Kinney. hahaha, just get through nursing school first and see what you want to do next afterwards. Good luck on the lungs, what's next the abdomen? Did you learn breast exam?
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