Long time no blog

I'm back. Apologies for the lengthy vacation I took from the blogosphere! I have lots of catching up to do! Warning, this is LONG!
All is well for the most part. School has started up again, and I am going through my usual early-semester anxieties of trying to settle into a schedule, figuring out how the professors like to teach, what their priorities are, and most importantly if we REALLY have to do all the readings they assign. I try to do as much as possible, I do. But sometimes I'll come across a textbook that no matter the time of day, how much sleep I've had, whether I'm hooked up to my coffee IV...it just makes me fall asleep. Like, within minutes. Like, at the desk, hunched over the book with my highlighter still in my hand. And then the drooling starts and blurs all the words on the pages.
But things are starting to settle down and I am getting into a groove. Exams have already started. We had our first exam in MedSurg III last week. I think I did okay. Next week is our "Issues in Nursing" exam. I am a little concerned about only because I don't really know what we are going to be tested on. I really like the class, don't get me wrong. It is taught by my favorite professor here and is primarily a discussion class. We discuss things like the state of nursing education, and the differences between associate-prepared nurses and baccalaureate-prepared nurses. And how nurses are the only health care professionals that don't require a minimum of 4 years of school. We discussed issues of leadership, teamwork, management and conflict resolution. Which is all great and makes for an interesting class discussion, but I am not quite sure how this will translate into a multiple choice exam. But I have been keeping up with all the readings for this class, as I know this prof. tests material covered in the readings that does not get covered in class.
Then there is the community-nursing class. It is generally very interesting class, and I really like the professor. It's just that the material can get a little dry at time. We spent an entire class discussing the economics of the healthcare system. And it is an interesting topic considering the disaster that is the US health care system, but then when we start to discuss the history and which law passed in whatever year created the basis for the HIPAA law. I am a little freaked for that first exam which is in two weeks. Cuz that text falls into the category of "sleeping-aid". The clinical portion of the class should be interesting though, if we ever actually get to practice some nursing. The clinical is run out of the CT VNA (visiting nurse association) so we will be doing home visits. This presents a whole new level of problems, caring for patients in their homes. But we have had three weeks of clinicals, and still haven't seen any patients, as they keep making us go through various orientations. I feel very oriented and would like to start doing some nursing. Plus, I got a fancy new stethoscope that I can actually hear heart and lung sounds from. (Unlike the student stethoscope that is included in our "nursing kit" they make us get at the beginning of the program.)
But really, my main concern is the giant monster looming over me at all times...the NCLEX exam.
I have never been so freaked out by an exam, obviously because the ramifications involved. And it is hard. Really hard. Which it should be, absolutely. We are going to have people's lives in our hands and this exam makes sure we can demonstrate the minimum requirements of safe and effective nursing care. But man, is it difficult. Not only is it like the mother of all final exams, testing everything we have ever learned about nursing, it also tests things we haven't learned. And it is all at the application level. So not only do you have to be able to recall the information for each question, you need to be able to apply it. I did a practice exam last night and got a question about the therapeutic serum levels for theophylline. I have never heard of theophylline. So I had no idea what kind of drug it was, what it is used to treat, what the side effects are, and I most certainly did not know what the therapeutic serum level was. But then even if I did miraculously remember the details of this drug, I wouldn't necessarily have been able to answer the question. Cuz it asked, what is the MOST appropriate nursing action if the serum level is X. And all the answers are correct. You have to figure out which is the best answer based on the other circumstances in the question.
So I have a lot of work cut out for me. I studied for about 12 hours yesterday just on lab values. And then I took the practice exam, and still failed. Plus, we have a “lab” portion of our med-surg class that is dedicated to NCLEX prep. And each week we do a practice exam. The first two weeks I got “warnings” (i.e. failed the exam). But I moved up last night and got an “average” ie I just squeaked by. But it seems like everyone else is that the same boat as me at this point. But at least I have already started studying. This is good for me considering I could be president of the EPC (Elite Procrastinator's Club). And the exam is not until July, so I have time. I am sure I will master all there is to know about theophylline and pheothylline and all the many, many other drugs out there. And their serum levels and side effects and contraindications and mechanisms of action and signs of toxicity and the antidotes for toxicity. But it is a long dark road ahead.
Okay, off to do my Research homework. Grr Argh.