hey there!

Oh goodness! I realized that I have not updated my blog in some time. This may have scared you! You might have thought to yourself- “She must be craaaazy busy! Will I be that busy?” Well my friend, you are totally right! Yes I was crazy busy, and if you come here, you too will be feeling the same way. I won’t start rattling off all the quizzes, exams, papers, exercises, and such that I’ve crossed off of that handy dandy little planner that I once told you about. BUT, know that my planner looks so cool- it’s all scribbled and worn and the cover is 1/2 gone! I’ve even witnessed the greatest act of sacrifice (that an accelerated nursing student can make) last week! In my lab group this girl opened her planner, handed her friend a pen and actually let him cross out exam 3 for P & A. I was stunned! I told them they must be really really great friends! That’s commitment! Oh friendship!

But I digress, back to the “craziness”- Don’t fear! I’ve been busy with not just school, but I’ve been enjoying my weekends too! My brother and sister in law live in DC, so last weekend I was able to visit them in DC. We hiked some of the Appalachian trail and ate lots of really good food. On the 4th of July I watched fireworks in Newport RI…so yes, you can get away, if you work ahead and compromise a little bit. I’m pretty sure that it makes you much happier and relaxed in the end!

Tomorrow is our very last day of clinical for the semester! It’s exciting, sad, and a time for reflection all at once!  It’s exciting because wow! One week of classes and we are done for the summer! Also, we will officially be that much closer to being 1/4 through the program. It’s sad because you become attached to your unit and the nurses and your patients and it’s sad to move on and say goodbye. It’s reflective and exciting again because once you step back and look on where you were on week one, or your first clinical, you realize just how far you’ve come! I mean, we can put in catheters and clean wounds, transfer patients, do assessments, and our group has even given shots! Our nursing vocabulary has gone from zero to 20%! It’s been awesome! 🙂

Okay, I’m off to bed- clinicals are early mornings!

Rachel