The final countdown… sort of…

ONE. MORE. WEEK.

I seriously can NOT even believe I made it to this point alive… I may (or may not) be acting a little dramatic, but it certainly feels that way.  We had our final signoffs for Health Assessment today, and my partner and I passed with flying colors. No more lab. No more clinicals. Just finals next week.

I have just done my second happy dance of the day today. My SECOND!  It’s so hard to concentrate when we’re so close to the end.  I’m so close to being in CA I can smell the bay area traffic and feel my terriers as I try to keep them from running in the street. God I can’t wait to get home!

We had our first of many 12-hour shifts this week, and it went smoothly.  Despite ups and downs, stress, stress, and more stress, I am slowing feeling more confident about my skills and know-how.  I am recognizing deviations in patient data, documenting with ease and confidence, and getting comfortable with needles and medications. Despite the pressure of this program, I have loved every second of it.  Simply because I want to be a nurse more than any of my anxieties can throw at me.

The last week has been an emotional, mental, and physical roller-coaster as I tried to fight my anxieties. But since it’s all coming to a close, I realize how successful it’s all been.

As always, I like to mention how absolutely fantastic my peers are. There’s no way I would have made it without the incredible support of my fellow nursing students, and I am bursting with pride for all of us.  We are almost done with the hardest part of our program and we’re looking up from here!

And, really, we did have quite a bit of fun on the way to this point. There is life besides nursing school (don’t ask me about after, I’ll get back to you on that one…). Here’s some documentation of it, enjoy!!

heading to an Orioles game- we had all just met!
Rachel and Jill enjoying some 4th of July potluck.
Jackie and Amanda cheesing for the camera!
Taylor, myself, and Lauryn relaxing on the 4th.
Kyle and Carey’s rooftop view.
4th of July fireworks
Kyle and Nora serenade with some great guitar skills!