Go to Class. Study. Do Homework.

There was a book called Eat. Pray. Love.  If I were to write a book about the last month of my life I think I would call it "Go to Class. Study. Do Homework".

I never expected my final semester of nursing school to be this insanely busy.  I haven't had much time to breathe, let alone update my blog.  I spend hours at the computer every day working on research, papers, presentations, projects and HESI practice questions so I haven't had time to write.  It's really crazy how much I have done and need to do this semester!  In the month of October I have written a legislative paper and a quality and safety paper, prepared and presented a 3 hour case study on septic shock, prepared a presentation on Pertussis (to be presented 11/4), prepared a health education babysitting workshop for 7-9th graders (to be held on 11/5,11/7, 11/12 and 11/14), am writing a 10 page research paper, and researching a public policy presentation by contacting what seems like every agency and politician in this state who holds a stake in health care, along with reviewing current legislation.  Among and in between all of that I have also managed to keep two children alive and keep my house in semi-decent condition.  Are you surprised I haven't had time to blog?

It seems as if November might be a little bit quieter.  Just a little bit.  As I count down the days to my exit exam, otherwise known as HESI, it seems like there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done.  There have been too many days that have gone by without a shower, and too many dinners that consisted of takeout food.  I keep praying that my family doesn't hire a new mommy and banish me to a library somewhere.  I am doing my best to hold it all together, and feel so guilty, so often, for not pulling my weight as a mom and a wife.  I am overwhelmed by the support of my amazing husband, who is my angel and my knight in shining armor rolled into one.  I know I could not have continued on this journey without him.

So onto some school news.  I have spent two weeks on a surgical oncology floor in my transitions clinical.  I can't say I hate it but I can't say that I love it either.  I am taking care of patients and that is really what I enjoy the most, regardless of the setting.  Making tiny differences in someone's healing is all I really want to do.  Just three weeks left in the hospital and clincal is over.  My last clinical EVER.  CRAZY!!!!

This week we participated in an interprofessional simulation at the Brown University School of Medicine.  It was such a great experience.  We worked with medical students, Master of social work students, and pharmacy students to take care of a patient in a real setting.  The patient was a live person (a medical actor) and we were in Brown's Warren Alpert School of Medicine (a really nice facility).  It was probably as close to real life experience as we could have in a simulation setting.  It was very interesting to collaborate with the other disciplines, and even more interesting to have the medical student (who was only 2nd year) looking to me as a nurse for guidance.  I really enjoyed it a lot.

So here I am, thinking that things are "winding down" while I still have a presentation to give on monday (11/4), a community/public health nursing exam on 11/12, a research paper to complete by 11/15, HESI on 12/2 and a public policy presentation on 12/5.  All I can say is that Dec. 16 cannot come soon enough.  In the midst of all that I am trying to find the time to look into some jobs because I'm being told to start applying now -- CRAZY!  I am looking into a nursing residency program which seems like a very good idea, although the thought of more classroom time makes me wanna scream!  I just want to be the best nurse I can be, and a residency program just might help me accomplish that goal!  For now I will just keep checking things off the "to do" list.

Sometimes I feel sad that this is all coming to a close soon, and other times I am so excited I feel like I could jump out of my skin.  Such mixed emotions coming to the end of this amazing journey that has changed so many things about me (for the better!).  I am overwhelmingly blessed and so thankful that this is MY life.