This post is me blabbing on and on. It probably makes no sense and will be dull to read, but this is my life right now.
School is hard. . . Nursing school is harder. In no small miracle, my first semester of the nursing program is completed. YAY! And, all of my science courses are now finished. Booyah, no more science or math classes, ever. Microbiology can kiss my rear end. That was the hardest class I have ever taken in my entire life. I now know more than you would ever want to know about viruses, bacteria and germs in general, right down to the cellular level.We'll just leave it at this- WASH your freaking hands people!
Only four more semesters to go and I will be a Registered Nurse. Whew. That seems like a lot, but considering how fast the first one flew by, I think it will be here before I know it. I hope so. I am so happy the first semester is behind me, but scared to death because I know it only gets harder. The first semester of the program is a special kind of hard. . . you work so hard getting all of your prerequisite classes done and finally get into the nursing classes and it's like a whole new world. Getting used to the way things work with class, clinical's, labs, etc. is so confusing, difficult, and mostly, terrifying.
I have to get cheesy on you, and tell the whole blogger world how grateful I am for my teacher and fellow students. In orientation for the nursing program I remember the director of the program, Dr. L. telling us how we would all become like family because all of our time is spent together in rather stressful situations. I thought, "give me a break, it's just school. I'm not going to become like family with these people." I couldn't have been more wrong. When you are thrown into such a stressful situation and everyone is vulnerable in learning how to care for the human life. . . you have no choice but to bond. Most of all, I am so lucky to have such a great teacher to teach my first nursing class. All of the teachers at Provo College, I am impressed with but I have to say, my cohort did get the best one to kick off our class. The teacher that starts your cohort is always special to your class because your class becomes the teacher's"babies", in a sense.
Usually, for every nursing class you get a different teacher. My class is lucky enough that due to some changes, our teacher of our fundamentals nursing class in our first semester is now teaching our second semester (that I'm in now) Med/Surg class. Then we will also get her in third semester for L&D, which is awesome because she specializes in Labor and Delivery. Having the same professor who taught you the basics go on with you is so helpful. She knows our individual learning styles and I feel comfortable enough around her to be myself and ask her any dumb question I might have. Which is a rare feeling around someone with years of experiences who has their master's degree in nursing.
Usually, for every nursing class you get a different teacher. My class is lucky enough that due to some changes, our teacher of our fundamentals nursing class in our first semester is now teaching our second semester (that I'm in now) Med/Surg class. Then we will also get her in third semester for L&D, which is awesome because she specializes in Labor and Delivery. Having the same professor who taught you the basics go on with you is so helpful. She knows our individual learning styles and I feel comfortable enough around her to be myself and ask her any dumb question I might have. Which is a rare feeling around someone with years of experiences who has their master's degree in nursing.
I know this is not a big deal to anyone reading this, but it makes me so happy! I have never in my life had a teacher who wanted us to succeed so much. One day toward the end of the semester we were all freaking out because we didn't think we were going to pass Microbiology (a whole separate class through USU). My nursing professor was kind enough to make us flash cards and quiz us for hours during clinical. Who does that? Helps you study so intensely and it's not even her class that she teaches!! She was so invested in helping us all succeed. And it certainly paid off. . . Side note, we have also played some HILARIOUS pranks on her. You have to laugh to get through all the stress! I'll save those stories for another blog post. ;)
I know it sounds silly and many of you won't understand unless you've been through a similar situation l but my heart is so full. I am so so so thankful to this wonderful teacher and all of my fellow students. We have helped each other survive our first semester and we will continue to support one another through our second semester. I was so overwhelmed this week starting my second semester. Almost in tears as I left my pharmacology class, I received a text in response to a question I asked earlier in the day to my med/surg teacher (the one I had 1st semester as well) filled with support and encouraging words during this crazy time!
I know I sound like a crazy person, but I am so thankful to be surrounded with teachers and students who really want you to succeed, just so much that they will do anything in their power to help you and most of all, remembers how scary it is to be a nursing student. That's how ALL teachers should be, if you ask me.
Here's to my second semester of the nursing program. . . Heaven help me survive.
