Weeks 5-7 as a level 4 nursing student

I know I've been neglecting this blog like nobody's business. I guess that goes to show how tough it's been the past 4 weeks. It's been so busy I don't even really have time to cry. I feel so overwhelmed with everything I don't know and everything I've been missing that I don't even know what to do, sometimes. I keep replying to the 'how was clinical?'s with a generic 'it was good.' because I don't have the energy to even talk about how busy school, work, St John, and life have been. I haven't been this tired for this consistent a period of time in....I don't even remember. I haven't struggled this much with nursing school ever. Stay positive, stay positive, I know. And I try. Believe you me, I try. Frontload, you say? This semester, it's been on a week-week basis. But it's ok, in hindsight, everything's 20/20. Once xmas arrives and I get together with all my friends (if they still remember me) and do our homemade gift exchange, I'll look back and laugh at my very haggard self.

Highlights:
- Knowing that what sucks for me is nothing compared to someone who's been diagnosed w kidney failure, on welfare, has a child to support, and lost their child 3 years ago.
- Knowing that my nursing friends are right where I am, and who care enough to take the time to remind me of that.
- Knowing that had my pt actually had an MI, I would have done all the right things (lol)
- Knowing that I have the ability to voice my own thoughts and rationales about why I would do things the way I do it and not just follow suit.
- Discovering that you CAN make improvements in just one day, with just one experience, and you can rock that NG tube
- Taking the time to talk to a pt and preventing them from having a fall (true story).
- Consistently realizing the need for being flexible
- Having great friends I can depend on, who know exactly what I'm going through, who I don't always have to be jolly around
- Realizing what my limitations are and being able to stand up and articulate what I can't do without feeling incompetent

I know the first part of this entry was really bleak and this post wasn't great in terms of pt experiences, but I'm on a professional practice paper writing hiatus at the moment and those articles aren't going to read themselves. Oh, and trust me when I say I will come out of this semester a champ.