"I remember my great-grandmother, too...Her husband died before I was born, but I remember that whenever my great-grandmother walked into a room, her grandsons and her nephews stood up. The women in her family were very, very articulate. Of course, my great-grandmother could not read, but she was a midwife and people from all over the state came to her for advice and for her to deliver babies. They came for other kinds of medical care, too. Yes, I feel the authority of those women more than I do my own."
Toni Morrison...from text at the Reclaiming Midwives exhibit at the Smithsonian.
It just makes me feel good...
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
A Monday in the Life
Today was long...I started with class at 10am which continued until 4:40 (after not getting home from school until 1:30 this morning - which was fine because I knew I could wake up late) and then to work, so right now I'm getting to that exhausted state. I have work until 10pm which means it was a 12hour day for me.
Tomorrow is worse because the day starts at 8am and doesn't end until 10pm.
But I am still loving my new classes, especially Maternal Newborn.
Today was the first day of Issues in Nursing, and it seems good enough...a paper worth 70% about an "important nursing issue" and an online quiz at the end worth the other 30%. I can live with that.
After 3 hours of creating med charts on common OB meds, I still have 15 meds to go...it seems like there must be an easier way, but I haven't found it yet. Maybe I'll send the chart to my study partner and let her fil out the rest...
I need to mail some documents all over the place, finish my taxes, and fill out a renewal FAFSA all by Wednesday, which is a little overwhelming...but there was great progress made in housework because I have family visiting this week which has really lifted my spirits! I have so much planned and I need to study hard for the next coupole of days so I can take the rest of the week off and really enjoy her visit.
So much to do...so little time...
Tomorrow is worse because the day starts at 8am and doesn't end until 10pm.
But I am still loving my new classes, especially Maternal Newborn.
Today was the first day of Issues in Nursing, and it seems good enough...a paper worth 70% about an "important nursing issue" and an online quiz at the end worth the other 30%. I can live with that.
After 3 hours of creating med charts on common OB meds, I still have 15 meds to go...it seems like there must be an easier way, but I haven't found it yet. Maybe I'll send the chart to my study partner and let her fil out the rest...
I need to mail some documents all over the place, finish my taxes, and fill out a renewal FAFSA all by Wednesday, which is a little overwhelming...but there was great progress made in housework because I have family visiting this week which has really lifted my spirits! I have so much planned and I need to study hard for the next coupole of days so I can take the rest of the week off and really enjoy her visit.
So much to do...so little time...
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Maternal Newborn
After a week of Maternal Newborn class I remember why I came to nursing school. Every day is like a connecting of dots. It's such a different learning experience when you're familiar with the terminology and you absolutely love and are interested in the topics before the class even begins! For once I can actually sit back and enjoy the lectures without scrambling to write down notes of things I need to look up because I've never heard it before. Most terms and concepts are familiar and the ones that aren't are like light bulbs turning on in my head as I recall reading something about it that never really made sense until now! And it's amazing how much more quickly time goes by when you're interested...I sit front row middle seat for this class and don't leave at all during the 2-3 hours of class.
The professor is another story, but it's tolerable. Actually, she's really very good but her social skills are seriously lacking...her affect is so flat and she is so stern; I think students routinely feel intimidated, sad, mad, frustrated after asking her a question because she is so condescending. I don't ask many questions, but I feel sorry those who do...but then too, we have so many people who ask questions just to hear their own voices that half the time I'm laughing in my head at her response to them...I should stop...but I can't...LOL
I have so much work to do and so much reading, but what's new? At least I want to read what's assigned!
The professor is another story, but it's tolerable. Actually, she's really very good but her social skills are seriously lacking...her affect is so flat and she is so stern; I think students routinely feel intimidated, sad, mad, frustrated after asking her a question because she is so condescending. I don't ask many questions, but I feel sorry those who do...but then too, we have so many people who ask questions just to hear their own voices that half the time I'm laughing in my head at her response to them...I should stop...but I can't...LOL
I have so much work to do and so much reading, but what's new? At least I want to read what's assigned!
Monday, March 19, 2007
A Shift in Studying
Today is the first day of school after spring break (I'm still trying to get over it) but before I move on, I want to take a minute to talk about the shift in studying that happened for me last semester, especially in Biomed...
If you're new to the blog, you might want to read these entries first:
Part 1
Part 2
Basically, I was failing Biomed (miserably so) after 2 exams, but my second 2 exams were drastically better, and here's why:
1. I changed study partners. Previously, I had been studying with other people in a haphazard way, getting what I could from whomever I could and I met with the TA for the course. For the second half of the course, I gave myself permission to dismiss the TA because she was not helpful for me (another story all together) which was against the advice of most of those around me. Then I got together with a girl who I am actually good friends with, but hadn't ever studied with. It turns out that our styles were similar enough to make it work, but different enough to give me a new way to study. Mainly, the difference between studying with her and other folks was that 1) she was dedicated to massive study time that started well before any exam 2)she reviews older info while studying new info in a way that connects the info from the last exam to the new info and 3)she doesn't quit until she gets it (We both had similar studying habits in that we wrote down review questions for each lecture to guide our studying) And lastly, (small but important) we started every study session with positive affirmations. Doesn't that sound corny? LOL It did to me, too, at first, but then I got used to it and it was so fabulous!
2. I asked questions during the exam. Someone had failed to mention this tip to me before the first 2 exams, but once I got the tip, I was amazed. This is extremely problematic to me, but it's the reality: the professor offers significant help with understanding his questions during the exam if you simply go up and ask. And because the questions are so bad, it's necessary to go ask. I hate this. But it worked (for this class).
3. I changed the way I read the notes. Instead of sitting and reading a lecture (between 6 and 12 pages, single spaced) straight through, I would read one page at a time, completely unpacking each sentence as I went. His notes are incredibly dense, and this was the only way to get everything I needed out of every sentence. I also stopped to look up every unfamiliar term (which added sooo much time to my studying) because I did not have the background information for what he was talking about. ie: he would be talking about the hormones of the anterior pituitary and I would have to find a text book (or get online) and find out what those hormones were and what they did before I could move on. After all the reading and note-taking in the margins, I would reorganize the notes so they made sense - especially chronologically - which his notes lacked. Btu I was always careful to keep the notes in his language (using his terminology) as well as my own, because the test questions are obviously in his language. I also had to look up synonyms to major vocabulary terminology because he would use one word through out his notes, but then use a synonym of the term on the exam! (so friggin irritating, tricky, and unnecessary!) So while reading, I would write synonyms for terms on the notes.
These changes were probably the most constructive as far as being able to give someone advice on how to study for this course, but the last thing I did was the most necessary for me, personally:
4. I took time to look inward:
"...I spent an enormous amount of time confronting my issues (because no one can make you feel inferior without your consent), rebuilding my confidence (because it was gone), and reassessing and recommitting to my purpose (because it’s the only way to survive this experience, I think). This involved journaling, reading my writing, including my admissions essays, and goal updating/refining. It was hard work, and, honestly, it left me exhausted, which is one of the reasons why I hope I don’t have to do it again soon."
I also did a few things right before the exams, like being quizzed by other people, reviewing charts made by others, and checking in with friends about my anxiety levels.
If you're new to the blog, you might want to read these entries first:
Part 1
Part 2
Basically, I was failing Biomed (miserably so) after 2 exams, but my second 2 exams were drastically better, and here's why:
1. I changed study partners. Previously, I had been studying with other people in a haphazard way, getting what I could from whomever I could and I met with the TA for the course. For the second half of the course, I gave myself permission to dismiss the TA because she was not helpful for me (another story all together) which was against the advice of most of those around me. Then I got together with a girl who I am actually good friends with, but hadn't ever studied with. It turns out that our styles were similar enough to make it work, but different enough to give me a new way to study. Mainly, the difference between studying with her and other folks was that 1) she was dedicated to massive study time that started well before any exam 2)she reviews older info while studying new info in a way that connects the info from the last exam to the new info and 3)she doesn't quit until she gets it (We both had similar studying habits in that we wrote down review questions for each lecture to guide our studying) And lastly, (small but important) we started every study session with positive affirmations. Doesn't that sound corny? LOL It did to me, too, at first, but then I got used to it and it was so fabulous!
2. I asked questions during the exam. Someone had failed to mention this tip to me before the first 2 exams, but once I got the tip, I was amazed. This is extremely problematic to me, but it's the reality: the professor offers significant help with understanding his questions during the exam if you simply go up and ask. And because the questions are so bad, it's necessary to go ask. I hate this. But it worked (for this class).
3. I changed the way I read the notes. Instead of sitting and reading a lecture (between 6 and 12 pages, single spaced) straight through, I would read one page at a time, completely unpacking each sentence as I went. His notes are incredibly dense, and this was the only way to get everything I needed out of every sentence. I also stopped to look up every unfamiliar term (which added sooo much time to my studying) because I did not have the background information for what he was talking about. ie: he would be talking about the hormones of the anterior pituitary and I would have to find a text book (or get online) and find out what those hormones were and what they did before I could move on. After all the reading and note-taking in the margins, I would reorganize the notes so they made sense - especially chronologically - which his notes lacked. Btu I was always careful to keep the notes in his language (using his terminology) as well as my own, because the test questions are obviously in his language. I also had to look up synonyms to major vocabulary terminology because he would use one word through out his notes, but then use a synonym of the term on the exam! (so friggin irritating, tricky, and unnecessary!) So while reading, I would write synonyms for terms on the notes.
These changes were probably the most constructive as far as being able to give someone advice on how to study for this course, but the last thing I did was the most necessary for me, personally:
4. I took time to look inward:
"...I spent an enormous amount of time confronting my issues (because no one can make you feel inferior without your consent), rebuilding my confidence (because it was gone), and reassessing and recommitting to my purpose (because it’s the only way to survive this experience, I think). This involved journaling, reading my writing, including my admissions essays, and goal updating/refining. It was hard work, and, honestly, it left me exhausted, which is one of the reasons why I hope I don’t have to do it again soon."
I also did a few things right before the exams, like being quizzed by other people, reviewing charts made by others, and checking in with friends about my anxiety levels.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
End of Quarter/Next Up
The quarter ended last Friday, finally. There's so much to say about it, but so little energy to even go there. It's like I've finally finished and I don't want to even think about it anymore. But I do want to take a moment to acknowledge the accomplishment of surviving Biomed. I will do it in another post in which I will also explain how I finally figured out how to study for that class. Here's what I can muster with the little energy the quarter left me with:
Psych class ended just as dry as it began. It was just a very easy no brainer kind of class in which I could have learned more but I didn't force it because I was focused on other stuff. It was an easy High Pass, and I'll take it. Psych clinical on the other hand was challenging (as I've already explained in other posts) and although I am glad to be moving on from it, I will miss it because I really like non-hospital nursing. It was dramatically different than Med Surg (which everyone knows I didn't like that much) and I got to work with patients who I could easily connect with and who solidified my choice, which is important because while everyone else was having their "this is why I am going into nursing" epiphanies during Med Surg, I was thinking "what the hell have I gotten myself into?"
Pharm ended, and I'm glad for it. I don't feel like I learned much in that class. It was a horrible seminar that had a different incompetent lecture every period. I hardly ever saw the professor for the course because she was never there, although she wrote most of the exams. Memorization, memorization, memorization - most of which went right out of my head immediately following the exam. And then I realized that she had a ridiculous curve and my studying dropped off completely because, study or not, my grades were the same. Just no motivation for that. We will take Pharm twice more before we graduate. Maybe next year it will be better.
Next Quarter starts in two weeks after spring break. This is what we are taking:
Maternal Newborn (Can we say FINALLY)
Nutrition
Issues in Nursing
Pathophysiology (continues from last quarter)
I'm actually looking forward to this set of classes like never before. Maternal newborn for obvious reasons, Nutrition-because I think it will interesting, and Issues in Nursing-because I love the topics and that we will finally get our noses out of a textbook! Patho is neutral - I'm just dealing with it.
Overall, this quarter went by very quickly. I can only hope that the next one does as well so I can finish and move on.
On another note, I took a survey for grad and professional students that was designed by the student senate to gauge their progress in providing activities for grad/prof students across campus and was pleasantly reminded that I do actually participate in more than just class. A while ago I posted that I wanted to begin to take note of things I do on campus, other than work and study. Well, for the survey we had to check off all of the things that we had done from the list that they provided. When I got to the bottom, I realized that I had checked almost EVERY SINGLE ITEM. (I had not attended a very special sporting event) Anyway, I have visited a campus museum, attended a talk, attended an on-campus conference, went to a U sponsored happy hour, went to a theater production (and my first cabaret!), and a couple other things that if I mentioned would give my school away!
Psych class ended just as dry as it began. It was just a very easy no brainer kind of class in which I could have learned more but I didn't force it because I was focused on other stuff. It was an easy High Pass, and I'll take it. Psych clinical on the other hand was challenging (as I've already explained in other posts) and although I am glad to be moving on from it, I will miss it because I really like non-hospital nursing. It was dramatically different than Med Surg (which everyone knows I didn't like that much) and I got to work with patients who I could easily connect with and who solidified my choice, which is important because while everyone else was having their "this is why I am going into nursing" epiphanies during Med Surg, I was thinking "what the hell have I gotten myself into?"
Pharm ended, and I'm glad for it. I don't feel like I learned much in that class. It was a horrible seminar that had a different incompetent lecture every period. I hardly ever saw the professor for the course because she was never there, although she wrote most of the exams. Memorization, memorization, memorization - most of which went right out of my head immediately following the exam. And then I realized that she had a ridiculous curve and my studying dropped off completely because, study or not, my grades were the same. Just no motivation for that. We will take Pharm twice more before we graduate. Maybe next year it will be better.
Next Quarter starts in two weeks after spring break. This is what we are taking:
Maternal Newborn (Can we say FINALLY)
Nutrition
Issues in Nursing
Pathophysiology (continues from last quarter)
I'm actually looking forward to this set of classes like never before. Maternal newborn for obvious reasons, Nutrition-because I think it will interesting, and Issues in Nursing-because I love the topics and that we will finally get our noses out of a textbook! Patho is neutral - I'm just dealing with it.
Overall, this quarter went by very quickly. I can only hope that the next one does as well so I can finish and move on.
On another note, I took a survey for grad and professional students that was designed by the student senate to gauge their progress in providing activities for grad/prof students across campus and was pleasantly reminded that I do actually participate in more than just class. A while ago I posted that I wanted to begin to take note of things I do on campus, other than work and study. Well, for the survey we had to check off all of the things that we had done from the list that they provided. When I got to the bottom, I realized that I had checked almost EVERY SINGLE ITEM. (I had not attended a very special sporting event) Anyway, I have visited a campus museum, attended a talk, attended an on-campus conference, went to a U sponsored happy hour, went to a theater production (and my first cabaret!), and a couple other things that if I mentioned would give my school away!
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