First clinical week...rough

Just about 10 weeks left in the semester. I am not counting the blessed week we get off for Thanksgiving since the professors have assured us that clinical and all paperwork other than our Med Surg final will be completed by Thanksgiving. 

This week was the first week of clinicals. This semester, we are seeing much more variety in experiences, which I am really enjoying. Basically, my schedule for the year is Monday and Wednesday for clinical and Thursday for class. I can't complain about three days a week, but the amount of work we have to get done....I feel like I am in school 6 days a week. 

First week, I was spending one day in the Operating Room and one day in the Emergency Room. I loved it. The shifts were long, but it was a fantastic experience. I was able to practice some of my skills, and even though I blew an elderly lady's vein trying to start her IV, I totally got another elderly lady's IV! Those are the ones that I am scared of the most. Elderly patients have tiny veins. 

I must say, I really loved ER. It kept my ADD in check with a constant rotation of patients, questions, concerns, and skills. I would LOVE to precept there. I'm going to start praying now that I get UTMB ER. Please, Lord. 

Now, I was so exhausted from the clinical this week, that by the time my next test rolled around on Thursday, I bombed it. I sat at the computer taking the test and just could not remember what I studied for the life of me. It was like I had dementia. Looking at the question, I found myself reading it over and over again and not even understanding the question....and it wasn't a super difficult exam. Looking back over it afterwards, I have no idea why I answered many of them the way I did. I just need to get into a groove of balancing clinical, all the paperwork, and studying for these exams. I mean, this test was the very first one I have ever failed in nursing school. 

I got a 70...which in the regular world is passing....but anything less than 75 in nursing school is failing. It just burns me up that I let myself fail an exam...that overall, was not that difficult. 

So, our professor has been sending us test blueprints, which I have never completed until this year. The past three tests, I have completely and studied only the blueprint. It's not a format that I learn well using. I learn best studying on my own, creating my own charts and notes, and just reviewing those. So from now on out....I'm going back to how I learn best. Let's see how that goes. 

Tomorrow starts clinical week #2....and I have a home health and hospice rotation. I am SO looking forward to this week, even though it is going to be so busy. There's no exams this week and so there is joy in my heart!