Anatomy and Physiology Update

Anatomy and Physiology Update

My First Exam:

My first exam was pretty standard. It basically was a review from high school. I made a low A without studying really. I felt pretty good about this exam.

My Second Exam:

My second exam did not go so well. Since I had that feeling that I didn't have to study much I didn't study much. This resulted in a high C on my second exam. I felt really bad about myself and I felt guilty for not studying when we received our tests back. All of the girls around me had made 99% and I had made the lowest grade of my college career. But I took that fuel and turned it into a motivation to study smarter.

Where I am Now:

I now have a B in A&P. Which may be wonderful for some students, but I know that I’m capable of a much higher score. Which leads me to…

My Study Techniques:

Studying for A&P can be complicated. Our tests normally cover 3 chapters of material. For example, our upcoming test is over bones, the axial skeleton, and the appendicular skeleton. This is probably around 100 pages of information. What I try to do is briefly look over the chapter prior to class. My teacher also gives us power points. So I go to class and take notes on the printed out power points. After that class I take those power point notes and turn them into a typed out document. I use Google Drive so that I can access my notes anywhere. I then print out those notes and put them in my A&P folder. Then I take the A&P folder with me to work or the library and I turn each concept, vocabulary word, or section into a flashcard. I have all different sizes of flashcards and sometimes I will cut them into smaller cards. By now I have written down most of this information 3 times which is studying in itself. Starting about 5 days before the exam I will be going over these cards several times a day as well as adding to them anything that we get in that week of the test. Our tests are always on Fridays. We also receive a set of review questions that we can complete and turn in for 5 extra credit points. These review questions can be anywhere from 40-70 questions. This takes me a lot of time. I spend probably 3 hours answering these questions very fully and reviewing the answers as I go. I always know that the short answer questions on the test will come from these review questions so it’s important to know the information. I will do a study technique evaluation after my upcoming test and make an entire post just about how I study A&P.

Disclaimer:

Keep in mind that this is just what I do. I’m not saying that this will work for you. It may, it may not. Everyone learns differently and at a different pace and that’s okay.

Everyone remember to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to view the upcoming video version of this blog post. Let's get connected!

All About: My Nursing Program

My Nursing Program:

As I stated in my last post, I will not be officially accepted until the end of July 2015. I am on track and I should be able to start the program in the Fall.

What type of nursing program will I be doing?

My nursing program is a 2 year  RN program. I will start in Fall 2015 and finish in Spring 2017. While in the nursing program I will also be taking core classes that will go towards my BSN. My school is scheduled to start an RN-BSN bridge program in 2017 or 2018.

My Education Plan:

I will finish my RN in Spring 2017. I hope to be able to get a L&D position at my local hospital. Around that time my schools RN-BSN program should launch. I will go for an additional year to receive my BSN. By then I will have a year or more of L&D experience (hopefully). Then I will apply for a grad program for Nurse-Midwifery.

Everyone remember to subscribe to my YouTube Channel to see the upcoming video version of this blog post. Let's get connected!

Pre-Nursing Semester Update

Pre-Nursing Semester Update

What classes I’m taking:

A&P, Lab, History, Psychology, Pharmacology, and English

How I’m doing:

Midterm just passed and all of my grades are at an acceptable level I hope to either maintain or bring up my grades for the rest of the semester.

Anatomy and Physiology:

Currently going really well. It took a while to create a study routine that works well for me, but I’m retaining loads of information.

Pharmacology:

Started out really rocky. Studying for Pharmacology is hard if you have no prior knowledge of anything in the medical field. I tanked my first exam. Luckily, I reevaluated my study techniques and I brought my grade up to a B. We are only 2 tests in so I still have time to raise it to an A.

When will I be entered into the program?

I have already applied to the Nursing Program. I will be taking an A&P II course over the summer which is a prerequisite to my school’s nursing program. Over the summer (in June) I will also be taking the HESI A2 exam. I should receive a preliminary letter stating that as long as I finish up the A&P and take the HESI I will be granted acceptance into the program.

What type of nursing program will I be doing?

I will be doing a 2 year RN program to start, but hopefully my school will have a RN-BSN degree option soon after I graduate. I will be making a post that explains my education plan more thoroughly coming out soon.

Everyone, remember to check out my YouTube Channel! I will try and post more the closer I get to starting my nursing program.

Pharmacology Update

Hello friends! It has been quite a while since we last spoke. I apologize for not posting often, I got kind of caught up in the holidays and then I moved into my very own apartment for the first time. But, now I'm back in the swing of things at school, settled into my new home, and ready to share how my classes are going so far with you.
Let me start by saying I have very limited knowledge of anything to do with drugs, nursing, or the medical field. this has been my first nursing related class ever and I did horribly on my first exam. Luckily, we still have several more exams which will give me a chance to bring my grade up to a place that I want it to be, but that still doesn't counteract the feelings I had when I received that first grade. I did pass, but I know that I could have done immensely better. I did not prepare for this exam like I should have and I think that's where I went wrong. Studying drug names is like learning an entirely new language. You have to understand basic medical terminology in order to understand each category of drug and what each individual drug does to the human body.
Pharmacology is a course that is very heavy in memorization. You really have to relearn how to study for these kinds of courses. In most of my courses that I've taken in the past I maybe skimmed the chapter and took notes during lecture then reviewed them once or twice before the exam. Pharmacology is very different. I have to make myself read each chapter (there are so many chapters!). Then I go to lecture and take my notes. Here is where I've started to do things differently, instead of just studying from those notes, I retype them on my computer, This acts in itself as a study method, plus it makes my notes neat, organized, and legible.
I hope that my next pharmacology update is a much more positive one and I hope that all of you find this helpful. Also, stay tuned for my YouTube update on my Pre-Nursing courses this semester.      

Why I Am Becoming a CNA

After asking for advice from everyone on Allnurses, I have officially decided to pursue becoming a CNA. I plan on taking a six week long course over this summer to become a certified nurses assistant. I am choosing to do it this summer because I will only be taking two classes at my school, so I'll have plenty of extra time to devote towards CNA training. I need to get a job in order to make ends meet, so why not have a job that helps me get closer to my goal of becoming a nurse instead of flipping burgers for the next two years? By working as a CNA during nursing school I will meet many nurses and establish myself in a healthcare facility. This experience will help me to develop professionally in the world of nursing. I will learn how to care for patients and the basic layout of a healthcare facility. This will be my experience before I'm able to get any experience. I believe that having a CNA job will also make me into a better candidate for a job once I do graduate from nursing school. I plan on keeping everyone updated on my CNA journey under my page Becoming A CNA. I would love to hear from any of you who have went down a similar path. If you have any advice or need any advice, please contact me at nursingwithjen@gmail.com.

25 Facts About Me

1. What is your name? Jennifer
2. How old are you? 18
3. What is your favorite vegetable? Either green beans or potatoes
4. How tall are you? 5'6"
5. What is your favorite book? I have several. I really enjoyed Wuthering Heights, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, & Light on Yoga
6. What is your favorite TV series? I really like The Office, Grey's Anatomy, and Parenthood.
7. What country do you live in? The United States of America
8. What is you occupation? Full time student, soon to be CNA.
9. What is 1 guilty pleasure you refuse to give up? Grey's Anatomy- I know nursing isn't anything like it is on that show but a girl can dream can't she?
10. What is something that amazes you? Pregnancy and childbirth. That is why I want to be a midwife.
11. Are you a morning or a night person? Neither. I like the daytime. However, being a full time student with morning classes has changed me (against my will) into a morning person. 
12. What is your favorite animal? I love dogs.
13. What is one thing you miss about being a kid? Nothing, I had a strange childhood. 
14. What is one thing that you love about being an adult? Everything! The ability to not be held back by other people's problems, the freedom to make your own decisions, & the joy of being able to grow as an individual.
15. What is the last book that you read? I recently read the beginning chapters of The Power of Now, but that has been set on the back burner until exams are over.
16. Do you have any pets? I don't, but the people that I live with have 3 cats and 1 dog.
17. What would be your dream job? I hope to one day be a midwife!
18. Were you named after anyone? I believe I was named after my biological fathers sister. I also have a distant cousin named Jennifer so I might be named after her. 
19. Do you have kids? I do not, but I hope to have children someday.
20. What was the last thing that you ate? A chocolate chip cookie dough Larabar! They're my favorite.
21. What is the last movie that you watched? The 3rd Hunger Games movie. It was fantastic!
22. How often do you listen to music? Fairly often, my favorite bands are The Arctic Monkeys & Sublime.
23. What is your favorite podcast? This Feels Terrible hosted by Erin Mcgathy
24. Can you drive a stick shift? I cannot, but I'm willing to learn for the right car.
25. Is your life anything like it was two years ago? Not at all! Thank goodness! 

How to Stay in Shape During Nursing School

As many of you may know, I'm a huge lover of yoga. Doing yoga is my way of keeping active and in shape, which is vital to my success as both a student and future nurse. A career in nursing is a career in the health field. With this in mind we must remind ourselves that if we are going to promote wellness, we must be well ourselves! It is so important to stay healthy and active throughout both nursing school and the rest of your life. In nursing you will spend so much time on your feet. Being physically fit will make the physical demands of nursing much easier on your body. Here are my top tips for obtaining and maintaining your physical fitness throughout nursing school and beyond.

1. Make time for fitness! Make time for yourself and your bodies health. If you want to be able to do well in school, you need the energy to do so! Exercise helps me to get a better nights rest and if I work out in the morning it gives me a buzz stronger than any coffee. 
2. Exercise in the morning. By working out first thing in the morning, you aren't adding stress to your to-do list by holding off until the evening. Waking up an hour early each day and getting active will start your day on a good note and will give you a feeling of accomplishment. 
3. Drink LOTS of water!! Staying hydrated is so important for everyone, Our bodies, and specifically our brains, are made up of mostly water. Staying hydrated also helps with digestion and other processes that go on within our bodies.
4. Pack your own food. I know, I know, you're already so busy and it's so easy to just grab fast food. No! By packing your own meals and snacks for class or clinicals you save yourself money and you contribute positively to your health. 
5. Find a hobby that gets you moving. About 1 year ago I fell in love with yoga. It helps me to both deal with stress and keep my body healthy. Since I've started yoga my flexibility and strength have improved greatly. I strongly suggest everyone give it a try or find a hobby that works for you.