Onto the next one!

Hello followers!

I am writing to you after two weeks into my second semester of the GM program! Winter vacation was much needed, and now I am refreshed and ready to tackle the next semester. Oh yeah, and I finally figured out why my hand/eye coordination was so terrible.. I NEEDED GLASSES... HA. It's amazing how much clearer the world looks now (lol)... Anywayssss,

This semester I am going to clinical three days a week; one night at Norwood Hospital for my mental health rotation and two nights at the VA in West Roxbury for acute care. Along with 20hrs of clinical time, I am going to school two days a week and also every other weekend for a Saturday class! Therefore, it has already been a pretty hectic semester, but definitely a lot of fun. We have also already spent some hours in the Sim lab working on hanging IVs, catheterizing patients, suctioning tracheostomies, and providing care to patients with chest tubes. I definitely feel as though the academic load has become much more demanding, especially medical surgical nursing which requires many hours of studying. However, whenever the work load seems like it is becoming too much I try to remind myself that working on the floor at the hospitals make it so worth it!

At the VA, I am working on two different units. On Wednesday nights, I am on a spinal cord injury unit and on Thursdays I work on a cardiac unit. Both units enable my crew to delve into really challenging aspects of nursing care, and take full advantage of learning opportunities. (We are all sooo ready for bed at the end of the night! zzzzz ) Monday nights have also been a great learning experience where I work on an acute psychiatric inpatient unit. Right now, we are concentrating our efforts on therapeutic communication skills with mentally ill patients. Along with this, we have been learning about the numerous types of mental illness, how to maintain milieu (psych environment) safety, and the different mechanisms of psych medications. 

I find the most challenging part about this semester has been figuring out how to juggle schoolwork, clinical hours and making time for my friends and family. It is tricky having to put others aside during a time when you know that studying has to be a priority. Luckily, my friends and family have been nothing short of supportive during this time which makes concentrating on school much easier – AND when times seem really stressful my two dogs can squeeze a smile out of me... J



Until next time,
Katie