Mad Scribblings From the Life of a Middle-Aged New Nurse
Once again, I have failed the first exam of the semester, and once again, not by much (failed by 3 points translating to two questions). This, despite efforts to gain ground by pre-studying before the semester began, trying a new note-taking technique, and drilling questions for days on end. Still failed the damn test by... Continue Reading →
[This is an updated repost of an earlier article. It was one of my first posts and remains relevant -- I get asked about this topic a lot.] Maybe you've always dreamed of a career in medicine. Medical school is too big a commitment, but Nursing -- caring for your patients on the front line... Continue Reading →
That's all I have left of my winter break. One week from today, it all begins again in earnest. My final semester of Nursing School. I've seen the schedule. I've seen the syllabus. It's gonna be a bloodbath. Our class is down two more students (to my knowledge). Hopefully we don't lose anyone else. Especially... Continue Reading →
... by the skin of my teeth, but I passed. 75-point-something. Just enough to squeak by. One of my teachers admitted he was unsure I was going to make it but was relieved when I did. "When you missed that assignment, you had me really worried." Me too, pal. Me too. All the demographics of... Continue Reading →
I'm a Facebook old-timer. I joined the ubiquitous FB way back in 2007 when it was still some little nothing-special website made up of mostly college kids posting photos of themselves and their friends. I joined to keep tabs on my acting friends, many of whom were college students or people in their 20s having... Continue Reading →
I want to take a moment to vent. Hah! As if that isn't what I normally do here. When did Nursing School become all about kowtowing to ATI or Kaplan or other such NCLEX prep companies? And why are nursing schools so controlling? Seriously dudes, take a chill pill. Last night, it was announced that... Continue Reading →
So I'm going into the final days of Nursing School Semester 3 a bit behind the 8-ball. I had high hopes that doing well on my Cardiac exam would put me squarely in the "Safe Zone" (mid-B) but it did not pan out that way. I got an 81. Fair, but not great. The exam... Continue Reading →
As we begin to wind down this semester, I am still surviving. Moreover, I have become increasingly certain that I have found my calling: Cardiac. I love cardiac medicine. I love it. Have I mentioned that I love it? I really do. The rest of the class sits in lecture baffled, and I'm eating up... Continue Reading →
I have written about my fellow nursing student, Shy Susan, before -- the ultra-shy girl from Guatemala who is nice but isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. I have been partnered with her in Lab and she is also in my clinical, so I have had the misfortune of seeing her work up... Continue Reading →
I have reached the mid-point in my penultimate semester of Nursing School. I failed Exam 2, but only by 0.45 points. I still have time to recover from that bad grade. Somehow, I'm comfortable with failure. WHY? It feels as if all the color has drained from my life. I just keep my head above... Continue Reading →
Mad Margaret Diaries 