Last week was our final week at home for the Release of Information course.  It was very different to be at home instead of a set time at school.  I know for me I think being at school would have been easier just so I would have that set time for school work.  It was a very informative course which has now led us into Health Records.  Now I can see how the two courses go hand in hand.

This week we have just started Health Records.  We are at Surrey Memorial two days a week to work in the computer lab there.  This also ties in with our admitting section we worked on.  Health Records is a bit more involved than I thought, though I am not sure what I thought it involved (laugh). 

I am starting to get a little nervous about my typing.  Our typing tests are at the end of this month.  I just hope and pray for 50WPM, for me and my classmates.  I just hope that I don’t get nervous during the test; it is sort of scary to know that my typing skills affect my job prospects.

We have also just wrapped up Stenberg’s Biggest Loser Contest. Twelve weeks of free fitness was great, plus so much fun.  I am so proud of everyone, the transformations were amazing.  I know everyone worked so hard to even fit in the workouts between school, home life, homework and any other demands.  I am happy to say that all three winners were in my class, and I was one of them, yippee!

Completion of bootcamp!

I cannot believe we are more than half way there.  I never thought I would make it this far and still be smiling.  I never thought I would be a student again at 32, let alone one that requires studying and focus. Now that the time is running out, I am starting to worry about graduation and finding that special job. 

Currently as a Hospital Support Specialist student, we are  working with an online course for Release of Information.  I have never done online studies before, and I know for myself I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage my time, especially with the summer in full swing.  We are on our last week of the three week course and it has been interesting.  I have been a bit overwhelmed at times because there is so much information to cover and it is mainly done in legal language which can be a bit tedious to read.  I just try to focus each day to what the online course suggests for focus.

Currently, I am also participating in Stenberg’s Biggest Loser Contest.  I participated in one through the Peace Arch News two years ago, so I was excited to see that Stenberg offered it as well.  It is a free twelve week program with a boot camp instructor which takes place Monday, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  I love the variety of the workouts and the spirit and encouragement of all of the girls who participate in this event as well. This is the final week so I am so excited to see how everyone did and how they have changed their lives.  I know for many it has been hard to make the one hour commitment with school, family, homework and just life in general.  The winner will receive a gift certificate for the mall, and I am sure after this twelve weeks they will need to buy some new clothes with all the inches lost.

Next for me is to really focus on my typing accuracy and speed since we have our typing tests arriving soon, September to be exact.  I know I am not the only nervous one, but we are a class of worry at the best of times lol. I know we are all going to do well because we have practiced so hard and for so long, but it is always that what if. So next month I will know with my typing speed, what area, or capacity my practicum will be. 50wpm means a hospital which we all want; 40wpm to 49wpm could mean a clinic or lower position within the hospital and anything less than 40wpm means a medical clinic. Only a short time will tell, so I will let you know how it goes.

From the moment we are born our ears go into action.  They are on high alert, ready to warn us of any sound or noise that we need to pay attention to.  This could be range from things as important as the baby crying  at 2:00 am to the secret whisper of your friends about to surprise you with a worm down your back …. let’s be honest an infinite number of things.  They even tell us about things we don’t even think about – the hum of the fridge, the buzz of the bee.  Have you ever noticed the unnatural silence of the house when the power gets turned off in the house??  All of those things our ears are hearing, which we don’t even think about, yet miss the minute they are gone.

But hearing isn’t everything.  Hearing is just the physical job that our ears are there to do, like a paint brush that applies the paint.  It is the job of the artist to take the brush and create and interpret, producing a unique and individual masterpiece that expresses the feelings of the artist at the time of the creation.

Listening is the art of hearing.  Listening is taking what you hear and truly absorbing the words, thinking about what has been said, empathising with the speaker and, if needed, giving feedback that is both thoughtful and applicable to the situation.

This week in the Special Education Assistant class we have been focusing on the art of listening in class.  Being an effective listener for your students, patients or clients is one of the greatest gifts you can bestow upon them.

Take the time to face the speaker.  Make eye contact.  Be open minded and remember this is about them and this is their moment to speak, yours will come in time.  Be empathetic, if the need is there, and offer appropriate support.  Just remember how it feels when someone listens to you, and then it will make it much easier to listen to someone else.

Every little  thing we can do to make someone else’s life a little better is the biggest gift we bring to them.  So keep on Listening!!

Hang in there class, we are only one week away before the exams are over! I must say these 3 weeks have been the toughest weeks in school for me so far – final exams, case scenario testing, 2 medication lab exams coming up next week. With no doubt, the case scenario testing was the one that gave me the most stress. In an hour’s time, we were tested on all the knowledge that we need to know for a particular case scenario, as well as being able to apply the related practical skills in a mock clinical setting. It was something that I find really difficult to be fully prepared for.

In order to do well in case scenario testing, I believe you have to prioritize your care for the patient, and always rationalize why you are doing the specific tasks for a patient. Even though most students (including myself) tend to find this kind of testing to be the toughest type of exam, it really prepares us well when we go on our practicum. At practicum, we wouldn’t be performing our practical skills on a manequin anymore, but instead, we will be taking care of “real patients”. To put it another way, other people’s lives are in our hands, so it is important that we are well-prepared and have a “patient’s first and safety’s first” mindset. The case scenario testing itself is a big challenge, but it is only to prepare us for bigger challenges ahead. I know it’s the toughest time of the year, but it’s also the time of the year when positive thinking really kicks in for us to move forward.

This week the Special Education Assistant class  finally had the chance to do some Professional Development with Stenberg’s infamous Life Skills Coach-  a 24 hour  7 day/week  life line that is there for us should we need guidance on just about any aspect of life we can use help in during our studies here at the College.

He came to our class on Monday to teach us about communication. Learning more effective ways to both listen and communicate with the people around us.  There were so many amazing things that we discovered, and today in class when we had our debrief, each of us had something different that we had gained from his presentation to us.

What I enjoyed learning the most was something I truly believe in, but am glad he was able to confirm – that in all reality we really don’t know how much we don’t know, and that we will never actually know how much there is that we don’t know!  The most important thing is to understand what we do know, and then work to expand on what we do know by exploring what we don’t know.  Eventually we reach the stage where we won’t even know what we do know…..(Phew…try saying that three times quickly). These are the Four Stages of Learning.

But how does all of that help us learn??  Simple – Stage 1. We start out looking at a task knowing nothing about it.  Stage 2. We start to then realise how much we don’t know about it and what we will need to learn.  This is where a lot of self doubt comes into the picture. Stage 3. We start to learn and understand the skill, but accept that we know most, but not all of the information necessary to master the skill.  There is still awareness of the potential for mistakes.  Stage 4. We have mastered the skill.  It has now become a natural part of our life (like driving).

Once we as learners can accept the fact that we do not know everything, and that part of learning is about making mistakes and errors we will then be able to focus on the subject of learning rather than focusing on not making mistakes in the process.  If every time we were getting in the car during a driving lesson we only thought about all the mistakes we might make we would never make it out of the driveway.

So, remember that on a universal scale we know such a minute amount compared to the infinite potential there is to know…that the next time someone makes you feel stupid for making  a mistake or an error ask them how much they don’t know??

This week is going to be a random collection of what I like to term “Stenberg Odds and Ends” – some interesting stories and facts that are either going to happen or have already taken place on campus….

Of course the big buzz event that is coming up is STENBERG FRIENDS AND FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT!!  Stenberg has managed to form a partnership with the Hollywood 3 Cinemas to bring us a fabulous deal  – a free movie for ourselves and three guests with popcorn and pop included – when was the last time you got a deal like that!!  The movie choices are Grown Ups or the Karate Kid – so come on out and enjoy a great movie, and thanks to Stenberg for this great chance to spend some time away from the books and instead spend some quality time with our family.

Another exciting event on campus, which many of us are appreciating from the “bottom” of our hearts are the fancy new chairs that are in the classrooms.  I know that my first few days this week have been much more pleasant due to these modern, sleek ergonomically designed chairs – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a chair with wheels!!  I suspect the hours of class time will be much easier to sit through now that we have these wonderful chairs to sit in.

Finally, my last little “Stenberg Odds and Ends” note is that if you happen to see any people in the halls looking like they are observing you, or are watching you intently, they probably are.  The next two weeks is the “Observing and Recording” unit of the Special Education Assistant (SEA) program and a lot of the work involves going about and observing people very discreetly (??). 

So, if I were to try and wrap this blog up into a nice pretty package with a bow I would tell you that this week, while sitting in your nice new comfortable classroom chair you should gather a group of friends to go to Stenberg Family and Friends Movie Night.  While at the movie, beware of how you eat your popcorn, because an SEA student might be behind you observing and recording how many pieces of popcorn you put in your mouth at once….

This is what I am meant to do…

I remember a time when I truly knew nursing was my calling. It happened while I was still in school. I knew I had made the right decision, to go back to school and become an LPN. As a mother, it was very hard to leave my children at a young age without feeling guilty. But, I followed my heart and my preschool drawing of what I wanted to be when I grew up….a nurse lol.

I am not allowed to share much, due to confidentiality, but I can share some things. I was called out of class by my teacher and the first aid instructor/firefighter/paramedic (yes he is them all)…at first I was scared, thinking I was in trouble..haha…

It turned out a girl in another class was not doing well, and they wanted to someone to help out. I stayed with her for an hour, I was able to help her out medically and emotionally. She confided in me and together we were able to figure out a cause and plan. I was commended by my instructors and the paramedic. He is even going to write a letter for me for my portfolio, as he was impressed. When I left for the day, I almost cried. It was my first one on one (no clinical instructors or other nurses) to use my nursing skills. And I was trusted to do it. I helped someone. I made a difference. This is what I am meant to do. I will be a great nurse. I can improve a situation for someone. I can be a mentor, I can listen, and I can be trusted.

What made you take your program? Is it your passion as well?

I love sitting back and reflecting on WHY I am doing this. I love thinking about each moment that has shaped me into the person/nurse I am today. Each little bit has made me stronger.

Self-reflecting is a huge part of nursing. It strengthens your abilities but also makes you see areas needing work. Take the time to do this every so often, believe me it’s almost a stress release and ego-booster all in one.

This week I’ve decided to tell you all about the latest assignment we are working on in the Special Education Assistant (SEA) class.  It is called Task Analysis, and it is one of the key components in Applied Behavioural Analysis (“THE” technique for teaching children who have autism).

So what is Task Analysis you ask?  Well believe it or not, we use task analysis everyday of life in every activity we do.  When reading a recipe the instructions are a form of  task analysis, reading a map would be another form – it is the technique of taking an activity and analysing it into small very detailed tasks that are simple to understand and easy to perform.  With the help of an instructor, prompts and reinforcers the task will get completed.

Children with autism very often need to have even the simplest tasks broken down into small precise instructions, that can be learned as progressive steps,  such as brushing teeth. 

Our assignment is to take an activity and break it down into all of the steps. So here we are in class all running around trying to think of interesting ideas, but then realising that something as simple sounding as drawing a rainbow could actually be about 700 steps …. believe me, being in this class makes one have  a much greater appreciation for the things we all take for granted in life.

I decided to try doing Brushing Teeth. Well all of a sudden, trust me, brushing teeth is no longer as simple as I thought.  Sit back right now and imagine yourself about to brush your teeth.  Where is the toothbrush?  How do you grab it?  With what hand?  Is it in a drawer and how do you open the drawer?  What about the toothpaste?  Where do you put the toothpaste?  On the bristles or the plastic part?  How much do you  put on the brush and where do you squeeze the tube.  Twisting the cap off the tube alone is a whole other lesson.  This is going to be tough!!

Once I have all the steps written out I must then get a classmate to be my guinea pig … she will have to be the child with autism and follow my Task Analysis steps in order to learn the skill of brushing her teeth, and the best part – in front of the class!!

You know that the three days we all have for oral presentations are going to be amazing.  Watching each of us break down these everyday skills into hundreds of simple instructions is going to give us all a different outlook on what it like to work with children who have autism, and to also experience the patience and dedication that it will take to be an SEA in the classroom.

Hi readers! Welcome! This blog will share with you my journey to become a practical nurse…

School is a big stress – no doubt – especially nursing school. There are a lot of materials you have to remember, learn things that you have never seen or done before. But I believe if you’re devoted, determined, and dedicated – not only will you be successful, but you will also enjoy being in nursing school! Here are some simple tips that may help you (and me) to walk this road easier:

Some tips:

- Other people in the class are just as scared as you are. Remember to keep positive thoughts!

- Be prepared to learn and work hard. Yes, you will have to do a lot of reading, and it will be confusing at times. Write down any points that you don’t understand and clarify with the instructor. Highlight things that the instructor says is important!

- Have a support group. Believe me, you will need a supportive group to give you advice and encouragement when you feel lost and lacking motivation to study.

- It is normal not to know everything. This does not mean you’re stupid! Also, when you are nervous and stressed, you will tend to forget how to do things (even if they are the most simple tasks). So try to relax – especially during your Lab exams! Take a deep breath and always rationalize why you’re doing this specific task for your client.

- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. When you go on practicum, a nurse tells you to do something on a patient that you are not familiar with it or feel uncomfortable doing so, ask for help. Remember, you have the right to learn and clarify any uncertainties, and your patients have the right to receive safe and competent care.

- Find time to relax and recharge yourself. This means prioritize your time and organize your week. Set aside one day just to catch up with friends and family, watch TV, or just do whatever you want. In that way, you will have your “scheduled day-off” to look forward on the days when you feel unmotivated or lacking the energy to move on.

Hope this helps! Stayed tuned for the next blog!

Case Studies! Have you done your first one yet? Or are you getting ready to do any more?

I have to tell you this was the ONE thing that made me so nervous during nursing labs. It was like acting class…and well, I am NOT an actor. I am also not a fan of talking to myself lol.

I had no idea what I was getting into when we were first told about the assignment. The whole class was at a loss. None of us had ever done one, so we had no idea how to prepare.

Most of us were book smart…but could we put it into action and make it make sense? That was the big question.

We were told to prepare the 4 different cases and be prepared the day of to choose the one you will be doing. Oh, the pressure. Of course, we all had our favourites of the one we wanted lol. I remember the first one I did, I got the hard one…the patient who had the stroke.

The first time we used the dummy dolls as our patients (later on we moved onto using a classmate). So, we walked into the lab where the instructor was, to talk and perform skills on a dummy…wow, this was NOT my cup of tea.

BUT, I have to say I prepared well compared to some. I knew my information inside and out. But, the most important thing I did was PRACTICE. You would be surprised in the amount who did not, and their performances showed it! Yes, it was hard to talk to myself as well, but I knew if I could say it out loud step by step, then I could do it.

So, do yourselves a favour. Bite the bullet, practice with each other and practices with yourself.

Yes, I was seen talking to myself in the car as I drove, doing my step by step case study.

Heck, it got me and A, so why not?!