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!

Welcome readers to the blog of the SEA0410 (SEA meaning Special Education Assistant) class of Stenberg College. As the official “blogger” it is my intention to give you an insider’s view of all the crazy stuff that happens behind our closed doors. Very often everyone can hear us, but no one ever really seems to know exactly what we are up to….

For many students at Stenberg, we, the Special Education Assistant’s are a bit of a mystery. Everyone at Stenberg is learning things in the Medical Field except for the SEA’s – so “What exactly are you learning?” is usually a big question we get. All the other students get to dress like doctors and nurses and we have to wear boring “business casual” clothes – who wouldn’t trade a pair of black dress pants for a set of Minnie Mouse scrubs!!. Then there is our “behaviour” – we have been seen running around in pyjamas, matching shirts, matching coloured clothing or other equally kooky get-ups. We seem to celebrate Christmas in the month of July and sometimes it appears as if we are doing a lot more laughing in class than learning. Just last week we got to go to the mall and “observe” strangers – I prefer to think of it as ‘playing spy’ myself, but do you know how cool it is to go and watch how people act when they don’t know you are watching.

By writing this blog, I hope that I will able to share with you all the pride our class has in our SEA0410 Class as a whole – we are an amazing team of 15 women and one super luck guy ( he’s spoiled rotten by all of us) … We have grown over the last three months from a group of strangers, with a career choice in common, to a close knit group of friends and family. We are an unbeatable unit who truly work together and care for each other, helping one another study, correcting each other’s work, and even small little things like just giving a shoulder when one is needed.

We also stand out from most students in the academic world because we love our teacher. Yes, as weird as it sounds, we, the SEA’s, believe we have the best teacher in the world. Everyone in our program loves her, and because of that we work even harder to succeed – she is the one who gives us all these neat and crazy projects to do – how can you not love a teacher like that!!

So stay tuned and log in for all the adventures to come, because trust me, with this crazy class, I can promise you there will be many.

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?!

On our first group clinical we were told we should handle ourselves with dignity and respect. We are there to help and most importantly this was THEIR home. Our first group clinical was in extended care.

That is right. It is their home. This is where they eat, sleep and enjoy their lives.

We are there to cater the their needs. To help them when they need to be helped and to listen to what they want.

We had a few issues that came up in regards to this. People were doing things for their own convenience, not for the right of the residents. I wanted to share a few things to remember when your time comes in a setting like extended care.

• Protect the residents privacy. This means using curtains when appropriate, closing doors when necessary and always make sure the resident is covered up! How would you feel if your behind was exposed for the world to see? If you are taking the resident to a bath/shower room, cover them with a sheet to make sure nothing is exposed.
• Do not give injections in the dining room, or through clothing for that matter! Most residents are wearing clothing that requires some sort of removal in order to give an injection. Please take them away from the dining room in order to do this. They do not need everyone else to know they require injections (most are insulin) and they do not need to be exposed in any way to others. AND like I said before, do not do it through a shirt because you did not have time to take them away from the dining area or any other public place.
• Respect the facility. Take turns. There are a large number of residents living the facility, and each of them require some level of care. There is usually a rush for the baths/shower. Be respectful of your co-workers and wait your turn.

Ok, so these are my few pointers for today. All come from real experience. I will share more as a remember. As much as they may sound silly, they do happen!

My son, who is 5, was talking about when he gets older and things he was going to do. Then, he got really sad. When I asked him, why he said that I was not going to be there when he was 13. I asked why and he said “cause you will be dead.” Well, this threw me off. I guess he did not get the concept of years. To him, being 13 was many, many years away.  So, I had to reassure him mommy would be around for hundreds of years lol.

Funny how kids see things….

This made me think of the first time as a nurse I had to go through having a patient pass away. It is never something you get used to. It is never something you are prepared for. AND each time I cry.

I was on my third practicum when it happened. It was not something they initially thought was going to happen while the patient was in the hospital, but over the days the patient deteriorated. It was hard for me to work with the patient, knowing what could happen at any time.

Even worse was the fact that the patient had no family. I did not want the patient to be alone, if I could help it. If I was around and free, I made sure I spent time with the patient. The patient did end up passing away when I was there. Now, having had many more patients pass away, I don’t always remember each of their names, but I do remember the first one.

It was emotionally very hard on me. Even now it still is. I guess I am sensitive to these things, and  I think that is ok. To me, it’s part of being a great nurse, when you can show emotion to your patients as well. I am not just at work to do my job. I am there to make a difference for my patients, and I truly show them I care.

So, for all you who are just heading out there….You will encounter similar things. Just remember, it’s ok to cry.

As you know, I am on maternity leave right now. My third baby is now over 5 months old! Time goes by so fast! But, I have to say I love this age much more. He was a difficult newborn, I look forward to the older baby months!

I am due to be back at work around December. I had a part-time line which I resigned, so I am casual. I have the choice to head back to Delta on the medical floor or to Surrey on Orthopedics. AND just the other day I was talked to about a new job! This one is in a 13 doctor medical clinic. A LOVELY Monday to Friday, 9-5 job! They are looking for a position, but for me casual is what I want. So, they would love to have someone fill in. Where in nursing can you find days and hours like this?! NOT often.

I was asking what kind of things do the nurses do. Well, assisting with simple procedures, injections, blood pressures, dressing changes etc. Well, sounds great!! So, this one for me sounds like it  may be worth while and I will be looking into it closer to my time to return to work. I want something that works well for my family….and 12 hour shifts are NOT that.

I took my nursing so that one day (when my babies were old lol) I would have something to return to. Now, I just want to work when I want, in order to keep up my skills, but put my family first. I love that this clinic lets you do that. The person who recommended me just works one day a week!

So, as I sit at home with my new baby, I keep thinking about the future. The one year off really goes way too fast. I LOVE being a nurse, and want to still have that in my life for sure. It’s my ME time…somewhere where I can have adult conversation lol.

The nursing station is behind Plexiglas-glass windows, but it is not sound proof. Constantly there is someone at the window asking for something or repeating themselves as it is part of their behaviour. This is why before I said working in mental health can be draining! Lol.

It is like being home with my 5 year old who is always asking “Why?”. I know this is their behaviour and it is not their fault. There is also nothing I can do about it. You learn to tune things out and get your work done with someone always peering at you through that window.

To many clients smoking is important. They count down the the minute when they can have their next cigarette. Then right at that time, there they are, at the window

Violence can happen in this field as well. A lot of the residents take medications to help control this, but there is still the occasional outburst. You learn to watch for trigger points for each person, so you can help them avoid getting to the point of acting out.

Most of the time it was the residents who would fight with each other. I guess living together, they are family, and we all know family fight. Certain ones you would know to keep away from the others. Personality clashes!

This field to me was very interesting. Most of the patients had been sick most of their lives, always living in a facility. I was told to read all their charts and histories, so I would better understand them. I felt sorry for a lot, as many had no family involved.

So if you can handle being followed, talked to constantly, answering the same questions over and over, then maybe this is for you. The physical work is MUCH easier I enjoyed my time at this place. It was a valuable learning experience, but I found out I am not as assertive as I would like to be, and being in this type of facility made me nervous at times. And, I want to be a confident of a nurse as I can when I work for my safety and the patient’s

Most of us who are LPN’s tend to work in hospitals on units such as medical or surgical. It is less often where a job can be found in mental health. Usually, the jobs are for RPN’s.

When I found a posting for a job in a mental health facility, I thought I would jump at the chance. I was all about working in as many areas as I could. I had only graduated a few months before too! So, I went for my interview. Not only was I hired, they offered me a part-time line! Being a mom of two at the time, I did not want the commitment of a line, for daycare purposes. I wanted to stay casual so I could work when my husband was able to babysit.

So, when I started at this facility, I started on nights. I was a nice, easy way to get used to things. This facility was home to 25 residents. All suffered from various mental health issues such as schizophrenia. They ranged in ages from 30s to 80s. I was excited to see the other side of nursing that did not involve so  much personal care. At this facility, I held the keys and did meds while care aides assisted the residents with personal care.

I have to say, once I had worked there a few times, I could really see the difference. I was not coming home physically exhausted from my job, but mentally. These residents had behaviour issues that really tested ones patience!

I will try and think of some stories from my times there, and will share with you next week. It will be good to share some insight from personal experience in case you are thinking mental health may be the area you one day would like to work at. Or, if you are considering taking your RPN.

It seems like only yesterday that I was starting the Special Education Assistant Diploma Program and here I am now – my journey being a Stenberg student has come to an end. Today, I have completed my full practicum which is the last part of the program requirement. As I’m writing this blog, I still can’t believe that it is over. Well, technically, our last day is tomorrow. We will meet our instructor along with our practicum monitors and of course, our classmates for the last time in the campus.

I remembered how uncertain I was when I started the course. I thought it would take me great lengths to adjust. But the opposite happened. I enjoyed returning to school, actually more so than when I went to college many years ago. This is because our class was so amazing and fun. Our teamwork is evident in all the activities we have done. We certainly could not make it this far without our extremely wonderful instructor who never ceased to believe in us, guide us and share with us her knowledge, skills and experience. Her learning strategy helped us have a deeper understanding of our lessons. Her constant positive feedback gave us confidence in our abilities.

I am overjoyed in attaining my aspiration and at the same time, feel sad as I will miss everyone in our class. This is one of lifes realities – changes takes place. But one thing is for sure; tomorrow will be a momentous day for all of us in class.

Since this is my last blog as well, I might as well share a little view of how I made it this far. Please know that anyone can be great. You just have to have that heart of willingness in everything you do. Willingness to learn, to sacrifice and to work is important. Have a goal and stick to it. If you stumble into any kind of hardship during your studies, take it as a necessary ingredient to succeed. Enjoy learning J

I remember the first time I heard the word orthopedics. I had no idea what it meant. That is when my great knowledge of medical combining terms came in! I was able to figure out it referred to bones. This is the second unit I worked on.

I decided once I was confident in my surgical nursing skills, I would try something a bit different. The orthopedic unit was right beside the surgical one, but the patients were different. The unit deals with patients who have had surgery on their bones. Most commonly we see total knee and hip replacements.

I had heard that the unit was considered “heavy”. When I started orientation I figured out why. The patients require a lot more assistance when it comes to mobilization. Our main priority is to make sure they are able to mobilize on their own before discharge. Well, this is true for most cases.

As you probably figured, this unit has patient’s that are elderly a lot of the time. So, we create a plan that is best suited to each patient’s own abilities. We want then to be independent as much as they can, but we are there to help them reach that potential after surgery. And, I have to say patience is huge!

Just think if it were you having major surgery to replace a bone, and what it would be like to move or walk afterwords. It would take a lot of time  to do simple things. You cannot be rushed and you need to take your time, as it can be painful.

The unit can be heavy when it comes to the patient’s who are not able to mobilize and need your help to do any sort of care. Overall, it is a great floor to work on. It has a lot of the same skills as a surgical floor does. This is the unit I will be returning to once I am back from mat leave.