no more skills pretests!!!!

sorry, but if you've taken any of these seemingly wimpy, but then kicks you in the face pretests, you would understand the need for all four of those exclamation points. seriously. I could not be happier that they all behind me now. I even got an A on this last one. (we won't talk about the second to last test- not as pretty) The pretests may be over, but here comes the skills "check-offs" where we have to perform specific skills (i.e. inserting a catheter or administering injections or medications) under the watchful eye of a scrutinizing professor. Mostly for the first check off we just have to be meticulous about not breaking sterility. Tricky but obviously a very important skill to master.

Today in class, we practiced hygiene and restraints. I'm still not exactly sure how the two fit together, maybe if the patient won't let you bathe them, you're supposed to put them in restraints and show them who's boss? Probably not. That was a joke. I promise; in fact we learned that the restraints are only used as an absolute last resort after all other interventions have failed. So we were supposed to fully bathe our partners, or we could work in groups. I was really sleepy, so i volunteered to be the patient getting bathed. (we were told to wear tank tops and shorts) As it worked out, i only got an arm wash, but we had a fun time doing it. My partner brought some luxurious body scrubs and lotions, so it was more of a spa treatment than a bed bath. but when i asked for my pedicure, i was turned down.

This time next week, i'll be preparing for my first day of clinicals! We talked a little about the preparations we'll need to do for each clinical, and the big paper we have due at the end of clinicals... it doesn't look pretty. The clinicals, although scary, i think will actually be really interesting. (and hopefully fun)

So a group of us were going to go to the free concert in the park, Blues on the Green, but it looks like it's going to be a stormy night. I guess we'll have to wait another two weeks for the next one. A few of my friends still had to study for the last pretest that they have to take by tomorrow morning. Part of our last exam was learning all these abbreviations they use for documentation, some of which were really random and wacky. (KVO- keep vein open, or BRP- bathroom privileges, or SWV -sisters with voices) okay, that last one was a joke mindy threw in this morning while she was quizzing me. on that note, i'm going to go have to go have a celebratory beer!