Four Tips for Finals Week

The date: November 28, 2012
The objective: Complete Nursing 394 {aka half of 3rd year}
The plan: Get through finals week
The assignments: 1 class + 1 lab + 1 self-evaluation + 2 finals + 1 paper = 6 total

Tip #1: Prioritize. Figure out what needs to be done/studied first, second, etc.

Tip #2: Make study guides or outlines. Nothing wastes time more like opening up a textbook at the beginning and expecting to get through an entire course's content.

Tip #3: Sleep. Minimum 6 hours a night. You WILL NOT PERFORM WELL IN AN EXAM with no sleep behind you. Proven fact.

Tip #4: Let it go. You've taken the class, you've put in the work and hours. Don't over-stress it. Just write the exam and move on.

Now, wish me luck as I attempt to make heads or tails of Inferential Statistics . . . perfect bedside conversation for all my patients :P

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OSCEs 101

As some a few most of you know, I did my OSCE {Observed Structured Clinical Examination} on Monday. 

I PASSED!!!

However, I would just like to share with you the moments leading up to and within this practical exam.

1. Scrambling to figure out what content we'll be tested on and what content will be left out.
2. Stress headaches . . . or as I am now calling them . . . stressaches.
3. Chips & Cheesecake. Yep. I'm not proud. One whole month of no sugar or chips down the drain. Hey kids, don't eat junk food while under studying stress. It doesn't help.
4. Role playing clinical scenarios.
5. Waking up at 4am and wondering why.
6. Shaking uncontrollably while attempting to draw up Demerol. Those ampoule openings never seemed so small.

However all of that was not in vain, because there are no more OSCEs . . . EVER! That's right, I just completed my fourth out of four, and I couldn't be happier. I said to a friend yesterday, now I can graduate, haha.

Also a little funny picture of me practicing NG tubes for your viewing pleasure.

I think I missed my nose. And I look a little crazy. I probably was.

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