Thoughtful Uncertainty

The pharmacology exam went well - very well, in fact.  I only missed one answer (who knew that cocaine has a medical use and is not a schedule 1 controlled substance??), and I got full credit for a five-point extra credit answer.  Yay!  Dr. Sampson assured us, however, that it was his "getting to know you" exam and that the next one would be much more challenging.  Yay. 

I can't wait until we have to start memorizing drugs (she said sarcastically complete with eye-roll).  Some of my classmates already have drug books that look like porcupines with colored tabs to mark important pages.  Over-achievers!  I don't even know what is important yet!  I have however begun a very meaningful relationship with this pretty little book that can be used as a reference during exams, complete with abbreviations, brand and generic names, and measurement conversions.

Ta-da!!!

Since I survived the Pharmacology exam, it's time to move on and prepare for tomorrow's Fundamentals lab.  It's a FIVE HOUR LAB starting at 7:00 AM and drilling us with the different skills we will need to torture...I mean, treat...our patients.  We are required to wear our black "nurse-of-death" scrubs (as described by one of my classmates) embroidered with the CU emblem and properly identifying us as STUDENT nurses.  We practice different clinical scenarios and stick needles into self-healing gel pads in hopes that it will be something like the real thing.

As simple as this sounds, there is quite a lot of required reading in preparation for class, and so far has demanded most of my study time, which has really become the equivalent hours of a full-time job.  My fluffly little friend, Lena, is less-than-enthusiastic about my class and study schedule, as she thinks we should be spending this time together running and playing outside.

Please go outside with me.

Are we going outside?

Bored.

Bored.

Only a year to go, my love!

I realize that I can get as much education out of my time in the nursing program as I choose to take from it.  I am trying to take advantage of that and really take my studying seriously, but as you know, I am really good at distracting myself and procrastinating.  I hope that by using this blog to reflect on my studies and to remind myself of my responsibility in this, that I will stay motivated and focused on the goal - to be an educated, professional nurse with the ability to think critically and provide the very best care for my patients.  I know I won't be an expert right away, but I know that I can arm myself with the tools I need to be successful in the future.

Education is man's going forward from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

Kenneth G. Johnson (1922-2002) American educator, semanticist.