14 Weeks Left

Last post was week 7 of my ABSN program. Now, I only have 14 weeks left of the entire program. The idea that I would blog my experiences was a little far-fetched. I can't believe how much I've learned, though. And I'd be lying if I didn't say that I still feel like there is SO much for me to learn that I won't possibly be able to master it all before the end of the program. The more I've sat with this anxiety, though, the more I've realized that a generalist BSN/RN degree and certification does not signify that I will be a master of all skills. Each unit that I've worked on requires a different skill set. In some units, the RN's always start their own IV's. In others, they call an IV therapy team. In some units, RN's do fetal heart monitoring (labor & delivery) while in others, they do diseased heart monitoring (telemetry). At this time last year, I was talking to my friend who works on the telemetry floor and I asked her, "What is telemetry? What does that even mean?"

When I think about the utter ignorance with regards to my healthcare knowledge and experience 1 year ago and the massive amount of skills and understanding I've gained, I am sincerely amazed.

The ABSN program is so fast that a lot of information seems to fly by at too fast of a speed that I can't retain it. There are so many reading assignments that I have never actually completed an entire reading assignment. There is limited clinical time, being that the program is only 15 months, so I will not have a Pediatric clinical rotation. I still don't know how to start an IV and I've yet to insert my first Foley.

What I DO have, though, is the ability to pick up information very quickly. To see a skill or situation and then be able to repeat it with minimal further instruction. I think I always had that capacity--that's why they let me into the program. But, the thing I've gained is the confidence in my ability to do that. No matter where I get a job (a hospital job), I will have an orientation period wherein I will be familiarized with the general work of the unit. Then, I will be part of a team, and there will always be things that I don't know or understand but that is the beauty of hospital nursing--you are never working alone.

Yes, I want my first job to be in a hospital. For a lot of reasons that I won't explain now.

The NCLEX is now on the horizon and I've begun to contemplate studying for it. A lot of people in my cohort already have a study plan and are meeting in groups or studying and doing practice questions on their own. I have a book that I won and some good online resources, but I don't yet have a plan for studying and haven't really started studying.