Q&A | Nursing School Qs, plus shoes, a planner, and the abandoned house
First up, a few questions that have rolled in here and there about nursing school. I lost track of some of the names of questioners though; my apologies!
Nursing School Questions
How do you practice injections? On each other?
Nope! We have spongy squares that are designed specifically for injection practice. They're covered with a skin-like material, and the lab techs can just rinse them out after use so that the next group can use them as well.
So far we've learned how to do intradermal, subcutaneous, and intramuscular injections; IVs are still to come!
Do you think your life as an educator prepared you for continuing your education as an adult? (I think of getting my rn sometimes)-Sarah
Yes, I think in a lot of ways it has. For instance, my math skills aren't at all rusty, and that's helping me with my med math assignments.
I also think there's a sense in which living a teaching life has kept me in the swing of learning. I've been teaching in one form or another (piano teaching first, and then homeschooling) since I was 14. My brain has been busy!
But honestly, I think my greatest educational advantage at this point is just age. I know myself and my learning style, and I have a lot of life experience that I can tie my learning to.
Also, when it comes to the softer skills that school requires, such as priority-setting, I think life experience really helps.
One other thing that helps: I am really invested in my subject matter.
I've been googling diseases and body processes and reading medical memoirs/listening to medical podcasts for fun for a while now. I am fascinated by this material, and that makes learning way easier.
What is your schedule like? Days? Nights? How many days per week?
This varies massively. There are 140 students in my cohort, and we all attend lectures together in a big room. Those are usually 2 days a week, but sometimes more, sometimes less.
We are divided into four groups for exams, so we take them in shifts, in a room with a bunch of computers.
And then there are a lot of lab groups!
Some have their labs during the day, and some have them at night (that's me! Boo!).
And once we start clinicals, some will have those during the week, and some will have them on weekend (that's me! Boo!).
I'm hoping to get into a daytime, weekday group next semester. We shall see.
In addition to lectures, exams, and labs, there are also open lab times available each week. I sign up for one of those at least once a week, sometimes more.
During those sessions, we get an hour in the nursing lab to practice skills that we will be tested on at the end of October.
These are things like:
- vital signs
- a head-to-toe assessment
- injections
- various oxygen masks (nasal cannula, non-rebreather bag, a Venturi mask, etc.)
- sterile techniques (such as creating a sterile field, or the process of putting on and removing sterile gloves)
And of course, there's lots of work to do at home, like:
- assigned readings
- assigned quizzes
- lab videos to watch
- lab homework
- any self-directed studying that's necessary (like prepping for exams, making flashcards, etc.)
How about an abandoned house update?
Mostly it's still in the process of being demo-ed! It was in such bad shape, it really needed to be gutted, so there's a lot of work to do before it can start looking better.
My brother is a very busy guy, so it's slow going. But hey, even in its current gutted shape, this house is still a lot better than when it was crammed full of dusty stuff. 🙂
My sister-in-law posts some updates on Instagram, so go follow her (@treasure_haus) to stay up to the minute with the abandoned house.
(In case you're new, here's a post about the abandoned house, which has provided a lot of the things I used to furnish my rental house.)
Can you talk about your shoes?? I have wide feet and love the look of that toe box!
-Heidi
Sure! They're made by Altra and they're designed with an extra-wide toe box. The idea is to make a shoe that is a bit more foot-shaped than most athletic shoes.
This is very appealing to me because my feet are really wide in the toe area!
I have the Women's Provision 7, and so far I do really like them.
These aren't cheap shoes, but since I generally put about 100 miles a month on my shoes, largely on wooded trails, I don't mind paying for a good pair.
As of the writing of this post, the Provision 7s are on sale for $112 direct from Altra, and also the two orange-colored options are slightly less on Amazon.
(Some of the colors are almost $140 on Amazon, though!)
Where did you buy the weekly planning calendar ??
-Luann
This one is by 3-2-1-Done, and I love it.
It's so, so basic, which is perfect for me. I've mentioned before that my brain envisions days in an upside-down way compared to most people, so planners with the hours mapped out don't work for me.
(In my head, the mornings are at the bottom of the page and the evenings are at the top.)
I draw an extra line across the middle of the page, and then I use the area above the line for a daily plan, and the area below the line for a little to-do list.
One other thing I like: this is just an undated pad of paper, which means that if there's a week when I don't make a plan, it's not like I wasted anything.
In contrast, with a dated planner notebook, if you skip a week, that part of the planner is basically wasted.
(before anyone says, "Why don't you just use a free digital calendar? Those don't produce any trash!"...man, I tried to make those work for me but my brain manages better when I have it all out on paper. This planner is $15, it lasts me for a long time, and it's just paper, which is recyclable. I refuse to feel guilty about it.)
I am with you on paying for good shoes. They are just a necessity if you put a lot of miles in.
@K D, Agreed! Or if you have any kind of foot issues or needs. I have to wear shoes with good support at all times, so buy good quality shoes + OTC orthotics. Expensive, but really worth it.
@Brooke, I consider my shoes medical expense. Since I have plantar fasciitis and need to walk to keep my mobility going.
@karen, I thought I had plantar fasciitis but when none of the remedies worked (the boot, icing, not walking for 6 weeks, stretching, custom inserts, cortisone shots, acupuncture, anti-inflammatories), I began questioning the diagnosis (only took 3 different podiatrists and 2-3 years). Turns out that I had plantar fasciosis, a little known thing, which is usually remedied by flat flexible shoes with a wide toe box and without arch supports. It was counterintuitive, but following those guidelines cured my feet.
Alas, now I have peripheral neuropathy. If it ain't one thing. . .
@karen, So do you actually claim/write off exspenses on medical deductions? Taxes? If so, did your doctor write something along lines of you need ____ for your feet?
@Regina, no I was just stating that in my mind I justified the expense because more expensive shoes along with orthotics keep me walking and hiking which is so important to my over all health.
But years ago when my foot doctor recommended a certain shoe he gave me his business card and I showed it at the store and they gave me 10% off. But they no longer do this.
@karen,
You might benefit from the free videos on YouTube by Miranda Esmonde-White. Her exercise program is called Essentrics, it helped my plantar fasciitis more than anything. I suffered for years. It was coming from my hips and that was never addressed by podiatrist, physical therapist, or orthopedic doctor. The program focuses on the muscle chains and always the full body.
Altras were what I started wearing when I tried zero drop shoes, too. Now there are quite a few knock-offs that are WAY cheaper that I buy. I wear shoes all day, in the house too, so these are my shoes and slippers. They get so gross--mostly from things dripping on them when I'm cooking/butchering/canning :-)--so I like that I don't have to stress out about ruining an expensive pair of shoes. Even the cheap ones last a year with constant wear. Altras are more attractive, though, and I do have a pair of those that I wear to work sometimes.
@kristin @ going country, Except I just looked at their site, and it appears they don't actually make zero drop shoes anymore. Huh. I guess they got out of that market? It's been at least five years since I bought any shoes from them, so I'm clearly out of touch. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, I have to wear shoes in the house, too, and I need to buy a new pair. I am glad I'm not the only one with gross inside shoes (grease!).
@Jody S., I am having some foot issues and my podiatrist told me to never go barefoot.Indoors I have to wear a “recovery shoe!” He recommended Crocks.Never thought I’d ever wear those ugly things but I did find a pair on amazon on sale and they help a LOT!!
@Madeline, I can’t wear crocs. I need more arch support.
@Jody S., I might have the world's highest arch. I learned that an arch is the strongest architectural structure, and it is weakened by pushing up underneath. So I weakened my foot for 30 years by wearing arch supports. . . yikes. It took awhile to strengthen the muscles in my feet, but now I live in Crocs and go barefoot regularly.
All that not to give advice, but to share what I learned in case anything here helps you or anyone else.
My arch is so high, arch supports in shoes never even get close to touching it. But so far, so good; I haven't had foot problems related to arches at all.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Thank you. I have a high arch and a bad relationship with shoe companies. Maybe I can find better shoes and a way to deal with all the worn shoes that hurt.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I think I (and others in my family directly descended from me) have weak ligaments in our feet. And I have arthritis in my feet. My 18yo already has a collapsed arch. The podiatrist said it is hereditary. But I'm willing to learn something different; recommend some reading for me! (I always like to have a 2nd opinion or 2.)
That sounds like a busy learning schedule!
I seem to recall that nurses were taught injections in oranges - at least until the 80s-
@JNL, My mother learned on an orange in the '50s. However, they had to have a volunteer from the class when they were learning to put a stomach tube down someone's throat!
@Live and Learn-Toss and Turn, !!!
That volunteer should definitely get their choice of schedule for labs and clinicals for allll the semesters..
I share your paper planner loyalty. I need to visualize my month, and actually writing my commitments and/or tasks makes honoring them vastly more likely. Digital planners just don’t work for my brain. My errand list for a town day (which is usually 6+ stops, since it’s an hour out) is the only consistent list I keep on my phone, mainly so I can’t accidentally leave it behind; chores, appointments, etc. all have to be on actual paper, or I’m lost.
I also like paper calendars and planners. I need to see it and touch it.
@Stephanie, and everyone,
The best planner I ever got was a big desk blotter that had 7 large squares across the top, one for each day of the week. They were labeled. Our office got a big supply of them from what was then called Texas State Technical Institute (now College). Their printing program made them. I could write all my daily obligations in the squares and see my week at a glance. It was incredibly good! Alas, this freebie fell victim to budget cuts and the yearly gift was discontinued. I tried using desk calendar blotters that had the whole month on them, but it just didn't work as well. I've often looked, but have never seen a product such as the one they made for us.
I also have a terrible time with digital calendars/planners. Things don't stick in my brain until I write them by hand. All my working life I had a huge paper dateless desk calendar that could be written on and the completed pages were saved as a reference. Until, that is, my last job where everything was online and paper was for dinosaurs. *sighs*
Kristen, is your planner made of paper that accepts pencil? I hate planners and calendars with glossy pages so that one can only use pens to write on them. What if I need to change my plans? I end up with a messy calendar of cross-outs and squeezed in notes.
I have to have physical calendars, planners and books, too, and my calendars and planners have to be pencil-writable. I carry a little Moleskine planner in my purse and have a big calendar on my refrigerator. I track appointments and important phone calls in my purse notebook, since those are usually made during the day when I'm at work. I add them to my calendar at home but also have notes at home such as when I planted seeds or plants, when I started something in the dehydrator, dates of birthdays, anniversaries, when I started a new batch of kombucha, and the like.
I have narrow feet but I own some Xero shoes which are light, have wide, comfy toe boxes and shoe lacing that allows one to snug up the heal and arch. They aren't cheap, but they run sales that are good, which is when I buy them. I've bought two pairs so far and completely wore out the first pair; I'm working on the second pair now. Back when my husband could walk, he wore Xero shoes almost constantly after we discovered them. I think he had three or four pairs at once. I don't have a financial relationship with them, I just like them :). https://xeroshoes.com/
Yep, it's just regular paper!
@JD, I'm gonna wait for a sale and get some of these. Never heard of them until now; thank you so much!!
I believe they'll stop my bunions from getting worse. Yayyyyy!!
I have a similar weekly planner that I created on my computer.
Since my brain also needs paper, I print them on the back of scratch paper. That's fascinating that you envision days upside down!
Shout out to Altra! I made the switch several years ago when I was having significant toe issues due to tight toe boxes. Wide shoes were always, well, too wide, so when I found Altra, I was hooked. The only challenge these days is that the company was bought a couple of years ago so they're making their toe boxes more "standard size" to bring in more of the masses. To combat this I've set up a permanent search on eBay for the style and size I typically wear and purchase very lightly used, or sometimes unworn, versions at a fraction of the price. I think I paid $40 for my last pair of Escalante 2.5's.
I wonder if part of the thought behind your nursing school scheduling is to get you used to the wacky shifts that many nurses have to work (especially new grads)? I'm sure some of the class/lab scheduling is based on availability of staff/facilities, but depending on where you end up working, nursing can be a 24/7 job. Kudos to those of you who have to deal with that. I would not do well with that kind of a schedule.
@Kris, You are generous to think this. My experience with curriculum planning in higher education is that schedule issues are dumped on students and faculty without any particular plan. In nursing and medicine, students do learn to roll with untimely punches, but it would be better if the thinking were about how to deliver the best care without the sacrifice of sleep, focus, and distraction. Nursing programs are full since a shortage of nurses is improving salaries and job options, so they are juggling expensive facilities like labs, but there are very few fields in U.S. higher education that have the luxury of careful planning on the level we would like.
Yes, that's definitely the case at my school! We have four semesters of nursing students at one time, and they're just trying to work everything so that the lecture halls and labs are available at the right times for the right people!
I went to Medical Assisting school and our class had to practice injections and blood taking on each other. The injections weren't as bad as the blood draws. Ouch, ouch, ouch!
Also a paper calendar person here. It isn't just seeing it, but seeing and feeling how I wrote the words is important. And I love crossing off completed items on a list.
Do you get a little thrill when you put on your uniform? I wonder, since you don't have to wear it during lecture, if there is a psychological connection to looking like a nurse when you are doing the practical labs that somehow reinforces your developing profession.
Thanks to everybody for all the tips on shoe shopping. I’ve gotten to the age and stage where I need an extra-large toe box to accommodate bunions. Quel treat.
(Oh, and I just posted this by accident over at the NCA, too. What was I just saying about age??)
Finally, count me (still the Gutenberg Kid) in among those who need a paper planner. I also keep track of medical appointments by posting the appointment cards with magnets on the side of my refrigerator.
@A. Marie, i keep my dr appt cards in a pocket of my purse.
Oh gosh, I have such trouble finding an org system that works. I've landed on very detailed google calendar, a paper wall calendar that my husband and I both populate for big things like who is working from home/working nights/family events, and a to-do list in my notebook for that dont have firm calendar deadlines, like "call Grandma" or the grocery list, or "Open new savings account" and stuff like that. It's ridiculous, but the hybrid seems to be working.
Loved this post.It brought back memories of my nursing school days! I was also an “older” student,I was 28, and my son was 8, and my husband was ALSO in school.It was the most FUN part of my life! I loved every minute.I had to be uber-organized to get it all done (also uber-frugal!) and it really made me the person I am today. Learning to juggle home,family,meals,study, and work.. It led me to a very fulfilling Life!
I also CANNOT do my calendar online.I HAVE TO HAVE a paper planner.Since making journals is a hobby,I make my own and it is a fun project plus practical.I have learned that in order to enjoy the process,I have to start making the new one in OCTOBER to get it all done.Am working on my 2024 journal right now!
Good luck with getting the schedule you want next semester.The time really will fly by!!!!
P.S. Hard to believe, but in the 1980’s at my nursing school, we 0practiced our IM and SUBQ shots on each other.My lab partner was a 250 pound big guy with a heart of gold. HE was sooo nervous. Me,too.But he did an ok job. Now,I am fairly sure no school practice on each other anymore!!
Our school told us we would learn IV’s on the job.When I got my first job they sent new grads to the OR and the anesthesiologist taught us how to start IV’s on the unconscious patients.I don't think THAT happens anymore either!!!!!
I'm the opposite. I cannot use a paper planner at all. I have 4-5 unused planners from various sites from various years. This system is all different! This time i will use it! But it just never, ever works. Plus my life is too weird and baroque to plan, anyway. I plan a week of meals, and then someone isn't hungry so I put it off, or I'm too tired or stressed to make anything, so it just sits there. I try to plan and plan and then something stupid throws it all off. I'll stick to my online calendar.
OK, another question: my parents had five children, including one full term stillborn who was named. Do I put him in the list with my mother's death notice? It seems weird to me to do so. The boy never lived. It seems to equate him with my brother who died at age 15.
@Rose, hm, I have two thoughts. One thing is to consider what your mother would have felt was most comforting. The other is that you could specify--I often see death notices include the spouses or other information of the children, so for example:
"...and her children, Janet (Tom, Ella and Jake) Robert (Tina,) Alec (d. 1978,) Jessie (stillborn.)"
I'm sorry for your loss.
@Meira@meirathebear, you've just said what I was about to say, only better. And I especially like the idea of going with what Rose's mother would have wanted--to the extent that Rose and any relatives she's consulting with can channel that.
@Rose, I think I missed something; I didn’t realize your mother passed away. I am sorry for your loss.
On a more practical level, my mother-in-law makes a list of meal possibilities for the week. That’s more flexible. I plan my meals, but I juggle them around when necessary. And something usually makes juggling necessary at least once a week.
Mom isn't gone yet but it won't be long. When I say I'm a planner, I mean I really do plan everything ahead of time.
I don't like the parenthesis. I know people use them but I don't like them.
For my dad's death notice, "Little Steven" was included on the list of children. But I hated everything about it. It was written by my mom's BFF. To be honest, my thoughts were "But not the rest of the E Street Band?" and "His name wasn't Little so don't initial cap it."
I don't know. A friend of mine has always put out a stocking for the stillborn which I think is creepy. I don't know where to draw the line but I can ask my mother.
@Rose, I agree with the comments - take advantage of the opportunity to ask your mom what she'd like to see - so many others writing obits can't. How reassuring to know that it's what she wanted vs. speculating.
100% agreed.
@Rose, I share your love of planning (I've already written my own obituary and I'm in good health), but I also love the parenthesis (hehe). Since you still have the opportunity to ask your mom, I think you should go for it.
@Rose,
What I see commonly around here, and what I wrote in the local obit when DH's sister died is that she was preceded in death by parents, etc. and "infant brothers (their first names)." DH's brothers were twins and one died at birth, the other died shortly after birth. Noting "stillborn" after the name also explains it. To DH, his brothers had lived - just not nearly as long as the family had hoped.
@Rose, You are wise to think ahead. I wrote obits for two newspapers and we usually followed the wishes of the family. You and your mother can decide. Even if you don't like parentheses, they are helpful in making clear who the stillborn child was. You can also publish an abbreviated obit in the paper and a more detailed one for the family. I just learned this year that the online obits "published" by funeral homes are saved only for a year or two. They are not the permanent legal records that newspapers kept. Perhaps you have time to make an album devoted to your mother's life and experiences, and that would be a treasure for the family and future genealogists. And a joyful experience for you and your mother to make!
@Rose, so sorry for your loss. may your mother's memory be for a blessing.
@Rose, am so glad your mom is still here.
@Rose,
I used to work for a newspaper. Some of the funeral homes would say "An infant son, Johnny Jones, preceded her in death." Or "Mrs. Jones was preceded in death by _____..." Or in your case, "Two sons, Johnny Jones, who was stillborn, and Tommy Jones, 15, preceded her in death." That line usually goes after the survivors are listed. If you and your family prefer not to list the stillbirth child, it is your choice. (Pls. discuss it with your dad or other immediate family members. You all need to be on the same page regarding this decision.) Your funeral director or someone at the newspaper's obituary/funeral notice dept. can guide you as to the local custom(s) regarding this matter. I am very sorry for your loss.
Missouri Conservationist prints a gorgeous calendar annually with little tidbits daily on nature, like: "such and such is blooming", "soft shell turtles re emerging" on the pertinent dates. I put my vacations, Dr. Appts, labs, surgical procedures, dog grooming appts, appliance repair, etc. on it. It hangs by the bathroom sink. Then, since my memory is not good at remembering my own historical events, I save the calendars in the business file that I have. I do have a small calendar set aside for Master Gardener events and activities, work to keep track of community credit hours that need to be filed at the end of the year.
Shoes: I agree that it's important to not skimp on shoes. For work, I use the New Balance walking shoe in wide. For everyday, I love the Easy Spirit Travel Time. I have them in several colors, wintery ones and summery ones. My Ariat tie up boots were my go to for summer hiking and and snow, but my spine has shifted and they are no longer comfortable.
I went back to college at 38, and I would add that paying for it yourself is an additional motivator. Skip class? No way, that class cost me $38!!!
Haha, so true!
thanks for a glimpse into your school life. my allergist used to practice on oranges. he told me this when i asked how he learned to give shots. the time will fly by.
We’ve come a long way. When I was in Nursing school, in the 80’s, we used oranges for injection practice. Then moved on to our lab partners. Now there’s fun! Lol!
I’m glad you’ve comfortable shoes. I think good shoes are the #1 tool for nursing. You don’t realize how much time you spend on your feet until you start working. I always considered them an investment in my career as well as my health. Being in nursing school certainly requires a lot of organization! As an older learner, I certainly found life experience helpful in juggling all the tasks. Your organizer looks perfect for you
Kristen, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say that they visualize mornings at the bottom of the page. What do you make of that? Have you always thought of it that way?
Yep, that's been the way I visualize my days my whole life long. I didn't even realized until adulthood that not everyone thinks that way, but it does explain why, like, EVERY planner is set up with mornings at the bottom!
What do I make of it? I dunno. Some things about the way my brain functions seem a little off the beaten track, and sometimes I wonder if there is something slightly not-neurotypical about my brain. But I really don't know for sure, and since it seems to be working ok for me, I haven't bothered to go get it checked out.
@Kristen, I remember your writing about spatial sequence synesthesia on Oct. 28, 2014- that’s why you picture your days the way you do (I think).
It was the first time I had heard of that, which I have, too, and it explained so much, so newer readers might want to read that.
I love using paper planners and my trusty mechanical pencil. I really benefit from seeing my weeks spread out on paper!
Yep. It just feels easier to me!
How times have changed!!! When I did my original RN training we did give injections to each other. Also we had to give one to ourself to better understand what people who have to do that go through.
I'm with you in the physical calendar! And I too love an undated one. My current planner one of my kids found at a thrift store and I love it!
"I tried to make those work for me but my brain manages better when I have it all out on paper. This planner is $15, it lasts me for a long time, and it’s just paper, which is recyclable. I refuse to feel guilty about it.)"
the best answer of the article. Thank you ..but why do we have to make this statement about so many things. ??? yea for you
Well, in this case, it's because in the past, people have asked me this question...wondering why I don't just use google calendar, since it's free and it wastes no paper.
But I will happily keep paying $15 for a pad of paper that keeps my life organized!
Calendaring/planning for me has morphed with retirement. For the last several work years I used a bullet journal so I could merge professional and personal schedules along with tasks and a to do list. I also kept an online calendar so I could access it easily and share common or need-to-know schedules/appointments with my husband (and, visa versa).
Now, I start with the online calendar and save it in a weekly format as a PDF. I then open the PDF and add to it. I color code my schedule and put boxes around the time periods. I also have several questions at the top to answer each week: What do I need to do for me? What do I need to do in our home? What do I need to do for/with others? There’s also a “Want To’s and a Have To’s for the big priorities of the week. Once that’s done, I print it off and now have a paper version to add and subtract from during the week. I put my tasks on there and sometimes add a comment about something that happened that day. I’ll also briefly note at the top of each day what the weather is predicted to be. That has been most helpful in planning a variety of things.
It actually doesn’t take me that long. I copy and paste from the previous week’s calendar. By going through it that way and then working with it, I have a much better handle on my week, even though it sounds a bit like overkill.
I noticed your shoes the second you posted them! I’ve been gifted 3 pairs of Lem’s wide-toe-box shoes over the last 2 christmases and they are *amazing.* Before I found them I was starting to be worried that I wouldn’t be able to wear shoes for the rest of my life, my shoe situation was getting so desperate. Shoes that didn’t give toe room triggered my sciatica and plantar facsciitis within an hour of wear and I suffered for a week after every time I made a poor shoe choice. Lem’s have been a huge relief for me. I’m glad you found shoes that work for you too!
My doctoral research (social work) involved learning about adult learning, and what you are saying here goes right along with that. I think it is a fascinating topic!