This week, I am thankful:
that I passed my dosage calculation exam!
WHEW. I got one wrong, and I have no idea which one it was. But I passed! And that is what matters.
Now I feel quite certain that I will indeed graduate in May; the dosage calculation test has always felt to me like the one test that could take me out because you cannot get anything less than an A.
So now that it’s done, I think I will be fine.
that I never have to do this test again
We only have to do the dosage calculation test once per semester, so I should be good to go now. I just have to pass all the other exams, and I never get even close to failing regular exams because they don’t make you get an A on those.
I love having wiggle room where I don’t have to get an A!
that competency testing is less scary than the math
I have my skills competency testing on Saturday, where I have to do a bunch of skills (PPE, vitals, setting up a sterile field, hanging an IV med, giving an injection, etc.) and then get graded pass or fail.

It’s back to student scrubs for me!
Basically, it’s to make sure we know what we’re doing before we start clinicals the next week.
This testing feels much less terrifying to me than math because I can just practice, practice, practice the exact skills beforehand (with math, I don’t know what they will throw at me!).
Also, if I miss any skills, I only have to come back and repeat those specific skills, not the whole set of testable skills.
And so far, I have never had to come back to repeat a skill, so perhaps my streak will continue.
for a warm house
Like many of you, we have been dealing with much colder than usual weather (it’s 10°F as I type), and I am grateful for a house that is warm.
And I’m grateful for a bed that is comfy and warm. I am never ever cold under my down comforter!
that I don’t mind the cold
I know I’ve said this lots of times recently, but I am grateful that cold doesn’t bother me terribly.
When we have a streak of weather that is unusually hot and humid, I doooooo get bothered.
But while this cold snap is not my super-duper-most-favorite thing in the world, I am just really not too pressed about it. I wear more clothes and keep on rolling.
(I know those of you in more northerly places are probably chuckling at me thinking 10° is super chilly!)
for slightly longer days
By next Saturday, the sun won’t set until almost 5:30 pm.
And by the end of February, we’ll be at almost 6 pm for a sunset. 🙂
that I am so close to finishing nursing school
I keep telling myself…just 16 weeks. And this time, it’s not just a countdown to the end of the semester; it’s a countdown to actually being done!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to be in nursing school, but I also am very ready to be an RN and to have my first college degree. 🙂
How wonderful it will be to have a life that is no longer consumed by nursing school!
But at the same time, I am going to try not to wish away these 16 weeks; there will be good and wonderful parts of this semester, and it is all part of the tapestry of my life.
Heather Mar
Saturday 25th of January 2025
Hooray for no more of these math tests! Keep up the great work! I'm thankful: -That I just figured out how to text from my laptop. My mom decided to stop using fb messenger, and our texts can get pretty long. It's much more efficient to type on a real keyboard! -Along the same lines, for a computer mouse! Young people now in general have no idea of the efficiency/ease/comfort of using a real mouse! ;) -For my classes - generally full of great kids. Some I already knew and it's great to have them in class again. Some I'm getting to know and many of them are just such awesome people. I love interacting with them and seeing their growth. -For oncology yoga - a recent discovery at my YMCA is this class. Can't do full regular yoga yet, and the modifications/movements in this class are EXACTLY what I need! -For a great conversation yesterday with one of the YMCA staff. All great people there and so easy to talk to.
Ruth
Saturday 25th of January 2025
No kitties included in the Thankful Thursday post - blasphemy! LOL!
Elisabeth
Friday 24th of January 2025
I'm late to the party but I'm sending a sheet of gold star stickers and a cake bursting with confetti virtually your way. Enjoy this moment and congrats on all that hard work and dedication paying off <3
Kristen
Friday 24th of January 2025
Thank you!
Kim from Philadelphia
Friday 24th of January 2025
The end is in sight!!!
Amber P
Friday 24th of January 2025
Do you will have an Associateโs degree when you finish?
Kristen
Friday 24th of January 2025
Yep! Itโs an ADN nursing degree and I will be a full fledged RN after I pass the NCLEX. I will then enroll in an online BSN program to get my four year degree. But that part is far easier from what I hear!