Monday, November 24, 2014

Yesterday...

was my last clinical. I bade a fond farewell to Ginormous City Hospital but hope to see her again in the not-too-distant future...hopefully as an employee earning a salary, dammit!

My preceptor (HAIL, PRECEPTOR!) was amazing, I couldn't have asked for better. She's been an RN for 28 years and she wrote me a letter of recommendation...the first time she's ever done so!
I'm so lucky and blessed.

I had my (hopefully!) last presentation today during clinical conference, and now all I have left is one group paper to finish and submit, then my finals. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I sure hope it's not an oncoming train!

My pinning ceremony will be awesome! My daughters are going to all be present, and my oldest brother, whom I haven't seen since 2008, is flying in for a few days to be there, too. He's the one who got me into healthcare in the first place, way back in 2002, by encouraging me to look for a CNA position with a company that paid for training. I did and never looked back. It's funny, because I never wanted to have ANYTHING to do with healthcare, thanks to my dysfunctional relationship with my mother, who pushed and nagged me to become a doctor all throughout my childhood and adolescence.

Strange how these things work out, innit?

Of course the stalwart SCI-FIs will be there. After putting up with me, my crazy dogs, and my even crazier children (off and on) over the past three-and-a-half years, they will be cheering the loudest, no doubt. ;)

Phlegmmy will bring her ineffable style and class to the event, showing these New Englanders what a REAL Texas lady is like. 

Hopefully I'll have some pictures from my pinning that are postable, and also some pics from or posts about all the get-togethers in the time before and after the pinning, when we squire Phlegmmy around to meet folks who are on tenterhooks to get the chance to be graced by her presence!

Oodles of fun will be had by all! I'll keep y'all up-to-date, I promise... :)

Thursday, November 13, 2014

So close, I can almost taste it!

Five weeks from today is my official pinning ceremony. I can't believe it. I have two more clinical sessions (20 hours altogether), and four weeks of lectures, followed by final exams. I have my capstone paper to correct and turn back in and a group project/paper to finish, then I'm done with assignments, hallelujah!

Then, of course, comes the dreaded NCLEX. Fuck. I already signed up for a five-week, online test prep (my university requires that students sign up for an outside NCLEX prep in order for us to graduate), and I'll do that on my own time right after graduation up until I take the exam, whenever that may be. I've already paid for it and registered, but I can't schedule my exam date/time until the state board of nursing gets proof of my having met all requirements from my university. I'm aiming for end of January. During the prep time I'll be applying to every fucking hospital in a 30-mile radius of Boston, of which there are many (I'm planning on maintaining a spreadsheet to aid in organization!).

So, we'll see how everything goes. I'm so glad my daughters, my oldest brother, the wonderful SCI-FIs, and my dear Phlegmmy will be at my pinning. My dad, who had enthusiastically agreed to come, bowed out last week, mumbling something about going to Germany for Christmas with his wife. Thanks, Dad. Ach, who needs you anyway?

Anyway, I know you three readers have been with me on this incredibly long journey, and I appreciate it. I've been taking classes towards my degree since January of 2008, so this is a long time coming.

CRAP...I just realized I missed my blogiversary, AGAIN. It was last month. I've been blogging here since October of 2006! Holy crap, that's EIGHT YEARS. Might as well be a century in internet years!

Don't worry, though. I'm sure being a fledgling nurse will provide plenty of (HIPAA-compliant) blogfodder! Don't touch that dial...