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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

I got my practicum assignment today!

I'll be on the cardiac telemetry unit at THE hospital, night shift (7p-7a), weekend option.  Probably starting my first shifts next weekend, depending on my preceptor's schedule.  EEK!

I'm so thankful I got night shift hours, very satisfied with the tele unit, but a little on the fence with the weekend option part.  Granted, I'll get probably 36 hours every week, which will help me get through my required hours quickly...and other than weekends my preceptor has off, I pretty much know my schedule already...and none of my practicum hours will interfere with classes and exams (although it will cut into my Sunday night library-campout studying night).  But I'll be in clinical every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, then sleeping every Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday, and most of Monday...no relaxing weekends for awhile...and I'll have to miss weekend activities with my kiddos, and with soccer starting up next weekend...perfect timing!  :-(  But it's temporary...as soon as I get my hours logged, I'm done.

So now that I know my assignment, the next step is waiting until our director gives me permission to contact my preceptor and set up a time to meet n' greet and get schedules coordinated.  Then let's get this thing going...I'm ready to get back to direct patient care!

In other news...it's now the middle of the 2nd week of classes, day 8 of the semester...and I've been to class only 3 days.  I'm really liking this schedule!  All day Wednesday for critical care class, and select Thursdays for Transition to Nursing Practice class...and that's it as far as face-to-face class times for the rest of the semester.  Then with my weekends for practicum hours...I have my weekdays free!  Well, relatively, since I'll have plenty of school work and studying to do.  But still!  I can make this work  :-)

So I passed my med dosage calculation quiz last week (no problem!) and have learned a crap-ton about EKG's.  I'm really looking forward to being on the tele unit so I can see and hear some of these disrhythmias in real patients.  They make sense, mostly, but I think seeing the monitors and strips will really help tie it all together.

Now time to read up on more cardiac stuff and get my weekly journal started.  Off tomorrow, although studying disrhythmias with a classmate for a few hours, then all day Epic training on Friday.  Yay...8 hours of training on a computer system I already know how to use!!

Laters  :-)

3 comments:

  1. So do you only have Practicum this semester and no other clinical component?

    We have a Practicum the last part of the semester, after our comprehensive final exam... but we have 7 12 hour days of critical care clinical and 3 psych clinical days, along with 1 ride along with the crisis team for psych.

    Was that your first choice for Practicum? I can't wait to find out mine!

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  2. My last semester (only 3 more to go) is my practicum. I can't wait it's the last step until I'm done :) You got an exciting assignment. Ideally I would want pediatrics, labor and delivery, or NICU but that's not an option so I'm hoping for Oncology or Cardiac.
    Can't wait to hear how it goes. How many hours do you have to log?

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  3. Yay! I'm so exacted for you!! I started this blog from day one and have managed to catch up to the current post. What a great story....can't wait to see what else happens!!!

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