Next Semester Preparation!

As this semester comes to a close and you prepare for winter break, here are some things to consider for next semester.

1. Don't stop studying. This is something I wish I did. Material from first semester will follow you throughout the program. You will always need to know how to prepare a shot - what needle to pick, what syringe and what site. That will never leave you so the more you review the material the better next semester will go.
2. Try to shadow. Also something I wish I did. Even now I wish I had to talked to someone in the area I want to go into. I wish I had someone to talk to and use as a reference for the area I want to go into.
3. Work on dosage calculation. This will be one every test from here until forever. The dosage calculation does not get easier and knowing conversions is always helpful. There was things I had to reteach myself which is not fun.
4. Have a relaxing break. You can only handle so much stress. Next semester and this semester both have stress. A break from that will benefit both you mind and body.
5. Take the time for family and friends. During the semester it is all about school. Now you have the time to hang out and catch up with family. 

Preparing for a shot. Taken from Morguefile,com.

Conquering the Head to Toe

The dreaded end of the first semester, head to toe time has arrived. The head to toe is the practicum final for health assessment and consists of doing an assessment on a person in front of your professor. The best advice I can give is as follows:

1. Get a partner and stick with them. They do not have to be in nursing school, but get someone who has free time to come with you at a set test time in the nursing building to be your "patient" for the assessment. Pick someone who you can work with and who you are comfortable with. You will be doing a lot of hands on things with them.
2. Write out everything you have to cover. She gives you a list of the assessments you must cover. For me I took this list and hand wrote what each assessment involved and put an order to it of doing them starting from the head and working my way day. I took the list when I was done and memorized it before I even practiced on my partner.
3. Practice, practice, practice. Doing this assessment live is very nerve-wracking, The more you practice the less you will forget. It is as simple as that.
4. I personally, signed up for the assessment at one of the first spots so I could get it over with and not have to worry about it finals week. Finals week is stressful enough without adding this to it. Again, this is a personal preference, but something I thought was very helpful.
5. Breathe. Relax. Your professor knows how hard these are and is not looking to be mean. They are there to grade you but also to help you and make sure you are learning. They understand what this is like and can answer questions you have before you start.

Picture of the anatomy that the head to toe
assesses. Taken from morguFiles.com