Preparing for Transition

As I come into my final semester of nursing school I feel as though this day would never come. It has been a long road for me, longer than most. I struggled and had to repeat classes, but that never stopped me from getting to the end. I stayed determined and strong so that I could get myself to the finish line. This semester my goal is to keep my head down for the next 10-ish weeks and finish strong. Putting 110% into staying organized, studying early, and feeling accomplished. With the pressure of the finish line, I need to remember where I started and how far I have come, while also allowing myself free time to unwind and relieve stress. I have always started my weeks by organizing the week ahead by writing it out on paper schedules. By just focusing on the week in front of me I feel as though it allowed me to stay present and not too anxious on the billions of other things I needed to get done. I as well had a desk calendar to see what the month will hold with exams, important assignments coming up, events, and free time. I feel as though separating the day to day vs. the month can help break down the importance of making every day and month count up until the end. 

By the end of this semester, I will be so relieved and thankful that I made it through, I will celebrate with my number one support system my family. Hopefully having everyone come to Maine for a small celebration. Then I will take a small break before jumping into preparing for the NCLEX.

Through the Nurse Logic 2.0 Modules I learned how to properly approach the SBAR and how we as the nurse can better collaborate with the providers. Throughout my time as a nursing student, I feel as though my SBAR has been an area I struggle with, but I believe with time I will get better and perfect how I approach my interactions with various people within the interdisciplinary team. Another aspect I learned about what prioritization, specifically using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Approaching each shift with this mindset can allow us to look at our patients and determine who should be seen first and in which the order we proceed with our patients. Lastly, I learned test taking techniques when preparing for exams. The idea of the study cycle, which emphasizes previewing, attending, reviewing, studying, and checking. This breaks down each step of preparing new material up until the exam. I thoroughly enjoy this study technique because it a way to implement studying that doesn’t seem so daunting and stressful.