Semester 1 and 2 of nursing school

This post is extremely late. I wanted to post this last year but if you are in nursing school, you know how all consuming it is. In any case, here you go - this is a recall of my 1st semester.
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Semester one of nursing school is in the bag and so is semester two, for that matter. This post will be on the first semester though and my thoughts and experience.

For those two semesters I knocked out, A&P 1, Roles 1, Healing 1, Children's Lit (elective) and Medication math.

A&P was a good class as I had remembered a lot of the content from pre-health. We covered topics such as the integument, muscles and muscle contractions, bones, tendons and joints, ligaments. There were more of course. It was a heavy and intense class that required a lot of study and memorization. I enjoyed my professor and the class overall.

Roles 1 was a sot of breezy class. It was an introduction to nursing roles and responsibilities. We focused on the community and how it effected the patient. I remember we had a huge essay but I enjoyed the content when writing. I enjoyed the class and the students. My professor is someone I still look up to and admire. She is smart as a whip and helpful.

Healing 1 is basically fundamentals of nursing. It was a difficult class because this when our mentality had to change to one of critical thinking. I honestly can't remember much about this class other than having a lot of anxiety at exam time.

Children's literature was an elective class which was surprisingly fun and enjoyable. I had to read books like, Charlotte's Web, which most children read during childhood. Rereading this book older was interesting in that I saw the characters from an adults mind and many were not very favorable. I read three books in total for this class and they all impacted me in positive ways. I really enjoyed this class overall.

My last class in those two semesters was medication math. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that math is Not my strong suit. I vividly recall walking into this class filled with anxiety and fear. This is a 80% or higher to pass class. 79.9% was a fail. The thought of failing, as math is a weak subject for me, filled me with absolute dread. I have never worked so hard in my life in any class, prior this math class. Our professor was really good and explained the material soundly. Almost every night I went over math questions, no matter how tired I was, so I could at least pass this class. The first test, I took off the afternoon from work and raced to school to continue studying. I did the practice questions over and over again. I was paranoid. After completing that test, I remember walking to my car and the second I sat down, starting to bawl. I was sure I failed. All the way home, I cried and worried over questions. I was sure I failed. I waited on pins and needles until the next class the following week (for some reason, this professor never posted our grades on BlackBoard) for my results. I walked into that class with a frown on my face. I sat in the back as I was sick with fear. When he called my name and I walked up to retrieve my exam, I almost passed out when I saw my mark. I mean it. There was a tiny space in time where the room went black, I was that paralyzed. After flipping to the back, I opened the booklet to see that I had received a 95% on the exam. I was stooped! Even now, I still can't believe I pulled that off.

After that, I remained steadfast in my study methods. I reviewed all the time and did the practice questions posted numerous times. Every exam was a lesson in torture as I did not feel I was ready or knew the content. At this point, after the first exam, half of the class dropped out of math. It was myself and probably 15 others who stayed the course. When finals came around, I was distraught. I have studied very hard in my day and still do, but that class pushed me to my limits. The amount of hours I put into that class was astronomical. After walking out of finals, I drove home, once again, filled with dread. I remember the second I got home, whipping out my phone in the driveway to calculate the lowest mark I could get to at least not fail. We had to wait about two weeks for our final marks and when I saw that magical, STAT, on my transcript, I almost threw up. I was certain I failed the exam. You see, the last question was a pediatric calculations questions, and I could not for the life of me figure out how to solve it. The question was worth 10 marks and I remember sitting there fighting back tears and I wrote, erased, wrote and erased possible answers over and over again. I think I go the right answer in the end but it was a stress-filled 20 minutes.

After receiving that pass mark on my transcript, I kept logging on all day to really ensure I had passed the class. I was certain I failed. In retrospect, I was filled with self-doubt as my prior exams were all A+ marks. The fear of needing a minimum of 80% is what had me in a state.

At the end of that semester, I was very happy to move on. It was so stressful, it was almost painful and I was ready to move on. I had two weeks off from school before I started my next semesters. I will update soon on those other semesters.

I hope you keep coming back to read about my nursing school adventures.

Why I chose the part time route for nursing school

I should preface this post but apologizing ten fold. Life has been busy and literally, this blog is the last thing on my mind at times. Sometimes, if I am walking to my car or doing something mindless, I think about coming here and uploading new content but then I inevitably brush it off. In any case, I will try, once again, to get this blog back on track.

This post is an explanation on why I chose the pt route for school. For me, the ft program was not an option as I am not a conventional student. Yes, I do not have kids or a partner etc., but I do need to work. Every time I think about quitting my job and getting a part time gig instead, my panic buttons go off. How can I do that when I still have insurance, car expenses, books, tuition, rent etc., to pay for? So, I keep doing what I need to do. I have opted to take the bus as an option but my school is in Toronto, and I live outside of that city and the cost of transit is just as much as gas and insurance. Plus, the time public transit takes would eat a lot into my precious study and sleep allowance.

If I had a choice, I would have up and left my job a long time ago. It is a well paid, enjoyable at times, job. I am grateful for the benefits and being on salary but I really wish I could leave it just to finish my schooling. On average, I take three courses per semester but ideally, I would have liked to get up to five. Currently, I cannot afford to take more due to the rigors of intense classes, trying to keep a high GPA (so I can be accepted in the BScN program) and a very demanding job.

As mentioned, my job is extremely demanding. I work an obscene amount of hours per week, even going in on weekends, when need be. The company is prosperous (for which I am again, very grateful) but it does cause me high amounts of anxiety. I want to take at least four courses per semester, but when I think about my work obligations and how it will effect my marks, I get skittish.

At the end of the day, working ft and going to school pt, is the only option for me. Things may change in my life but not for the foreseeable future. And, that is why I am going to school part time.

Update coming soon....

I cannot believe I have not updated this blog since September 2016. For shame.

I have so much to update on and all good. I am currently in nursing school (yes, it is tough). Semester one complete and in the midst of the 2nd.

I promise an update in the next two weeks.

Upgrading final marks and what now?

I completed my upgrading program about three weeks ago to success. My final marks are as follows:


- Biology 100%
- Chemistry 98%
- Math - 93%


So, my marks were all submitted to OCAS and the school that I applied to, administrations department had received them. I was successful in getting a seat in the full time program! Success.


In the meantime though, while completing my math course, I came across an article on Allnurses about my school offering the nursing program on a part time basis. I believe I had heard about it before but never thought about it at all. However, I started to think about it and looked into the program due to some changes that took place all in the last month of my life.


An important thing that took place is that I was offered and accepted a new job. It is not in health care and is actually in the current field I am trying to break out of but there was a reason why I took the job. At my current place of work (which I actually leave tomorrow), as a part time worker, I do not have access to full on benefits or company RSP contributions. We all know how important it is to save for the future and this was just a perk of the job that I no longer enjoyed. As an adult, health care benefits is incredibly important. This new job has afforded me health insurance, a retirement savings program and also the ability to start and finish early daily. Plus, a different environment.


I did not really have a problem, per se, with my current job but things are very strained here. A lot of people have been let go in the last few months and due to my status, I did not think my position was very secure. Not that my new position will be secure because, really, there is no job security these days. However, change is good.


So back to the part time program. I applied and am waiting for a reply on if I am accepted or not. I do think I have a very good change but I will see. I should know latest tomorrow. If I do get in, my plan is to take 2 course this semester while working full time. I have a firm plan in place for this program but I will talk about that more in my next post. In the meantime, I am waiting here for an update on acceptance to the part time PRN program. Update on that shortly.

A bit about the person behind the blog

A few things about me -

• A goal of mine is to attain a Biology Degree for no other reason than for myself
• I love to read
• Favorite romantic movie is The Notebook
• Movies where things are being blown up are my favorite
• Have a burning passion for horror movies
• Seen as many horror movies in the theatre as I can
• Hate clothes shopping
• Makeup is my life
• I am addicted to shopping for makeup
• My Youtube subscriptions are made up of 98% makeup gurus
• I once dreamed of an eye shadow palette that I could not afford for five nights straight. I eventually went back to get it and have felt nothing but happiness since then
• Until recently, I had not watched TV for about two year
• My new TV love is The Walking Dead
• The Walking Dead is the only show I currently watch
• Michonne from TWD is my bae
• I would rather work out for the rest of my life than be on a diet
• I was vegan, currently vegetarian but transitioning to a vegan diet
• I love breakfast for dinner
• I hate noise
• I love candle light
• I am passionate about the empowerment of girls
• I used to run an online magazine to empower girls in my city
• Site is now debunked but once I am finished school, I will reopen
• I want to own my own business (through my girls website)
• I am easily bored
• My favorite time of day is early morning with sun shining on my face
• I am not fond of nosey people
• I am a classic introvert
• I love the ideas of parties but clam up around a lot of people
• Having children is not something I ever want. Ever
• I hate romantic song and gestures - cringe worthy to me
• I am forever single and prefer my life this way
• I am a loud laugher
• I like all white rooms with pops of loud color
• Music blasting in my car is imperative but quiet in my house

Upgrading Experience

In my last post, I promised I would do a write up on my experience in the upgrading program thus far, so here we go. Initially, I had no idea this type of program even existed. When I was unsuccessful in my attempt to get into nursing school the first time, I moped around for about two weeks and then got back on the horse. I knew what I wanted and had to make it happen.




I found out about the program through the schools (that I am currently taking it at) program advisor. In almost all correspondence, she kept telling me to look into upgrading. I was of the mind that it would be an inconvenience and since I had to work, I would rather take my upgrades at night. When I finally took her advise, I realized that it might be a viable option. Now, for me, my boss has been very nice and let me take off in the middle of the day to attend class. This might not be allowable for everyone. I do make up my time so that means I work a lot of after hours and hardly ever take lunch. It is worth it though. The beauty of the program is that it is free. Each of the courses offered by colleges overall, if you take it outside of the program, is around $350.00 each. So, that is a major saving.


So far, the courses are really interesting and good. In comparison to taking the pre-health program (which is university bound), the upgrading courses are almost a cake walk. Almost. It is full and the course material is extensive but in comparison, pre health is a lot more intense. To compare and contrast, pre health went extremely deep, to a micro level, on body systems. Upgrading did also but not as deep.


My school's upgrading program is a highly run, smooth machine. When it was time to send our grades to OCAS, they did it within a few days and the applicant schools had received them quickly. It was all run pretty smooth. The only fly in the ointment for me is that the classes are run in the day. That is a huge turn off for me and was upsetting. I personally have to work so taking the time off when needed and rearranging my life to accommodate this was a struggle. Now that I am close to completely it, I would still say that if you have to work during the day, this program is a bit cumbersome.


Overall, I would recommend the program due to a few things. One, it's free. Two, the subject matter is interesting and accepted by all colleges in Ontario (at least). Three, it gives you what you need and nothing else (ie, no fluff). Four, the books are free as well. Five, the material is intense but doable. Downsides? One, I would have to say the time of day it is offered. Two, the online courses are not available for each class and three, most in-class courses run anywhere from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Not very handy if you have to work. Overall, I would recommend this any person out of high school at least 7 to 10 years and needing a career change or returning to school for whatever reason. Just be prepared to work.


If you need more information on this program, please leave me a comment below.

On how I faired last semester

I finished my last semester about 8 or 9 weeks ago to some great results. I am currently completing the last math that I need and that will be that in terms of upgrading. I have to admit that I cannot wait until the end of August when this will all be done. I am so looking forward to being done. I hope to take a mini weekend vacation in September and enjoy a few months off.


Eight or 9 weeks ago, I was busy studying for my finals. I was super busy and enjoyed as well as dreaded this time. I had two exams in one week and another the week before. My study methods were pretty simple. I created study notes for all classes and reviewed, reviewed, reviewed. Cramming is not for me so I could not do that. I was a nervous mess for all exams but in the end, I performed pretty good.


The final marks were posted with two days of the exams being taken so less stress for people like me who like to know how they did pretty much right away. My final marks were as follows.


Chemistry - 98%
Biology - 100%
Math 1 - 96%


Not too bad. The biology I was pleasantly happy about this (to be fair, I have always excelled in this course because I love the subject matter). I walked into the exam pretty confident but when I sat down, I got super nervous. I will say that chemistry exceeded my expectations. I have never enjoyed or liked the subject. Ever. I am not a technical person and find chemistry extremely boring. Or I should say, I just don't care enough. Even though I struggled in that class to keep the motivation up, sometimes it was lagging. I always had to force myself to really keep determined in this class but overall, I did pretty well. And, I am proud of my marks.


In terms of nursing school options, I made my choice and will be attending January 2017 (only to save money and my sanity). Fortunately, I was accepted to all schools (conditional on this math I am taking right now). I decided to make an informed decision based on the schools themselves. I took a drive to all the campuses and liked one of them the best. One was about 30 minutes away from my house but I did not like the drive. There is a large hill/mountain that straight out scares me. I do not fancy driving up and down that mountain in the middle of winter. And, if anyone knows about winters in Eastern Ontario, they understand where I am coming from. If I had no choice, I would of course made the daily drive. But, I decided to check out the another school. Now school two was my initial first choice but the location of my preferred campus was just too far away. But, because the nursing is so large, they offer the program on three campuses. I visited the other campus of choice for school two, and really liked it. It is an "unconventional" campus but the school is still the same. I was in real like. I gave myself a bit of a tour and saw the nursing simulation lab, the study rooms, the computer rooms, class rooms etc. Everything looks pretty good. The campus is very intimate which is a plus for me.


The third school is at the campus I am currently taking my upgrading courses. Although I do like the school, I chose not to go there. Although small, it is a large school and I prefer smaller campuses.


After stewing over my choices for a few days, I chose school two. I am very happy with my choice so far. It is a hard school/program and that scares me but I don't think any nursing school, anywhere, is easy. I mean, the subject matter is nothing to joke about so of course the material will be heavy.


That is all I have for you now. I have completed 3 of the 4 courses. I should be over this hump of my journey in August. I will do a write up on my experience so far and what this upgrading session does to my time line. Until next time, stay motivated!

Upgrading update: 4 more weeks, the urinary system and application progress

It has been busy around my parts. The upgrading program has been a blessing and sometimes a curse. A blessing in that I can upgrade the courses that are needed and hopefully get a seat in the nursing program of my choice. It is a slight curse only due to the work load and sheer volume sometimes. I am still managing everything like a champ but this week I had a mini breakdown.


I was at my wits end with the constant studying. I felt that nothing was penetrating my brain and that made me panic. But, I think I was just extremely tired. Staying on top of everything all the time in all areas of my life was getting to me. In any case, I was able to get back track. Sleep really is a great thing. Has a lot of resortative properties.


I have four more weeks until this section of the program is complete. I will leave it with a bitter sweet feeling. I have met some really lovely people in the program who are truly good folk. I have one specific teacher who I absolutely respect and think the world of. She is really supportive and wants us to succeed. Overall, four weeks to go and I am geared and pumped up.


I have a really great average right now (95%) so I want to end the semester with excellent marks. In order to do this, I have started to prep for last tests already. The last BIO test will be in four weeks but I am already starting my studying this coming weekend. The units we are learning now are all very heavy and take a lot of work to master. It is just a matter of staying on top of the heap.


The urinary system is a beast! I thought the respiratory system was a lot to know but I think nephrons actually beat it for me. It is a complete and total monster but somehow I completed my test on that section. Marks are not posted as of yet but I asked my teacher and she said that I did really well so that is comforting. I think.


Last but not least, is my application process update. I applied to three schools in total. One school due, really to the small campus size and familiarity to it. I know the nursing program there is a good one. I know it is a lovely campus and the school is highly regarded. My only vice with this is the location. For me, it is about an hours drive. Not too bad in reality and something I can totally work with if need be.


My other choice is a school I didn't know existed, literally, until a few months ago. I mean, I assume I heard about that school somewhere along my academic life but never really paid too much attention. I end up finding out that this school has an excellent program, small campus (which is pretty important to me outside of how stupidly early the library usually closes) and is pretty close to my home. The one other great thing about this school is that it has a RPN to BScN bridging program also. That is a premium as there are very little schools in the GTA that offer this bridge and transitioning phase. Plus, sometimes already being in a school can award you insider information and perks that those applying from the outside don't get.


The last choice is actually at the school I am currently taking my upgrading classes. I used to really like this school as I used to take little side courses there off and on during the years. And, I also attained my PSW certification from this school. But, it has changed and not necessarily for the good. I think it is just the people and there are certain things I don't think I want to deal with. It is a good school. Good location. Good reputation and program. Amazing and big changes are to be had at this school in the next few years but I don't know if I want to stay there.


In terms of these schools, I have received conditional offers from two of the three and one is from my first choice school. The other is from my 2nd choice school. I am really excited about these offers but have not yet accepted. I have until the beginning of May to make my choice. I am waiting to do a school visit at an Open House early next month. I would like to see how I feel at this school (1st choice) as I know I enjoy my second choice school. Oh, on another note my 2nd choice school acceptance is for September 2016 but the 1st choice is for January 2017 start. This  happened because by the time I applied to schools, my 1st choice had closed the registration for September entry.


That's it for me on this now. I will check in again in a few weeks with more updates and news. A lot emotions have been flooding me the last few weeks and I would like to talk about that on this platform soon. Overall though, this has been a good experience.

Updating my updates

Last time I left off, I said I was going to upgrade some of my courses. Well, I am in the process of doing exactly that and it has been a busy time. Currently, I am upgrading my chemistry and math classes. I also threw biology in for good order sake. Although I have a pretty good mark in Bio, I am actually looking for excellent this time around.


How am I doing so far? Actually, not too bad. The material is the same but different, if that makes sense. Certain things I have already learned but there are other aspects that is absolutely foreign and new to me. This is actually really exciting and fun. I still dread math like the plague but I am getting through it and the same for chemistry. Biology is enjoyable and challenging at the same time.


The biggest hurtle to get over while taking these courses is getting the work done while working two jobs. I have to admit that I think this upgrading is easier than pre-health. To me, pre-health was faster, tougher and had way more volume of information presented. But, then again, pre-health was also for university bound students so, that is to be expected. These academic upgrading classes actually surprise me in some ways. Some things are much easier than my last go around but that is fine with me. I welcome the slightly slower pace. Slower pace, however, does not mean less work. 


Initially, the assignments were very easy to do and spaced out nicely. At this point, about 6 weeks in, not so much. There is a barrage of assignments, discussions, exams and tests thrown at us all at once but it is manageable. My best advise is to stay on top of things. As they come in, complete. I have been on top of everything aside from this week whereI have slacked due to some life issues. My goal is to complete two major assignments this evening so that I can get on top of the other things awaiting my attention.


Overall, I am truly enjoying this period of upgrading. The information is interesting. I am managing my time with work, school and life (no real life) much better than last year. How am I doing academically thus far? I have high A's in all courses and plan on keeping it that way.


As a side note, I started to follow the study note advise of Rachelp. Here is the link. I highly recommend this format for studying vast amounts of information. By employing this technique, I was able to pull off two A+'s on my last bio and chem tests.


I will update in the next few weeks as I have been incredibly busy. This semester finishes the end of March and the last semester (I am taking one course) is in April so hopefully I will have good news to report. As a side note, I have applied to the schools I would like to get in and mid marks will be submitted to them next week. Until next time, stay well.

Quick update

Yikes, it has been a month plus since my last post. My intention was to post weekly but since I started my upgrading classes, that hasn't happened. The reason for the delay is due to school. It has had me on my toes since I started but I will take some time this weekend and update you all. Until then, enjoy your Family Day Weekend!

How to make the return to post-secondary school comfortable as a mature student

This is a long one so please sit back and enjoy the tips.

My journey to nursing school is still in motion and has not been a smooth ride. Many hurtles have been jumped over and I am still getting over many humps. When I initially started on my journey, it was not smooth. I had been out of secondary school for a long time. My days of writing university papers and taking tests were a thing of the past. As an adult, I was dealing with work-place bureaucracy and politics. Trying to break through that ever-heightening glass ceiling. Travel. Bills. Being an adult. So, when I chose to return to school, I had to mentally prepare myself for change.

Change came in the form of receiving less income. Revised, less or no health care benefits. Long hours tackling homework and assignments. Carrying a very heavy backpack. Loud younger people. Long hours glued to a desk. Initially, I felt out of my element. I couldn’t get a firm grasp on my life. I was all over the place in a huge sea and sinking fast. May sound dramatic, but as an adult out of school 10+ years, it was a reality. After getting help from the school advisors (employ their skills as this service is already factored in the tuition you paid), I felt a bit better. I remember taking a Friday night off (something I never did again) and relaxing. The next day, after work, I sought out ways that could help my journey. I needed help. If you need some assistance as a mature student returning to school, here are a few things I did that greatly helped me.

Firstly, invest in and USE got a good planner. You don’t need to go all Erin Condrin (although she had amazing planners) but something with enough space so you can write out what you need to do daily, is ideal. Also ensure your planner has a month at a view section with enough space for writing in per month. This is where you will record your tests, exams, quizzes, due dates for all assignments - per month. Take a look at this page at least daily to ensure you are know exactly what is coming up when.

Creating a daily or weekly schedule. This may sound weird but having a schedule that is created once a week or daily with homework assignments and to-do’s is a good thing to have. (At the end of this, I will have a link that explains exactly how this is created)

Invest in a desk calendar. I bought a $5.00 desk calendar and mounted on my wall in front of my desk. This was a nice visual remider of what I needed to do while studying. It kept me organized and I never forgot an assigment. HIGHLY Recommended.

Get the proper calculator that your professors advises (wait until your first math class before you actually make the investment and heed the advise of your professor). Also, take the time and get to know how your calculator actually works. Sounds easy but trust me; you do not want to be trying to figure out what key is needed to change a formula to scientific notation during the middle of a lesson. Save time and jump on youtube to get a tutorial.

A set of good tools - pens, pencils, sharpies and high lighters. Don’t cheap out here because you will be doing a lot of writing and test taking. Get the best that you can afford so you don’t have to deal with broken lead or crappy pens or color running out in the middle of a rock-star study session.

A desk. I was gifted a used desk but it was just all wrong for my purposes. I needed something that was long enough where I could spread out my laptop, multiple books and papers while doing homework. Even online assignments require a good amount of desk space. The ability to stretch out and not be limited by surface space will be a life saver.

Creating study guides. This was something that I had never heard of before but found out about on a YouTube channel and loved. This can be a long process but the material will be cemented in your brain after reading direct from the book, creating study notes and re-reading on your down time. This is key. I have included a link on how to create these guides below.

Audio recording notes. At my school, recording lecture was not really prohibited unless you had a learning disability. So, I had to be creative. Before school started, I had invested in a small recorder (but a cell phone is more than fine) and needed to use it. I ended up recording the systems of the body and how they worked (i.e., the circulation of blood in and out of the heart) and lessons from chemistry on my recorder. Chemical reactions and chirality, to name a few, did not come easy or natural to me so I recorded myself reading my lectures notes. On my way to and from school, I listened to my recorded notes.

A good backpack or rolling bag. I initially was using my younger sister’s old bag and it was not good for me. I needed something with more support so I invested. Backpacks can be very expensive so wait for holiday sales. I got my Swissmar backpack for 60% less the price which is amazing and saved my back.

Comfy clothing. You will notice almost immediately how uncomfortable your clothing will be after spending hours in a library. One of my best investments was treating myself to some soft and comfy sweat clothing. I really enjoy the styles that Roots supplies but I can’t always afford them. The goal is not fashion (ok, it is but not imperative) but feeling relaxed during hours of study is. Heed my advice on this one.

Here are some really helpful websites that I look to for help and resources on my journey to becoming a nurse. I think they will help any student, mature or not. Enjoy.

Straight A Nursing Student

How to Get an A in Math

Khan Academy for Math

Khan Academy for Chemistry

Crash Course that helps with A&P

How to create study guides.

Sharpie Retractable Highlighters - the best! 

Digital voice recorder

Varying desk options

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upgrading here I come

So, the last time we left off, I was lamenting my lack of success on first try entry to nursing school. My marks were simply not up to snuff. It is interesting because in my pre-health program, after first semester mid-terms, a significant amount of people dropped out. I remember looking around my class and realizing that a good chunk of people were not present. We were told by our professor that about 30% of students, indeed, dropped out after mid-term. We were advised that from here on out, things would get quicker and harder. And, she did not lie.

After a challenging first semester, we began second semester at a full on sprinting pace. We were told that we were the “survivors” as again, a good percentage of my classmates did not make the cut or chose to bow out. I thought semester one was tough, but semester two nearly ended me. At some points, I didn’t think I could do it. It was too much. Assignments due at the same time. Multiple tests, at least two on the same day, per week. Papers. Quizzes. Exams. On top of this, I worked at my both jobs. It was the longest four months of my life.

In May, I was finally released out of that torture after our final exams. At this point, I was physically and mentally exhausted. We were told numerous times that the program is set up to almost break us as the schooling and career of most health care workers is extremely challenging. They were preparing us. Upon getting my final marks, my heart both plummeted and rejoiced. My hard work had paid off but some marks were a bit off. I had applied for nursing schools in February so at this point, applicants had to wait until the summer to hear a yay or nay from admissions offices.

I waited and waited and then the responses started to come in. Although my marks were good enough, they were not enough to eliminate others who had worked harder and achieved A’s instead of B+’s (like myself). Saddened but not defeated, I immediately signed up for a class and started this past September. Unfortunately, this class finished too late and was not able to be accepted in time for January intake. So, here I was. No nursing school and no real full time job.

Fortunately, my work places kept me on and I still juggle them both at this current point. But what about my dream of nursing school? I actually took a few days to be angry about the whole situation. Then I got back on the horse and looked into my options. I could not afford (nor did I have the time) of repeating pre-health again. Another option was a PSW to RPN bridging program at a very good school in Toronto. My issue is that it is in Toronto. Traveling to this school in the dead of winter is not ideal. After flip-flopping and wondering what to do, I registered for adult school to upgrade my marks. I was elated to get into a class but it was not meant to be as the days and hours conflicted with my part time job. At this point, I was desperate and was angry a lot of the time. Nothing was working for me. Then I was advised to try another academic upgrading program. I wasted no time and signed up. In the course of a few hours, I had gone to orientation, completed 4 online and a paper test.

A few days later, I got a call from the school that I was accepted to the program. My weakest link is math and this will take the longest but I will also upgrade chemistry with this program also. My biology mark is amazing but I would like to increase my human anatomy mark. Why not go for all A’s at this point, right? So, here you have it. At this point, I am on the path of upgrading, 2^nd time around. Not ideal but nursing school entrance marks are brutally hard to get into. A word of advise. Strive for A’s and nothing else if your goal is nursing.

Intro to my journey...part 2

You see, I knew health care was my calling but I was afraid to listen to what my heart was saying. Nursing. Years ago, while completing my PSW certificate, my teacher pulled me aside and told me that she thinks I should pursue nursing. Flattered and shocked, I ran home and started researching what needed to be done. After looking over the prerequisites and years of work, I quickly dismissed it. But, the idea lingered in my head and heart. After giving my problem over to God, I was told to go the nursing direction. I was waiting for the message but already knew what I had to do. I knew it.

Excited at the prospect of a change, long awaited, I decided to throw caution to the wind and applied for a pre-health one year program. Pre-health is basically a program designed for those needing to upgrade high school marks for health care professions such as biology, chemistry and advanced math courses (I had been out of high school for more than the 7 year cut-off for entrance marks applicable for nursing schools).

I arranged with my full time job to work a part time schedule and held on to my part time PSW job as well. In retrospect, I should never have done that. Although I am not the smartest apple in the bunch, I am also not half bad. But, returning to school after many years of being out and becoming a bonafide student, threw me for a loop. The first month was a mess and I was struggling to get through my days. After seeking and heeding advice from the learning center at my school, I finally found my stride. Working so many hours though put me at a disadvantage. Don’t let the name fool you. Pre-health is not for the faint of heart or non-committed. It was a challenge. I didn’t actually conquer pre-health as I was short a math course. This subject has always been my weakest link and all these years later, it was still the bane of my existence.

Applying to nursing school was a whole other monster on its own. Each school pretty much requires different marks and subjects but overall, I was covered. Now, here is the fly in the ointment and my piece of advice to you. Never go by the minimum grade required. Never. Always stride for way higher. I have to say, I busted my rump during my pre-health days and my marks were good enough until they were not. At the end of the day, I exceeded the minimums many of the schools required but other applicants preformed greater.

 A few days ago, my excited-to-enter-nursing-school bubble burst and I am now almost at square one. Due to the ever increasing yearly admission averages for nursing schools, straight A students who applied, obliterated my mainly B+ marks. After having a few tough days, while this sunk in, I have, with a heavy heart, ingested and accepted what I need to do. No nursing school for me in 2016.  Continue working for me. Maybe this is for the best? I have no idea but now I am on the path for a full time job and starting to upgrade some courses. The advisor of the school I really want to attend advised me to work on only two courses and I should be good for re-entry next year. I am actually going to upgrade three courses for propensity sake. Feeling insecure, I think it is better to up my chances by going in with stellar marks.

Here you have it. Where I will begin. I hope this journey will be a good one here on out. I plan on writing at least once a week but no commitments. I want to look back at this journey in a few years, after I am a nurse, and laugh at my journey. Not be in the same place. I hope you enjoy this path with me. Let’s get on the ride and enjoy the bumps and turns together. Until next time.

Intro to my journey....Part 1

Welcome to my little space on the internet. This blog will be about the highs and lows (I hope few) of my entrance into nursing school and beyond.

Let me introduce myself. I am currently (end of 2015) a single, childless woman. I am neither young nor old. I am for sure going through a major career change. My late teens saw me moving away from my hometown in the greater Toronto area to Ottawa for university. I did not particularly enjoy or hate my time away from home. I was glad to be out of the house but university was just something I had to get through. My program was unexciting but let me attain a degree. After my four years, I dutifully found employment at a call center in the same city. Although the job was horrible, I really enjoyed my colleagues. This was my foray into adulthood and it was shocking and inspiring. I shared an apartment with an old roommate from school for a year and then moved on.

After the call center was bought out, I decided to move back home. In a frenzy, I looked for and found a job in an industry that I have been working in since my early 20’s. Over the years I have worked hard and long to climb the elusive corporate ladder. Little did I know that in an industry dominated by European men, someone like me would never get up there. It was not all horrible mind you. I just could not get what I wanted, which was career progression. 

Somewhere along the time from my 20’s to early 30’s, life happened. Family dynamics adjusted and my role at home changed. At this point, I was still living with my parents and was fine with that. Dating was something I never did but wanted. I am introverted and being social, outside of my circle of friends, is very hard for me. Meeting men was just not something I could and can do with ease. So, I spent a lot of time watching my friends marry or date with abandon, from the sidelines. To curb my increasing boredom with the monotony of life, I decided to do something different.

I signed up for a program at the local community college that would take 2 years part time to complete. Knowing I had the time and resources, I poured myself into my classes taking one course per semester. This was a certificate program to become a personal support worker. In my warped mind, I thought I would work part time to save money for trips I wanted to take. You see, I had just taken a trip with a friend to New York and was enthralled. I loved every breathtaking moment of it. I needed more of travel. Once my course was over, through a relative and friend, I was able to secure a part time job within two weeks. Thus, began my years of working for a popular health care agency as a PSW.

If you know or are a PSW, you know this job has a lot of ups and downs. Patients can either make or break your day. Politics can do the same. Unlike a lot of other PSW’s that I have run into, I had the experience of being around office politics for years. I knew how to navigate those landmines like a pro. Unafraid, I waded and wade through the murky waters of ADL a few evenings a week and on weekends. Although exhausting, I enjoy (for the most part) my part time job.

Change came in the form of an ‘Ah ha” moment. While at a retirement home one morning, helping to bring a patient down to the meal room, I was listening to the banter of the other residents and felt warm. I almost started to laugh. It was then and there that I felt right. I was contemplating making a change in my career but didn’t know what to do. I felt stalled and craved more but didn’t know where or how to proceed. It was at that moment, in that elevator, that I knew helping others was something I had to do. That day I took pen to paper and wrote out a list of pros and con’s of leaving my job and pursuing a career in healthcare. I pondered and wrestled in my mind – should I move on and become a full time personal support worker? Although I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it. I grow to love my clients very quickly but the pay was also not very good. I wanted more for myself. I knew for a fact that unless I met someone romantically, I would not be able to live comfortably with one job as a PSW. Nothing wrong with that but I also dreaded the long days and nights to make ends meet. As a caveat, I am speaking for myself here and not generalizing. I decided to bring my problem to my creator and ask for guidance.