emmacasey00

[emmacasey00]

My 5 Key Reminders for YOU!

To my weekly readers, thank you for reading my blog and having an interest in navigating through nursing school. This may be my last post for a while so I wanted to leave you with 5 reminders about how to manage and succeed in nursing school. 1) Remember that if nursing school was easy everyone would do it. Take pride in the struggles you face now, and be proud of yourself for all that you have accomplished. 2) Find what makes u happy and do not lose urself in the process of nursing school. As workload piles up, make time for yourself, this will help you keep your sanity. 3) Lean on friends and family during challenging seasons of your life. Your loved ones are there to support you! Do not be afraid to go to them when you are stressed. 4) Constantly remind yourself why you chose this profession to study. By doing this, you will keep your spark and passion for nursing alive. 5) Study hard now so u can have a beautiful future. You have not come this far to come this far.

[emmacasey00]

Bad Grade, Not Bad Day

Most people have unfortunately felt the defeat of doing worse on a test than they expected or hoped for. As a nursing major, it can be difficult to do poorly on an exam when you originally felt like you knew the material and understood the medical processes. Every single piece of information that we are taught throughout nursing education will be used and referred back to at some point, which is why it is so vital to feel confident in your ability to know the material. A lot of exams at this point in nursing are application-based and to feel like you do not know how to properly apply all that you have been taught is not the best feeling. I have linked an article with advice on how to pick yourself back up after receiving a grade not up to your standards. It is important to always remember that when you do not get the grade you want, it does not define who you are as a student and it does not define your future. You should focus on improving for the next time!

[emmacasey00]

Your Health Matters Too!

Throughout nursing school, students learn an immense amount of information about practically all known diseases, infections, complications, symptoms, and sequelae. This amount of information can be overwhelming and cause students to misdiagnose themselves/others or overreact when experiencing symptoms that should not concern them. Managing personal health while learning about various diseases is vital for nursing students. It is important to not overreact, and rather to make informed decisions when debating what could be a realistic reason for your symptoms. For example although shortness of breath is a symptom of COVID-19, it doesn't mean that you have the disease when you are panting after a long run. Just the other day, I misdiagnosed my roommate with an absence seizure because she forgot what we were talking about and did not remember the conversation we had moments prior. Of course she was fine but I was convinced that she was experiencing a brief loss of consciousness, because that is exactly what we learned about in my Pathology class a few days prior. With all that being said, keep yourself as healthy as possible and try not to freak yourself out when feeling under the weather, or different than usual. Go see a doctor and stop stressing!

[emmacasey00]

Nurses Are Social!

As a future nurse, other than gaining knowledge in the field, it is important to learn various social skills along the way and to become strong in this aspect. Building social skills throughout nursing school as well as during your career, will help in various ways. Social skills will help you sense a sick patient's feelings and thoughts, help you deliver good or bad news efficiently, aid you in working as a team with other classmates/coworkers, help you make your patient feel comfortable with you and the medical processes they are going through, and allow you to gain a support system.

[emmacasey00]

We All Need Help!

A crucial factor when pursing a degree in nursing is to know when to ask for help. Mental health is extremely important and must be prioritized, but I am referring to academic help. It takes strength to ask for clarification or guidance with the material you are being exposed to. If a student is struggling with content, especilly as a nursing major it is highly encouraged that they attend supplemental instruction sessions or drop-in sessions, schedule extra helps, or hire a tutor. With nursing, all new material builds off of prior content so it is important to get help sooner, rather than later. Reaching out for help with a specific topic, asking for a slower explanation of a lesson, or attending review sessions can drastically improve a student's academic confidence in themselves, their grades, and their knowledge as a future nurse. Asking for help when you feel lost and overhwelmed by too much information is part of balancing life as a nursing student, and it will pay off.

[emmacasey00]

All About SNA

The University of South Carolina offers a program called the Students Nurses Association (SNA) to students in the nursing program as an outlet to “promote professionalism and leadership in nursing while advocating for wellness for all people in our USC community and beyond.” Monthly meetings are held for members who have paid the member fee, went through the membership application process, and been accepted. These meetings consist of presentations with information on various kinds of nursing, interactive activities, speeches from guests in the field, and chances to network with nursing peers. Joining an association like SNA will help nursing students find a community that will support them throughout the challenging process of becoming a nurse.

[emmacasey00]

Nursing Across the Globe

While I do not exactly know which field of nursing I am passionate about going into yet, I do know that I am extremely interested in travel nursing. Travel nurses are employed in temporary positions in places all over the country/world based on that region's needs or staff shortages. Not only does this nursing path allow nurses to lend a helping hand to those across the world who are in need, but it also allows nurses of all ages to experience other parts of the world, cultures, and environments which aid in the building of extensive, appliable knowledge in the field of nursing. I believe that if I achieve a travel nursing job as a newly registered nurse, I will be extremely fulfilled in the exploration of new territory for a few years before I finally settle down back at home.

[emmacasey00]

Why Choose Nursing?

While it can be extremely stressful and overwhelming to be a nursing major, in the long run, nursing is an extremely rewarding profession. On top of being an extremely gratifying career, nursing is an opportunity, given to those lucky enough to accomplish their degrees in nursing, to help countless individuals and families who are experiencing illness, injury, loss, and grief. I chose nursing so that I could be a positive, impactful force in patients' lives with my comfort, care, and increasing knowledge. I have had amazing nurses in the past and they inspire me in what I hope for my future to look like.

[emmacasey00]

Appling Concepts > Memorization

As a nursing major, and with any science major, memorization of terms and definitions is extremely important when it comes to being fully knowledgeable about all kinds of patient circumstances. However, when studying for exams in nursing school, it is crucial to be able to apply the content and understand it in real-world scenarios. This mindset may cause a shift in study habits. For example, when studying the meaning of patient symptoms, flashcards may be helpful, but when studying for the long-term application of medical material, flashcards may not help due to the unique circumstances of every patient. I have found that it is important to study using practice questions that generate scenarios based on patient symptoms and clinical history and engage in active recall as you answer those questions. Active recall is the retrieving of information you have once learned and this will be used in your nursing career as you figure out the best plan for your patient. The more practice you get with clinical cases and real-life scenarios, the better prepared you will be as a future nurse.

#studytips #nursingschool

[emmacasey00]

Find Your Happy Place Amidst the Chaos

What makes you smile and feel a sense of instant peace after a long day? Whatever that may be, implement it into your life as much as possible. As a nursing student, I recognize that the constant and seemingly neverending stress can have a snowball effect as it progressively gets harder to manage a plethora of assignments, due dates, upcoming exams, and responsibilities. I challenge you to search for what calms you in your everyday life. For you that may be catching up with friends, treating yourself to an expensive latte, cooking a meal, journaling, catching up on your favorite show, etc. Once you discover what can make you happy or turn your day around on even the hardest of days, this can become your “pocket of peace” that will help lift your spirits and ultimately protect your mental sanity. Regardless of what your happiness comes from, studies have shown that being happy helps reduce stress levels, and maintain a healthy immune system (article linked in post). Being less stressed and more healthy will help you stay on track with your academic goals. So take that break from studying that you have been denying yourself and do something for your well-being!

[emmacasey00]

Saved by your Support System

Support systems in nursing school are 100% essential and should be prioritized. USC's College of Nursing is ranked 32nd among all public universities and students in the program risk being denied entry into Upper-Division after they have already completed a year and a half of pre-nursing education. What has helped me find success amidst the chaos in classes that confused me, or when dealing with unhelpful professors has always been my fellow nursing friends. Yes, I rely on family and my non-nursing major roommates/best friends for support when I am overwhelmed which is a healthy habit, but my fellow peers in nursing have a different understanding of the true challenges I face. I have met some of my best friends in my nursing classes/labs because we support each other through the constant academic stress and difficulties that we face. My friends in nursing not only understand and relate to the stress that I face, but they also help keep me on track with studying and assignments. Personally, I study better on my own, but my friends in nursing share their study tips with me, help me when I am struggling with assignments, and remind me of due dates- and I do the same for them. I feel that without my friends in nursing that I have had by my side since early last year, I would not be where I am today.

[emmacasey00]

Good Things Do Not Come Easy

When your lifelong dream, which you are extremely passionate about, requires the most challenging and rigorous academic and mental tests that you have ever encountered, the idea of quitting tends to cross the mind occasionally. Even though I am completely sure that a career in nursing is my calling, being a sophomore in USC's pre-nursing program has definitely shown me what I signed myself up for. I have created this Blog to discuss the reality of the road to becoming a Registered Nurse, the importance of finding moments of peace in each day amongst the constant stress I face, the balance of a social life and a successful academic standing, as well as tips for managing the workload as a student applying to Upper Divison in the coming months.