Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Nursing School: Take III


Yep, here I go again. Now with an adorable,active (almost crawling) little 7 month old...life doesn't slow down for anything.

The course in question is Medical Surgical (part 1)...and it's my third attempt. (the first attempt was a "drop out on the first day of class" affair and the 2nd,I thought I would be all SuperWomanish and do it all. Didn't work out like that & the icy,bitter shards of what went down is something I still can't talk about, even to my blog)

Third attempt. Last attempt. If I fail again,I'm out of the program. I believe that I can do this, but most of it will definitely be a mental journey (as I face some of the same individuals who did their very darnedest to make sure that I failed). Because I'm not an idiot,it wasn't the coursework that got me. There is one thing that I learned through this though,and that is that "trust" is not something to be given out lightly...I am too naive. Not all instructors are there because they want you to succeed. (Some are there just to collect a paycheck) Trust is mine,trust is not something I have to automatically give to you just because you have a string of credentials behind your name. These are lessons burned into my soul, trial by fire...still fresh from the experience.

Anyway...back to the whole "registering for school" deal. To be able to get accommodations, (aka taking tests in the testing center/being able to have food/glucose available/being able to treat highs, lows as needed) I have to go through the office of Disability Accommodations. I have to have said accommodations, or I'd get suspended for eating/suspected texting/etc. (the joys of diabetes, nu?it is is almost not worth the trouble & I wish I could just hide that I have it) So, right before the start of the new semester, I request a "renewal of accommodations" packet (through the school website) and then go to pick it up from their office. Inside that packet are three separate forms..each form is in triplicate. (white, yellow, pink)

Form #1 I take to the testing center, they sign, I sign, and they keep the yellow copy. I keep the pink copy, and return the white copy to the DSS office.

Form #2 is an instructor "memorandum" (more specifically,listing the exact accommodations needed(eat/drink in class, monitor bg,medical supplies present,1.5x time) to remind them that they have a student taking tests in the testing center, and they have to drop off a test there. (so I can take them) Instructor will sign, I will sign, they will keep the yellow copy, I will keep pink, and the white copy goes back to the DSS office.

Form #3 is the official course form/memorandum for the teacher's file. The instructor signs, I sign, and they keep the yellow copy, I keep the pink, and the white copy goes back to the DSS office.

The testing center is on the opposite side of the campus, which means that I'm usually missing half an hour(or more) of the lectures. Not that I mind, but while everyone else gets to take their test/go to lecture in the same place, I get to run around everywhere attempting to keep on track with everyone else. Yeah, this "Special Treatment" thing is not all fun and games. The lectures I could repeat in my sleep (by this point),and I'm hoping they'll use the same tests (the answers I think I'll have remembered) so that that part at least will be stress-free.

It's entirely possible to be a good mom/go to school at the same time...and I want this degree. I've been working towards this for 11+ years,and if it's not to be, it won't be because I didn't give it my all.

1 comment:

Tricia said...

Been there, done that with nursing school and failing med / surg. at the first attempt (only by 1 point on the final skills exam part).
If there's any way I can help you Heidi, you know where / how to find me. I know how rough diabetes and nursing school alone is... add a baby in the mix, and I'm here for you babe!
Tricia