Parent's Weekend, Octagon Fair and Exciting Nursing Student Milestones!

This past week was full of excitement in all areas. First, we finally had Mountain Day, the EC tradition of no classes and a fun filled day of puddle raft races, inflatable games, BBQ picnic lunch, EC Olympic games, pancake breakfast, Quarry Farm run/tour, and did I say NO CLASSES?!?! Anyways, like usual it was a hit and started the night before at the SAB sponsored dance in the campus center and that was wild! Needless to say, the campus was a fun place to be!

Then I had lots of work for nursing, but it was an exciting week as I had my first pediatric patient and I followed him through with his surgery. It was definitely a good experience because working with kids really is so different than adults. I also watched an INCREDIBLE surgery of facial deconstruction including removal of the lower jaw. It was so amazing to see this take place and really understand the anatomy of the face. I also worked with my first cancer patient this week which is always a great learning opportunity. I truly focused on the family and giving my patient the best individualized care possible. I hope that I get to have more chances to work with patients and their families who are dealing with the hardships and life changes of cancer.

As the week concluded, Parent's Weekend and Octagon Fair went off. Unfortunately due to rain, tap was unable to perform but our booth went so great. We sold so many unique and creative ornaments, I painted lots of faces, and we gathered lots of donations, making this one of our most successful Octagon Fairs EVER! Overall, the fair went great and all of the clubs and performances were amazing. I think we will do this craft again as the parents loved them! On Friday night when my parents first arrived, we got all dressed up and took a few pictures in front of the fountain before we went to the campus event "A Taste of the Finger Lakes" which was a sampler of food and wine from the area. It was delicious and fun to taste all of the local flavors. We then headed to to my nursing honors society induction, Sigma Theta Tau. I was SO excited to even be accepted into this elite honors society and the ceremony was fantastic. A little less than 1/3 of my class was inducted and everyone that got in truly has proved they can hold a high GPA and deliver skilled nursing care as a leader. I am so thankful my parents were able to attend. 

 EC Tap Ensemble booth!

  

I did lots of face painting at the fair!

The rest of the pictures are from the Sigma Theta Tau Induction!

 The EC class of 2014 members who were inducted!

  My dad and me before the induction in front of the fountain!

 My official certificate of membership!

 My Parents at the induction!

 One of my favorite nursing buddies and fellow inductee, Jess!

On Saturday night following the conclusion of Octagon Fair, rather than attending the Class of 2014 champagne toast reception, my parents and I went on a Finger Lakes adventure and went to dinner and the movies. As corny as it sounds, it was a really fun time and I had a great weekend spending time with my family. 

As you can see, this weekend was busy and filled with excitement so now I am playing catch up with all my work but it was well worth it. I will soon have more to post! Onto the piles of homework calling my name!

Week One of Senior Year - CHECK

It is official, I made it through the first week of my Senior year. Now that the first week is out of the way, classes are officially in their usual flow. I already had my first family clinical and have been able to work with some incredible patients already! I am using skills that I have been practicing since sophomore year of nursing school. It is definitely important to remember everything you've learned and continue to practice. But so far, clinicals and class are going very well.

This past Friday, EC held their annual Senior Class Kegger, essentially a gathering of all of the seniors to celebrate the beginning of senior year, put on by the President and Deans of the college. I had a fantastic time with my friends socializing and really getting excited for all of the achievements and accomplishments to come! Here are some pictures from the event!

 

Anyways, now that things are really picking up there are many things happening on campus.  Everyone is busy prepping for Octagon Fair and Parents Weekend coming up in a week and a half. There are also many honors society inductions that weekend as well, and I am very excited for my parents to attend and for them to be able to be a part of my induction into the nursing honors society, Sigma Theta Tau. This week Tap held the first meeting and we introduced the 2017's to the club as well as announced our there, BROADWAY! I am so excited to have so many new tappers and make this show fantastic. I also attended Red Cross Club this week and will be going to a floor meeting tonight hosted by my RA to go over some general guidelines for Meier. I have lots of homework like usual and have been staying on top of all of my reading for nursing. I also used the Meier workout room today for the first time donated by the Class of 20120, and it is definitely convenient to have a gym right by my room! But I think the most exciting news is that EC just announced the 2013 fall big event and it is...

TIMEFLIES w/special guest CHIDDY BANG!!!!!

The whole campus is super excited to have such an awesome performer this year, and I know as seniors we are going to enjoy it to the fullest!

Clinical early tomorrow and lots of homework to do! Next week I will post after Octagon Fair and give the full breakdown of both the Fair and all of the Parent's Weekend Fun!!!

Senior Status - The Beginning of the End!

It is hard to believe that just a few days ago I started my senior year at Elmira College. Sometimes it felt like I was never going to make it to this point, or that I wasn't going to pass or even that time wasn't going by so fast, but it really, truly has! This year I am living in Meier Hall, the newest dorm on campus which basically is like a mini-Hogwarts! I feel like I am living in college cribs luxury with AC, private bathrooms, wood floors, high ceilings, HUGE rooms, and literally state-of-the-art everything. With study rooms, an exercise room, and huge lounges it is a wonderful place to live. Many of my close friends are living in Meier too so it is wonderful being so close to everyone. Here are a few picture of my room!

 Private bathroom - check out the EC spirit with purple and gold walls!

A few different panoramas of my room!

Anyways, senior year is officially 2 days in. As VP of tap ensemble this year we are starting to get ready for our club meetings and tap dances. Octagon fair is in a few weeks and we will set up a booth and showcase our mini-dance to the college community and local community. My parents are also coming that weekend because I was asked to be inducted into the Nursing Honors Society, Sigma Theta Tau! The professors on campus choose students who hold a GPA of 3.0 or higher, excel in class and clinical, show leadership skills, and are an overall well-rounded, good person. I was so excited when I found out and am really looking forward to having them here for the weekend! Until then, classes are up and running and clinical begins this week. This term I have family clinical which takes place at Robert Packer Hospital. I will be on the cancer unit in which I will be dealing with many terminally ill patients and the families of these patients. I know it is going to be extremely challenging but so very rewarding. I am a bit out of my comfort zone in this area because I really hate cancer and am not interested in ever working on a unit like this, but I know it will be so rewarding and help me to develop as a nurse and person. On Thursdays, I have my pediatrics clinical in which I will rotate from pediatric day surgery (i.e. patient prep, follow them through surgery, post-op, etc.) to the pediatric clinic where I will do well visits and sick visits, to finally a rotation in the ER where I will hopefully have some pediatric clients to work with. I am excited for this term because although I am not interested in working in pediatrics in the future, I know I will get a lot out of this clinical and learn to work with people of all ages in a variety of situations. Overall, I think it will be a wonderful senior year and I am excited for all of the exciting things to come as I embark on the final chapter of my college career. Just think, in one short year I will have graduated college and hopefully passed the NCLEX (nursing license exam) and landed myself a job!