I started a part-time job 2 weeks ago! I am now a Teacher's Assistant for APU's School of Nursing!
The Chair of Undergrad Nursing wanted to start a part-time position that new grads could hold while looking for nursing jobs, so she created a TA position a couple months ago. She thought I would be a great person for it, so I was basically handed a job! I was so happy!! Three of my fellow South Africa nursing friends and I are the only ones working as TAs right now, but more people may join us in the future. It's kind of exciting that we're basically pioneering this position!
Right now I'm working with the freshmen nursing students at their clinical site. They're in Nursing Foundations (which another TA has nicknamed Nursing "Fundations" because we want to make it as fun as possible for the students). I go to Foothill Presbyterian Hospital on Thursday and Friday mornings, and I basically oversee the students as they go about their clinical experience. I answer their many questions, give them tasks if they have nothing to do, and help them with assessments and patient care. I work alongside their clinical professor, but she's basically given me all the same duties and responsibilites that she has!
I've been having a great time getting to know the 9 students in the clinical group. They are all so sweet and so eager to learn. They make me laugh because they are so scared to do anything with their patients! I remember being exactly like them when I first started nursing, and it makes me proud to realize how much I've grown and matured as a nurse.
In the meantime, I'm still looking for a real nursing job. Please keep me in your prayers as I look for just the right position that God has prepared for me.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
"Seeking Wisdom from Above"
Every spring, APU cancels classes for a day and instead holds an event called Common Day of Learning. There are lots of different sessions led by faculty, students, and guest speakers about a wide variety of topics. This semester's CDL was held yesterday, and I got to be one of the presenters!
The theme this year was Seeking Wisdom from Above. Two of my South Africa study abroad friends and I planned a session about the wisdom we gained from our nursing experiences in South Africa. Seven of the nursing students that just returned from SA joined us as well. We had a great time sharing our love of the South African people and culture, as well as talking about the lessons we learned.
I talked about one of the clinics that we went to called Mason's Clinic.
This small clinic serves the rural township of Haniville, which is primarily made up of small mud shacks built on the hillside.
They have no running water or proper sanitation, which means that there are a lot of health issues, and the clinic is usually very busy.
A personal anecdote that I shared was about the lesson I learned on the importance of greeting patients as they come in. My very first clinical day was spent at Mason's, and I barely knew any Zulu at the time. I was really frustrated because I couldn't communicate with the patients on my own, and it helped me realize how important greeting patients in their own language is because it develops trust and respect and shows the patient that you care about them.
Near the end of the presentation, we shared a small nugget of wisdom that we each took away from our experience. Mine was about the fact that nursing isn't just about the skills we perform. It's also about supporting and encouraging patients spiritually and emotionally.
I also shared something that God reminded me of over and over while I was in South Africa, that each person I encounter is His precious child.
I shared a verse from The Message,
"God chose you out of all the people on earth as His cherished personal treasure" ~ Deut. 14:2
This verse really resonated with me, and reminded me how much He loves each one of us. I talked about how He knows the struggles and the pain that we're going through, but it's all part of His plan because He works everything for His good.
It turned out to be a great presentation and we had about 100 people come to listen to it! I was really grateful that I got a chance to share the wonderful things that I experienced and learned in the amazing country of South Africa.
P.S. I've continued to make progress on my cross-stitch, little by litte...
The theme this year was Seeking Wisdom from Above. Two of my South Africa study abroad friends and I planned a session about the wisdom we gained from our nursing experiences in South Africa. Seven of the nursing students that just returned from SA joined us as well. We had a great time sharing our love of the South African people and culture, as well as talking about the lessons we learned.
I talked about one of the clinics that we went to called Mason's Clinic.
This small clinic serves the rural township of Haniville, which is primarily made up of small mud shacks built on the hillside.
They have no running water or proper sanitation, which means that there are a lot of health issues, and the clinic is usually very busy.
A personal anecdote that I shared was about the lesson I learned on the importance of greeting patients as they come in. My very first clinical day was spent at Mason's, and I barely knew any Zulu at the time. I was really frustrated because I couldn't communicate with the patients on my own, and it helped me realize how important greeting patients in their own language is because it develops trust and respect and shows the patient that you care about them.
Near the end of the presentation, we shared a small nugget of wisdom that we each took away from our experience. Mine was about the fact that nursing isn't just about the skills we perform. It's also about supporting and encouraging patients spiritually and emotionally.
I also shared something that God reminded me of over and over while I was in South Africa, that each person I encounter is His precious child.
I shared a verse from The Message,
"God chose you out of all the people on earth as His cherished personal treasure" ~ Deut. 14:2
This verse really resonated with me, and reminded me how much He loves each one of us. I talked about how He knows the struggles and the pain that we're going through, but it's all part of His plan because He works everything for His good.
It turned out to be a great presentation and we had about 100 people come to listen to it! I was really grateful that I got a chance to share the wonderful things that I experienced and learned in the amazing country of South Africa.
P.S. I've continued to make progress on my cross-stitch, little by litte...
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Feeling Crafty
Today was the Superbowl, but my mom and I have never been very interested in football, so we decided to go craft shopping instead!
I have been wanting to try quilting for the past few weeks, so I was looking for different fabric options today. My mom has been wanting to start a new cross-stitch project, so she was looking for patterns. Although she didn't find any patterns she liked, I found some fabric!
Since I've never made a quilt (or anything close to it) before, I'm going to start out small by making a pillow. If I like it, then I might tackle a full quilt later on.
I'll be making a quilt square from ohfransson.com (where my cousins and aunt got their pattern from as well) as the pillow front. Since it won't take a lot of fabric, I just got a quilter's bundle with 5 different patterns.
I'll need to go back later to get the backing and pillow form, but I was excited to at least have something to start with this week!
I'll keep you updated on my pillow's progress as I begin to work on it. I'm really excited about it, so I hope it turns out well!
P.S. I also found this super cute cross-stitch pattern of an African woman with her child, and I fell in love with it. Even though I tried, I just couldn't pass it up! I'll be making it eventually to add to my African art collection.
I have been wanting to try quilting for the past few weeks, so I was looking for different fabric options today. My mom has been wanting to start a new cross-stitch project, so she was looking for patterns. Although she didn't find any patterns she liked, I found some fabric!
Since I've never made a quilt (or anything close to it) before, I'm going to start out small by making a pillow. If I like it, then I might tackle a full quilt later on.
I'll be making a quilt square from ohfransson.com (where my cousins and aunt got their pattern from as well) as the pillow front. Since it won't take a lot of fabric, I just got a quilter's bundle with 5 different patterns.
I'll need to go back later to get the backing and pillow form, but I was excited to at least have something to start with this week!
I'll keep you updated on my pillow's progress as I begin to work on it. I'm really excited about it, so I hope it turns out well!
P.S. I also found this super cute cross-stitch pattern of an African woman with her child, and I fell in love with it. Even though I tried, I just couldn't pass it up! I'll be making it eventually to add to my African art collection.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Bethany Johnson, RN
I took the dreaded NCLEX last Friday, January 28.
It was awful.
I felt like I didn't know the answers to any of the questions, except for one.
I finished in 75 questions, which is the minimum. (I was so relieved that I didn't have to take all 265!)
I was the first one done in the room, which made me sure that I had rushed through the questions too quickly and failed.
But no matter how horrible I felt, I couldn't stop smiling once I left the testing center because it was all over with!
Four days later my name was listed on the Board of Registered Nursing website with an RN license number next to it.
That means that I passed the NCLEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And today, this came in the mail:
I am officially a Registered Nurse!!!!!
It was awful.
I felt like I didn't know the answers to any of the questions, except for one.
I finished in 75 questions, which is the minimum. (I was so relieved that I didn't have to take all 265!)
I was the first one done in the room, which made me sure that I had rushed through the questions too quickly and failed.
But no matter how horrible I felt, I couldn't stop smiling once I left the testing center because it was all over with!
Four days later my name was listed on the Board of Registered Nursing website with an RN license number next to it.
That means that I passed the NCLEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And today, this came in the mail:
I am officially a Registered Nurse!!!!!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
It's 2011 Already?
I cannot believe that time has flown so quickly! It's already been 2011 for almost a month now! How did that happen?
Well even scarier to me is that today marks one year exactly since I arrived in South Africa. Wow! How is it possible that it's already been a year?! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was in that beautiful country. My experience there has truly impacted everything about my life, and I can't even imagine the person I would be right now if I hadn't gone to South Africa.
When I think about the coming year, 2011, it makes me wonder what new experiences I'll get to have. I'm sure nothing will quite compare to living in another country, but I'll be getting a lot of new professional experiences this year as I become an RN and (hopefully) start working full time at a hospital! That will definitely impact my life in big ways.
I've been thinking about things that I want to accomplish this year, and I figured I would put a few of my goals on here so I can look back on this post next year and see if I've accomplished any of them!
So here we go- some goals for 2011:
1. Read the Bible in one year
(I got The Message version of the bible for Christmas, so I'm excited to read it cover to cover just like a book!)
2. Pass the NCLEX!!
(I'll be taking it in exactly 5 days, 15 hours, and 26 min!)
3. Get a nursing job
(I'd be happy with anything to start out with)
4. Go to Disneyland more
(I want to make better use of my pass this year- I only went 5 times in 4 months last year. And I've already gone 3 times this month so I'm making progress!)
5. Wear nicer clothes
(I'm tired of wearing jeans with holes in them and shirts from high school)
6. Keep my room clean
(which I'm definitely failing at right now)
7. Follow a budget
(I'm anticipating making a lot more money this year once I get a real job, so I want to be smart about how I spend it)
8. Go on a trip somewhere
(anywhere!!)
9. Sew something
(I'm thinking of making one of those really neat quilts like my aunts and cousins have made)
10. Gain some weight
(most people want to lose weight, but I'm determined to gain some!)
11. Finish all my 2009 books
(remember that post that I made in '09 about all the books I was reading at once? Well I've only finished Kaffir Boy so far, but I'm determined to finish the rest this year!)
12. Exercise more
(hopefully at least twice a week- yikes!)
13. Blog more!
(My plan is to blog once a week, but we'll see if that happens...)
So there you go. 13 goals for 2011. I'm determined to stick to these and accomplish at least 10 of them this year. Wish me luck!
Random fact: One year ago today, I was eating a chicken burger with monkey gland sauce.
Well even scarier to me is that today marks one year exactly since I arrived in South Africa. Wow! How is it possible that it's already been a year?! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was in that beautiful country. My experience there has truly impacted everything about my life, and I can't even imagine the person I would be right now if I hadn't gone to South Africa.
When I think about the coming year, 2011, it makes me wonder what new experiences I'll get to have. I'm sure nothing will quite compare to living in another country, but I'll be getting a lot of new professional experiences this year as I become an RN and (hopefully) start working full time at a hospital! That will definitely impact my life in big ways.
I've been thinking about things that I want to accomplish this year, and I figured I would put a few of my goals on here so I can look back on this post next year and see if I've accomplished any of them!
So here we go- some goals for 2011:
1. Read the Bible in one year
(I got The Message version of the bible for Christmas, so I'm excited to read it cover to cover just like a book!)
2. Pass the NCLEX!!
(I'll be taking it in exactly 5 days, 15 hours, and 26 min!)
3. Get a nursing job
(I'd be happy with anything to start out with)
4. Go to Disneyland more
(I want to make better use of my pass this year- I only went 5 times in 4 months last year. And I've already gone 3 times this month so I'm making progress!)
5. Wear nicer clothes
(I'm tired of wearing jeans with holes in them and shirts from high school)
6. Keep my room clean
(which I'm definitely failing at right now)
7. Follow a budget
(I'm anticipating making a lot more money this year once I get a real job, so I want to be smart about how I spend it)
8. Go on a trip somewhere
(anywhere!!)
9. Sew something
(I'm thinking of making one of those really neat quilts like my aunts and cousins have made)
10. Gain some weight
(most people want to lose weight, but I'm determined to gain some!)
11. Finish all my 2009 books
(remember that post that I made in '09 about all the books I was reading at once? Well I've only finished Kaffir Boy so far, but I'm determined to finish the rest this year!)
12. Exercise more
(hopefully at least twice a week- yikes!)
13. Blog more!
(My plan is to blog once a week, but we'll see if that happens...)
So there you go. 13 goals for 2011. I'm determined to stick to these and accomplish at least 10 of them this year. Wish me luck!
Random fact: One year ago today, I was eating a chicken burger with monkey gland sauce.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Graduation Pictures
I'm done with school forever!!! (Or at least for a while.) It still doesn't seem real yet, but I know it'll start to sink in pretty soon.
I just want to share some pictures from my nursing pinning ceremony and my graduation ceremony. Both were very fun for me, and they represented the end of a long and difficult, but exciting, journey through college and nursing school!
PINNING CEREMONY ~ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2010
Saying the nursing pledge
My clinical instructor, Prof Ronga
My study buddy, Kelsey
The South African nurses, Chelsea, Tony, and me
Some of our South Africa friends who came to support us
My closest friends, Sarah, Damaris, and Becky!
GRADUATION ~ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2010
Getting seated
President Wallace spoke and gave us our diplomas
I got to wear an international stole showing the countries I had been to
Becky and I got to graduate together! It was wonderful!
I just want to share some pictures from my nursing pinning ceremony and my graduation ceremony. Both were very fun for me, and they represented the end of a long and difficult, but exciting, journey through college and nursing school!
PINNING CEREMONY ~ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2010
Saying the nursing pledge
My clinical instructor, Prof Ronga
My study buddy, Kelsey
The South African nurses, Chelsea, Tony, and me
Some of our South Africa friends who came to support us
My closest friends, Sarah, Damaris, and Becky!
GRADUATION ~ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2010
Getting seated
President Wallace spoke and gave us our diplomas
I got to wear an international stole showing the countries I had been to
Becky and I got to graduate together! It was wonderful!
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