Keep on keepin' on

We are done with our midterm test! Hooray! I am glad that is over with. I thought it was pretty tough.  The test was really wordy and long. It had a lot of questions on it that are similar to the types of questions that are on the boards to help prepare us. This is probably a really good thing, but it kind of freaks me out! I hope that I can do well on the boards when it comes time to take them. this test gave me a little jolt of reality when I got my score. All I can do is keep studying and try my best though. I guess it just makes me realize that I have a whole lot of studying to do!!

First day off..

Today is my first day off in three weeks!! (besides labor day) I think I am starting to get back into the groove of things. My next patients that I treated at the VA were really nice, hooray!! I was so relieved that they were nice, it made me feel a lot better about my skills. I got to place arestin in some deep pockets on a patient at the VA, although, it doesn't count towards my requirements I guess since we have not had our lab on it yet.  We give four more injections to each other on Friday, I am pretty excited!! I don't really want to get the shots, even though I know that Michelle will do fabulous, they are still shots!! So far school is going pretty well, I hope it keeps going this well!

3 shots down!!

Today we gave each other 3 shots! Michelle did so well!! She was the first one to give the injections and she was a champ! Dr. Hanson was instructing us, and she said we were definitely not "ninnies"! I hope that I feel comfortable when it comes to giving my patients injections. Michelle has really prominent landmarks in her mouth, which made it really easy to give the injections. If only everyone has mouths like Michelle. Next week we will do 4 shots, wish me luck!!

Week one down!

The first week of this semester is over! This week went by really fast! It was busy, busy, busy! Next week we will see more patients. I felt pretty awkward at the VA, hopefully I will get back in the "groove" soon. I think everyone is feeling a little off this week though. I am the CA at the VA next week, so I don't get a day off for three weeks straight. I have to get my butt into gear and get back to school mode! This is going to take some work, wish me luck!

Clinic with the Juniors

I am a TA with the first years in their clinic this year.  I think that it is going to be a really good experience.  It is a little boring right now, because they are just learning how everything works, but it will be good to help them feel comfortable with everything. I remember everything being so confusing when I first started, I hope that I can make things a little easier on them. They all seem really nice and excited to get started. Truthfully, I am so happy that I am not a first year anymore!! I remember seeing the second year students last year and wishing that I was them, and now I am!! I can't believe the program is already half way over, I have loved it all!  Can't wait to see what this year brings.

Bad first impression...

Today was my first day at the VA. The morning was really boring with all of the orientation stuff (although I know it is necessary). I was falling asleep during the powerpoint presentation.  We had a patient in the afternoon and mine was not happy to be there at all.  He was not happy about the cleaning, everything was taking way too long for him, he was uncomfortable, but wouldn't let anyone do anything about it, he was dropping "F" bombs and complaining about everything that was going on. I felt really awkward, especially because he was my first patient that I had seen since last semester. I was feeling really crappy, like I had no idea what I was doing. I hated it.  Luckily, my instructors are amazing and they made me feel better about it. They told me that he was a really difficult patient and it wasn't because I was a horrible hygienist. He would be tough for anyone that treated him. I just hope that all my patients are not as difficult (personality wise) as he was!! I will cross my fingers!

Back to school

We are back in school, and honestly, I am not ready for it.  I would be so excited to be back if I didn't have the stress of finding patients. That is the absolute worst part of school according to me. I don't mind anything else about school. I just hate when patients don't show up for their appointments. I seem to have the worst luck with that too, a lot of my patients no showed on me last semester. I am hoping that things go differently for me this semester! This year should be tons of fun though. I am way excited to be a senior!! The program is half way over, I can barely believe it! In just 8 months, we will be graduating! Here's to a great year ahead!!