(Almost) One down, 29 to go...

I am so close I can taste it!!!
All I need is to demonstrate a couple skills (sterile technique, proper hand-washing, gloving/degloving, and sterilizing instruments) and read and review one more book, then I'm finished with my first Midwife-to-Be unit.

I've been inspired lately by several graduates of the program.  Their success tells me "Yes, you CAN eventually get through this!"  One graduate posted on the forum about a month ago with her advice.  I've started implementing some of it, including:

• Record EVERYTHING! You need 60 study hours per unit and 6 clinical hours.  When I really started writing things down, that was CAKE to achieve!
• Take heart - the first unit takes the longest.  NO KIDDING!!!  I've been working on this since March.  At least, that's when I signed up.  Raising five children and being an active, breathing person takes time, so it's not like I've been spending 8hrs/day.  There is also a learning curve.  I have had to figure out a new system and find my rhythm, as well as find the books! 

My most recent hangup: I spent a month studying and preparing to test on a book that, when I looked more closely at my list, was the WRONG BOOK!  Poo...  So, I get to pick one more carefully from the list this time, and start over.  Sigh... well, it'll be okay.  I would rather study and read than play.  *geek*

I had one of those I-will-never-finish-this moments a couple weeks ago.  My skills book requires demonstrating instrument sterilization techniques, and several methods are listed.

• boiling
• cold chemical
• autoclave
• pressure cooker
• oven

I looked at this list and thought, "Okay, I know how to boil things to sterilize, I have an oven and can figure that one out... I have a pressure cooker that doesn't work... what chemicals? I don't even KNOW anyone who has an autoclave!!!"  Panic ensued.  Of course, some day I will realize that prior to panic, I should just go to the source and ask questions.  It would save tons of time, stress, and migraines.  Lisa said that I only have to be able to demonstrate one or two - as long as I HAVE a method of instrument sterilization.

OKAY! I CAN DO THAT!!!

Hope restored, moving forward.  :)