www.littlenars.com | Dianne Peña

For 8 months that I have been rendering my volunteer service at the OB-Gyne Ward in our institution… I am now starting to ask why… it isn’t my interest and it is not connected directly as to what I am studying now… this is what I have thought of…

Number 1- I am a SHE.
Number2- I have a VAGINA.
Number3- I just am A GIRL.

It’s true. Being a girl sucks and I think being in OB Ward is a redundancy in life already.
I am a novice nurse and I SOOOO want to learn something different other than the female reproductive system.

NO. This blogpost is not against anyone or anything. I actually have learned a lot with the 8 months that I have been assigned there. I have nothing against the people or the institution etc…

At this time, I just want to explore my options and hope that OPPORTUNITIES will be opened for a volunteer like me. Uhmm… perhaps a rotation or an employment opportunity? YES! :]

Just an update on my “Masters”…

It’s official! I am 4 modules late and I am effin’ doomed in finishing my Faculty-Marked Assignment due on January 8… XD Heeeeelp?

Oh well, I am at my best when I cram. I can do this!

In the mean time, I must enjoy the NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Let’s ROCK 2011!

*Planning to write my year-ender post like last year but… still thinking of what to write *

Is it really too much to ask for a job? — the question that is painstakingly ruining through my system.

Let me give you an overview as to where this post is coming from…

April 2009 marked the start of my unemployment.
June 2009 marked the start of my “Registered Nurse” status
January 2010 marked the start of me being a “Nurse Trainee”
April 2010 marked the start of me being a “Volunteer Nurse”
July 2010 marked the start of me being entitled as a “Junior Staff Nurse” (Please don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I am promoted, It’s just a EUPHEMISM of the above…)

Since then… NOTHING has changed.

December 2010 marked the last day of my hospital duty for the year.

What did I get?

Well… I did learn a lot, made me gain confidence and some “strategies” in making my work as “SWABE” as possible. To be honest there were times that I just wanna ditch my duties because of “same-old” cases but I am still THANKFUL because EVERY DAY is a LEARNING DAY.

I ask myself, why is a decent nursing job so aloof or distant –shall I say? Am I not ready or am I just not looking closely?

Looking back at my monthly tweets with hashtag of #wish one thing in common is “EMPLOYMENT” and now that the year is coming to its end… I wish for 2011 to be…

EMPLOYMENT

Oh look…

Dear Facebook Apps, Thank you sooooo much! YOU GAVE ME HOPE

*Pardon for my EMO post *

The start of the second semester didn’t really register in my system until I saw the course guide, reading materials, schedules and the requirements. I still have the hang of my semestral break without those thick modules and “neuron-depleting” FMAs.

Anyway, I must continue and finally set my mind to start reading and reading and reading and reading… Did I just typed “reading” 4x or 5? LOL.

My subjects for the second semester are Adult Health Nursing (N260) and Public Mental Health (IH 220). I was planning to take one subject but I changed my mind because I want to be on time and take all the subjects I can while I am just a volunteer nurse.

The class opened last November 6, 2010 and since then, I printed for I think a REAM of short bond paper for the reading materials. Good thing our printer is on continuous ink (which means I don’t have to worry on printing fees) and my mom has a “ream” of scratch paper to print on. Sadly, after a day of printing, our dear old printer bid its goodbye after serving its purpose for almost 2 years.

My mini-white board and corkboard is active again with writings and pins for schedules and things to read on. Sadly, I must let go the novel I was reading (House Rules by Jodi Picoult) and turn (and tear, yes tear or may I say RIP!) the pages of my modules again.

As with the proposed reading schedule, I must say, I am working really hard to keep on track because I don’t want to cram (like last semester) and overwhelm myself with numerous modules to read near deadline.

It is good to see familiar faces in both subjects I am taking as I read forums posts and I am very positive that I will finish this semester with pride.

So help me God. :]]

After weeks (or months?) of my mum untiringly forcing me to blog about my UP Open University experience, I finally decided to write it now…

For a month now, I have been on vacation… [OFF] from thick modules, supplemental books, home works, essays and forums. I am back to reading novels again and going out with my friends.

To recall my “first time” experience as a distance education student AKA “online” student let me give you my bulleted (yes, its bulleted for easy reading and writing. LOL) insight about it.

• Time Management is the key to success. (I think, I am NEGATIVE at this part. LOL)
• Experience in work and in life is important since you have to give and share examples in the application of the theories being tackled in the discussion/forums (I had difficulty in giving examples since I got little work experience compared to my classmates that is why I felt that my answers were “not that” substantial)
• Comprehension and writing skills is a MUST-HAVE. There are a lot of reading and writing assignments. Assignments are not just about definition of terms and whatnot, you have to CONCEPTUALIZE, INTEGRATE, SYNTHESIZE etc. everything you have read from the modules and other reading materials in order to answer each question completely
• Case Application is just a common type of test.
• Patience is a virtue. —– Patience in trying to find the answer to unanswerable question… LOL Kidding aside, it took me a long time searching and thinking (?) for answers to the given situation… ‘cause mind you, it’s not as simple as just typing the question to GOOGLE.
• You must LOVE THE INTERNET! Internet contains everything you need, just know the proper keywords to use. However, just be careful because I had problems since some of my classmates (we were 100+ in our class) were just CTRL+C and CTRL+V-ing in our discussion forums. Be sure to…. Please refer to the next bullet.
• PARAPHRASE. Avoid Plagiarism. Use proper credit and acknowledgement in everything that you submit. I had troubles since I am not used to putting my resources. Nevertheless, I learned as time passes.
• Know how to follow RUBRICS. Rubrics is some sort of a criteria as to what the professor is looking for your answer since essays are really hard to grade. It gives you the specifics, just follow that and you will get a perfect score.
• READ and FINISH THE MODULES. ‘Nuff said. I am a victim of my own laziness because I didn’t read one chapter then it was included in our final exam for 15 points. I barely answered that part. It was sad, reaaaally sad.

My first semester went well I guess (?), though, I still haven’t received my grades yet for my 2 subjects. The second semester will start by next week, and yes, I am now enrolled. I am quite POSITIVE for the next semester for I now, know the drills of being a DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT.

Will add more bullets if ever my neurons thought of some.