thankgiving break!

The semester is almost over and it feels so great to have this one done!!! I feel like I have done well and I'm becoming a better clinician everyday! I still have a long LONG way to go still but for the first time there is a light at the end of the tunnel! I only have 1 and 1/2 years of school left and then I can be a hygienist! If I can find a job... I feel like a couple of my classes have been doom and gloom as far as finding somewhere to work after we graduate! I'm just glad that we graduate a month before the other hygiene schools so we can get our resumes out sooner!

just a moment...

I realized that I never blogged about either of the service projects that i did. The first one that I did was at the student union building for oral cancer screenings. It was really fun, I got to answer people questions about their mouths and I knew the answers! (thats the amazing part). I felt like I was a part of something worth while. I'm so gald that the program has us do these! At first Iwasn't so excited because it is just more time but the more I do volunteer stuff the more I love it!
The second one I did was so easy. I did the Toss n Floss at the football game. it was freezing but totally worth my time especially if someone calls in for an appointment! That's just one less person that I have to find! I really wish the program would help find patients.

real patient yesterday...

So it's a day late but i really wanted to blog about having my real patient. It was so fun!! I felt like i did pretty well with my skills and my x-rays turned out great! no retakes! I didn't get to scaling though because I didn't know that i could move on to scaling before taking x-rays. I just sat there and talked to my patient for 15-20 minutes! what a waste of time! i could have got a quad done in that time! But I loved having someone in the chair that I could trust to tell me the truth about how i was doing (comfort wise) but had no idea about my techniques. it was a lot less pressure than cleaning another student!

Observation day!

A couple of guest speakers came today. The first was a lady that had been through the program and been in a terrible car accident and is mostly paralysed! I was so impressed by her and her positive attitude. She came to talk to the class about how to treat people with disabilities and she really taught me alot.
After that we listened to a 3M rep and didn't really get much out of that beside lunch (which I am greatful for because I forgot mine)
Then on to observing Alyse. Her patient was a severe diabetic and had lots of health issues because of it. his finger tips were literally falling off! But he was a pretty good patient dispite how uncomfortable he was. It was nice to see the ultrasonic be used and actually see results. He had tons of calculus so it was easy to see flick off! it was way cool! I can't wait to do that!

Being the patient

Today I got to be the patient in clinic and it was so nice to just sit back and relax today! But I think it was a good experience because you realize just what the patient is going through. It does not feel good on the back to be laying down for four hours! I will sit my patient up when I need to do paperwork. I also learned that I need to act more confident so that the patient can relax and feel comfortable in my care. My operator did fantastic at that and I know I always state my insecurities out loud! Even if I don't know what I'm doing I'm going to act like it and do my best!
Real patients on Monday!! It's so nuts but I think I'm ready! Ready for a nice easy 1B at least! ;0) I'm so excited for this semester to be over and to have Christmas break! I need it!

Day 2 of patient Tx

Today went great! Everytime I get a little less shakey and nervous. I did however spray my patient in the face with the ultrasonic! oops! A little water never hurt anyone right? I am learning that the ultrasonic does work! Because when I hand scale a quad and Ultrasonic a quad I get about the same results in the scale check. I feel like a real hygienist now! My back and arms don't even hurt from bad poture. Slowly but surely!
PE's are done! Working on other students is done! I have knowledge in my head! and soon I'll be taking the boards... I wish! I have so much more to learn but I am learning!

operator!

Holy moly! I don't even have the words to describe how nervous I was for today and I don't have any words for how I feel now that it is over! but I will try to have the words... I was terrified to come and work on a patient today because I felt like I had been shown how to scale but I had no idea if I was actually scaling anything away. I was sweatin bullets when prof Costley came to do my scale check and she didn't find any mistakes! I was then so relieved and in a way i feel like I have kind of proved to myself that I can do this!

boo yah!

Today was sooo great! We passed off PE's and practiced. I still was nervous and sweated like a pig but I feel not so lost as far as my instruments go. My back doesn't hurt today because I rocked at my posture, and I didn't hurt my pod partner which means I am getting better at adapting. Just when I think that it will never come it does! I think that things will be so much better when I have a patient that has lots of calculus that I can get off! I'm excited to observe in a few weeks cause I think that will really solidify things in my mind.
We also learned how to sharpen our intruments. When we went over it in class i was so confused!! but it really wasn't too bad. I think I sharpened it right. It worked well on the test stick at least!
Only a few clinics left! I can't believe it! The semester FLEW by!

Sealants!

We got to place a sealant today. I think that I did a pretty good job when comparing with my couple of tries that I had in the dentist office I work at! But then again I had a very cooperative patient and it wasn't so hard to keep dry.
I worked more on charting today. I had to cross out a lot and rewrite a lot! it was kind of frustrating but I learn better when I make mistakes anyway. So at least this time I know it stuck! I feel like it has been all semester and we have been blowing through things so fast. I've picked up on most of it but the charting (which was one of the first things I was supposed to know!) is still not in the noggin!

polishing, floss, and yucky yucky varnish!

I was so excited for today when i walked into clinic. I LOVE getting my teeth polished... and then I met the air powder polishing and I changed my mind! That is the most uncomfortable bad tasting thing ever! Then I was polished with a prophy angle and it felt better until they put the dang varnish on my teeth! That stuff is sick! I felt like I hadn't brushed for weeks! so maybe it wasn't as enjoyable as I thought it was going to be, but I learned a new skill and had 20 minutes to practice my scaling and probing! If I were to balance out the negatives and positives I would say today was a great day!
I practiced adapting more and I think that I did pretty well. I can't wait till we get to use exterior fulcrums... that will be a great day!!

ultra sonic

Monday we used the ultra sonic tip but I still don't feel like I know how to use it! when I was an assistant I would observe the hygienist and the ultrasonic would work wonders! But since my partner had nothing to get off in the first place I felt like I was just going through the motions.
I'm starting to get nervous for our first patient because I can't think of one person on my family that could give up a monday morning. I don't know what I'm gonna do! If I can't find one how am I supposed to get two! I really hope some miracles happen between now and two weeks!

what is posterior scaling again?

I went to pass off my universal scalers PE today and I grabbed my instrument and my mind shut down! I could only remember what the correct end was! I had Sarah sit in the chair and demonstrate and luckily it all came back to me! that was a scary moment!
Besides that the day was great! I got to practice all of our typical first appointment things and I think that it went well. I think that I made pretty good time and I was thorough my probing depths today were almost right on! I can see how an appointment can take multiple four hour appointments! ;0) I have no idea who is going to be my first patient! I don't know anybody with free time in the middle of the day! I just keep tellin myself that it will all work out.
I did watch my posture closer today and I tried to adapt sooner (still needs work though). Day by day I'm puttin it all together in my little mind! I think that by the time I have observed a second year it will all be solidifying.

practice day!!

Today was so great! We got to practice most of the skills that we've learned this far. I didn't get to scaling but I felt pretty confident with my HH, Extra/intra, probing, and charting.I had no idea that i even remembered all that! I thought that i would totally bomb but it is just nice to know that my brain is containing the info. I think a little bit of it was that I made my partner go first so I got to see it all first ;0).
We also used the intra oral camera. That is cool! I got to show my partner some things that she didn't know about and talk to her about how to fix it! like a real patient!
On the downside I didn't have time to pass off any PE's. So much for being ahead! also I forgot to work on my four goals! oops.

A day of PE's

I passed off three PE's today! Three! I feel like they went well. Sometimes I feel like I'm kind of guessing my way through... I really do know the information but the technique is still very very far from perfect! things I need to remember...
1. adapt more than i think i need to.
2. work on strengthening my thumb muscle to when I roll the handle I'm not so weak.
3. WORK ON POSTURE!
4. practice with indirect vision
there are plenty more but I'm going to focus on these four things and work on another four when I feel like I'm getting ahold of them. Hopefully this will be a good way for me to improve instead of coming to clinic and doing the same things with the same bad habits, causing me to be less then my best! I want to be the best hygienist for my patients. That means some definite changes need to be made.

Purple pride!

Disclosing agents are great! (taste gross... but great!) . It was all so clear to see, but the bad news was that I had tons! I swear that I brush well! Anyway, It was nice because we got to perform a procedure, obtain the signatures, and chart, and clean. I wish we would do that everytime so that I could understand clinic procedure better. I'm gonna rock at the OD and OHI section at least! ;0)
More good news, I passed my explorer PE and I looked on the schedule and noticed that next week we have a practice day. It like all my dreams are coming true! Falling behind in everything... wish I had more time... I'm just so glad for the patient instructors and classmates that I work on! (Did I mention I skewered a lip today?! OOPS!) That will never happen again!

More scaling

Coming into clinic each day my feelings are exactly the same... I'm terrified to go and scale, probe, explore (whatever the day calls for) on a live patient, but when they day is over I think it was fun. We did posterior scaling on wednesday and it was not very easy at all! I felt like all the other things just took a little time and I sort of got it, but this I still feel lost. My goal for the next week is to practice my loose modified pen grasp and using a rocking motion with my whole hand and arm instead of just a digital motion. I also had a hard time seeing the angulation. I really need to practice my indirect vision! Its all going by so fast! in just a few weeks we will be doing mock patients and I still don't quite understand how I'm going to clean a mouth with only one or two time experience with each skill. I really don't understand the flow of the clinic yet either. I'm afriad I'm going to get in trouble for not following protocol when I wasn't even sure what it was! I'm trying to listen and catch on! I wish there was more time to go over things. This is a great program though, and hundreds have gone on before me and made it through just fine. Am I really that slow, or do students just fake it through their first couple patients... I will find out in a few weeks I guess! Until then I'll be studying my brains out!

finally scaling!

Okay so maybe "finally" wasn't the right word because everything has been going by so fast and I'm just trying to keep my head above water! I loved scaling today! I was sooo scared at first and I was dreading clinic, but after I practiced a little it was so much fun! I think I got a little bit of adrenaline rush when I pulled my first piece of calculus off the typodont and definitley when I could feel a little bit on my partner. I definitely picked the right profession because I love it! I just hope that I can match up to the profession... time will tell I guess. One scaler down, 50 (at least it feels that way) left to go!

a day of relief!

Clinic was so laid back and I needed it! We went over somethings that I already understood from the reading and then had the rest of the time to pass of PE's. I am a little ahead but I'm so scared for wednesday! I really am not ready to pass off the probe PE. I love clinic but I wish we had more time to practice the harder things before we had to pass them off! It's so stressful! I did alright when we practiced the first time... who knows how it will go?! I might get my first do-over. Sad!

My question is...

When are we going to have time to practice these more difficult tasks besides the day that we are introduced? I feel like the hour in clinic that I had to practice with the probe and explorer were so great but I was just starting to get comfortable at the very end. I really really need to still practice (not just on the typodont because that is so much more different than a real human mouth). Besides me feeling like I'm not quite up to speed on everything yet... I love clinic! It is so fun to finally do all those things that I've watch the hygienist do all these years! I love feeling like I can finally start to help.
My poor podmate! I think I would have been terrified to be her the way my shakey hand was coming at her mouth with a sharp instrument! Twice as terrified because she knew I was going to take that instrument below her gums! She is so great! I didn't hurt her and I feel like my touch is getting lighter and my understanding of adapting to the tooth is getting better. I really hope that I get a lot more time to practice before I actually have to see a patient... or pass off a PE! Oh! This could be bad! The probing PE could be the first one I don't pass.

323...323...312

My goal for clinic today was to make it through clinic without sending somebody to the hospital! We probed our partners today and it was pretty scary. I did well as far as the numbers were concerned but I was not near as gentle as I needed to be! I'm having a hard time feeling when I've hit the bottom of the sulcus. I'm just glad that my pod-pal didn't cry! ;0) I just need to practice! I think I've said that in almost everyy entry but that what will make me better. I'm more confident with those things that I said I needed to practice with before... so, I guess thing are going well.

...floating.

So I had a touch of the swine flu over the weekend and today was not a good day for an all day affair! I had clinic, (in which I felt like a zombie!) then radiology, then 2 hours of studying, and a test! It was not the greatest day back from an illness. I did make it through it all. I passed My Health History PE and got to practice my modified pen grasp and fulcruming all over the mouth. I am not very good in some places. I did feel like everybody was in the same boat as far as experience goes so I don't feel too bad. I just clearly need to practice! I am so greatful that we can practice on pod partners before we have to do it all in a real patient. I always tend to be a bit shakey because of nerves the first time doing things. I'll keep practicing!!

extra! extra! read all about it!

My goal for the day was just to make it through the day! I woke up not feeling well and I didn't go to work but I'm terrified to miss class because it seems that in the past I always miss the most important days! I got here and I've felt fine! (except for my brian hasn't caught up to speed! Today I put my typodont in the chair upside-down! I felt like such a fool! ;0))
Today in clinic we did extra oral exams and it was pretty cool! I haven't every had an extraoral exam done to me before but the whole idea make so much sense! Its just another way that I can help people which is what is so rewarding about this profession! I can't wait till this time next year when I'm doing it all. We also got to get in a mouth today with instruments (ok, so it was just a mirror and explorer but it was way fun!... and awkward but I'll get used to it). I can not for the life of me sit up staight! I don't think I ever developed those muscles because I've had bad posture my entire life!
I also got to pass off two PE's today (patient positioning and vital signs). I did well, but I'm finding the patient to operator language hard! There are just so many things that I shouldn't say such as (hurt, the way we treat you, and being careful with my reactions when something isn't normal.) I also have a hard time using normal terms for body parts like clavicle/collar bone.

All's good in Clinic!

Whoa! I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed with classes and test and material. I feel like I drop a little more behind everyday! There are just too many things to do, too many bills to pay, and not enough time in the day. As far as clinic goes though, things have been going great! We did vital signs today, and I was nervous because when I tried to listen to my own pulse I couldn't hear a thing! It was much easier checking my pod mates vitals than my own, thank goodness! We also did another health history for practice. I'm starting to get the hang of what goes where, but hopefully the patients I end up seeing won't have so many problems, and be on so many meds!

HHx, HHxRx what?!

Today in clinic we talked about health histories and I was dreading it because the whole thing was just confusing! I got through the activities without my brain blowing, but at the end when I started to fill out my pod partners things it all started to make sense. I'm starting to understand what goes where and hopefully by next clinic I will have it down! I also passed off another PE today! I'm trying to stay ahead of them so that I can have one less thing to stress about during the week!

Yes Ma'am!!

My Goal for the day was to read ahead and not be suprised by anything said in clinic! Guess what? No Surprises!! I also wanted to pass off some PE's without mistake. I want to be able to have PPE, set-up, take down, and operatory maintanence down pat so that when I start seeing patients it is all automatic. It was a great day in clinic!