Productivity on days off is not exactly an easy task. Getting online can be a huge downfall between finding episodes of your favorite shows on hulu or finding the perfect facebook profile picture. On your next day off, get distracted from your favorite time wasters while still online...
Since the summer of 2009, I have worked for a home health agency when I'm home for summers or breaks. The hours are fairly plentiful since I am simply a temporary employee.However, this week brought less hours. Despite my initial disappointment, I have used my free time to get some much needed things done as well as learn something new.
1. CPR Renewal: Yes, the dreaded time when you realize your certification is winding down.
Via Google search, I was able to find a location about ten minutes from my house by finding RESQ training. For those of you in the Indianapolis area, check out their website (http://www.resqtraining.com). I will post an update later this week with a review of RESQ after I complete the course. If you want to learn inside your home, check out the American Heart Association website's online resources (http://www.onlineaha.org/). Keep on your pajamas, grab a cup of coffee, and renew your certification on your day off. If you learn better in the classroom, check out this website. Click on the link for your state at the bottom, and you will see a list of websites specific for training providers in the area.
2. Studying for the NCLEX-RN: On 8 April, I take the nursing senior composition test. It is based on the NCLEX-critical thinking application questions on material from all the nursing classes I have taken since sophomore year. If I don't pass, I don't graduate. Somewhere around two months later, I will take the NCLEX-RN to become a licensed registered nurse. All kinds of websites and forums offer advice and stressful accounts of the exam's difficulty. Therefore, I have begun to rally my resources to prepare for these two exams. I'm hoping to make preparing for these as simple as possible to eliminate some stress. Here's what I'm using so far:
*"Medications in a Box" by Kaplan. I found this box randomly while Christmas shopping at Barnes & Noble. It contains 300 ready to use notecards, and the meds are organized by class. Some of the reviews range from too much info to not enough info on dosages. I am pleased with them. Only the important side/adverse effects and nursing considerations are listed, which saves a lot of my time in narrowing them down myself. Purchase it thru Amazon here. See the front and the back.
*Kaplan NCLEX-RN QBank. Online access and personalization of tests with 1,300 questions. I like being able to select questions from the areas that I struggle with most. And you can choose the number of questions you want (up to 50). So if you have free time between classes, design a test with only 10 or 15 questions. You can sign up for the intensive Kaplan course (with the option for online or classroom), and get the access to the qbank and other online resources. However, the total package is very pricey! Either way: check the Kaplan option here.** Remember that with any test prep program, the responsibility is yours. You have to be dedicated to utilizing the resources--long before the last month before the exam.
3. This week I have learned about a very cool and growing website: Kiva.org. Basically, you lend money, the money goes to a micro-finance institution through Kiva, then to an entrepreneur. The person then uses that money to finance their project, eventually pays back the loan, and you get your initial amount back. I came across this in the book I mentioned in my last post, The Art of Non-Conformity, and then came across it again at a blog post titled "5 Websites That Can Fund Your Next Project – Film, Music, Whatever." I was then prompted to check out the project myself, and I found this video that explains it. Be a part of an aid project that is sustainable and fully beneficial for those being helped!
Good luck on using the Internet for productivity on your day off!
**I am promoting these Kaplan resources because I have worked with their site since I entered my nursing classes. I am not associated with their company at all!
