The Silence is Broken

Well fortunately for me there was a brief break in the silence so I jumped at the opportunity to snowball the girls with questions as quickly as possible so they could get back to their studying.

Here's what I found out:
Nursing students all progress through a pre-determined class schedule together, all taking the same classes. If a student happens to fail even one class (receive a mark below 78%) they are set back an entire year as they have to wait until this class is offered again. This type of schedule is very familiar to me as it is exactly the same protocal as the technical college I attended in Edmonton before transferring to Montana Tech.

The girls do indeed have an exam tomorrow covering the topics of the kidneys and liver. In fact the nursing students have a test every Friday, which means a long night of studying in the library on Thursday evening, which means no Digger Thursday at the King Pin. This may not seem like a big deal to someone who didn't know much about Butte, but for anyone who does they know that Thursday night is the big going out night for college students. Something that obviously the nursing students generally miss out on. When I mentioned this comment to the girls they agreed that they are unhappy with missing out on this fun night, but so is life.

Kayla explained to me a typical Friday schedule for her class is the weekly exam from 8-10 am and if there is another it is scheduled from 10 am -12 pm. Then class from 1-2 pm, then lab from 2-5 pm. Sounds like a friday I would not enjoy. Do these students at least get to work a 9-80? lol.

Hands-on work for the nursing students include a "practicum" at St. James Hospital here in Butte on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Here they get to work with actual patients in a real-life setting.

Being interested in her summer schedule, Kayla mentioned she attended a session put on by Tech which was offered to nursing students throughout the state which taught the students not only about nursing practices, but also techniques for relaxation, etc.

A side note to this posting is that I have also just noticed that all 3 girls are wearing t-shirts, sweaters, and sweat pants for this study session. I suppose with schedules like theirs this is the most practical attire.

Table For 1, Please

This afternoon I scheduled to meet with a friend who is in her 3rd year total of nursing, and 2 of her classmates. When I walked up to the 2nd floor of the library I scanned the room looking for a table with 3 girls sitting at it. When I saw Kayla she was sitting by herself, with her 2 collegues sitting at each adjacent tables. This immediately suprised me, each girl working on her own. It is common around campus to see many study groups in many different rooms. Most students that I interact with thrive on group work and group learning. I was interested in the notion of each girl studying on her own, with minimal interaction. I wondered if this was a pattern carried on from each of the girl's pre-nursing experiences and the competitiveness that I have seen occur during their freshman year.

Kayla first explained to me the structure of the nursing program. Pre-nursing is completed during the freshman year of college. Sophomore year is spent taking numerous "intro" classes, which are further expanded on in the junior year. A bacholors degree in science is obtained after successful completion of their senior year.

An hour has passed since I began sitting at the same table as Kayla. See seems enthralled with her textbook (as enthralled as one can be reading a textbook) and appears to be creating a formula sheet for a future exam. There has been almost complete silence between the four of us girls (sitting at 3 separate tables) since I arrived. I am almost afraid of interupting the silence so I have been jotting down multiple questions I have in my head regarding the nursing program and am waiting for what I think is an appropriate time to break the silence.....