Dela, RN

Hi. This a personal blog of my life and journey through med school. 21. 💖

[delamd-blog]

And now his watch has ended.

So recently, my uncle died. 

He was 48 years old. Hearing the news, it didn’t immediately register in my brain. You see, he seemed so healthy and fit. In nursing school, we did these things called case presentations and a part of that includes tracing the pathophysiology of a disease. You basically present how the disease manifested in your patient from the risk factors to the end product which is the signs and symptoms. 

My uncle died of Acute Myocardial Infarction which in layman’s term means heart attack. I feel like I’ve done the patophy of this disease for countless of patients but never did I ever imagine that it could happen to my uncle. He didn’t have the risk factors for it. My uncle didn’t smoke, didn’t drink. He isn’t obese. He exercises by jogging three times a week and playing basketball during the weekends. He is active in church and lived a relatively stress-free life. And he still died of MI.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the saying is true. When it is your time, it’s your time. There is simply nothing you can do about it. As someone in the medical field, I used to always believe that there is something that can be done to patients, that there is always a way to make them better. If the patient deteriorates despite treatment, that must be due to human error. But now that I have more experience, I realize that it is simply not true. There is a greater force out there and we are just tiny specs in the greater scheme of things.

What I’m trying to say is that when something unexpected like this happens, please don’t be an additional burden to the family. Be sensitive. Don’t tell them about things they should have done or say things in a blaming tone. Don’t tell them “Oh, he should have had his annual check-up” or “Maybe he didn’t exercise enough.” or “He really should have eaten healthier food.” No. Stop. Please be understanding. And just show your support to the grieving family by being there.

As a nurse, I have seen people with far worse prognosis get revived over and over again while some others who are younger and die immediately. That’s life,  guess. I am just happy that my uncle didn’t have prolonged suffering. I am sure he is satisfied with the life that he has lived. And I know he is in a happier place.

"He was the blood of the dragon, but now his fire has gone out. And now his watch is ended."

[delamd-blog]

The Ultimate Guide to Adulting in the Philippines (My First Job Application)

Hello, this is the blog that no one asked for but I’m gonna write about it anyways lol So, months after graduating the board exam and applying for med schools, I was stuck at home with nothing to do. I couldn’t apply to the hospitals in my area because the training was for 6 months and if I got hired, I would have to sign a contract saying I would work for the hospital for 2 years. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Joke onli but I just couldn’t commit to such a long contract because I would be going to med school some time around August. So... what a great dilemma, right? After weeks of binge watching Netflix series and playing a bunch of games, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I kid you not, I could feel my brain rotting away. I was so goddamn bored out of my mind that I decided to look for jobs. 

Step 1: Writing a Resume and Realizing that You Have Nothing To Offer

I of course had to create a resume. It’s a good thing that when I was in college, the creator of jobs180.com had a talk in our college.He’s a really funny guy. So funny and convincing that he managed to convince me to sign up for his site lol Surprisingly thought it’s actually a good website because it create a professional looking resume and you get an online profile too. You can print your online resume into one page which contains your picture, description, educational attainment, licenses and certifications, seminars attended, skills, languages and character referrals. Literally all you need to do here is input your info and the site will arrange it into a professional looking resume so it removes so much hassle from your life. Plus, it functions like jobstreet wherein you get alerts for jobs that match your credentials. Just frequently check your email for alerts. I highly recommend this website. I wasn’t paid to say this btw but jobs180, if you’re reading this, hmu pls haha sponsor me daddies. 

If you really wanna make your life difficult though, go ahead and make your own resume following the traditional standards set by your school or university and there are a lot of samples available in the internet which you could use as a guide.

Step 2: Realizing That Running Papers is Hard but the Government Requires It

So you’ve gone ahead and made a sick looking resume. You MUST think it’s time to look for a job and apply right? WRONG. Don’t do it yet, sis. Don’t be a pleb like me. Jobs will require you to have a bunch of things like NBI clearance, work permits, Philhealth, PAG-IBIG, SSS, TIN and credentials from your school like a diploma or transcript of records. So before you proceed with looking for a job and applying, I suggest you secure these documents first! Otherwise, after you get accepted at your job, you will be forced to cram all these requirements and you will be tired as fuck just like me! I was so dumb thinking I could get away with working and not having these things. I’m lucky that the company I applied for is very friendly to first timers and they were kind enough to give us a list of requirements for these things.

2.1 Get Yourself a Valid ID

Where to start? Well, sis, you need a valid government ID to get all these things done. How do you get that in the Philippines when the system requires you to have a government ID to claim another government ID?!!? Who the fuck designed this labyrinth of a life right? Fear not! I have a lifehack for you. Just go to your barangay and get a barangay clearance or go to your City Hall (even better if you go during the weekdays so there’s not a lot of people) and get a Cedula. These things don’t require a valid ID you just need to pay. These will serve as your valid IDs. But I really suggest that you get a Cedula because you will need this for other requirements. If you’re 18, you can get a driver’s license in LTO too. Plus, you can order a PSA birth certificate online and have it delivered to your house. Order more than one and immediately have it photocopied. You’re gonna need a lot of those. Always photocopy whatever IDs and important papers that you have. Keep 1 photocopy together with the original in a plastic envelope or plastic filing folder. It must be PLASTIC. Why? So that it’s waterproof. This is something that I learned the hard way. Again, sis, learn from my mistakes. Also, I suggest that you secure at least 2 valid IDs. Why? Because they need one valid ID to confirm the details of the other valid ID. I KNOW. STUPID RIGHT but yeah it needs to be done.

2.2 Next Valid ID: NBI Clearance

The good thing about this is it’s much easier to get this compared to back in the ol’ days. But you need to get this done before you get an actual job just in case you have the same name with a criminal in the Philippines. If you have the same name with a criminal, you will get a ‘HIT’ which will mean that your NBI clearance will get delayed. I was lucky that my name is so unique so I didn’t get a hit and I was able to process my NBI clearance in one day lol. To do this, just go to their website and register online. You have to set an appointment in their website. I suggest you do it in the morning so you can process other things in the afternoon that you might need. You must bring a valid ID as well as a birth certificate. You can pay them online through ebanking services but in my case my mom made me physically go to the bank. Remember to screenshot your reference number, their BDO account number and other details so you won’t get delayed at the bank. You don’t need to print your NBI registration form, but you need to screenshot your Reference number. Idk how it’s done in your NBI site but in my experience, I had to first have my bank deposit receipt authenticated then they gave me a queuing number. When my number got called, I did the biometrics then I presented my PRC ID and my birth certificate. They asked for my reference number so I showed the screenshot on my phone. Then I just waited near the releasing area to be called. Viola! I got my NBI clearance. 

Important Tip: Don’t be a poo poo head. If you’re unsure of where to line up or what the next step is, ASK someone. Even the stranger next to you. I learned that Filipinos are actually polite and helpful if you’re going through the same shit. Kahit introvert ako, nagtanong tanong na ako sa mga katabi ko kasi naiinis ako mag-aksaya ng oras not knowing where to go. Plus, the quicker you get shit done, the sooner you can go home and rest, di ba? Motivation.

2.2. Philhealth, SSS, PAG-IBIG With Minimum Hassle? ask me how 

Don’t be intimidated. These things can be done online! You just have to be very patient and fill out their online forms as soon as possible and as accurately as you can. I suggest you do Philhealth first coz (god forbid) what if you get sick and hospitalized from all the anxiety of job searching? Ya need Philhealth to cover for your sick ass. Don’t forget to print your MDR form just in case your employer asks for it. The website is kind of wonky. Once I logged out, I couldn’t log back in and recover my MDR so I had to manually fill it out haist. You can for this this through the bank too and then when you get the confirmation from Philhealth that they got your payment, bring the receipt to the nearest branch and get your ID! The whole process takes about 3 days. While it’s pending, apply for SSS and PAG-IBIG too. You have to do PAG-IBIG as soon as you can coz they process kind of slow. It takes approximately 3-4 days for you to get your PAG-IBIG number but at least you can text them to get an update about your application. When you apply for SSS online, they email you some forms. So print these forms ASAP and have them photocopied too. Once you have done this, congrats! You’re almost done!

Step 3: Looking For An Actual Job Without Experience and Realizing that All Jobs Need Experience

Wow, after going through all that trouble you now realize that there are no jobs out there for your field? All the salaries they offer are so low? Why the hell does everything require 2 years of experience?! And why are all the jobs so far away??? Sis, I feel you! I was so stressed out looking for a job online too! I really did not know where to start. So here’s what I did. I signed up for all the common job hunting websites coz my logic was, surely, these companies wouldn’t post ads in these websites if they weren’t actually actively looking. Right? Well, again.. I was WRONG. Some companies take so long to reply so you have to be very patient. Really, really patient. Don’t be sad if a company doesn’t reply immediately just think that maybe their HR is swamped or something. So for me, I signed up for Jobstreet, Glassdoor, Upwork, LinkedIn and Fastjobs. The good thing is that these things can be downloaded on your phone and you can turn on notifications for them so they will alert you for possible job opportunities. But for me, Indeed.com is where I found my job. This isn’t a sponsored post but hello websites, if you’re reading this, sponsor me daddies. Just narrow your search by entering your desired job and current location in the search bar and then apply to anything and everything. Dont be afraid of rejection! What’s the worst that can happen? NOTHING. And the best case scenario? That you get an interview or the employer replies! Every negative thing is just water off the duck’s back. Go lang ng go sis! Di lalapit sa you ang trabaho.

Step 4: Going to your first job application and Interview!

Let’s just assume that you got an interview or a call. (Keep your phone close by at all times and answer calls from unknown numbers politely because chances are, it’s one of the jobs you applied for calling) Dress for success if you’re gonna go for an interview. I dressed up in a corporate attire even if it wasn’t require coz I was trained by my Uni to do it that way eh. Besides, you will feel more formal and more serious if you’re dressed for the job talaga. For the interview, speak slowly and clearly. If you’re not confident, well, FAKE your confidence. SMILE and don’t be afraid to ask your employer questions. For the job i was applying for, we even had an online test which took HOURS. Lol. They were testing our english, active listening and typing skills. It’s a real good thing that I am a fast typer coz I scored the highest in their typing test. They require only 25wpm but I can type around 60 wahahahaha. 

Tip: I suggest you go sit beside someone who you know is already done with the interview and ask him/her how it went. Then you can prepare your answers ahead of time. They usually ask the same set of questions coz who the hell has time to come up with personalized questions for every applicant. Sis, ako talaga introvert ako eh pero wala chinika ko pa rin yung mga katabi ko. hahaha ano namang masama sa pagtatanong? Eh pare-pareho naman kayo ng pinagdadaanan, right?

Step 5: Submitting All Their Requirements and Contract Signing

Well, you’did it, sis! You’ve gone and landed yourself a job! Time to get moolah! But wait, there’s more....hold your horses for one minute. Your employer is probably gonna require a few things still so be prepared. 

Make sure that during this time, you are healthy and fit coz they’re probably gonna make you undergo a physical exam. For my job, the company shouldered my PE so haha I paid nothing. I had to get examined by a doctor wherein she did the routine things like a breast exam and reviewing my medical history with me. Also, I had to get an Xray, CBC, Urinalysis and Drug testing done so make sure that you drink lots of water before going to the hospital so you can pee easier. And for urinalysis don’t catch the first drops of urine, rather, catch the midstream so that the sample is cleaner and you won’t be positive for pus cells or bacteria. And don’t do the urinalysis if you have your menstruation because you will automatically be positive for RBCs and that’s a big no no. Wait for your menstruation to be over before you do this test. 

Next, you’re probably gonna have to get a work permit coz in the city where your job is located. And how do you get this??? Well, just go to the city hall, pay for the work permit at the treasury department and then get your work permit at the work permit station (just ask the guard where this is located). Don’t forget to bring your cedula coz this is what they require to get a work permit. 

After completing all this shit, you can submit your requirements to your employer and sign the contract! Just make sure to read it carefully. Viola! Job well done to all of us!

Now the hard part starts... training and actually going to work.

[delamd-blog]

STORY TIME!

This is the story of my life before medicine proper--- my Nursing journey! This is my first year or at least, what I could remember from it.

USTET, Interview and Admission

Fun fact, when I was in high school I was actually torn between Architecture and Nursing. I put both courses when I took my Ustet exam (which was uneventful so I won’t even bother writing about that). I passed Nursing and but failed in Arki so I just accepted the fact na maybe that path really isn’t for me. Besides, ever since I was in grade school I’ve always wanted to pursue something that would eventually prepare me for Medicine anyway. For Ustet just bring a jacket, pencils and your eraser. I also took the upcat and acet and compared to those two tests, ustet seemed easier. Just remember that the opposite of love is indifference. (Ayan may 1 point ka na haha)

Before getting officially accepted into nursing, you have to undergo an interview. I remember that I was last in my batch (This always happens, swear. I was last to get interviewed in FEU med din lol). They asked me easy questions like “Tell me something about yourself.” “What are your parents’jobs?” “Why did you choose UST Nursing?”. They also asked me about current issues that may affect me (?) to which I had no idea what to answer lol. I can’t remember who interviewed me but thanks ma’am for passing me hope I made you proud. ^_^v

Dorm Life 

After a while, I got formally accepted into the program and I had to move in to Manila. This is probably the toughest part honestly. I was a naive probinsya all alone in the harsh Manila world. I chose a solo room in Lacson (but I don’t recommend this dorm lol) na walking distance lang to dapitan gate coz my mom didn’t like the idea of me commuting everyday especially since I was new to the area. We had to buy everything talaga like foam for solo bed, air-con, refrigerator, rice cooker and printer. So if you’re moving into an unfurnished room, be financially prepared. If you wanna save money, join the Dorm Hunters group in facebook and look for a roommate. There are also several fully furnished rooms in Espana or Sun Residences in Rotonda.  

Food Struggles

Okay so after moving in, I had to figure out where to buy food. In Lacson, there’s Jollibee and Mcdo. If you turn a corner, just go around Dapitan street and there are plenty of restaurants and food stalls. There’s KFC, Wendy’s, Army Navy and further along is Starbucks. If you’re into saving money, just be adventurous and go try the different food stalls. One of my all time favorites in Chowpoint in Rosarito street with milktea from Simple Line. If you love milktea, boi, you’re gonna have a grand time. Ang daming shops around. Hindi ka mauubusan. If you’re feeling adventurous you can go to the other sides of UST, like P.Noval and even all the way to Espana. The food scene is always changing so be adventurous. 

Welcome Walk

Don’t miss this event! This is very iconic and it’s the perfect start to your Thomasian journey. You get to enter the Arch of the Centuries (careful though. Legend says you’re not supposed to exit the Arch coz it will lead to your debarment). Every year the nursing central board of students work hard to come up with a theme and make props. Thank them when you see them. They’ll be your Ates and Kuyas for the upcoming year. When I talked to the upper classmen they even offered to sell their secondhand books for low prices.

Books and Uniform

Don’t buy books unless your prof requires it. You’ll probably be required to buy the anatomy book, the lab manuals and the math book coz it has the sheets for your seat works that you will pass. Most books for minor subjects you can buy from your upperclassmen. If you’re okay with pdfs, some books on major subjects are available online. Or just ask your senpais for help.

For the uniform, there is only one place you should go to and that is Aling Ising’s. You can finer her shop sa Lacson. Diretsong lakad lang sya once you cross the pedestrian lane from Jollibee Lacson to the other side. The sign is small though so be alert if it’s your first time going there. Yung style namin ng mom ko is we just followed the other nursing people na nakasabay ko nung enrollment hahaha

Quota Grade & Summer Term

Nursing is tough. It’s a quota course and they eliminate the people who don’t make it to a certain general weighted average (GWA). This was a constant source of anxiety for me. I always felt like I wasn’t good enough or ang stupid ko naman but eventually I just realized that I’m naturally weak in some subjects and strong in others. So my technique was just to pass those subjects na I suck at and then actively participate in classes where I’m good at so I can pull my grade up. Theology for example is a subject ignored by most but look at the bearing that it has on your grade.  

Chemistry by far was the most challenging at that time. I literally have no idea how I got my grade there kasi I had no idea what was going on. I remember we had to work individually but also as a group? And we had to report to the class din. If the reporter failed to cover the topic properly then the class suffers coz bahala kayo iresearch kung ano man yung correct answer sa questions ng prof. Dark times for me. And this carries on to the next semester. Ugh.

In first sem you also have general psychology but for some reason in my head, mas mahirap yung first year psych compared to third year psych lol Or maybe kasi you basically have no prior knowledge about it. I don’t recall much here except yung interesting tidbits like yung aso ni Pavlov.

In second sem, you get Anatomy and Physiology which is a subject that I took for granted. Haha never forget the things that you’ve learned here because this will be the foundation of the things you will tackle in all the other years. Plus, sa board exam namin may questions about basic anatomy and ang daming nadali hahahaha.

For summer term we got Health Assessment lecture and lab. This is something that you have to keep in mind. Because on your second year, you’ll have your duty na and you will use these assessment skills to assess the needs of your client and this will help you form a nursing diagnosis. So try to store these things in your long term memory. Don’t make the same mistakes we did lol

Always do your best but don’t forget to have fun. First year may seem so hard but before you know it, boom, it’s done. You’ll be second year and you’ll get your caps and pins na. One step closer to your dream.

That’s all for now.

In the future, I’ll write more.

See you around!

[delamd-blog]

Hi. I’m pretty new to tumblr so forgive me for being a noob. I thought it would be interesting to blog my thoughts and experiences while going through med school. I also thought it would be pretty funny to recall all my past experiences in my pre-med course which is Nursing. 

Why through tumblr?

Well, I was looking for blogging sites that were easy and convenient to use. Most of the people who were looking into blogging were suggesting other sites that you pay for but they were mostly looking into blogging for profit and that wasn’t really my goal. I pretty much just want to write my memories and maybe someday look back at them and laugh my heart out.

What do you want to write about?

Anything and everything. I’ve always been told that I’m too quiet in real life and that’s true. But when I write, I tend to put my unfiltered thoughts so this is where you can really get to know me. I want to write about my experiences for the past years and the things that I will experience in the upcoming years (if I actually get the time to write about them lol)

If you know me in real life, you would probably ask, why are you calling yourself Dela?

Well, as you know I’m a pretty avid gamer and I always use the username delaroux. In most games that I’ve played people have just shortened it to Dela so I’ve gotten used to people calling me that by now. I’ve even started to think that it’s prettier than my actual name lmao. So yes, in this blog I’ll go by Dela thank you very much.

What can you expect from this blog other than posts about my life?

I may post my art, gaming reviews, series and movie reviews when I feel like writing them. I want this to be a collection full of the things that make me happy.

That’s all for now. 

In the future, I’ll write more. 

See you around!