#spooniestudent

[spoonieengineer]

Came to the library to study but I'm still super distracted. Why am I like this. Uuuuuugh I don't want to study for this final, but if I don't pass it soon I'll have to take this subject again...

[spoonie-studyblr]

Waiting for your final grades to be posted. .

[chronicallypainful]

Explained the concept of disability tax to my advisor today. It went remarkably well. I call that a win.

[spoonie-studyblr]

This past week I took the CNA state exam four years after taking the class. I ended up getting an 86% on the written portion and an 98% on the skills portion. There was some interest on what I did to study for the CNA state exam so here it is! First off, here is what I did to study for the written portion: 1. I made notecards including all of the abbreviations we need to know (PRN, qid) and also terms like what the different positions are (supine, lateral, fowlers). I went through these multiple times a day. 2. I took practice tests on the website, CNA.plus. They have 22 practice tests with topics ranging from residents rights to infection control. There are also three different practice exams on practicecnatest.com. I then added questions or terms from the tests onto my notecards. 3. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Go through these multiple times a day until it's automatic. You could also go through your class notes or book, but I did not have them anymore. Now here is what I did to study for the skills portion of the CNA state exam: 1. YouTube videos! This was especially important to me because I had not taken the class in four years. I had to completely reteach myself the skills. You can search "CNA skills" followed by whatever skill you would like to see. YouTube channels I especially liked were: SacMed Training Video Tutorials, R Mayer, and 4yourCNA. When I took the class they gave us a workbook with all the skills and their steps. While I was watching the videos I would write notes on all of the skills. Reminders, questions I had, more specifics. 2. If I wasn't up to practicing the skills full out, I would just read the steps for each skill out loud. 3. This step was very critical. I wrote each of the skills down on notecards. I would then shuffle the notecards and choose four. (In Iowa we are tested on 4 skills, not including hand washing, resident communication and rights, and gloves- if applicable. Those are automatically included in my skills). I would then simulate what I would do for the actual test. I ordered them in a way I thought best. Then I would go through all the skills I drew, just like the real thing. I timed myself to make sure I was within the 45 minute time limit. Most of the time I practiced on my stuff bunny, but I was able to practice on my mom and sister a couple times. Don't be afraid to enlist help! 4. Practice, practice, practice. 5. Ace the exam! ✔️

[spoonie-studyblr]

Just found a website called CNA.plus and they have tons of free practice tests! 📝 thought I would share incase anyone else was searching for ways to study for the state exam! Just signed up to take the written portion Wednesday night. 💗

[chronicallypainful]

Why Academic Accommodations Are Important (Even When They Aren't Perfect)

Let me tell you a story.

About five years ago, when I was in an earlier stage of developing my disability (and before that condition was diagnosed), I took a math test. The physical act of writing was a painful for me, and I had no academic accommodations to help me complete the exam. For the first couple questions, I did okay. Writing hurt, but I was able to focus my brain on the math in front of me. By the time I got to the middle of the test, though, the pain was starting to break through my focus. I made many little mistakes, but I couldn't focus well enough to find them. I knew my answers were wrong, but I couldn't process mathematics over the screaming cacophony of my pain. By the end of the exam, it felt like someone was twisting a knife inside of my wrist while simultaneously stabbing me with a fork in the elbow. I could not think. I could not reason. I could barely contain my tears. I turned in an incomplete exam, and I started sobbing as soon as I got out of the classroom.  I failed the exam.

Just a few months ago, I took another exam. This exam was much longer and much more important. It was scheduled to last nine hours across two days, and I absolutely had to pass it in order to progress in my PhD program. And there was one other important difference: this time, I had academic accommodations. I was registered with disability services, and I had had extensive discussions with my program director to negotiate appropriate accommodations for this crucial exam. I received twice as much time to work on the exam, and I was allowed to take four days instead of two to complete it. I had unlimited rest breaks and a physically comfortable workspace, including a mat where I could lie down during my breaks. I also had assistive technology. I "wrote" all of my answers by speaking to a computer.

The exam was still exhausting. At the end of it, I still wanted to collapse in bed for an indeterminate amount of time. And I did make a couple of errors near the end of the exam that I would not have made in a well-rested and pain-minimal state. I also know that I was still somewhat limited by my restricted ability to do hand computations (due to hand and arm pain made much worse by repetitive fine motor activities). So, no, the accommodations were not perfect. They did not remove my disability or put me on "a level playing field" with my abled peers. But that does not negate their importance. This exam went much better than predecessor. This time, I was actually able to demonstrate my mastery of mathematics. This time, I passed.

Just as important: this time I didn't leave the room almost sobbing. I didn't return to my bedroom afterwords and cry for hours while clutching an ice pack to my wrist. I didn't spend weeks afterwards questioning whether I could succeed in math. I didn't spend those weeks hating my body for failing me. With accommodations, I am a successful graduate student. Without them, I would not have been able to finish my undergraduate program.

[spoonieengineer]

26/100 days of productivity Designing an electrical installation for uni 😁⚡

[metallic-butterfly]

Being a good little study bee 🐝 and doing a webinar for my Diploma. Best way to study, bed, computer, selfies (lol so focused), multitasking to the max! #spooniestudent #diplomamedicaldocumentation #gettingthereslowly