1.

Overall reflections of Positioning (both semesters)

a. At the beginning of positioning class, I felt so lost and I was struggling in the

positions such as a fan lateral or an AP humorous. I remember my first lab test

for positioning was nerve wrecking! My first positioning lab testing professor

was Mr. Bob Comello and I remember as if it was yesterday, that my hands

were ice cold the whole time! Throughout my testing time, I always double

checked, made sure my part was exactly in the middle of the cassette, and

everything had to be “perfect”. I kept telling my patient, who is one of my

friends in my class, countless of times, “I am sorry my hands are cold, but I am

doing these positions as fast as possible for you”. The response I got back from

my patient was “You are fine and you are doing great just breathe”. At that

moment, I felt a little relaxed due to my patient calming me down and brought

joy in the room by his laughter and smile. After my first semester of

positioning lab, I was so excited that I had gone through the first half of the

body positions; therefore, I am half way there to go to my clinical rotation! In

my second semester of positioning I thought I would never have a repeat. Boy

was I wrong! My first repeat was due do a cassette exchange on the left lateral

foot on my first lab test. Then I never thought I would have another repeat, but

my second repeat was on the wall bucky for an AP T-spine and my mistake was

doing a “perfect” AP L-spine instead of an AP T-spine. However, after this

year, the courses in positioning, I am glad I made my repeats in lab, because I

will remember my mistakes I have made forever and will laugh at the mistakes

that should be been prevented.

2. Overall reflections of Imaging (both semesters)

a. The Principles of Radiologic Imaging part 1 course was difficult to grasp the

concepts such as why things were the way they were. Jessyca and Mandy were

right about how nothing will make any sense until the end of the Fall semester

and then everything will come together in the Spring semester when we have

the Imaging class part 2. The transition from Jessyca to Mandy for the Fall

semester of 2017 was difficult because my classmates and I were used to the

way that Jessyca was teaching as well as the examples that she was giving.

However, once Jessyca went on her maternity leave right after her midterm

exam, it was challenging to get used to Mandy’s teaching (which is faster than

Jessyca) as well as how she does not give examples that we can connect with.

Once the semester went on, I love how Mandy drew pictures on the board to

show what she was talking about when teaching to us. In the Spring semester,

the imaging course became easier to understand, but there were a lot more

terminology than before. Imaging part 2 was easier to understand and connect

because the topics were more of what towards what my generation grew up

with such as the components of computers, disks, software, and flash drives.

3. Reflections about confidence with skills before, during, and after presentation, practice,

and testing in patient care

a. My confidence with my patient care skills before was not as good as I thought I

had before I came into the course. While I am in the process of taking the

course, I have gotten better at my patient care assessment. Especially in lab,

 Bob would tell me I had improved in my patient care as I was testing for my

positioning lab. At the beginning of the semester, I was flipped out when I

found out we had to perform venipunctures. I was nervous before and during

the practice of sticking the butterfly needle into the patient’s arm (or hand).

However, I after my venipuncture assessment, I am confident about performing

the butterfly needle to the patient. For the vital signs, I was confident about

measuring the respiration rate as well as pulse. One the other hand I was

concerned about finding the blood pressure. I was afraid that I would not be

able to hear the lub dub sound or that I would release the pressure of the cuff

too fast. After many practices of doing the blood pressure, I was on point when

I was find the blood pressure in the SIM lab center. Now since the semester is

practically over, I am confident about my vital sign assessment as well as my

venipuncture assessment. Talking to the patient and making them calm is one

aspect that I am feel as if I need to have much more practice in.

4. Semester reflection:

a. Did you have any unexpected difficulties this semester? If so, how did you

overcome those? What are your overall thoughts about the Spring semester?

i. There were a few bumps on the road for this Spring semester of 2018,

such as the Patient Care course as well as the Advance Procedure. I had a

hard time in Patient Care at the beginning because I did know how to

prepare for Bob’s class. However, I over came this issue for patient care

by reading the summary word document that Bob gives to us on D2L

before class, then going over the slides, next reading the book, and finally
 I would do the practice questions that are in the back of each chapter. For

Deb’s Advance Procedure, I overcame the dilemma of understanding and

knowing the concepts by making flashcards on quizlet and going over the

PowerPoints along with the chapter readings. My overall thoughts for this

semester mixed with overwhelming, surprising stress, and excitement! I

had all of these emotions and thoughts in me since I realized that I am so

close on going to clinicals and one step closer to graduation. On the other

hand, I had stress and overwhelming inside of me not only due to the

course work, but also the thought of being so close to going to my clinical

site at United Regional. Lastly I have to say I had made it this far in the

program and I can not wait what else this program has for me!

b. Now that you have completed the didactic portion of your degree, please reflect

on the program as a whole up to this point. What did you like? What did you not

like? Was it what you expected going in? Why or why not?

i. I like how we are learning all of the positions for positioning class before

we go to clinicals. Reason being that when we go to clinicals we can do

practically any positons for the human body and comp them as well. The

part I do not like is that we did not go up to the hospital to look and

understand what the professors we talking about for the things that were

not provided on campus such as fluoroscopy and the BE study. Going

through this is sort of what I expected, but I was thinking I would see

more hands on things.

c. What are your anticipations about clinicals beginning in the summer? Discuss

your feelings about the next phase of the program.

i. I am hoping that United Regional will have many comps to do since we

start in the summer which could mean that there will be more patients

coming in for x-ray exams. I am super pumped up as well as nervous

about going to clinicals. I am excited to go because I can actually practice

what I have learned into reality rather than on my healthy classmates as

my patient. Plus, by going to clinicals means I am one year closer to

gradtating and then a couple years away from getting my license! Along

with excitement, there is scared. Scared because I am so close on going in

reality that is just around the corner.