Zachary's Chart

Some days.

Some months.

Nursing school hits hard.

Feels like you weren’t built for this.

Every chart.

Every procedure.

Every acronym.

A mountain you can’t climb.

And that’s okay.

Carrying your life while learning to carry someone else’s

isn’t weakness.

Showing up.

Tired.

Unsure.

Behind.

That’s strength.

You don’t have to be the smartest in the room.

You just have to be willing.

Willing to learn.

Willing to bend.

Willing to grow.

The nurses who last.

The ones who matter.

Aren’t always geniuses.

They’re curious.

They’re open.

They let mistakes teach instead of shame.

If today feels impossible.

If last month felt like failure.

Remember:

You’re building resilience.

Compassion.

Skill.

You’re becoming.

Morning shifts? Nah. Too loud, too bright, too rushed. The world is screaming before my coffee even hits, and suddenly I’m sprinting through the day trying to catch up.

Night shifts, though… that’s my playground. The halls are quieter, the beeping monitors feel like a soundtrack, and every task moves with this smooth, laid-back rhythm. No alarms jerking me awake, no traffic chaos, no glaring sun—just me, the patients, and the calm hum of the hospital at night.

I like to call myself nocturnal for a reason. There’s something about the darkness that makes me sharper, more focused, more in tune. The night turns ordinary charting, vitals, and rounds into something almost… cinematic. It’s my zone, my vibe, my energy.

If you’ve ever peeked at a nurse’s notes and felt like you accidentally opened a medical novel in another language, you’re not alone. Nursing isn’t just about vitals and meds — it’s a whole vocabulary. From assessments to interventions, these are the words you’ll see on every chart and hear in every shift. Consider this your cheat sheet to sounding like a seasoned pro (or at least looking like one).

Terms to Know:

1. AEB / AMB – “As Evidenced By” / “Ambulating”

AEB describes proof of a diagnosis or condition.

Example: “Pain AEB patient grimacing when sitting.”

2. ADL – “Activities of Daily Living”

Basic self-care tasks like eating, bathing, dressing.

3. Auscultation – Listening to body sounds with a stethoscope.

Lungs, heart, and bowels are your main concerts.

4. Edema – Swelling caused by fluid accumulation.

Chart severity: 1+ (mild) to 4+ (severe).

5. PERRLA – “Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation”

Quick eye check shorthand.

6. LOC – “Level of Consciousness”

Alert, drowsy, or unresponsive — chart it precisely.

7. Bowel/Bladder Patterns – Often abbreviated as BM for bowel movement.

Frequency, consistency, and any discomfort matter.

8. PRN – “Pro Re Nata” (as needed)

Pain meds? Only when necessary.

9. NPO – “Nil Per Os” (nothing by mouth)

Often pre-surgery or for certain diagnostic tests.

10. F/U – “Follow Up”

Your gentle reminder that the patient isn’t done yet.

11. Hx / Px / Dx / Tx – History / Physical / Diagnosis / Treatment

Basic skeleton of every patient encounter.

12. SOB – “Shortness of Breath”

Not a mood check — chart it every time it pops up.

13. WNL / ABN – “Within Normal Limits” / “Abnormal”

Quick shorthand for normal or concerning findings.

14. I&O – Intake & Output

Track fluids, pee, and everything in between.

15. VS – Vital Signs

BP, HR, RR, Temp, SpO₂ — the classic 5.

16. Skin Turgor – Elasticity of skin, often checked for dehydration.

17. MAR – Medication Administration Record

Where all the med magic is logged.

18. SBAR – Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation

Communication hack for safe handoffs.

19. R/O – “Rule Out”

Used when a diagnosis is suspected but not confirmed.

20. D/C – Discharge

Not just a goodbye, it’s the patient leaving the system safely.

Nursing school really humbles you. Bad. like, real bad.

It has a way of showing you your weak spots without even trying. You think you’re patient until you’re stressed. You think you manage time well until everything is due at the same time. You think you can handle pressure until you’re running on two hours of sleep before a duty.

I’m usually a pretty nonchalant, laid-back type of guy. I don’t stress out loud. I just deal with things as they come. But nursing school? It tests that. It pushes you in quiet ways.

There are days when everything feels heavy—requirements, practical exams, clinical duties, group work, expectations. Sometimes you’re tired physically. Sometimes it’s mental. Sometimes it’s both. But one thing I’ve noticed is that everything passes.

The long duties pass. The sleepless nights pass. The stressful weeks pass.

You don’t even have time to react because before you know it, you’re onto the next rotation, the next challenge, the next level. It’s constant movement.

I’m still figuring things out—especially balancing my time. School, extra-curriculars, responsibilities, trying to have space for myself. It’s not easy, but I think I’m maintaining. Not perfectly. Just enough.

And honestly, what keeps me sane is finding small pockets of peace during a chaotic week.

I really like going out, especially with my dad. Driving him around while he runs errands, just going from place to place. No rush. No pressure. Just driving. I like being away from the main city—more trees, quieter roads, less noise. I appreciate simple things like clean old cars passing by, the way they still look solid and well taken care of. There’s something calm about it.

Those moments don’t look big, but they feel important. They reset me.

I think that’s what balance looks like for me. Handling the chaos during the week, then slowing down when I can. Nursing school is loud. Life outside of it doesn’t have to be.

At the end of the day, I’m still here. Still showing up. Still moving forward.

Nursing school is definitely a ride. One day you’re buried in textbooks, trying to memorize every body system, and the next, you’re taking vital signs on a real patient, wondering how time flew by so fast. Slowly, all those theories start turning into real-life skills, and you start realizing, “Oh, so this is what it actually looks like.” After two years of exams, clinical duties, and nonstop learning, I’ve picked up a few tips that actually make nursing school a bit easier to handle.

1. Don’t Wait for Duty to Learn Stuff RLE and duties move fast, and no one will slow down for you. Practice vitals, drug calculations, and basic procedures whenever you can — on friends, family, or even your stuffed animals. Walking in prepared makes everything feel less stressful and a lot more doable.

2. Stop Memorizing, Start Connecting Dots Pathophysiology isn’t just a headache — it’s your secret weapon. Understand why things happen. Once you connect the dots, exams are less of a guessing game, and clinical tasks make more sense. You start thinking like a nurse, not just repeating steps.

3. Take Care of Yourself Without the Guilt Nursing school is draining. Sleep, eat, laugh, or do small things that recharge you. You can’t give your best if you’re running on zero energy, and honestly, “I’ll rest later” is a trap you don’t want to fall into.| At the end of the day, nobody has it all figured out. Nursing school is messy, exhausting, and sometimes overwhelming — but surviving it doesn’t have to feel impossible. Learn what you can, rest when you need to, and remember: if you’re still standing after a long day, you’re already winning.