After a long break, It’s a new year, a new term, and a new class (yes, you heard it right. In the previous year, my class was JN2401*; as this is a new year, it has been changed to JR2401*. The only thing that changed is from an N to a R. The 1 represents January intake, while the 4 represents April intake). Well, I guess I will confuse you more if I were to continue 😂

And let’s welcome the new 2025 nursing cohort 👏

A few weeks before the term starts on 6 January 2025, our BIO2 lecturer prompted us to read “Body Structures and Functions, 14th Edition by Scott and Bell (2022)” to prepare for our learning. This is the book I bought during Year 1; there is also an ebook version.

Here’s a preview of the timetable for this term:

I do not have a Co-CA (Class Advisor) again for this term. Hence, our BIO2 lecturer will cover when our CA is unavailable. The Home-based Learning (HBL) will be held every Thursday.

Our modules for this term are PCB, BIO2, and CLH. Our BIO2 lecturer will also conduct the CLH. Yes, yes. I know, I know. Writing 101 (WRT) and CLH are new modules in the 3-year Higher Nitec in Nursing curriculum, so completing them is necessary to achieve full certification. These modules are not prerequisites to Clinical Practice II (CP2). Should you fail even after taking the retest, you have to wait until next year to retake. So don’t complicate things and pass lah, haha. There shouldn’t be failures; these modules are a giveaway.

Upon completing the PCB module, students should be able to describe and demonstrate holistic nursing care for patients with altered body systems, such as the integumentary, endocrine, and urinary systems. The prerequisites are passing Clinical Practice I (CP1) and the PCA module. So, if you have failed CP1 or PCA, you will have to wait for another year to be able to take the module, provided that you have passed. One student from another class did not pass back in her Year 1. Hence, she cannot remain in her previous class and will be joining our BIO2 and CLH classes. She won’t be taking the PCB and won’t be able to go CP2 since PCB is a requirement. For those who have failed their BIO2, they are still able to enter CP2. However, the Clinical Facilitator (CF) will conduct revision lessons outside of their CP2 hours, and they will have to take their class test and exam during their posting. After they finish taking them, they have to go back to training. So if your test is in the morning, you must return for your training in the afternoon. To prevent all these hassles, pass at least. It isn’t hard; all it takes is a small effort.

This module is graded based on the Phase Test (20%), the Class Test (15 MCQ, 3 SAQ, 1 SEQ—20%), the Exam (20 MCQ, 4 SAQ, 2 SEQ—50%), and the Behavioural and Attitudual Attributes (BAA—10%).

By drawing lots, I would have to perform Wound Dressing or Administer Subcutaneous Insulin for our Phase Test.

On completion of the BIO2 module, students should be able to identify and describe the various parts and functions of the human body system (Endocrine, Integumentary, Urinary, Digestive), the effects of pathological micro-organisms (Body Defences and Immune Disorders), and discuss the use of pharmacological products and their nursing implications.

This module is graded based on Class Tests 1 and 2 (20 MCQ, 4 SAQ—20 % each), the Exam (30 MCQ, 6 SAQ—50%), and BAA (10%).

If you manage to observe, both PCB and BIO2 are related, which means understanding them will help you interchangeably.

On completion of the CLH module, students should be able to converse in basic Mandarin and Malay (heng heng no dialects) when caring for patients in healthcare settings. This enables the students to be equipped with practical communication skills and strategies to provide and receive clear and concise information within a healthcare setting and conduct interpersonal communication in a person-centred.

This module is graded based on the Class Test (30 MCQ—60%) and Group Project Video Assignment (40%). The Class Test is relatively easy if you pay attention in class. In contrast, we would have to create a Healthcare Teaching Tool / Aid (Pamphlet) in English, Mandarin and Malay for the group project and make a video. Each of my group members was assigned the role of Doctor, Nurse, Patient’s Sister and Patient. We have to communicate oppositely with our native language. If I am Chinese, I would have to speak in Malay; if my group members are Malay, they must communicate in Mandarin; however, if any of the languages are not your native language, You will have an advantage of choosing whether you would like to converse in Mandarin or Malay. Initially, my group members wanted to do the recording in school. Still, the scene wasn’t lovely, and I also got feedback that there was lots of background noise because when I did my WRT group video assignment in the previous term, this was the issue that I faced. So, in the end, we went to one of our group members’ house to do the recording. Unfortunately, I cannot share the video for this module as the school owns the rights. Still, I felt it easier to make the video this time because I am now more familiar with Adobe Premiere Pro and bought a Hollyland LARK M2 Wireless Microphone for this project. So, the voice is crystal clear, and I no longer have to tune the audio recordings. Out of all the modules that I have taken, this is the easiest module. You must be wondering, how da heck will I be able to converse without looking at my script? Fortunately, you can look at your script while recording and the grading is based on how you converse and not how you act.

Since this term, we have been given many Quizizz assignments for all three modules, and we have had to complete many more worksheets and revision worksheets than the previous term. This seems to be the trend, and I believe it will be the same plan for our upcoming modules. Our BIO2 lecturer has gone the extra mile to offer revisions on weekends and during out-of-school hours.

On 14 January 2025, our CA seeks committed students keen to participate in the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) mass casualty exercise. The activity will be on Saturday, 5 April 2025, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Students will take on the role of simulators. This is a good learning opportunity to see how the various departments operate in an emergency. Students would receive enrichment hours, and breakfast and lunch would be provided. Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) is hosting the learning journey (back in October 2024) again and would like to meet ITE students again on 13 February 2025 from 1 pm to 5 pm.

Out of the blue on 3 February 2025, our CA and BIO2 lecturer decided to treat us with ice cream at 1630 hours, right after our lesson at the school cafeteria 1 (C1). The reason:

On 7 March 2025, we had our CP2 briefing, and it turns out that I will be returning to the same medical and surgical ward as back in my CP1. Additionally, I will have my one-week Mental Health and Polyclinic posting, and I am excited about it!

After taking several class tests, phase tests, and examinations over the past year, I recommend listening to your lecturers for the class and phase tests if you intend to score well in the module. For the examination, you would have to gather as much knowledge as possible because the questions might be entirely different and phrased differently, and this is where you have to use your critical thinking. For class tests, it is set by the lecturers, while for examinations, the questions are generated from the question bank. Aside from these, representing the school in a co-curricular activity (CCA) or event gives you a greater advantage than the others if you are the chosen one. (IYKUK)

I will discuss my CP2 in my next post, so stay tuned!