[cmo421]

thanks and comtinue to let us know how it goes!

[NativeSundance]

I received a copy of my enrollment papers via snail mail yesterday and was surprised to see I had been charged $3,195.00 instead of the $3,395.00 I had expected. There was some sort of unidentifiable discount applied. Checked my credit card billing statement online and sure enough, they charged me the reduced fee of $3,195.00. Not sure why, but I ended up with a total of $300.00 off the advertised price of the program. Not complaining!

I am about 1/2 way through the first class. I just took the "midterm exam" a few minutes ago. One would have to be educationally challenged to get anything short of 100% on ANYTHING in this course. I'm a little disappointed that it is so easy...I like a challenge...but I am finding the material very interesting and I have learned alot from it. Thoroughly enjoying the learning process! I have been able to make immediate use of much of it while at my regular job. Just last night, I had a burn victim with 90% burns. This guy was AWAKE although delerious on arrival and talking at times. Said he was fine and wanted to go home. Nobody is sure how this occured and the patient died before he was able to tell the police what really happened. There were conflicting stories from bystanders and even from the fire department and EMS. Not sure how this will be solved. He was burned so bad that even his race was not evident on arrival. Next patient was a GSW through the back at nipple level. WOW was that ever alot of work. He is still alive, so maybe we'll eventually learn how this happened. Apparently *no* witnesses. There was at least one...the guy who shot him in the back in the middle of the night on a dark street in a bad neighborhood.

Anyways, I was able to put alot of what I had recently learned from the forensic material to good use in documenting these cases. Did not photograph wounds...not sure yet about hospital policy regarding nursing photo documenting wounds. Police photographed. They are always in the trauma rooms with me.

I'm paying alot more attention to things like soot marks and what happens to the clothing and how it is cut off, documentation and so forth. I recently encorporated the use of body diagrams which has been so helpful. It is all very interesting and it will make me better at what I do every day, which is my real goal.

[cmo421]

Sounds like u r moving along! Good luck and keep the updates coming. I have an online session the 23rd with the collage I am taking my course at. They will go over the in's and out's and answer any questions we have. I can not wait to start. I have been doing some reading in the mean time. I miss the ER and Trauma, I loved taking care of the burns. I had a kid last year,19, that set himself on fire,outside ,so no inhalation, he was over 90%! He lived to tell the story and went on to rehab. Never boring!

Christine

[NativeSundance]

Burns are NOT my favorite things to deal with, but we take what we get! This fellow had a burned out airway making intubation impossible. He got a cric instead. That is the worst burn I've ever dealt with, and I've had some bad ones in my career! Most of the bad ones don't make it. It must have been a miracle (or a curse) that your patient with such incredible burns survived to tell the story! I have never worked in the burn unit, but I bet they have some amazing stories to tell!

I bet you're really looking forward to your classes starting! At least you'll probably have some sort of formal clinical time. I work with a nurse who is friends with one of the coroners in my county (we're the county morgue) and he has helped me in getting some "clinical" time with this coroner. Hoping to get time with our local detectives and also at least observe at the crime lab downtown. One step at a time, I guess!

[eb0lagirl]

Well, I have just joined the Kaplan forensics program so I'm along for the ride. I appreciate all of the updates that have been given on this thread. Please continue to post your experiences/ course completions in the Kaplan program, as I am eager to see what lies ahead. It seems like it's a good program - online convenience, faculty assistance, etc. I hope it is worth it.....

[cmo421]

I know it sounds sadistic, but I loved taking care of burns. I worked in a level one trauma center in the trauma ICU,we had three burn rooms . Years ago we had many of the station fire victums. The worst burn I have seen was a very young girl who was 99% burnt, all third degree, with her jaw fused closed from the burns. She was a MVA ,with major fire involvement. Her extremities were just snaping off. She died two days later,can ya imagine,two days . The girl with her,( was a drug,etoh accident),had major facial and neck burns,also many fractures. Being in a burn room is not only physically hard but mentally exhausting. The temp is usually over 100 degrees. Fluid replacement is big,along with watching for compartment syndrome everywhere. I miss it. Time flew. Oh well. I am jealous u guys r starting now, but I can wait,,,lol. Good luck both of u and keep me posted!

christine

[NativeSundance]

Well, I finished the first class about physical assessment and evidence collection. The final was just as ridiculously easy as the rest of the class was. I ran into a snag in trying to get enrolled in the second class though. It cannot be done via computer. You have to call them (Kaps) to get enrolled. No big deal if you work day shift, but more difficult when you're usually sound asleep during their business hours. It then seems to take several hours to several days for the next class to be available online to begin. A bit annoying.

I'm learning really interesting stuff through the program and am glad I did it, but am concerned that the test questions are word for word repeats of the brainlessly simple quiz questions. There is no challenge whatsoever. This class is sure to have an easy 100% pass rate. You could pass it blindfolded with your brain tied behind your back. The testing portion of the class is not representative of the material being taught. The information provided through the class is pretty good, although basic, it's just the nursery school level evaluation of the learning I question. It might be difficult for any other organization to take a certificate of completion earned through Kaplan seriously. I guess we shall see!

I see there is another Kaplan student now! Good luck with your studies! It's interesting and informative material, and you can start applying it to your usual job right away.

[NativeSundance]

Happy to report that the second class is a bit more challenging! Just took the midterm. It is still simple stuff, but not ridiculously so. The second class covers getting into the mind of the victim and the criminal. It teaches you interview techniques and body language along with counseling approaches for victims. The classes really are very informative and a good base from which to build in the exciting and interesting field of forensic nursing!

I am also reading all those books I ordered from Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson. Very interesting! I'm learning alot from those books too, especially the non-fiction ones. The next class for me is death investigation and the Bill Bass books deal extensively with that subject (along with evidence collection and documentation).

So far, it has all been worth the money invested!

[NativeSundance]

Finsihed the second class yesterday. It is becoming progressively more interesting and more challenging. I tend to look at our trauma and assault victims differently now. I have really learned alot with this class, although I realize it is just barely scratching the surface of the body of forensic knowledge out there.

The next class is "Death Investigation" and I will begin tonight. I'm also enjoying the books by Jefferson Bass (Jon Jefferson and Bill Bass). Their books fit in nicely to the topics I'm studying! Some day I would love to visit the body farm. Smelly...probably. Interesting and educational...absolutely! Can't find anyone willing to accompany me there, so I guess it will be a solo visit...that is IF they even let curious forensic nursing students have a walk through visit.

For anyone thinking of taking the Kaplan program, it really IS worth your time and money, at least in my humble opinion!

[MommyandRN]

Hi! Thanks for all of your updates. You seem to be finishing each class very quickly! Is that normal, to finish a class a week? I thought they would take a few weeks each. Do you set your own pace? I'm just thinking , what if I am unable to finish a class a week?