[SteveRN21]

Hey all,

For those of us currently in a graduate level program, please respond with a description of your program, year of graduation, and plans after graduation.

Please also include a clinical "pearl".... something you've learned that would be useful/interesting to the rest of us.



Thanks!

Stevern21


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Here's my contribution:

I am currently in a classroom-based neonatal nurse practitioner masters program, studying part time with an anticipated graduation date in December of '09. My plans right now are to eventually manage a interfacility air and ground neonatal critical care transport program.

A clinical pearl I've found very useful is that when managing neonates and pediatrics, respiratory management is key. When a critically ill child is deteriorating, the last thing to go is blood pressure and heart rate. If you adequately assess and protect the airway, ventilate and oxygenate the patient, you can almost always prevent an arrest situation.

[oldiebutgoodie]

Hi, all,

I am in an MSN program that has both classroom based and web based classes. There are many flavors of the program, including NP and CNS flavors. I originally signed up for the acute care NP, but I think I will be changing it to Med-Surg CNS. I don't want so much to be a practitioner as much as educator or other role in the hospital.

I am now in class 6 of about a million classes, and will finish in 2010, I think.

Since I work with primarily geriatric population, here's my pearl:

If your older loved one starts acting confused, it's probably a UTI, not Alzheimer's. It's amazing what a UTI will do for these folks.

Oldiebutgoodie

[adria37]

I am in a FNP program with classroom and web classes too. I am doing a post Master's. I have already have a MSN with a focus in education. I learned teaching would not pay the bills. I will be finished with the classroom part of the program in December and the remaining clinical in May of 2008.

The clinical pearl I found particularly wise was given by one of my preceptors "Don't be the first to give a medication and don't be the last."