sagelola

We did IM and SC injections at the university I attend...my friend at the CC did IV starts, IM and SC injections...they also bathed each other which we did not do. We did BP, HR, pulse, resp. I think that is about it. Each school seems to be a little different.

I for one think that is fantastic. It doesn't matter if you are male or female, as long as you are human and give kind, compassionate care that is patient-centered. I don't think it is right to stereotype a man...just because he is a man why couldn't he work in L&D? There are male OB/GYN doctors...what is the difference? I mean, when you are does it really matter who sees your...um, parts? Good for you for sticking with it, Dayray! I think that is wonderful. When my son was born, my husband was absolutely fascinated with the whole process, and said he was ready to go help the Dr. deliver some more babies! :chuckle There is no reason why a man shouldn't be a L&D nurse. I hope to be one someday, and I hope to have collegues like Dayray...male or female, it doesn't matter to me.

I don't want to start anything here...but do RN's get paid what they deserve? They have a Bachelor's degree or higher (well, some have an ADN)...LPN education is much shorter, is it not? And don't RN's have more responsibility than an LPN? I think maybe you should look at working at another facility, for one, if you are wanting more money...and I think that your move to become an RN is a good one. Good luck to you!

I used to work for an insurance agency by the name of Sharp Insurance (the owner's last name)... It was my duty as receptionist to answer the phones, among other things. One afternoon I picked up the phone and said, "Good Afternoon, Shark Insurance..." :imbar

I've had 3 children...the first one with an epidural and the last two without. From my own personal experience, I did not like the epidural...it was bad. What happened...I was 18 yo, and NO ONE told me what labor was like (I kid you not!), so I really didn't know what to expect. This child was induced (all 3 were, actually), so that was pretty intense. The damn epidural itself HURT like hell when they were putting it in. Well, it had been in for awhile and I couldn't feel anything....then I just started to feel a lot of pressure down low in my pelvis...I had no idea what that was, and told the nurse I hadn't urinated recently and maybe that was the cause....she did an in and out cath to help me because I couldn't do it myself, and then decided to check my cervix (which hadn't been done for awhile...can't remember how long now, but it seemed like a couple of hours?)...low and behold! I was fully dilated. That pressure I was feeling?? yeah, it was time to push...no one told me what to expect, the meds weren't lowered or anything....It was just a horrible birthing experience for me. So...the last 2 I wanted NOTHING other than to be in complete CONTROL of the situation and to be able to recognize what my body was telling me to do. Those experiences were far better for me personally. Now, I understand that everyone is different, so I say, if you cannot handle it than get an epidural...I would first see how it goes, as some of the other posters have said.

Same thing here...I wear a really large 10 (okay, sometimes 11) and had to get a 42 or size 12 in my Danskos...and still sometimes my great left toe hurts me (I have some other issues with my feet...so it may not JUST be the shoes). They are alright...and at least they look good (and would you believe me if I told you they make my feet look small?? ) I think I am going to look around for something else to wear at work...I need something in a dark color, too. (sorry...I don't think that was of much help...they DO fit a little different than other shoes and kind of take a little while to get used to...)

I also do not agree with those who have said you "CAN'T" do it. I am a mom of three children, ages 9, 6 (almost 7), and 3 (almost 4). I started back to school 3 years ago in the fall...but I was not working full time. I started out working part time and going to school part time, just to see if I could handle it. I did fine my first semester so I went full time the next semester, still working part time. I ended up not working after that summer. Many people have told me that I "couldn't" do it, and many have been less than supportive. These people are family members, too. My husband has been less supportive than I sometimes have wanted, but he still puts up with it. For me it was a decision that I had to make. I could forever be stuck in a job making $10/hr, not doing what I really wanted to do, OR I could spend 5 years working my but off, scraping to make ends meet, and giving up some of the unnecessary things in life. Well, I chose the latter. Much to some people's dismay. Here I am now, finished with the first year of the Nursing Program. I have 2 years to go, just got a job making more per hour as an Extern than my husband makes. And, can you believe...there are STILL those saying "How do you think you are going to do it?" Anyway, I am sorry to get off track...but if this is something that you REALLY want, you and your family will make the necessary adjustments for it to happen.

I wear makeup...foundation, powder, eyebrows (I color them in with a powder...but it doesn't look like a clown or anything :wink2: ), mascara, and lipstick. No one can even tell that I wear makeup, though, because I don't wear a lot of it by any means. And I am like MLOS...I don't tend to reapply lipstick after it wears off. Occassionally I will re-powder because my skin is shiny...but otherwise I don't tend to worry about it too much. I can say that I do NOT like to leave the house without at least my eyebrows (#1) and mascara. I am a redhead (albeit dark auburn), and my eyebrows just don't feel that full to me (although they are brown, not red, go figure). Anyway...yes I wear makeup, no I don't stress over it (or my hair for that matter.)

I'm glad to have found this thread as well. I hadn't had a migraine for 3 years, then all of a sudden in the last month I've had 4. I've tried Imitrex, but it doesn't help at all. The NP gave me Relpax (which works well for my mother), but it, too, did not touch the pain...plus it made me feel weird. The first time she gave it to me was an evening (right after having an arteriogram. When I got home (the minute I walked in the door) I got one.) The next morning after taking 2 the night before I still had the migraine. I went into the office to get something (she told me only to take 2 in 24 hours...it had been a little over 12), she told me to go home and take 2 more!! I was so upset that I started crying out in the car...which did nothing except make my head throb even harder. So, the following week I got another KILLER headache. Took the last Relpax I had...and went to skills testing. I'm surprised I survived that. All I wanted to do was throw up, and I couldn't even recall the info I was trying to remember. I went to the dr. office after telling them on the phone that if they were going to just send me home I wouldn't go it. I saw the PA that time, and he took pity on me and gave me a shot of Nubain. It knocked my @-- out for the night, but worked. I felt as if the NP that had seen me before thought I was there only to get some drugs. So, I know how you feel. It is very frustrating. You know, as a nurse you are told that "PAIN IS WHAT THE PATIENT SAYS IT IS" and believe me, I wouldn't be sitting in the dr. office with a migraine, knocked out for 12 hours+ if I wasn't in PAIN. I have things I HAVE to do in my life, and migraines are just getting in the way. Anyway, the PA gave me 3 other meds to try...Zomig, Maxalt-MLT, and Axert. Maybe one of them will work...or maybe I will be back in the office afraid they are going to think I'm only there for drugs. I have an appt. with a neurologist on Wed. I have to travel an hour to see her since no neurologists in town accept Medi-Cal. Her plan is to get me on a preventative med. Our insurance will be up the end of May, so I don't know what I am going to do after that.... Nice to know there are others experiencing the SAME thing...

Well, I am happy to report GOOD news! At the end of my procedure yesterday they said that everything looks good, and there isn't an aneurysm. My carotid twists a little more than most, so it is normal for me. I am so relieved to have heard this, and can now get on with things. Funny thing is, two of my husband's (somewhat) distant relatives (his father's cousin and her neice) were my pre/post-op and radiology nurses! (I have a VERY distinct last name, so they were sure I was a family member!!) I had a terrible migraine last night that hit me as soon as I walked in through the door, and the PCP wasn't very understanding. If only it had happened while I was still in the hospital I wouldn't have had to suffer all night and most of today! Nurseunderwater...you are INDEED a part of Clan Fraser...I, unfortunately, am not (although I am a redhead, I don't know that we (my family) have any Scots blood in us!) I am, however, a HUGE fan of Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series. If you've never read them, you should...they revolve around a member of Clan Fraser! They are very long, but fantastic. I can usually finish one in about 4-5 days when reading non-stop. Thank you, everyone, for your well wishes, your support, advice, and your prayers! I couldn't have made it through this very tough time without it! :kiss

Just an update for those of you interested!! :) I go in tomorrow at 0830 for the arteriogram angiogram. :uhoh21: I am still waiting to hear back as to when my PCP wants to see me after that to go over the test results. I am not expecting it to be good news, but I still hope it will be.

Thank you again, for your support and good thoughts. NRSKaren I looked at those links, thank you. I am assuming that I will find out tomorrow when I will go in for the arteriogram angiogram...and I will need to talk to my instructors as well. I'll keep you posted....

Thank you all SO INCREDIBLY MUCH!! I don't know what I would do without you. You are so very supportive. I think I was able to handle this until the dr. said there WAS something there. Now it is difficult to concentrate. I will find out tomorrow when I go for the arteriogram angiogram. That one doesn't seem to fun, either. Thank you for the encouragement, and the reminders. Dianah I don't know if there is a neuro-radiologist. I have been going to a radiology center for the last 3 tests. Not sure about the next one, though. I will keep you all posted. Thank you again.

Well, I did a search (on allnurses.com) to see if there was any wise advise, but didn't find what I was looking for. Maybe I just need some cyberhugs and support... A few weeks ago I had a migraine. I had the whole aura bit (which is usual for me) and I knew it was coming on. The strange thing was that my right hand and right side of my face went numb for several minutes. Well, I went to my dr. for some relief...and they decided to do an MRI & MRA. That was done last Tues. On Mon. I got a call from the dr. office (I really didn't know WHY they had sent me to radiology in the first place, it was explained as "It is possible for people with migraines that include neurological symptoms to have a stroke in the future...we just want something to base any abnormalities off of.") Anyway, the dr. office said that the radiologist wanted me back for a CT angiogram...the word aneurysm slipped out, but no explanation. They did want me to see the dr. ASAP after the test to go over results, so scheduled that for today. So, I went on Wed. for my CT angiogram. Thurs. got a call from the radiologist's office...they wanted me back Fri. for another "test"...the gal didn't know what they wanted to do, she only had my jacket in front of her, and no info. So, of course, I went back. Radiologist dr. said he would call my PCP and tell her what he saw...that he had me come back because he wanted to make really sure and get some more angles. So, FINALLY, this morning I go to my primary care dr. You can tell something isn't quite right when they walk in the room. She tells me "There is something there." It isn't a tumor, but now they have to do some other type of angiogram to make SURE that it is an aneurysm. It is at the carotid and circle of willis...at least that is what I have gleaned from this whole situation. She also said that she wants to get this going NOW, doesn't want to wait, and will move me to the University hospital (yuck) instead of one of the nice ones if she has to, just to get it done sooner. So, I don't know what to think, what will happen, etc. etc. How is this going to affect my classes and schooling (we are in week 9 already), how long will recovery take, side effects, who will watch my kids & husband....everything. If anyone knows, or works with pts. post-op who have had surgery for this, how long until I will be out, barring complications? I know that it is better that they found this now instead of when it (possibly) bursts, and I can't think of a better time, since after May 31 we will no longer have insurance...I am just scared and I feel stupid and stressed... Any words of wisdom?? And thank you for listening to me ramble on... :uhoh21:

I, for one, do not have an actual high school diploma. I have a GED and a CHSPcertificate (that's Cal. High School Proficiency, which you can take at a younger age than the GED). I was older when I went back to school, and I started at a CC. I then transferred after 2 years to University. I don't know if it matters, and really it shouldn't. You might want to go to CC because it is less expensive to begin with. But you will not be able to go into any RN program right away, I don't think. At least, I've never heard of anyone doing that. There are several pre-req courses you will need before getting into the program, and also depending on whether you choose an ADN or a BSN program. I agree with the other poster...if there is an RN program in your area call them, go in and talk to them, go to their website, whatever, and get the info on what you need to do. Also check with the school regarding their admission policies. Good Luck!