ER elective

502Nurse · Jul 5, 2001

Hi Tattoochick:

I'm just curious about your ER elective clinical. Is this for

extra credit or part of your program? It sounds awesome...

I wish I could take something like that over the summer!

Are you in a BSN or ADN program?

I'm also worried about loosing my skills over the summer.

I have started studying the basic skills, calculations, etc.

to stay on top of things.

Let me know how the clinical goes! There are many internet

sites that can refresh you on nursing basics (EKG, dosage, etc.)

tattoochick · Jul 6, 2001

Yes, we all have to have an elective. I just lucked out. 40 people tried to register for this class/clinical and there were only 10 spots. When I found out that I was one of the 10 and that there were 30 people on the waiting list, I was shocked. But, I feel like I've learned more in one day in this er thing than the entire first year of nursing school. I started my first IV today on my teacher (strangely) in practice lab and got it on my first try in a little bity vein. I was pretty stoked!! Yeah, this nursing thing isn't so bad after all......I'm totally kidding of course. :cool:

CEN35 · Jul 7, 2001

he he he he.............no matter how much cpr you do on the dummy, it's not the same as for real. personally? i like throwing the students in on a full arrest in the er, and telling them to do cpr. :)

502Nurse · Jul 8, 2001

Yipes! I'd be terrified!! But I guess that's the only way to really learn how to do CPR. I think I'll read that CPR manual again...

CEN35 · Jul 8, 2001

oh come on now.........it's not that bad..lol! :eek:

Peeps Mcarthur · Jul 8, 2001

Just make sure you locate the "little thingy" (xyphoid process) Plant your palm two fingers above that lock your fingers and elbows and listen for two important instructions from the code leader.

STOP CPR: DOES NOT MEAN TO REMOVE YOUR PERFECTLY PLACED PALM. It does mean to stop moving so they can read a rythm.

CLEAR! :eek: MOST DEFINITELY MEANS TO REMOVE YOUR PERFECLY PLACED PALM and anything else that is touching anything the patient is touching.

You are going to crack ribs ocaisionaly.

It is not your fault that the patient died. If your compressions were THAT BAD someone would have relieved you.

Once you've done it once, or had someone compliment "good technique"

you'll just be knocking everyones ass out of the way cause you can't wait to get to that chest when the code sounds!

tattoochick · Jul 8, 2001

Ummmm, the students aren't allowed to do CPR at Baylor.....they must not trust us or something......It makes me kind of frustrated because I'm wondering what I sat for 5 hours in the stupid class for, I'll just have to renew it again before I graduate anyways...

kennedyj · Jul 9, 2001

I remember the externship I did in a trauma center. I learned probably more there than I did in all of my other nursing clinicals. My preceptor was awesome. I did CRP the first few times but then went on to more of the better things (defib, ACLS meds - I was already BTLS and ACLS certified). A good way to assess CPR is to have someone on the code team place a doppler on the femoral pulse.

we did a lot of Heparin and nitro drips, we even had a patient go into torsades once. I was offered an oppertunity to do an ext jugular but turned it down (not sure of policy).

It can be a great experience if you are allowed to do things. The students at this ER did everything the regular nurses did under a RN preceptor.

Jared

BrandyBSN · Jul 9, 2001

I get to take my ER elective in the spring semester, right after chirstmas break, and I am sooo excited about it! Been waiting 3 years just to take that! Good luck, and if you do anything else really exciting let us know!

Brandy

502Nurse · Jul 9, 2001

Wow! It sounds like a lot of people are going to do clinicals/externships in the ER. How long are the clinicals that you are all doing? Our externship is in the spring and it is for three weeks. I am very interested in critical care but it seems that doing a clinical in the ER would give more diverse experience. What do you all think? Would doing an externship exclusively in a critical care (ICU) setting provide less experience to a student?

We have to make our requests at the beginning of the Fall semester, and I'm not sure where I should be!

Thanks for your input

kennedyj · Jul 10, 2001

In the ER externship you will learn many skills that you can use anywhere you go. We were able to pick our own schedules as long as it was OK with our preceptor. We had til the end of the semester + 2 weeks to have everything completed. We had 80 hrs for 2 credits and 120 hrs for 3 credits.

Have fun and enjoy your course.

Jared