CraigBSN02

CraigBSN02 has 15 years experience and specializes in TNCC CEN CPEN CCRN.

Latest Activity

1. New Grad Needs Experience

   CraigBSN02 replied to bubblejet50's topic in Critical

   What Missnurse said. No replacement for hospital experience. Start in the hospital, and forget about the EMT program. Unless you see your career path leading you to a first responder type position (Flight Nursing or Transport Nursing). However, with ...

2. New Grad seeking ICU career path

   CraigBSN02 replied to RNin's topic in Critical

   Starting out in Tele gives you a leg up on the competition for the TICU positions. TICU is competitive and there are fewer of those jobs; They are going to take people who have floor experience first. It's also beneficial if you are working for the f...

3. CEN to ICU?

   CraigBSN02 posted a topic in MICU

   Greets, I'm a 10 year CEN ER nurse who is "looking to try something new". I've done ER from 100,000 + academic centers to 6 bed rural hospitals. I love the really sick patients and I like the intensity that their care demands. I'm thinking about movi...

4. Your least favorite patient.

   CraigBSN02 replied to errn7's topic in Emergency

   Har har har. I love this thread. :rotfl: My least favorite are the ones with minor complaints and a condescending/demanding attitude. This is the nightmare scenario: Young couple late 20s, childless, possible married but in a relationship nontheless....

5. Hiring freeze in VA and DC?

   CraigBSN02 replied to mingez's topic in Washington DC

   The economy affects us all, but hospitals in the DC market are still hiring. GWU Hospital, and several INOVA locations (Mt. Vernon, Healthplex, Fairfax). As far as travel nursing goes, fuhgeddabowdit! Contracts have all but disappeared nationwide. -C...

6. Is ICU too challenging for new grads?

   CraigBSN02 replied to yoginurse2b's topic in General Nursing

   No no , and no! If ICU is really what you want to do, and you "really feel you belong", then there is no stopping you. Study hard, learn alot and you will succeed. This bogus "new grads can't handle the ICU" theory needs to go the way of nursing caps...

7. Trauma ER or Level 3 ER!?!?

   CraigBSN02 replied to bamagt's topic in General Nursing

   More precisely, you can challenge (sit for the exam) for a paramedic certification as long as you have a BSN and a active RN licensure. -Craig RN, BSN, and others... :-)

8. Pt signed out AMA then died! what do you think?

   CraigBSN02 replied to jenrn6282's topic in General Nursing

   Did you contact the attending MD and get orders for this guy's AMA? Did you have the patient sign the AMA form and provide him detailed discharge instructions about what could have and what he should do? Was the patient in command of his faculties? I...

9. Trauma ER or Level 3 ER!?!?

   CraigBSN02 replied to bamagt's topic in General Nursing

   You stated that your goal was to become a flight nurse. If that's the case, the big messy ER is where you'll need to get some experience. However, that may not be the best place for you. Allow me to explain... Critical care/flight nursing is an advan...

10. Who worked during nursing school?

    CraigBSN02 replied to hnt1987's topic in General Nursing

    If you have to ask this question, then you do not need to work during nursing school. :-) Those of us that needed to pay rent, eat, put gas in the car, etc. etc.... we worked because there wasn't a choice. If you're a "traditional student" coming rig...

11. Do You Have To Work Med-surg??

    CraigBSN02 replied to nursingisforme's topic in General Nursing

    If you wanted to be a policeman, how much sense would it be to be a firefighter for a year? If you're a person who is certain that one specific specialty is what you want and have make it your career path thus far (eg: you want to be in ER, so you be...

12. Trauma Shears & Eye Protection suggestions, please.

    CraigBSN02 replied to edmia's topic in Uniform/Gear

    For shears, there is only one correct answer... http://www.bigshears.com (picture attached for proof) Suckers are big, too. Weigh about a pound (~400gm) They can cut thru anything. Denim, leather, boots, bad attitudes, you name it. -Craig, RN, BSN, a...

13. Ever watched old cartoons?

    CraigBSN02 replied to CraigBSN02's topic in Emergency

    I agree with your decision. The fact that this lady had risk factors out the wazoo is a side point. However, this doesn't sound like new onset cardiac pain. The salient points are: reproduceable RIGHT side chest pain x 1 year and dyspnea on its own t...

14. Ever watched old cartoons?

    CraigBSN02 posted a topic in Emergency

    Ever seen when a character passes out? All the "color" drains out of him so that he's see-thru?? I ask for a reason. Keep reading. My pt is a young adult, transferred to us for a distal comminuted humerus fracture with radial nerve palsy. We'll call ...

15. Does your ED/ER hire new grads? (and related ?s)

    CraigBSN02 replied to beachbum3's topic in Emergency

    Yes, they have internships and externships. Usually coincides with school graduations, but ideally they'll start a new grad training class whenever they're enough people. I think it's pretty heavily skewed towards newbies, though I don't know wha...