waitingforthedream

No math, passed at 75. You really don't want to see math on the NCLEX, they are considered lower lever questions.

You do not have to be so fricken ignorant to me at 6:00 in the morning when I get a fingerstick saying "78" and your paremeters say call Doctor if

I had at least 8 med ?'s, some I knew right away because they were familiar. A couple were WTH is that?? When I could not pick the answer because I knew nothing about the drug, and I studied my butt off, I chose the answer with the worst outcome for the pt. and moved on. Don't dwell, not even the Doctors know every drug. That is what drug books are for. Good Luck.

I do the 2400, which is not bad. It is the 6am and 6:39am meds that are killer! That is when you are the busiest, yet the most tired. My problem is that I get so worked up from running around, that by the time I get home I am wired and find it hard to get to bed. My kids get home at 3:30, so if I don't sleep right away, you mine as well forget my sleep

I started the 11-7 as a new grad, and it has it's pros and cons. I feel more like a paper pusher, except in the am when we pass the meds and do a quick assessment on patients. I really do not feel like I get alot of experience clinically. But it is a more relaxed environment in which to slowly getted used to nursing without running around like a chicken with your head cut off :) I have since been offered a 7am-7pm which I probably will except because I can't get enough sleep on night shift. My family and their schedule clash with mine and I can only seem to get 5-6 hours of sleep a day, not enough. Good luck to you as you pursue your career.

I have learned when going through school (finished now) that you worry about yourself, not the others. First semester students do not learn much other then the fundamentals of nursing, which really does not include any of the things that you mentioned. Give them time, you will see this once you start. Worry about your GPA, and let others worry about theirs. Good luck

It took me 3 months of applying to hundreds of positions. Probably went on 7 interviews out of those 100. I was actually hired at an open house. I did not apply to hospitals in my area because it seemed to me like most of their jobs were going internally, I cannot waste my time. I focused on LTC, sub-acute, and any other job that was not hospital. INDEED.com is a great resource for jobs, thousands of RN jobs just by typing in your zip code. Don't give up, the market is even hitting nursing. Hang in there, it will come to you. I would look every morning on indeed to see what new jobs just went up, and I did not apply on line. I got dressed and took my resume up in person. Most of the time they granted my an interview on the spot. You are only 1 piece of paper in thousands when you apply on line, in person you can shine. Give it a try and good luck.

NJ allows you to become a CNA once you pass first module of Nursing school. I do not even think they make you take exam, they just need a letter from school and nursing program.

Ah, the gray area! What I consider the hardest class in nursing school. This is all about your communication skills and presenting reality. You go from black and white of med surg to psych, where sometimes every answer seems right. I did all of my studying from the care plans that they had in our book. I tried to read all about the different types of mental illness and communication skills needed. It seemed very important in this area of what you should not do vs. what you should do. Like not whispering near someone who is paranoid. I spent alot of time digesting the disease and the theapeutic interventions needed for each one. The meds are a big one too, there are so many side effects that you need to be aware of. It will click for you, it is just a different way of learning then the other nursing courses. It is just not memorizing, it is about understanding what is going on in someones head and basing your care around what they are feeling. Everyone is different. Good luck, this was a tough course. But now I love psych and am looking for a job in this area!

Hired at an acute rehabilitation hospital 11p-730a, I wanted something with geriatrics and I guess this is close enough. We can't be picky in Jersey, they are just not hiring new grads!

I know he can't help what he is doing, but his family has no clue. I will be calling crisis center tomorrow to get him put in. It is not him I get upset with, it is the stinken mental health system that we have for these poor victims! It sickens me, what we have to go through to get them the help that they need. My heart bleeds for the families and people with this illness. I will keep everyone posted on how it goes tomorrow.Thanks everyone!

That is why I love this site! Everyone understands, what my family members do not. I do not understand why they will not allow my to call crisis when I grabbed my arm. Today he told me he was in Brazil, God bless him. I worked 11p-7a last night and again 11p-7a tonight, so I will not be able to do anything until Monday (my one day off) But this is something I must do before he hurts himself or others. Thanks for everyones thoughts and support.:heartbeat

Your right, not eating and not sleeping is not endangering your life. I remember learning in school that these are in Maslows right on the top of the list, right???? So yes, they are a danger to themselves. God do I hate the system. My only alternative is to call crisis and lie to them and have him put in involuntarily, which I hate to do. Once the judge gets involved he is in there for months. I just wish he would seek help without being forced. This is a wonderful website for support, and I appreciate everything being said. It helps alot to get support from my "sisters". Thank you!

Thank you, that is why I became a nurse. I thought I could make a differance in the mental health field, I was wrong. I am the only family member he has left, everyone else took the easy way out and have nothing to do with him. I made a promise to my mother in law that I would never let anything happen to him, and that I would take care of him. She died 10 minutes after that promise. I feel like I am failing her, although I know it is the system. It is such an awful disease, and people do not understand why they act the way they do. I will never leave him alone, and I told him so last night as I tried to get him help. Funny thing is this morning he calls me to tell me he is moving to Brazil!! God I love him, but I do the graveyard shift and his 100 phone calls a day are costing me sleep. Thank you for your support. You sound like a wonderful person!! And congrats on seeking help on your own, that must have been very hard for you. Good Luck!!!:heartbeat

I was hoping to get some feedback on how to deal with a family member that is in the manic phase. I have been taking care of him for 3 years, I know when he is going downhill. He refuses to go in on his own accord, which only gives me the choice of calling crisis on him and going in against his will. He is delusional, becoming very open with sexual talk, saying he is owner of major companies, etc etc. Last time he went manic he hit and run and lost his driving license for a year. I do not want him to get to that point. But the crisis team will not come unless he is a danger to himself or others. His blood sugar was 31 last week (he has DM) so it says to me that he is not eating right, he is not sleeping right. Is that not a danger to himself?? What the H#$@ do I do or say to these people to make them evaluate him. He knows the system well, and usually will not speak kooky to the Doctors. He always fakes chest pain so they cannot transfer him to psych hospital until they clear him. Please, If anyone has any ideas I can really use the help. I cannot handle the mental health care in this country, it is disgusting! This man has spent his whole month of bill money in two days, without paying his rent. He did grab my arm the other night and also spoke about going to lay in his hammock and not wake up, in front of his social worker. I thought that was enough info to get social worker to get the crisis team out, but he did not!!! Ideas anyone???