Howdy. Is it as bad as you thought? lol I hope not. I heard you guys had to give actual bed baths in lab, sweet,lol The course gets better when you start ur clinicals, then you get to make up your nursing plans, joy joy!! There are books in the library that can help you with them. Or check out half.com or ur book stores. Half.com would be cheaper, and havaing a book totally up to date isnt that important. I have "Nursing care care plans 6th ed) ISBN 9780323039543 Its a good book. if your short for cash, it is not a MUST have! check ur local libraries as well. Check ebay and search for "nursing care plans" some older books for like $5!!
As well for ur drug passage exam that you take in LAB, you will get a list of drugs you need drug cards for! Think there was a list of about 30. One can either make them up on ur own, OR buy drug cards! MEC bookstore has them or Borders! if you sign up for a Borders reward card (its free) u get weekly coupons emailed to ya, and quite often they are for 20% off!! And they have the Mosby ones and Med-Deck. i ahve the Med Deeck and i think it was only mssing one of the drugs that we had to know. During the drug passage exam, ur allowed to look at ur med cards if u forget, just like you would on the floor! At least that was the case last yr, things are always changing! Cheers
I think the finals tend to be easier than the regualr exams,but of course maybe its because I study more,lol
many people fear the Psych rotation, but I found it to be ok, not an area i want to go in (neither is OB,lol) but it was interesting. Of course most gals enjoy the OB,so maybe save the best for last!! Cheers
Good point - I am doing my psych rotation now and pretty much hate it . . . but I loved OB. It seems like the psych instructors keep you the entire time, and I never had that in any other clinicals; we almost always got out early. Also we've had homework every week in psych. I do prefer to take the harder stuff first, because I get very stressed by the end of the semester!!!
I didnt think psych was all that bad. I had mine at Inova Fairfax first rotation! Mrs Warden was superb, highly recommend her. Just try going in with a positive attitude. Your only there 7 times, so its not that big of a deal,lol
Well, we're there 14 times. I really love Dr. P, but the environment is just so depressing, to me at least. I would rather do another rotation with Ms. A, but don't tell anyone that.
Where are you other senior nursing students going to be in the Spring? Anyone doing a preceptorship?
I always try and do the 13 hour--1 day clinicals!! I got a preceptorship at Reston, 2nd half of last semester. I'm assuming its Med-Surg, which I asked for. Actually I listed my top 2 choices for floor and for which hospital, then stated I would go anywhere,any floor, as long as it wasn't OB,lol. I was told flexibility was the key,lol
Yes psych can be a bit depressing, but ya just got to make the best of it. I enjoyed listening to them, its amazing how much they open up to you. I took a lot away from the psych rotation, probably more than some of the other rotations!
I don't mind the 13 hr shifts! ya they are long,but then ur not driving to the hospital twice a week!!
Good luck in getting the Tuesday clinical for the 1st rotation, many I have spoken with are going for the same one!! For the preceptorship, ur more than likely going to have to do the 12 hr shifts! I belive it averages out to 14 hrs a week! then ya have to figure out what hrs ur RN works. Could be interesting. I don't work,so I'm pretty flexible. Good luck tomorrow
LOL, we're hijacking the 1st year thread! I am doing a preceptorship at Potomac hospital the 2nd half of the semester. Hoping to get in the NICU. Um, I don't remember which clinical I'm going for by number . . . the one with Dr. M. at Mt. Vernon. Trying desperately to avoid Dr. A!
BTW, like I mentioned earlier - most of the 13 hour rotations aren't *really* 13 hours. Ms. S. let us out before 4pm most days and we were supposed to be on 'til 8! She gave us homework but it wasn't difficult.
I actually wouldn't mind taking ms. A again - she wasn't horrible and she seemed to like me. LOL. The thing is, the 2 nights in a row is just killing my family life, my kids, etc., so I can't do it anymore.
I started this thread, lol i wanted to lead them to think I'm a caring and sensitive person, lol
Mrs A will be the last to fill up! The tues will fill up first,then the wed. Mckeever keeps us for the 13 hrs on med-surg,but thats fine as she is an excellent instructor and keeps things interesting. If you can get her, i would rate her as my #1.
I really love Dr. P, but the environment is just so depressing, to me at least. I would rather do another rotation with Ms. A, but don't tell anyone that. 
krenee
517 Posts
Good point - I am doing my psych rotation now and pretty much hate it . . . but I loved OB. It seems like the psych instructors keep you the entire time, and I never had that in any other clinicals; we almost always got out early. Also we've had homework every week in psych. I do prefer to take the harder stuff first, because I get very stressed by the end of the semester!!!
Kelly