PnwRN84

In the hospitals you do clinicals in, who enters orders in the computer? physicians only physicians and nurses physicians, nurses, and secretaries/HUCS ? Also, what state are you in?

I've been a ED nurse for 12 years, have watched brand new nurses leave for grad school- they don't even know sick from not sick. You need to be an experienced nurse before you make a good APN. Otherwise you're dangerous. I have a friend who moved to Cali and is currently in Westerns program. I've seen the website. I've seen the course listing. He texts me every day about what he's doing. I see the expectations. Its not worth it. Not in dollars and cents, and not for what you get out of it. You do save time- but people get so caught up in the time aspect...you actually need that time to develop your skills as a nurse. To hone in your assessment skills, to know a sick patient from across the room, to know what subtle changes mean your patient is much sicker than they appear. You're much better off with a less expensive BSN bridge where you can get in the field and get your feet wet. If it turns out admin is your thing, there are online MBA, nurse admin, or MSN tracts that will cost you a lot less (and your job will hopefully give you some reimbursement). And, in plenty of cases, you can start a admin job with just a BSN as long as you agree to advance your degree by a certain date. I also agree with with the above poster- Being essentially a new grad with a Master's degree puts you in an awkward spot. Advanced degrees come with higher salaries that are typically reserved for more experienced nurses. Certainly a valid point to consider. Also pay pay close attention: as a new grad you're expected to work and continue school full time through your Bachelors and Master's. I worked full time + weekly overtime through all my degrees, but for some that may be an issue. Just saying. Also look closely at the Masters tracts. You don't end up with a NP; you'd need a post master's certificate for that (and I got my master's out of state- post master's certificates can be hard to obtain). Save your money, pick a BSN bridge. You'll get the same benefit and opportunity for advancement without $100k in loans.

How far is your drive to your clinical site from your school? Could you share also how big of a city you're in and what kind of hospitals you have around? I'm trying to get a feel of what's normal and expected. for example, I'm in a town of 100000 with 2 220 bed hospitals. We drive at a max 20 minutes to clinical from school. My friend in another state drives an hour and a half.. and it's completely expected. However, these hospitals in my town are getting full, so they're looking to smaller community hospitals further away..and I'm hearing backlash about the distance..? What's your expected commute?!

The story is very confusing. Did a patient give medications to another person or not? Even if they did, the details of the whole transaction are not known, and for that reason I'd say yes it's both HIPPA and an ethics violation. It's one thing to see a legit drug deal, but what if I gave a dose of ibu (which I have in my locker right now) to my mom? Or what if I handed my new rx from the ED to my boyfriend to carry? That person should be in hot water. I've been in the ED 12 years and am far too busy to play the games that person plays. I call the cops on mandated cases of abuse, rapes and assaults where the alleged victim requests me to call, and when patients who are a risk to themselves or others elope. Your 'friend' (I pray isn't an actual NP) needs an ethics course and some more work to do. I'd request a different provider too.(which makes me think maybe they are an NP, and should be dealt with).

If you were to walk in to a room and find someone who needs compressions and died because you could not perform them; could you imagine the lawsuit to follow? Your guilt? You should immediately notify your employer of your condition. I'm also a little surprised that your doc allowed you to pick your restrictions. Our facilities RN job description states you have to be able to lift up to 50 pounds, so even beyond the CPR requirement, what if someone collapses in front of you? It's a danger and liability to your license and the facility to allow you to continue in your current condition on the floor. Thats not to say you need to be terminated. Your facility should have RN work that's not direct patient care. Resource utilization? Social work? Patient referrals and call backs? The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has published many papers about the aging and retiring nursing workforce and the need of facilities to adapt jobs to keep those who want to work working. I think that realistically.. if you're at the best condition you can be with your back problem and will never do CPR again; on the floor is too risky to patients, yourself, and your employer. Move to a non clinical position and 'nurse on'. Good luck.