Cari1030

I also keep getting asked my opinion about the vaccine, if I'm getting it, etc...and then people go into a rant about how it's not safe and I'm probably going to die and blah blah blah.

I feel this in my soul, ha. I just graduated in August, I was doing clinicals when Covid showed up here (I'm only about 45 mins from where the first cases showed up in the US; my older daughter went to school with the teen known as the second patient here), I did my preceptorship all Summer, and throughout all of this, I've been working my normal job in retail. I don't think the public expects to run into a RN student (or now, a licensed RN, as I don't have a job as a nurse yet), so they like to tell me all about the conspiracy theories out there and how stupid all of this is and how it's all fake. It drives me nuts! I'm lucky because my family and most of my friends are totally not on that level and the nurses I worked with in the hospital were amazingly level headed as well. But the general public...arg, I can't. I like to vent via facebook arguments. ?

I'm a recent grad and we did clinical throughout our program, including a 2.5 month preceptorship, all of which were primarily in med/surg. I hate med/surg. I HATE IT. I feel like forcing me to work in med/surg for a year would be absolute torture, I'd probably end up leaving (unless it was in peds, I might be good there, it's the only rotation I enjoyed) and finding a clinic position in that case. I get the reasoning, but I feel like OR nursing is so, so different from med/surg nursing that much of that experience would be lost and pointless.

I'm in my final quarter of nursing school, preparing for my preceptorship (which starts this week). I was initially placed in the OR, which is what I wanted, but the unit backed out last minute, so I was placed in ortho (not sure why? Maybe because of the high number of surgical cases?). I have been trying to freshen up on adult med surg care (diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc) since I'm sure many of the patients there have these sorts of additional issues, as well as reading up on various repairs and care of those (particularly hip repairs because that's where my brain goes with ortho, haha). However, my nursing school REALLY lacked in ortho/muscular skeletal care, so I'm trying to figure out what else I should read up or watch videos of. Any particular areas I should focus on? ?

Ouch. Maybe take this as a sign that you aren't doing as bad as you thought? I mean, you would think if they'd given up all hope for you, they'd just tell you you aren't a good fit and reassign or let you go, but instead they're wanting you to push ahead. Having said that, I'm not a nurse yet (I'm in my preceptorship, grad in Sept), so really, take whatever I say worth a grain of salt. I'm glad you posted this, though, as I'm interested in surgical nursing and have ADD as well. I don't really like working with adults (at least conscious ones, haha) and I really enjoyed watching a couple of cesareans done. Not at all like actual surgical nursing, but it was one of the few times in nursing school I felt like I was where I belonged. However, I also feel like I'll forget things or do something dumb, so I'm struggling. Plus, there's no OR residencies open this time around at the hospital I want to work at, so now I'm even more lost ? Guh.

Bahaha, wait till quarter 3. :D

I got mine full price at Walmart for ~$200. It's like a Chromebook but it's a Windows computer instead, works great and the battery lasts 9+ hours. I'm at TCC. You guys will have access to a ton of NCLEX content via the Point as well. There's so much NCLEX style content in each class that I think it will help a lot in the end as well. I'm in the last cohort before all the changes so it's a little different, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

That^. I'm also going into third quarter. Also, make sure you have a computer or a tablet, I tried to get away with just my heavy laptop and ended up buying a lightweight, long battery life tablet computer thing. Fo' real, it's necessary. Good luck guys!!

I'm still in my first quarter in the RN program, I have five kids, I'm a single mom, and when I'm in clinical, I keep my phone on me, but it's on silent. The ONLY time I look at my phone is on bathroom breaks, lunch break, or when we're in the conference room where it was explicitly said we could use them. Yesterday, we were at clinicals all of 30 minutes before I got a message from my 13 year old freaking out because my 8 year old fell out of bed and they thought her arm might be dislocated or broken. I happened to get the message quickly because I was still in the conference room, but they were going to call me at the location if I hadn't answered anyway, as this was an emergency. I legit have zero reason to have a phone out on the floor, whether it's directly on the floor or in a side vestibule or whatever. None. And that's with all of my spawn at home. (Kid is fine btw, after a fun trip to the ER, we figured out she angered some muscles and tendons and has a lovely bruise) I can't see any possible reason for you to have your phone out, ever. I also have several issues medically, and I have not yet formally filed paperwork (though I am going to), but my instructors also know that I have those medical issues. It's not favoritism, it's being real and knowing your limitations and risks for having trouble within the program. The same goes with my kids. They know I have way too many crotch goblins, I'm not looking for special treatment, I'm being realistic. Plus, no offense, but I thought it was common knowledge that nurses are on their feet all day long, it would seem prudent to take care of that issue ahead of time knowing this. As for the other stuff, it sounds like some of it was justified and some was just dislike from the instructor. We all have issues with people here and there, the difference is how we handle it, as others pointed out.

I'm in Washington. My nursing program does not test for weed themselves; however, the clinical locations do, and if you test positive, you are unable to complete clinicals and therefore are no longer in the program, though I'm not sure if they directly kick you out. The hospitals all test for it and will fire people for having it in their system.

I've tried on several NB styles and they weren't comfy for me It may just be that I'm so used to this particular shoe I wear normally that nothing feels right, but then buying something and having it make my feet hurt is just a waste of money. I have literally worn the same style shoe for the past six years, just buying a new one when the old wear out, but they don't come in white and we're required to wear white! Ugh. I went ahead and ordered some Ryka's off Amazon because they were white, cheap, had good reviews, and a friend recommended them. If they suck, I can send them back, and if I wear them and they still suck...I only lost 20 bucks.

I found out we can't work nights during the week, only Friday/Saturday, but I'm still going to look for something during those days. Right now, I'm just going back to days in my retail position and switching to very part time with the ability to pick up hours as I can. I've been looking at a few of these suggestions though-I just can't do much yet as I'm still full time until the last minute before my quarter starts. I need the income while I can get it.

I'm wondering if anyone who has used Lippincott The Point (ie DocuCare, VSim, CoursePoint, etc) could recommend a tablet. I read their technical info and it's very vague. I was initially planning on just lugging my laptop around, but the battery life isn't nearly as good as a tablet, and it weighs a ton as it's a gaming laptop. A lighter, more basic laptop isn't in the budget; nor is a top of the line tablet. I'm basically looking for the cheapest thing that will actually still work with it. Haha. Any help??

I agree with them^ I'm haven't started nursing school yet, but as someone who has worked full time and went to school almost full time (10 credits vs the 12 that are full time) for the last 2 years, along with being a single mom of five-I will agree, it totally depends on YOU. Only you can possibly know what you can handle. If you think you can't do it, then don't. Or, wait until you have the hang of things after the first quarter or two and decide then. That way you'll know how badly your needed study time will be impacted. I know so many people who don't think they could handle what I did, yet I did it with little problem and still made time for fun. Nursing school is an entirely different ballgame, so I've changed my schedule to very part time to start with (I'm already employed where I'm staying for the time being and they're being extremely flexible), with the ability to get as many extra hours as I feel comfortable with. Perhaps you could try for per diem?

It depends on your program, I believe. I had a titer done for my MMR as I was missing my records showing I'd had more than one as a child. My titer came back showing no immunity to measles, but they only required one shot, not two, and I don't have to prove I am now immune. With Hep B, they require a positive titer (again, missing a record showing my 2nd shot), don't actually care how many I've had, and if I come back as not immune, I get the series again-but it doesn't prevent me from doing clinicals. I have to sign off saying I'm currently a non-responder and accept the risks. If someone still isn't immune after a second series, they do the same, sign off on it. Apparently it's more common than one might think. I'm hoping to find out about mine today!