Lesli61

My school uses a lot of the books from Elsevier/Evolve. The have an online resource that you can use with sample multiple choice questions. I often find the exact same questions on my instructor's tests. I think the instructors must get a free 'testbank' of questions from the publisher, and they incorporate those into their tests. It is a big help to practice the same type of questions that you will likely have on your exams.

I was wondering if anyone is or knows a CRNA that didn't go to anesthesia school until they were older, (like late 40's or into their 50's)? I have a masters in chemistry, and just started nursing school at age 47. I know I have the academic ability, but I worry about the stamina.

Getting back to the original question... My instructors are saying the same thing. They will not accept any of the 'usuals' like pain, constipation, fluid volume deficit, etc. The reasoning is that they want us to focus on the FAMILY not just the physical condition of the patient. Look for bonding with infant, family processes, knowledge deficits, or 'Ready for enhanced knowledge...' (my personal favorite because any mom, even experienced, can learn something new. Hope that helps.

I remember being a 15 y.o. candystriper, having to do vitals and charting on the floor. Then as a 16 y.o candystriper in the ER digging wallets out of bloody purses from car accident victims to get their information. I also cleaned suture trays and handled sharps with no gloves!

I'm going to side with Ruby on this one. If I were in that situation, I would have smiled, looked the guy right in the eye, and said 'Not to worry, I haven't missed yet!' OR 'I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough time here; try not to worry, we will do our best to take care of you.' Has anyone tried to put themselves in this guy's place? He must be in some sort of crisis, and feels scared and feels like everything is out of control. Maybe this is the way he reacts in a situation like this. He might lash out at everyone. Let's try some TLC first. Not everyone is a polite pussycat when they are in trouble.

You guys are so right about the appointment problem. It is so hard to get a sameday, or even next day appointment. I had a bad sore throat and had to wait an entire week to get in! On top of that, my doc has no office hours Fri, Sat, or Sun. The other big factor that is playing a part in all this is health insurance. With my plan, If I go to the doc, I have to pay out of pocket. If I go to the ED, it's all paid. Doesn't make any sense, does it? My local hospital just set up a 24-7 clinic for non-emergencies, but it is connected to the ED, so they can shuffle patients back and forth depending on the situation. Not only that, but for billing purposes and insurance, the clinic is considered an ED visit. I don't know how it is working for them, but it has got to be an improvement.

In the past, I took class notes on a legal tablet, then copied everything over to notebook paper and filed in a 3 ring binder along with all the handouts. I like to find related stuff on the internet and print it out and add it in. Especially stuff that helps explain concepts, etc. I just picked up one of those new 'hybrids' made by Mead. It has 3 plastic rings that open like a binder, but it's more the size of a spiral, and you can bend the cover back like a spiral. I might give it a try... I too love to shop, buy and organize my school supplies. I think it's the female 'nesting urge'. Kinda like wanting to clean and organize the house right before you deliver the baby! (I know, I went through it twice. In the throws of 1st stage labor I just HAD to scrub the bathtub!)

There is a short article in the new issue of Nursing 2006 about this. The CDC does not ID scrubs as a 'significant source' of infectious pathogens, and it's perfectly OK to wash them along with the rest of the laundry at home (unless there is an obvious spill of body fluids). It seems that the dilution in the laundry tub coupled with the dryer heat is sufficient. Just don't go hugging anyone until you change. I still won't wear my shoes inside, though. Not after seeing maintenence in an elevator with a dripping biohazard bag! (Ugh)

Ok, this is a 'near miss' story; but it could have been REALLY embarassing. My son was playing baseball at about age 10. When he came off the field, and took off his glove, his hand was purple. One of the mothers saw it and said 'OMG, better get him to the ER; it looks like there is no circulation in his hand! So we made a big ice pack and took him home first. He had been playing catcher, so he said it was 'a little sore'. My hubbie decides to call the doctor first. The doc listens over the phone, then says 'Get some alcohol and some cotton balls, and wipe the hand. We did, and the purple came right off! Turns out it was dye from the inside of the glove. Doc must have seen that one before! The dreaded 'purple hand syndrome'!!

I've been taking 50mg per day for about 8 years with No side effects, and no weight gain. Just be prepared to give it time (about 2 weeks). If you feel emotionally 'flat', you are taking too much and should cut back the dose. If there is no effect, go back to the Dr. and try something else; don't give up. It's has made a huge difference in the quality of my life.:wink2:

There are already lots of threads on these topics. If you use the search function you will find them. You can also go to the Nursing Student forum an find a sticky labelled 'items you need for nursing school.'

I got a workbook called 'Dosage Calculations' 7th Edition by Gloria Pickar. You can buy it at BarnesandNoble or Amazon.com It is a really great book. It shows you several different calculation methods, with lots of practice problems. The later chapters cover the more advanced topics, like titrating IV's and BSAs. There are comprehensive exams at the back so that you can test yourself. There are lots of diagrams and photos, and throughout the book they use sample MAR sheets and order sheets with hypothetical clinical situations and related questions. My school offers majors in nursing, radiology, surg tech, etc. so everyone must take a basic 'applied math' class that covers dosage calcs along with basic algebra, geometry, and trig. I took the class by exam, after studying the book mentioned above, and passed with flying colors! :chuckle I think Pickar's book may also come in handy as a reference later on. Good Luck!

Why not just call the school or your instructor and ask? It wouldn't hurt! My instructor sent us a very nice letter in the mail describing what to wear. The school's policy is 'professional dress' meaning business/office type attire such as dress slacks and blouse, etc. When we get our first tour of the hospital we put on a lab coat with our ID.

Lisa41rn, is this really about age, or is it about being dumped on? Is your work load heavier because this woman is on your shift? What did you mean when you said 'she has done other things involving other nurses'? Are you trying to say she is manipulative and difficult to work with? In all professions, not just nursing, sometimes people who are incompetent or just not that great at their job get 'rewarded' with a lighter work load, since it is often difficult to find grounds for dismissal. So management or the employer give the important and often harder work to the people that they know will do a good a job, while the others get off easy. I'm just wondering if that is part of this issue.

Wow! I didn't know so many people had this problem! I also have 'hyperhydrosis'. Anything that raises my heart rate turns on the faucet! The pores around my hairline open up, and right away my hair, face, and neck are soaked. The dermatologist said botulinum shots around the hairline would close up those pores and stop it, but I didn't like the idea. I'll live with it. I've also heard about real severe cases that were cured by surgery. It involved cutting a nerve that causes the sweating. The main problem then is overheating since you lose the body's natural cooling mechanism. That sounds a bit extreme! I think all the advice about extra layers and wicking fabrics sounds like a good idea. I think I will try the sage tea. We feel your pain! Good Luck!