Quark09

Hi! I'm starting the RN-MSN bridge program (TOMORROW!) I've been a member here for a while but haven't posted in quite a long time (several moves and recently another new baby). Nice to meet all of you

I'll usually write "pt resting quietly; eyes closed, VSS, NAD at present". Depending on what pt has been admitted for (resp. distress, cardiac, etc) I'll do extra notes on that specific area as well.

It's been broached on my unit, but right now our standard is breastmilk/donated BM. It would be interesting if we could start a trial here; I'll be interested to see what other replies you get. Sorry I'm not much help .

Oooooh I remember that from nursing school. We had a chick in there who had had every single condition we ever studied, and if she didn't have it, her kids, her husband, or her BFF did, and the nursing care she/they received was JUST HORRIBLE and "THAT'S WHY I JUST HAD TO BECOME A NURSE." If we would have started a drinking game that entailed taking a shot every time she said "Well this one time..." we'd have left lecture soused, every time.

California and Indiana both participate in NURSYS (well, California does for RN licensure). Reciprocity is much easier to obtain this way, so check out this link: https://www.nursys.com/NLV/TermsConditionsNLV.aspx. Good luck with your move!

Congratulations to you!

And that I completely understand. I haven't worked in many situations where I would run into that particular behavior (ED I hear is a big one); I've done PACU and SICU (both situations where the drugs are ordered and definitely needed) and now I go between NICU and PICU. We don't send the little ones home on heavier duty pain meds too often; however we do get pts on sildenafil whose parents have been suspected of possibly selling it .

We use donor milk for our preemies if mom can't express milk; I don't recall anyone refusing - what I find more worrisome is the indiscriminate/informal internet milk-sharing I've seen lately. One mom here had mentioned that she was going to continue giving her baby donated milk from someone she'd met online; our ID specialist ended up speaking with her about it, but unfortunately I don't believe she changed her mind. Our unit has seen a steady decline in NEC since DBM became the standard, which is wonderful. Ours comes in 2 oz containers and we rarely have issues with waste. We also obtain a signed consent for donor milk; we have to get them for the fortifiers too (because it was previously used without obtaining consent and we had an issue with an extremely angry mom who insisted her baby be given her milk only, without "anything artificial").

Lots of really good replies on this, and I've nothing really profound to add - only that if I have a patient saying he/she is in pain and I've an order for the meds, I'll give it. I'd rather a drug seeker get their fix than chance someone who is truly in pain be denied medication because their behavior might be a little suspect, or doesn't fit into preconceived notions of how someone in pain should be acting. Then again, I don't really have to worry too much about drug seekers in peds .

I live in Tacoma (originally from southern IL). For some of the bigger hiring entities, you really need at least a year's experience - for example, Multicare hires for several of the area's main hospitals (Mary Bridge Children's, Tacoma General, etc). They do occasionally hire new grads for externships, but they can be difficult to win . However, there are several agencies that do home health, clinic, LTC, etc hiring and welcome new grads. I don't necessarily think its an impossible job market here, but if you have a very specific area of nursing you're wanting to get into, you may find it helpful to broaden that scope. I would certainly send inquiry letters to any of the hospitals you're interested in right away; you may have a bit better luck if you go ahead and get your Washington license though, too. Good luck in whatever you decide!

Congratulations! That first semester is usually the rough one; now you've a better idea of what to expect and how to study. Good luck in your upcoming classes!

He's on facebook too; Project Helping Hands also has a page. Someone there may be able to point you in the right direction!

I've been on both ends of this. I do recall being in clinical my first semester on a med-surg floor; my preceptor had a Foley to insert on a female pt and asked if I'd like to do it (of course I was like "Hellz yes!"). Weeellll, I couldn't find her urethra. I'd inserted Foleys on several males and just a couple females, but I could NOT find the correct hole. Rather than me go through another kit, my preceptor said "Okay, I'll go ahead and do it" (pretty nicely, but understandably just ready [as was the pt] for the Foley to go in). It took her a few minutes to find the spot (after we wasted another kit in the lady parts) and after running it in, she started to fill the balloon without getting a urine return. Pt was not happy; that crap hurts! After a few seconds she realized she hadn't sunk it enough and pushed til she got the urine. It was one of those situations where I was like "Do I say something?" Thankfully I didn't; in retrospect it was a minor thing that was righted almost immediately, without my opening my mouth and adding my two cent's. I've since had students on my service. Generally I find them to be helpful, almost "unhelpfully" so :). I do recall some preceptors who were downright rude no matter the circumstance, and I've always made the effort to never be that nurse. However I also take it as an opportunity to chat with the student about "NCLEX world" vs. "real world".

SWEET!! Amazing how the areas you think you wouldn't like/be good at are where you truly thrive :)

I was wondering what would be the best way to schedule two PRN jobs; I didn't know if most people set aside certain days/shifts with one agency, and then worked around that with the other, or just leave it all up in the air. I'm on my husband's insurance too, so the benefits isn't an issue. What I'm really liking is the experience; one job is peds LTAC; the other is adult home care, who are for the most part medically stable.

Hello all (I'm the OP); I have no idea why this was moved to the Burn ICU forum - I originally posted this in 2009, and it was in the general nursing forum.

I'm waiting on the same thing here in Washington. I mailed in my verification request to the state of IL about four weeks ago; it's still not been received in Washington. I've emailed them and have called; the line is always busy.

OP, you did what was best for your patient, and what he wished . I have a hard time not asking a laboring mom if she wants any pain relief - even if her birth plan states "NO DRUGS!" in bold. I've also had moms with five/six page birth plans detailing no pit/no epi/etc decide that they would like some rest, and respite, from their pain (and dealt with an irate doula over the matter more than once as well). You can set your mind at ease. From what you've posted, you followed his wishes :)

I agree with the PPs who wrote that more clinical time would be helpful. When I was in school, we had a ton of class time compared to actual clinical hours, and the experiences available weren't much beyond med-surg (two 8-hour rotations in OR, ONE day in L&D, ONE in ICU)... it did seem that the focus was on passing NCLEX and less on actual patient care. I hit the floor pretty quickly and was lucky to get some great on-the-job assistance, but extra clinical time would have been very beneficial.

Meh; it would bother me... but unfortunately I have a tendency to have a bit of transference, especially with little ones and the elderly (what if this was my baby? What if this was my grandma?) Not always the healthiest attitude to have toward every single patient on my floor :-/ So, OP, yes, it would bother me most vigorously... but, if as another poster wrote, she was in an extremely advanced stage of Alzheimer's, OR had no abx specified in her AD, it would make a difference. That said, we don't know what's going on with the family, how long they've been watching their loved one deteriorate - maybe one of her other doctors had a talk with them re what to expect at end of life care? And in another thread, there was mention of the vast amounts the U.S. spends on prolonging life, and there's much truth to that. But, I'd still be thinking "what if that were my grandma?"

If you haven't yet gone to http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/WHO/nurs.asp; this link should help.

At the facility I worked at during my first pregnancy, linens were left on for family, and when the funeral home came to retrieve the body, the linens were bagged and returned to us (this was a small town/small hospital).

Well, she's switching oncologists to someone closer, and hopefully I'll be back in the States in time to go on her first visit with. She'd had a complete hysterectomy 10 years ago and was on a pretty high dose of Premarin, which, of course, she's discontinued. The Femara is prophylactic, and we're going to do a wait-and-see: follow ups with her new onco every three months, blood draws, etc. She's not going to take the Femara for now, and she already feels much better (no severe night sweats, energy is up, etc). She had spots on her lungs and one on her thyroid that haven't grown. In the meantime we'll look for a good PCP (her chiropracter was trying to get her to see him for her primary care needs). Thanks very much for the replies; we're going to work together with some integrative options and hope for the best!

I've been taking my grad classes through University of Illinois at Chicago - I believe their RN-BSN program is similar to ISU. With UIC, classes don't ever get cancelled - they're all online. You have to submit a letter from whomever you'll be getting your clinical hours through - this can be your place of work, but you can't be paid for them (they have to be hours in addition to what you work). They give you specific assignments that have to be completed each week, plus discussions you have to participate in.

Thanks for the replies... no, I was not asking for medical advice. I'm trying to figure out how to talk with my mother, and want to avoid language that might come across as paternalistic or devaluing her opinions. In the end, it is her choice - I just want her to make an informed one. Thanks again!