HHW2006

I spent seven years as an EMT with my local volunteer fire dept. prior to entering nursing school - even though I wasn't a paramedic, I think my training has definetely been a benefit to me as I have begun my nursing career. (I work in a med-surg ICU) Once you have run a trauma code in the front seat of a car or treated an AMI in the field dealing with an emergency situation in the hospital just seems much more calm and controlled. I have found it much easier to keep my wits about me than I think I would be able to do otherwise!

The only way I got through nursing school was with the support of not only my husband and two children, but my mother-in-law and sister-in-law as well. At first I was reluctant to accept their help, but finally came to the realization that they wouldn't offer if they really didn't want to help. My point is, take advantage of whatever help and suppport family and friends are offering you. Best of luck to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a question for all of you L&D nurses... I am 36 1/2 weeks pregnant. I have been contracting since 31 weeks and spent five weeks on partial bed rest. My contractions are now regularly 5-10 minutes apart (for several days), but my cervix is only dilated 2 cm and apprx 50% effaced. I have made 2 trips to the hospital thinking that I was going to have a baby, only to be sent home. I am at the end of my rope!! Sleep has become nearly impossible and I am very frustrated. I am looking for any tried and true at home labor inducers. At this point I am almost ready for the castor oil. Oh, this is baby number three for me and I didn't experience anything like this with the other two. Thanks for any help you can give me!!

Our CEA patients generally have morphine ordered for the first 12 hours or so, then either tylenol #3 or lortab. I do make sure that I get a base line neuro assessment before I give any narcotics to these patients.

I love twelves!! They are long days, but you can't beat only working three days a week!!!!!!!

I love twelves!! They are long days, but you can't beat only working three days a week!!!!!!!

We have recently developed and implemented a sepsis protocol at my hospital for our ICU. We are currently working on expanding the program to include the ER and med-surg floors.

I started in a med-surg icu right out of school and it was the best decision I could have made. I love the fast pace and the high degree of critical thinking that is involved. There is also a much greater degree of autonomy given to nurses in critical care (at least at my hospital) once you have proven yourself to be competent. I must admit to that I am a bit of an adrenaline junky - having spent 7 years as an EMT with my local volunteer fire department.

In our ICU visting is open with the exception of shift changes (7:00 - 8:30 am and pm). As nurses we can use our judgement to restrict visiting as needed based on the condition of our patient. I find the open visitation to be a bit much at times, as it is more difficult to make family members understand that sometimes their loved one just needs to be left alone to rest when it is posted right on the door to our unit that they can pretty much visit anytime they want!

I did an internship while I was in nursing school. It was a great experience. Make sure that all of the nurses on your floor know that you are a student and eager to see and do as much as you possibly can over the ten weeks you are with them. I found that by doing that the nurses went out of their way to involve me as much as possible in as many things as they could. The one mistake that I saw my classmates (also interns) make was to act like they knew it all - that is a huge mistake to make - you don't know it all and acting as if you do will only work against you. Don't be afraid to ask questions!!!! Good luck - enjoy your internship.

I found out I was pregnant about two weeks after I finished my new grad ICU orientation - surprise!!! I was scared to tell my manager, but she was very supportive - even arranging a day shift position for me when nights became too much for my pregnant body to handle. I am currently off work due to some (alot!) of preterm contractions and some cervical changes and my manager is still being supportive. I would tell your manager ASAP - chances are he or she will be happy for you and support you. Good luck!!

Our post CABG pts are 1:1 for at least the first twelve to twenty-four depending on how they are doing! I guess I am spoiled at my facility, because I have never been given an assignment that I felt was unsafe.

I started as a new grad in ICU almost nine months ago. It has been a great experience. I wouldn't recommend it for someone with no prior hospital experience though - all applicants at the hospital where I was hired had to have prior acute care experience as a nurse tech.

I am sorry that you are having a bad experience with your co-workers. I started as a new grad in ICU 9 months ago and have had nothing but support and encouragement from my fellow nurses. I wish everyone could have that!

The AACN has a program online called Essentials of Critical Care Orientation. My hospital required (and paid for) the course during my orientation. It is time consuming to complete, but I felt it was worth it - it contains lots of great information. Go to the AACN website and I am sure you can find all the info you need about the program.

I love the fact that our 18 bed icu gets such a wide variety of patients. I agree with Abel - I love the challenge of doing different things all the time. I think it helps me to keep sharp the skills I have developed and the opportunity to develop new ones.

We use propofol in our ICU with daily wake ups done on everyone as appropriate. Occassionally we have docs who will order sedation stopped and then we have issues with the pt becoming extremely anxious. I say keep the pt sedated until you are ready to wean - I wouldn't want to be awake with a tube in my throat!

I too started as a new grad in ICU, but I had a wonderful preceptor. She really took alot of time making sure I understood not only how to do things, but why I was doing them as well. I am now three weeks out from my orientation and am just beginning to get my bearings. I still have a ways to go, but it gets better every day. I am sorry to hear that your preceptor wasn't top-notch. Hopefully this next one will be much better!!! Best of luck to you - you will be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had my first baby with a doc and my second with a CNM and if I ever have a third it will definetely be with a midwife. My experience the second time was so much better - due in large part to my midwife. I just can't say enough about how wonderful I think midwives are - in fact I still see one for my yearly exams!

I had 75 questions - took me about 45 minutes to complete. I used Saunders (book and CD) and NCLEX-RN Made Incredibely Easy. My school offered the ERI exams after each lecture section(OB, Peds, Psych, etc..). We were also able to do the ERI NCLEX review after graduation, but I didn't find that to be very helpful. I tested on Wednesday am at 9:00 and knew my results by Friday am at 11:00. I was a little nervous after the test, but tried to tell myself that I had prepared the best I could. Looking back on it now, it really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Oh, and by the way I did pass!!!!

Don't reschedule!!!!! You will be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started in ICU (medical and surgical) a few months ago right out of school. All of the advice you have received do far is right on target. I am nearing the end of my orientation and there are still days when I question if I am actually ready to be "on my own", but then I stop and remind myself that I am not ever going to be on my own and neither will you. Don't be afraid to ask questions, no matter how ridiculous you think they may be - it is the person who doesn't ask questions that is scary - they aren't smart enough to know what they don't know. As far as reference books - I have the AACN critical care book and it has been very helpful. Also, Fast Facts by Kathy White is a good reference. It is available on her website @ kwhite.com Best of luck to you!!!!!

It sounds like you are well prepared - you have certainly out more time into studying than I did and I managed to pass. Give yourself a break this next week!! If you can't stay away from the books, hit areas that you know are the most difficult for you. Good luck - I am sure you will do fine.

Kelty makes great backpacks. They are designed for hiking, so they are very durable. They are more expensive than Jansport or Eastport would be, but a good investment if you are going to be biking or walking to school.

I swear by my danskos. I have had back surgery and was left with come numbness in my right foot - I had a hard time finding shoes that were comfortable for both my foot and my back and I love the danskos! Yes, they are pricey, but will wear forever, so they are well worth it. If you do decide to try a pair give be sure to give yourself a few days to adjust to them. They are different than any pair of shoes I had worn before and did take a little getting used to.