NotReady4PrimeTime RN

NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist

All Content by NotReady4PrimeTime

  1. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Newly landed IEN in Ontario planning to be a RN in another province

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to judix's topic in Nurse Registration

    I think you're a little misguided, judix. Having a PN registration isn't going to help you become an RN in other provinces. All but Québec use NNAS to assess IENs. You'd be applying for RN...
  2. NotReady4PrimeTime

    PICU or Pediatric Oncology

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to cwazycupcakes's topic in Pediatric

    It's been quite a few years since I worked peds oncology, but as toomanypants, BSN, RN said in the previous post, oncology parents are about the most educated and involved of any parent group I've...
  3. NotReady4PrimeTime

    What's up with all the 'failed NCLEX' posts?

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to Magsulfate's topic in General Nursing

    As you'd notice when looking at statistics for Canadian nurses there's a significant difference from province to province. Comparing NCLEX pass rates to CRNE pass rates, it's obvious that something...
  4. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Code Blue Peds Cardiac ICU vs PICU

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to MGMR's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Calcium gluconate is more readily utilized by neonates with tetany or who are undergoing exchange transfusion but it may leach aluminum into the solution from the ampoule. It's not recommended for use...
  5. NotReady4PrimeTime

    AB to BC RN

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to dejavuu's topic in Canada

    You have to apply to write the exam through CARNA because you were educated in Alberta. You can likely apply to write it anywhere. But unless things have changed drastically with the Colleges of...
  6. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Code Blue Peds Cardiac ICU vs PICU

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to MGMR's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Our unit is a combined PICU/PCICU; some of our practice is identical no matter which side of the hall we're on. Calcium chloride. Morphine and dexmedetomidine. Fentanyl for things like chest...
  7. NotReady4PrimeTime

    First job: Community or Teaching Hospital?

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to AmyDayNow's topic in First Year After Licensure

    That's true, but then there's the reality that small community hospitals are often the first point of contact for critically ill or injured patients who require stabilization before they can be...
  8. NotReady4PrimeTime

    CNO & practising outside of ontario

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to CaffeinePOQ4HPRN's topic in Canada Nursing Programs

    I relocated quite a few years now from Manitoba to Alberta. The process is fairly simple but there are a lot of incidental costs. And it takes a long time. Hopefully over the next few years, as the...
  9. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Pediatric Nursing (pros, cons, and everything else??)

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to Futurenurse98's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Have you taken a little wander through the threads in this forum? There are lots of detailed posts that pretty much answer all of your questions. If, after you've had a look, you still have questions,...
  10. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Hearing back from AHS

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to thistooshallpass's topic in Canada

    No, for the most part they are people who had regular positions on the unit but had to work nights and weekends, and didn't get vacation in the summer because they're too junior. So they went casual...
  11. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Hearing back from AHS

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to thistooshallpass's topic in Canada

    We have several casuals we can absolutely count on to be there on a stat. And only on a stat. Christmas is about the only exception. Casuals are a sore spot on our unit for other reasons too. Most of...
  12. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Hearing back from AHS

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to thistooshallpass's topic in Canada

    Six weeks is speedy compared to some of the experiences I've had as an internal applicant. I never did hear about some of the applications I submitted for units other then where I work. But strangely,...
  13. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Nursing Care Hub with AHS

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to aywl's topic in Canada

    I am a worker bee. I do not have the luxury of a shared workload - no CNAs are permitted to do any form of patient care on my unit so it's all on me. I often do my charting on my feet, never finish a...
  14. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Nursing Care Hub with AHS

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to aywl's topic in Canada

    You can always file a complaint with the union. But it will be largely a waste of time. Any collective agreement in health care says something like this: "The Union acknowledges that it shall be the...
  15. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Scenario questions for interviews

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to toomanypants's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    If not this job, then the next one. I can relate to your embarrassment. My first new-grad interview for an intermediate care nursery back in 1995 felt like an ambush. It wasn't at all what I expected...
  16. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Scenario questions for interviews

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to toomanypants's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    You're a new grad. Cut yourself some slack! There are lots of peds floor nurses who wouldn't have thought immediately of shock given that basic information. Only those of us who have been around for a...
  17. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Successful Orientees Vs Unsuccessful Orientees

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to purplegal's topic in First Year After Licensure

    Where I work it's very much as Ruby has described. Our turnover is very high, mostly because we have a lot of temporary staff who opt not to apply for permanent positions after they've seen what it's...
  18. NotReady4PrimeTime

    New Grad RN.... work options that do not involve a hospital

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to new.grad.rn's topic in First Year After Licensure

    If I could offer a little POV on the new-grands-need-a-year-in-med/surg thing... There are some very important things that a person learns and develops while working in this sort of environment that...
  19. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Part-time PICU - How much orientation should I expect?

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to adpiRN's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    On my unit you would receive the same orientation (16 weeks for new grads, 8-12 weeks for others) as anyone else with your education and experience, but it would take you longer to complete. Two 12s a...
  20. NotReady4PrimeTime

    do babies frequent your PICU?

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to tinybbynurse's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Most PICUs will see children of all ages, from hours-to-days-old all the way to the 17-18-year-olds. If the hospital does peds cardiac surgery, you might see a lot of infants. And season variations...
  21. NotReady4PrimeTime

    NP preceptor Edmonton Area

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to velliott's topic in Canada

    There are NPs and then there are NPs. Without knowing which stream you're following that's a difficult question to answer. I personally know several NPs, all in pediatrics, so I'm no help to you....
  22. NotReady4PrimeTime

    ER nurse wanting some info on pediatric hyperglycemia

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to NickiLaughs's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    Fluid boluses in peds are usually 20 mL/kg to start - 10 mL/kg if they have a known cardiac history. When you're getting into the 80 mL/kg range it's time to start pressors. They need a full tank....
  23. NotReady4PrimeTime

    ER nurse wanting some info on pediatric hyperglycemia

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to NickiLaughs's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    One of the most important things to remember about hyperglycemic kids is that bringing their sugar down too quickly can tip them into severe cerebral edema. That can lead to coma and death. I've seen...
  24. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Hand, Foot, Mouth Virus

    NotReady4PrimeTime replied to OrganizedChaos's topic in PICU, Pediatric

    You probably did have both, and RSV more than once, but don't remember it. Hand, foot and mouth disease is one of the herpes viruses similar to chicken pox. When my oldest daughter had it in 1980 we...
  25. NotReady4PrimeTime

    Beware the Recruitment Scammer

    NotReady4PrimeTime posted a topic in Canada

    I just saw this on the Alberta Health Services careers page. It's a good reminder that if it seems too good to be true it probably is. Recruitment Fraud