KC CHICK

http://www.mudirect.missouri.edu/degrees/rn-bsn.htm Here's the MU-direct RN-BSN website. I'll be starting this summer w/N180.

bizzle, it's my understanding that HCA is the only unionized system....it's also my understanding that it hasn't done much good for the conditions anyway. Truman Medical Center also has hiring bonuses and, because it's a state hospital, you can qualify for the Missouri loan repayment program. There's a gal in my Nutrition class that is currently in the Rockhurst fast track to BSN program. She says it's fast paced, but she seems to like it.

....as usual, people down south forget that life exists north of the river. The Kansas City, MO northland is growing in leaps and bounds. I'm located close to KCI airport (5 min away) and it's amazing how much growth has happened over the past 10 years. The Park Hill school system here is highly rated....as is the Liberty school system. Just down the street at I-29 and Barry Rd., construction has been phenomenal. I call it "Little Johnson County". There is presently a project underway to build a one million sq/ft shopping center. There is also a Super Wal-art, Lowe's, AMC 24 movie theatre, Barnes & Noble, "2" Starbucks, Hy-Vee grocery store, Panera Bread, Old Navy, and tons of restaurants right down the street along with superb highway access. (I probly left a ton of stuff out....there's so much there.) Research the areas of KC, that's all there is to it.

....and you didn't PM me??? Liberty Hospital is Level II and is located just north of KC. (Have to throw this one in cause this is my home.)...and I'd love working with you. http://www.libertyhospital.org/ The pay here is very competitive. Don't know too much about what the pay is for an experienced nurse, but, new grads start at 18.30/hr, night shift diff of 3.00/hr, and weekend diff of 2.00/hr. (I work weekend nights...wink, wink.) Truman Hospital-hospital hill is Level I and is the downtown KC, MO state hosptial.http://www.trumed.org/ Not sure about the pay...there is usually a sign on bonus. Saint Lukes is Level I and is downtown as well.http://www.saint-lukes.org/slhhp.asp North Kansas City Hospital is Level I....and is in NKC. http://www.nkch.org/ Spoke with HR here about 4 months ago about pay....they were going to pay me at least a buck less/hr and the diff wasn't as good as Liberty. ....hope this is enough to get you started. Of course, the Metropolitan Kansas City area is a very spread out place. The hospitals you'll look at will greatly depend on what area of the city you are going to be living in.....and what state (kansas or missouri). Anne:D PS: Kansas City, MO is much bigger than Kansas City, KS.....also KCK proper isn't known for being a very good area to live in.

....and your nurse manager says? If you don't feel comfortable talking with these individuals...voice your concerns to the unit manager. Would he/she rather keep you or lose you? It would be more appropriate for the mgr to address this situation if these other nurses are unapproachable. Anne:D

We don't have a policy to double check at my facility. Us nurses DO double check our calculations for our weight based Heparin protocol though. Have never seen or heard of any nurses that I work with double checking insulin w/other nurses. ...and always, if someone is uncomfortable with something they always know they can, and are very comfortable with, asking for a second set of eyes to look something over. Anne

:) Wow. With all of these responses, I'm even MORE excited to be going to the unit. I only have two more weeks on tele....WOOHOO! I just got through with a crazy weekend on the med/tele floor I work on now. Had 5 nurses for 34 patients on sat night and 5 nurses for 32 patients last night....absolutely HATE being shorted like that. I was also charge.....for the entire weekend (fri, sat, and sun.) I can't wait!!! Anne:D

It's the website that's shown on the graphic. There are many websites with EKG information. Just plug EKG into your search engine and you should find a bunch.

Learn to recognize NSR, then your fatal arrythmia's, then everything in between will fall into place a little easier. It was for me, anyway. Just have to memorize P-R, QRS interval lengths for NSR. That way, if one of them is off, you know it's not NSR. Also, check for irregularity of the rythm...that's another big clue. Anne:D

Yes, the torch has definately been passed from Nurse Rached to Shark!!!!! Unbelievable. Now, the 800cc doesn't seem so bad. Way to put things in perspective. Shark is now the PEE PEE Queen. "We're not worthy, We're not worthy!!!"

:eek: He needs a urinal in his truck, doesn't he????? Mmmmmm. Wonder why he was constipated. As a friend of mine says "Ya gotta clear the tracks before the train can go through.". That bladder of his certainly wasn't getting out of the way. Yet another reason to take pee pee breaks at work. Anne

HLR...It's just amazing what gets left in our laps sometimes, isn't it??? I'm usually start becoming concerned if they don't urinate 4hrs after foley dc'd. Kelly, my patient had urinated...although VERY little at a time...100-200cc. The severe pain is what clued me in. I love bladder scanners. Gives me an idea of what's there and I don't end up straight cathing someone that doesn't need it. You're absolutely right...I can't believe how much urine you got...1800!!!! Geeeesh. I hope I NEVER hold that much in my bladder.

Got report for one of my patient assignments (out of six) and was told this elderly male patient had been complaining of "feeling the need to urinate" and "not being able to urinate very much at a time". The complaints had started around 1700 that afternoon. The nurse reporting to me ASSUMED that he had a UTI and got an order for UA+. OK, fine. About 30 minutes into my shift, the wife of said patient comes to the desk complaining that patient is in serious pain and no one is doing anything about it. I go assess....pt. had foley taken out day before, said his probs started at 1400 (not 1700)....severe pain, severe urgency, and very little out at a time but a few drops. Pt. had never heard of a "bladder scanner" when questioned. Bladder scanner sees 600ML in the bladder. Get order for foley...then place....and get back 800ML!!! YIKES! No wonder the poor man was in pain. BTW....UA was negative. duh. QUESTION: What's the most urine that you have seen retained in a patient??....please share. Anne:eek:

Hey all, I will be starting my distance RN to BSN bridge through University of Missouri, Columbia this summer. Nice to see others doing the 'distance' thing too. Right now, I'm taking co-requisites at my local CC that will transfer to MU. Gotta love these computers!!! Anne:D

Nights rock. The staff on my floor just seem to help each other out a lot more. I love the people I work with. It seems like nights are the scapegoats when something isn't done right. 'Cause, as you all know....days are Purrrrfect! NOT! Anne

Worst: The "drill sergeant" type nursing instructor I had for my very first semester. She was intimidating, told me she didn't think I was the right type of person for nursing, and critisized me in my final eval for my shoelaces not being white enough......could it have been because I walked from my car in the parking lot in the pouring rain that morning??? Geeesh. What a hag! Out of seven students on my clinical day...only two of us passed. Took the next year and a half of school to get over the IBS I suffered before every clinical. Best: Walking across that stage and graduating ....right in front of that same hag instructor!! What a high that was. (Not to mention, having wonderful evals from my employers ever since.) Who gives a rat's patootie about white shoelaces anymore, guys?? The shoes I have now don't even have laces........they're Klogs for cryin' out loud. Anne

Great poem. An instructor gave us all copies when I was in nursing school. Makes you think. Anne

London....exactly. If it were easy, or a "walk in the park"...everyone would be in the program. u-r-sleepy...hon, I think you are overreacting a little yourself. Taking this WAY too personally. I was simply saying that we have come too far as women to be EXPECTED to stay at home and give up everything to spend our lives in servitude. I'm also sorry to hear of all the problems others are experiencing with their spouses in your program. But let me tell you, those things could have happened regardless of CRNA school. My parents were never in a CRNA program...my father was an air-traffic controller..and mom a physical therapist. They had the nastiest divorce anyone has ever seen or heard about. It's ANY major stressor that will tear a couple like that apart. It's not your curriculum that causes one to go out and cheat on their partner or family. Every individual and every family are VERY different. Personal opinion aside...I just hope every family does whatever gives them personal satisfaction and lifelong HAPPINESS. Do what works for you and your family; I'll do what works best for mine. Anne:D I almost forgot....Good Luck Rhon1991!!!:roll

I hear ya!! :chuckle :) You'd think that more people would support a decision like this, or like yours even. If I didn't work, I'd end up in a looney bin somewhere. Couldn't be in the house 24/7. Have to go, go, go!!! Anne;)

I wonder why that is, Dianacs. Strange. Didn't realize that by getting married and having career aspirations at the same time mean that I'm going to have mal-adjusted children in the future. Geez, I'm gonna have to start a 'bail money' fund instead of a college fund, huh? Good thing my hubby is a cop! I thought we'd come a lot further in equality and away from those bare-footed kitchen stereotypes of years ago. Guess I was wrong. Anne:chuckle

Qwuiigley and Espresso girl.... You think these parents are just thinking of themselves??! That sounds rather judgemental to me. These parents are NOT being selfish by any means. Maybe by going through the program for 2-3 years, they can secure a better financial future for themselves AND THEIR KIDS. Did you happen to think of that? The costs of living increase every year as well as the cost of your children's future college education. By taking the time to go through these couple of years of the CRNA program, they will be more financially able to provide for their children. Theoretically, more family vacations can be taken on a CRNA's salary...that means more time spent with the kids. There is also a role model aspect here....these children will see what can be accomplished when you set your mind to it. To see a parent earn a Master's degree and graduate could be a great learning experience for that child. Show them what it means to be a strong, hard working individual that finishes what you start. Show them what kind of work and dedication it takes to be successful in today's working world. My best friend and her husband went through nursing school together...at the same time!!! Their daughter suffered no ill effects from her parents both working and going to school full time for 2-3 years. She is well-adjusted and plans on going to college herself. I plan on going through a CRNA program. My husband and my parents will support me and help with any children that come along between now and that time. A lot can be accomplished, without detrimental psychological risk to your children, when there is family support available. (husband or others) Qwuiigly, to say that one parent from each household should stay home w/the kids is a very unrealistic statement to be making in our world today. Look around you. There are more SINGLE parents raising children now than ever before. By your standards, does this mean that those parents shouldn't be supporting their families by holding a job and working outside the home? Granted, my hubby would love to become a stay-at-home dad when I get through the program. But, it's just not realistic to assume that everyone that has kids has the means to stay home full time to raise them. Good luck to you all in the program! Anne:D

In my opinion, if you only have 2 1/2 years to go.....keep going and don't stop. It will take just as long to complete the LPN and then bridge to an RN and you will end up with an associate's degree instead of a bachelor's degree. Think about it. You won't have to bridge for your BSN later on. If I'm right, your packet was from Penn Valley. That's where I graduated from with my ADN. It took two years and one semester. On the other hand, if you are looking for a less expensive way to get your RN, the community college would be the way to go. Have you checked into all the financial aid options at your present school? As far as the 'making money' part. I really don't know how much graduate LPN's make. I can tell you that graduate RN's start from $16-18/hr here in kansas city. At Liberty Hospital, where I work, they start new grads off at 18.30/hr. That may be the highest in the metro area....and I've checked around. Keep in mind when you're searching for salary info...they may be giving you the pay amounts of experienced ...... not new graduate nurses. School is frustrating no matter where you decide to go. Just weigh your options and choose the one that's best for you. Anne:D

I kind of take it as a compliment. Anne

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it....right? I plan on starting the admission process in 2-3 years. I know it's gonna be tough, no matter where I go. Also, since I'm not going to travel a distance, I only have two options. Keeping my fingers crossed. Anne

I don't see any problem w/hispanics in the nursing profession, or any other group of people for that matter. Spanish is the fastest growing language in this country. I'm thinking of eventually learning it myself....don't need it at this point though. There is a problem, however, with not knowing and understanding medical terminology. Not knowing med term or medication labels/names could put the patient at risk. Would probly be easier for a primary spanish speaker to learn if they were taught by a spanish speaking instructor. Anne