sacrdhazel

I thought about it, but I wanted to see all of my options. I absolutely LOVE cardiac and it would be my number one choice. But I got an offer to apply to a critical care fellowship once I graduate which would mean CCU/ICU/HSU and so on and so forth. So I wanted to see the whole picture before stepping foot in to that fellowship because I heard it was super intense and taught you alot. My personality is the type that works under high stress but I also like to depend, well, not DEPEND, but like to WORK as a team. And when I feel animosity, it is hard for me to work as a team. And I find it AMAZING that in a setting such as critical care where you NEED to be a team, that such competitiveness and animosity goes on. The CCU I worked in, the nurses have all been together for 12+ years so they all knew each others pros and cons and thats what made them flow well. And they were more than happy to bring in new blood because they were starting to get worn out. And the fellowship is through that health system, so that would be good. But its a hike for me to get out there... which is why I took the externship closer to home. I dont know.. I just want to take as much as I can from this externship this summer. And I am hoping that because they KNOW I am just a temp for the summer, they know I am there just to learn and that I am an added hand. But I also dont want to be the nurses aide either. I guess I'm just over excited. I meet with my nurse manager tomorrow, so I will know more then and I guess I will feel the "vibe" of the unit after that.

oh mother of god i am hysterical laughing... i have 2 semesters to go too and i had been planning my party since i started lolol but that is too much... foley bags... i cant.. im all in for the bonfire... ill send my address... please invite me to all parties

OK I am now terrified. My dream is to do critical care. I externed in the CCU last summer and got lucky enough to have THE BEST team in the whole world. They ALL were the most supportive group of nurses I had the fortune to be taught by. I am going in to my senior year this year so I wanted to go in to a hospital (to externship this summer) that I would consider working in once I graduate and they are putting me in the SICU. I was a little wary because I had remembered the CCU nurses telling me its a different "breed" of nurses because of the high stress. And now reading these posts, I am afraid I am walking in to the gallows. Is it really THAT bad for new grads to walk in to the ICU these days? I understand that most nurses had to pay their dues in med/surg, but I always thought that the beauty of nursing was that there was a unit for every personality. And how am I supposed to know that if in a year or two I may get pregnant (I'm 28) I may have to move? So that means I should get treated like sh*t during my orientation because of the possibility that I may move? I understand what you were trying to say from the management side of things as devil's advocate but the whole "eating their young" really gets to me. Even as a student nurse I find that we get scowled at and its like we are a complete burden to the nurse on the floor when we come on. Understandably, some student nurses have NO IDEA what they are doing, but alot of us do, and I just dont think its fair that we get treated that way. I'm sorry I am going on a tangent. This is just very important to me, and I want to be not just a good nurse, but an excellent one. And I depend on YOU ALL to help me, and when I ask "So why is that monitor going off?" (and I know its due to late decelerations which is BAD in labor but I'm hoping maybe the nurse would go in to FRIGGIN DETAIL AND POINT IT OUT) and you respond "well I guess its trying to tell me something, isnt it?" and then walk away.... that doesnt really teach me anything. YES, that just happened last week to me in my rotation on the L&D floor. -Allison

lolol no not in anyones direction... sorry if you thought that. This just brings out my past experiences... I fought damn hard to get where I am... and I know so many people that sue for frivolous things. Thats the way of the American world. I mean jesus, if my instructor SLAPPED me, I'd have to get all Brooklyn on her.

This amazes me... I love when people who fail blame everyone else but themselves. Its always the instructors fault. I go to a school 37 miles away from me because when I withdrew from my original school BECAUSE OF A HIGH RISK PREGNANCY. When I tried to come back to the original school, they gave me a "final" to take to give me eligibility to come back. I failed because I found out that they gave me a test there was no way I could pass because they didnt have the proper student to teacher ratio. THAT I could have sued for. But you know what I did... I picked myself up, and fought to get in to a school that not only would take me immediately, but would take my nursing credits. I am a mother of twin toddlers, I work 2 jobs from home, I travel 37 miles to my school and day care, and I travel 70 miles to my clinical rotation. I have already gotten a 100 and an 88 on my first 2 tests. Why? Because I friggin make the time to study and do my god damn work without whining like a baby. I'm sorry to be harsh, but my class if FILLED with people that complain after every blessed thing that gets evaluated when they dont like what they are hearing. One student was APPAULED when she answered a question "What would you tell a post pardum patient when she is crying and says she doesnt think she will be a good mother" with "I would tell her to give the child up for adoption" and the teacher went ballistic on her.... I mean seriously?!?! I'm sorry... this whole subject is ridiculous. Strap your friggin boots on, and study. They tell you that from the beginning of the friggin program.

That does sound like it makes sense. But I had 2 different colleges tell me that as long as the curriculum matches a "healthcare" format, then youre fine. Because to be honest, I did CCConline thru Northwestern Jr College... and no where on my syllabus or transcript does it say the course was online. It just says that it covers 'X' subjects and has a lab component. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. (I am in NY)

thanks! and oyyyy 20 eh? you made it thru the teen years. my girls are almost 2.5 and they are a bundle of energy. keeps me on my toes though. also, i was praying they didnt make us lug the book to class everyday, but i am going to need a nice quiet place to study, so lugging it to the library may do a number on my joints. I will def give that binding a try. tsm!

hey count me in... I am totally off my rocker because I am now returning to nursing school after a 2 year sabbatical to have twin daughters. We are using Maternal-Child Nursing Care by London. 2000 pages long. They also cram Gerontology and the beginning of Psych in to this semester. Should be fun. lol I start tomorrow. Will report back when I get my 56 page syllabus.

I had Kathy Allshouse as a teacher and she was good too. I totally think the class was worth the money. Micro in my school would have taken 8 hours a week in class.. much better at home.

Hey Marci... I took it over this past summer... if the text is Micro: A Systems Approach by Cowan and Talaro... then the ISBN I have is... 0-07-291804-7 If you want, I have the digital addition.. I can email it to you. :) Let me know. Good luck! Allison

Hiiiiii... I am in application state for March 07. I have transfer credits so I am hoping they will take all of them. We will see... we can pray together. lol I am supposed to be going to an onsite campus school in my neighborhood, but was told they may not have seats now for me. grrrrrrr So now waiting on CCN. I'm so nervous. lol

NYM does hire AAS, but they have a very competitive selection. I am a nurse extern as well and have been told thats huge for your experience level. I know Maimonidies pretty well. My mom works there and alot of my good friends work there as nurses in the NICU and PICU. There is a large turnover, depending on the floor. The peds and L&D are awesome. Med-Surg not so hot.. and from my own experience... I was pregnant with twins and was constantly in the hospital for PTL. The L&D staff was awesome. The ante-pardum floor was ok.. but the post-pardum floor was basically the worst place I have ever been. It felt like I was in 3 diff hospitals. But I was talking to one of my friends and they are floating people all over the place. And they are offering floats and agency temp nurses $68 an hour. So... it depends on what youre looking for. If you are looking to be happy and stay in one spot, I would pick NYM. If you like floating around and looking to make $$, Maimonidies should be an option. Good luck!

Hiya! I am currently in the midst of a transfer from a CUNY to a SUNY. And that is only because I was forced in to the transfer. Theres really no difference other than BSN/ADN education. 2 year ADN programs are in higher demand and harder to get in to than 4 year programs. I was in CUNY Kingsborough for the first 2 years of my ADN program (1 year pre req and 1 year clinical) and got pregnant with my twin daughters and had to stop attending. When I wanted to come back, they didnt have enough seats for me, so I went on a mad dash to find a school that would accept the bulk of my credits. I finally came upon SUNY Farmingdale's ADN program. They are even accepting my Fundamentals clinical course.. which most schools do not do. The main difference I have found between my CUNY nursing program and my SUNY program is more flexability. In CUNY they handed you your schedule. You didnt get to pick it. In SUNY I can pick days, evening or weekends and can basically pick the hospital I do my rotations in. That would have NEVER been an option in CUNY. I know from my situation, I have a husband and 2 kids so I need to be out and making a paycheck asap. I did an externship over the summer with Long Island Jewish hospital and I was told by every veteran nurse to get out and let the job send you back to school on thier dime. I find now that most of the BSN graduates are usually kids right out of high school or people who had a BS degree already and are going back for thier RN. So I guess really you are the only person who can gauge thier situation. Good luck!

Oh good luck everyone! I am coming back to finish my ADN program after having kids and my old school wouldnt take me back in Brooklyn. I tried Nassau, Suffolk... every friggin school. I am finally going to start in Spring at SUNY Farmingdale... driving there from Brooklyn. :trout: But itll be worth it when I'm done. Good luck!

I am a student but was asked a question by a patient and did not know how to properly answer, was wondering if you pro's can help me out... A patient on chemo tells me, I feel fine like the cancer is gone but its the chemo meds that make me feel like utter death, I jyst dont want to take them anymore. Do you think I should stop treatment? At this point, I stared at her blankly and said, well, that you would have to discuss with your primary doctor. But are there any supportive educational answers I could give about the importance of chemo for her therapy? Any responses would be great! Thanks!