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Thanks for all your replies! The link that is posted above is, in fact, the Critical Care University that I'm speaking of. I'm actually going to go to a dinner they are having Monday night, where they will have th DON, nurse recruiters, heads of all departments and also former/current students on hand. It sounds like a good fit from what they have told me initially, but I will have the opportunity to have more questions answered at that time. Wish me luck! :monkeydance:

Hello to all! My apologies right off the back for a question that has been bandied about time and again; I just want to put a different spin on it. I will be graduating in May and know that I would like to be an ER nurse. I have been thinking (and reading all the previous posts) about whether or not I should do a year of M/S before going to ER, or going to the ER directly out of school. Obviously this has been talked about before - over and over! But, I have a new option now. A local hospital is offering a ten-month "Critical Care University" that (according to their Nurse Recruiter) is designed specifically to "bridge the gap" between new RN's and an RN that is able to efficiently work ER, ICU, PACU & tele. I think this sounds like it could be right up my alley. What do you think? If I skip the program, I will not be able to do it later, it is only for new RN's. But, do you think I will be sorry that I didn't do at least a year in M/S before just transferring to ER the normal way? Thanks!

Hi Tazzi! I really enjoy your posts. Just a quick note from nursing school on the East Coast - when we covered IM injections the first semester; we were told to disregard the DG site. It was on some of the handouts and lecture stuff, but we were told that (for the most part) IM's shouldn't be given DG because of the danger of hitting the sciatic nerve, I believe. That's been quite awhile ago & my brain moved on to other things since then, but I think that is the reason we were given. I remember them telling us to cross out the info; and I know we were only checked off on the other 3 sites. Have a great day!

This thread is open to all nurses, not just for nursing students! My college currently uses Davis' Drug Guide for Nurses, however all of the instructors HATE it. As this is the only one I have been exposed to during the LPN program; it seems ok to me. They are looking into changing drug guides for the upcoming semester (I will be starting my RN rotations in January) so I would like to switch off any get a new one before those clinicals start. I am quite active on several committees within the Nursing Department, so it would be very easy to recommend some for closer evaluation based on your responses. So what I want to know is, what drug guide is your personal favorite? Or what guide do you use most at your facility? I would love to hear any and all opinions (pros and cons!) Thanks! :monkeydance: Almost there....6 more days until graduation! :monkeydance:

Seeing a patient's b/p & pulse on the monitor after having none actually ranks only behind my marriage and the birth of my son in the best things that have ever happened to me! We were on a Peds rotation for clinicals and there were only 2 patients (and 6 students!) So 2 of us got sent to ED. Have known for a long time that I want to work trauma when it is all said and done. That day just confirmed it. Anyway, shadowing a nurse seeing not a whole lot going on (bloody diarrhea - yeah! :wink2: ) when a MVA arrives. Pt comes in, fine, talking in ambulance and then crashes. Was observing (from out of the way) the organized chaos of the code dance when (after 3 nurses and 2 techs) was asked if I wanted to do compressions. No b/p or pulse for several minutes, was on vent but that was the only thing keeping him alive. As I waited for the doc's ok to start (letting the machine recycle to verify still no b/p, pulse) I suddenly thought... HOW DO I HOLD MY HANDS TO DO COMPRESSIONS?!? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS! Doc said "Go" and I did. Pumped and pumped and pumped. Dr. asked how long we had been doing compressions and said he was only going to let it go another minute; just couldn't do anything for him w/ no blood circulating (I assume he must have been hemorrhaging internally, had no visible injuries other than a scratch on elbow) told me to step back (let the machine recycle) and low and behold - a pulse and b/p. Decent b/p too - 103/69. :monkeydance: They stabilized him enough to get xrays but at that point clinical instructor rounded me up to head home. Doc made a point to congratulate me, nurses all clapped. It was without a doubt one of the best things that's ever happened to me. The only thing I regret is that was our last night at the institution, so I don't know what happened later. Confirmed to me though that ED/trauma is where I want to be.

Lori, Normally just a lurker, but I wanted to let you know that I am so truly happy for you and your husband. I haven't really posted on this thread because I felt that I just didn't have the right words to say. I just want to congratulate you and wish you well in your new job! BTW, on a more personal note; I also wanted to let you know that you have helped me to recognize a valuable lesson - stand up for myself and my health/sanity because I just can't count on my employer to! I truly hope you don't mind (I didn't mention your name or anything) but I used your situation as an example in another thread that truly spoke to me (person knew of CRNA's using Ecstasy on weekends and was unsure of what to do.) I think that by posting your trials and tribulations you may have helped many people in realizing just what a fragile thing your licensure can be and how easily (and in your case it would have been how unfairly, IMO) that can be taken away. Thanks truly to you - good luck and God bless. April :wink2:

Just my opinion... I don't usually post here very often because I am still just a student and recognize that I still have some "rosy" views of how nursing is/should be. However, this topic compelled me. I am amazed at the posters who are defending the "recreational use" of Ecstasy. To me, it all boils down to this. I was just reading last night about another nurse who posts on this site who was let go from work for being "impaired" by medicine that she has scripts for. She chooses to not take them within 12 hours of a shift for her patients safety, they are perfectly legal - yet she was (unfairly IMO according to the post) terminated because of this "impairment." So it really isn't an issue of ecstasy not being a hard drug or alcohol being worse but legal - they are all inappropriate when they CAN effect your professional decision making. I agree that I wouldn't want these CRNA's working on me - but then neither would I want someone hung over. Whatever your vice of choice, if it effects your ability to perform duties that are in your standard of care (and this is not whether YOU think it is affecting your ability, it is in the eyes of someone else, be it BON, patient, administration, Johnny Law, etc.) DON'T DO IT!!! I will leave it up to the OP as to what action to take but I would find a way to intervene. Chain of command, BON, whatever the case may be. I am sure I will be flamed, but this is what I truly believe and felt strongly enough about to actually post instead of lurking.

Hi! I just wanted to add another word of encouragement. We were told that they don't recommend that you work, but they know that most people have money issues. I have been working FT (40-45 hours/week) ever since I went back to school in Fall 03. I work every day 7:45-4:15 (when I am on campus I leave 15 minutes early at 4 so I have time to get to school; clinical days the time I leave corresponds to how far I am going.) Thank GOD my accounting job is working with me to let me be a little more flexible - I just have to make up time that I am out & get my work done. On the clinical nights, they are from 4-11pm, so I get home between 11:30 & midnight. IT IS POSSIBLE!! I kept a 4.0 through all pre-req's; took a semester off to have a son while I was waiting for my name to come up on the waiting list; and have maintained my gpa at 3.7 since then. You do have to prioritze your time though. I got a B in my first nursing class and looking back, if I had spent a little more time on school and less on other things I would have gotten an A (missed it by less than half of a point.) I do miss spending those evenings w/my son, but it is a small sacrifice for the time that I will have later. I figure, it is only 2-3 nights a week for 16 week sessions, I can handle it. Yes, somedays you will be tired. But aren't you tired some days now? You can do it! I am rooting for you!:pumpiron:

I don't think that schools should be able to make that a requirement. I know it is disappointing when you don't get in and they end up with spots open but excluding people who have no experience is not the answer. Upon entering nursing school, I had absolutely no experience. I have worked in Accounting ever since I graduated and it took me quite a while to decide what to do with my life. I had wondered quite a bit if I would be at a disadvantage over my peers because almost all of them are CNA's MA's or at least work in a doctors office or the hospital. However, I have been in the top 3 in each of the classes/clinicals thus far while many of them (sadly) are no longer with us. Prior experience (IMHO) is great, and I think it would have only helped me even more, but I don't think it should be a pre-req.:nuke:

What exactly do you tell your nurse when you are reporting off? I usually end up telling her everything I can think of because I am afraid that I will leave out some important information. I don't want to waste her time, but we were never told what to say, just to report off! :) Did anyone else either get any guidelines, or can a RN let me know what she wants to hear (vitals, status changes, etc.) Thanks in advance!

Thanks so much. I tried to look this up in the 20th edition of Tabers, but it wasn't listed (not under status at least!) The way you explained it is exactly what I needed to know. Thanks again.

I am a first year nursing student who is currently in clinicals. Can someone please give me an easy to understand definition of "status post" ? My current pt is s/p tracheostomy. I haven't really gotten any satidfaction from my instructor. Thanks to anyone who can help!