KC531

Hey! From information obtained in March, as far as I know, they are going to keep the Mon-Thurs schedule that they had last year. I just wish they'd hurry up and let us know something...I'm getting tired of waiting. Did you take the summer class (NA 600)? I know that, in years past, if you take the summer class, you only go Mon-Wed in the second semester. I hope that's how it is this year. See you in August! Kacie

Hey! All you UAB people...have you gotten your info packs for the fall yet? I talked to the school about 4 weeks ago and she said she was trying to get them out at the end of the week...my mail isn't THAT slow... I'm trying not to call and bug people every 5 minutes, but we've only got about 6 weeks left to get stuff together!

Probably going to be living at University place. Not luxury but not bad either. It was a hotel they converted into everything from efficiency studios to 3 bedrooms. It's right across the street from campus (big plus with B'ham traffic). Mistyblue, you may want to try the Inverness area. It's a nice area that still has reasonably priced apartments. Looking forward to seeing all ya'll this fall!

Hey all you guys going to UAB in the fall, Have you gotten any info other than your "congrats-your-in" letter? I haven't heard anything else and I was just wondering if any of you had... thanks, Kacie

Hey KaeRN, I'm also going to b'ham for the didactic portion of school. I would love to talk to you about possibly rooming together! I had a roommate lined up but they ended up choosing a different school at the last minute! I called the school trying to find info on other girls going or if they could give my info to anyone who called looking for roommates but they said they couldn't give out info. Anyway, PM me if you're interested! Kacie

Great, coolnurse04! Are you from Birmingham or will you be a transplant too? Look forward to seeing you in august! BTW, are you taking the on-line class this summer? KC

UAB class of 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:hpygrp: One shot, one kill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mkjdnc::anpom::bdyhdclp::lghmky::bbykck:

I'm IN!!!!!!!!! UAB class of 2010!!!!!! See you all in August!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :whe!: KC:specs:

Congrats KaeRN! I still haven't heard anything yet... KC

Working at 4 different hospitals in 4 years has taught me to QUICKLY learn what is it I can or cannot do. To those of you who start a-lines, do you only do radial? A dedicated line team is a night nurse's DREAM!!!! I think it's funny what my hospital sets as standard....RN's can twiddle with the vents all day long but we can't do arterial sticks (doesn't always stop us from doing it....you do what you have to do...). I would :redbeatheLOVE:redbeathe to put in my own a-lines!!!!! I :madface:Hate:madface: begging for lines. (this coming from someone who has( on more than one occasion) titrated levo/neo/dopamine/etc. to a cuff pressure:madface:!!! KC

So you went from a 12 bed ICU that was consistently full to a 4 bed unit....how is this possible? The only flexible acuity unit I have worked on was a CCU that had 8 critical care beds on one side of a LARGE unit and 6 "step-down" beds on the other side (6 empty rooms in between). Although the units were on the same floor, they were absolutely separate. CCU nurses staffed the CCU and step-down nurses staffed the STU. I currently work in a 12 bed general ICU. Sometimes we have overflow from different floors (rare, rare, rare...). Overflow patients are a logistical nightmare! Our hospital is older so we only have bathrooms in 4 of the rooms. If your ambulatory tele overflow patient is in one of the rooms with no bathroom.... ugh...!!! Also, trying to divvy up the workload between nurses is crazy! The last time this happened, I ended up with 2 critical patients (2 vents, one CVVHDF) and a tele patient (because they're not gonna be any trouble...the tele nurses take 6 at a time....) Stuff like this just burns me up...:angryfire Hang in there... KC

I took and passed my CCRN after only one year. Not only does having my CCRN give me a sense of accomplishment and pride in the work that I do, but studying for the CCRN really drove home what I was learning in my day to day job. Good luck! KC

Okay, somebody shoot me if I'm wrong (been a while since I took it)....I believe it was a set number of questions. Different percentage of questions for each organ system/disease process. Cardiac has something like 37% of the test questions with pulmonary only having around 17%. (again, shoot me if I'm wrong...) The only similarity between the CCRN and the NCLEX that I remember is that they're both on computer.... The questions were hard to start with and they stayed that way through the entire test. Was a pain in the posterior to take but totally do-able... Good luck KC

okay people...word on the street is that UAB sent out letters yesterday (2/6/2007) for the Jackson, MS students.... just checked the mail....nothing yet....

I interviewed for the Jackson component this morning!!!! I was so keyed up and worried over what types of clinical questions I was going to be asked....not a single one!!!!! "What sparked your interest in becoming a CRNA?" "How are you financially prepared for CRNA school?" "How will you/your husband handle the 9 months in Birmingham?" "What aspects of your ICU experience has prepared you for CRNA school?" "What do you do to stay current on treatments/meds/therapies/etc..." Not at all what I expected... Jackson changed it up this year and did panel interviews. Basically I sat at the end of a verrrrry looooong table and faced down 14-15 people (one MD, the rest CRNA's) Of course, I was the LAST interview of the day!!!! I'm glad it's over with...Now the nervous waiting and mailman stalking begins.... KC :w00t:

CONGRATULATIONS DeDeRN1!!! Here's hoping I'll be joining you! (I interview Feb. 2) Sorry if I missed this in an earlier post, but how long from the time you interviewed until you got your acceptance notification? Congratulations again! KC

Have used metoprolol gtt once. very long time ago and can't really remember the circumstances of the case. just remember that there was a good deal of controversy between the neuro guys and the cardio guys with a lot of resistance from pharmacy thrown in. Having said that, did have a recent case where one of the GI docs requested that a reglan gtt (whole different can of worms) be mixed and I got a metoprolol gtt instead!!!!!!!!!! Had a student with me that day...PERFECT learning opportunity relating to checking and RE-checking orders but still scary!!!!!! Have a good one KC

Hey guys, need a little help... I'm looking for a good pharmacology reference book for critical care/anesthesia. I've searched Amazon/Barnes&Nobles/Borders/etc... Problem is, I just don't know which ones are GOOD ones. I need an in-depth reference, not a pharm book like the ones I used in nursing school. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance, KC

CCRN79 Friend of mine got into Jackson component last year. There are 10 people total in the Jackson component now. Don't know how many they will accept this year. KC

Hot as a nanny goat in a pepper patch! Cold as a witch's boobie in a brass brassiere!

Hey everybody! Got my interview letter today for Jackson, MS component. Jackson interviews will be Feb. 2, 2008. Good luck to everybody! KC

Okay, I don't get it.... MTSA is Vandy's CRNA program? Why would MTSA grant early consideration to graduates of an ACNP program? Is this a common occurence? Bridge from ACNP to CRNA? I know several people who decided they wanted to be CRNA's AFTER they had been NP's for a while... but not anybody who went NP just to go to CRNA school. I've always just kind of equated the degrees...kind of like why would you have 2 BS degrees? (unless you're like my husband and you decide that you want to be a student for LIFE....:kiss ) Anybody going to MTSA? Anybody visited the school? KC And, Thanks NRSKarenRN for the info!

Hey everybody! I've searched the site but I can't seem to find a whole lot of information on Middle Tennesse School of Nurse Anesthesia. MTSA is not the only school I am interested in but my husband, who is in accounting, has a good job prospect in Nashville, TN. From what I understand, MTSA is basically in Nashville. Anybody got any good dirt? Like I mentioned before, I'm just now starting my research into programs, so I really don't know what specific questions to ask. Any info/opinions/experience you have would be GREAT:p ! Thanks a bunch KC

Hey Ray! Yeah, we've got H'burg put back together. It wasn't nearly as damaged as the coast. Did go a few weeks without power though. And in September! >100 degrees on a daily basis with what felt like 100% humidity! And yes, USM is the Alma Mater of Jimmy Buffet. My Alma Mater, too! Have a good one! KC

Okay, I'm not in CRNA school yet but I can tell you that Cellular Physiology is the ABSOLUTE BEST class I have ever taken. I've had all my chems, O Chems and Physics. I'm sure that they are all relevant to CRNA school and I will be glad that I took them :stone . However, Cell Phys has brought together all the patho-phys and pharmacology I have ever learned! If you understand things at the cellular level, you can put the other pieces into place! Okay, so enough evangelizing about Cell Phys! Good luck in whatever you take! I love school. (I'm such a nerd.... ) KC