mdonohue

Hi Everyone - For some reason, I am having trouble hearing out of my Littman stethoscope and want to buy an electronic one on EBay for $157. The one I see is ADC. Anyone have one of these? Do they work, are they durable? Please let me know, I don't want to spend that kind of money and waste it! thanks!

Wow thanks guys!!! such a help! can't wait to go to the book store..thanks again!!!!

I am a new nurse and starting working in assisted living. Not my first choice, I would love to be in maternity or med surg but we all know the job market. However, I do love it. Always loved the elderly anyways so it's working out! Anyways, somedays I feel like I am fine and I know my stuff...others...not so much. I forget silly things like how to treat a nose bleed!! It's just my nerves. However, I am trying to brush up on how to take care of the common ailments that strike the elderly. Does anyone know of a good medsurg book that I could carry around in my lab coat to reference how to treat problems from skin tears to CHF? OBVIOUSLY, I am going to thnk on my feet when a patient is going bad, I already had that happen several times and handled to fine. I just would like to reference a text to see if what I am doing is correct (not in front of a patient, mind you) I graduated in may and need brushing up on my skills a little bit. Just wondering if anyone in geriatrics had any advice. Thank you!

Thank you so much for givng me such a clear answer and for cutting to the chase like that. I actualy heard another nurse talking about Medscape today. Thank you!!!

:eek:Hello Everyone - I am a new nurse and completely confused on what I am supposed to do for CEC's for the state of PA. I beleive I need 30 credits....is it per year? Dp employers usually provide this or do you guys usually do it on your own? Any advice is appreciated!!! Iam LOST. (I got my RN back in July) THANK YOU!!!!

Yes, it is VERY possible nad you will be fine!! I was lucky..I go pregnant my first semester of nursing school and gave birth a month after spring semester ended, so I spen the whole first year of nursing school pregnant. Igot alot of "attention" and praise from all my awesome classmates. Yes, the first trimester was hard because I was sick but it was fine. I would put my one son down for a nap and I would studyand eventually dose off until he woke up from his nap. ThenI would study beofre bed and when I woke up in the morning. Sounds like alot but it's doable. My clincal instructors knew i was pregnant so I was given patients without any type of isolation condition, and i would review patient chartts and do my careplans sitting down as often as possib=le. It was actually FINE, I enjoyed it since I felt i was conquring the world! We had SEVERAL pregnant students, some who gave birth in the middle of the semester! They would take on clinical rotation off and missed a couple of classes (which is all fine at my school, you are allowerd to miss one clinical rotation, which is two days) and they survived. Some would let you take the test a few days later if it happened while a test was going on. They work with you since women DO get pregnant. It will be FINE I promise!! If I did it with a 2 yr old at home, you can do it! My kids are now 4 and 16 months, I graduated in May and Im pregnant again, interviewing for jobs (obviously, this one wasn't planned!) so now I have the whole "When doI tell an employer I am pregnant" which is a whole new subject. but take it from me, nursing school CAN be done while pregnant! Good luck and get rest when you can!

Im reposting my reply to a different thread to see if anyone else had any advice! thank you! I just wanted to post on here to see how everyone else faired when they started to work as a new RN but they were pregnant. I am a new grad (grad. last may 2009) been looking for a job ever since. I got pregnant (sooooo unexpectedly.....had trouble ever getting pregnant with my first 2 and surprise! 2 months after graduating and looking forward to a "break", I got pregnant!! it was such a shock) I applied to nursing homes since they are the only ones hiring...one called me back and offered me two positions: part time permanat day position or a pool position. I decided to be "honest" and tell them I was pregnant (didn't know when I applied, found out two days later). They said they could offer me the pool but NOT the permanant day position. I thought that was kinda weird but didn't say anything. I was put on bedrest for the summer (very minor bleeding,it's all cleared up now but I AM NOT HIGH RISK pregnancy, totally healthy I actually feel great) and they said it was FINE, just call whne I was cleared to work and not worry about a drs note. So, of course when I called back to say I was cleared, they said they couldn't hire me because I signed paperwork in July and now it's September. They had "no documentation" of my bedrest so couldn't tell management why the paperwork has different dates and couldn't hire me(it was the STRANGEST conversation I ever had) I knew it was because I was pregnant, but I was still in shock they would be so blatent and so RUDE on the phone! I was actually releieved after the shock wore off because I actually had a horrible feeling about working there. (too long to list the reasons) Then suddenly, I got a call from an AWESOME place, better location, better working conditions,better pay...etc. I was thru the roof with exceitment. I applied to their company BEFORE I found out I was pregnant and they said they had my resume for awhile but there was nothing open until now. I interviewed with two people and decieded not to talk about my private life AT ALL. I usually talk about husband, children, where I live. etc. I kept it short and sweet and only worked off my resume. I am so gunshy about telling an employer I am pregnant and I have no legal reason to do so,so I didn't tell them. I seem to have gotten the job and I am soooo psyched. I am now 20 weeks pregnant and not showing. I took a drug test and waiting for a call from their HR dept to set up orientation. I wont feel right about the job until have an official offer letter and I actually sign paperwork. I am TERRIFIED to tell anyone I am pregnant because of the horror stories I've heard and what happened before. My feeling is: if I am "honest" again and lose the job, and wait until I give birth, which is in March, I will now not only be competing with 2009 graduated like I have been (WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD THE JOBMARKET IS FOR NEW NURSES!) I will be then competing with all the 2010 graduates. I live in the Philly area and the job market is FLOODED with new nurses. It's really a miracle that this place called me to work with no experience (I am even thinking she may not have looked at my resume just the hours I was available to work!! Im not kidding!) So I am doing everything I can to show them I am eager to work and ready to give it my all. Ive gotten advice to not tell them until 2 months before I give birth, which would be sometime late January. That gives them 2 months notice to fill my hours. It's NOT a full time position, it's 3 days a week, 8 hour shifts. So I would NOT need much maternity leave (maybe 4-6 weeks at the most) AND I am not asking for any health benefits, either. I just hope they will keep my position (you don't qualify for FMLA unless you work there for at least a year) so there is still a risk they can fire me on some other lame reason, but I will have to take that chance. SO, after hearing this, HOw did everyone else fair at their job after they were hired pregnant? How did you tell your boss? Any advice to give me? ANYTHING is appreciated!! I am not going to feel confident that i have a job until i have a stethescope around my neck and i am getting paid to be there!! Thanks to everyone who reads this and to anyone who has advice or past experiences!!! thanks!!

I just wanted to post on here to see how everyone else faired when they started to work as a new RN but they were pregnant. I am a new grad (grad. last may 2009) been looking for a job ever since. I got pregnant (sooooo unexpectedly.....had trouble ever getting pregnant with my first 2 and surprise! 2 months after graduating and looking forward to a "break", I got pregnant!! it was such a shock) I applied to nursing homes since they are the only ones hiring...one called me back and offered me two positions: part time permanat day position or a pool position. I decided to be "honest" and tell them I was pregnant (didn't know when I applied, found out two days later). They said they could offer me the pool but NOT the permanant day position. I thought that was kinda weird but didn't say anything. I was put on bedrest for the summer (very minor bleeding,it's all cleared up now but I AM NOT HIGH RISK pregnancy, totally healthy I actually feel great) and they said it was FINE, just call whne I was cleared to work and not worry about a drs note. So, of course when I called back to say I was cleared, they said they couldn't hire me because I signed paperwork in July and now it's September. They had "no documentation" of my bedrest so couldn't tell management why the paperwork has different dates and couldn't hire me(it was the STRANGEST conversation I ever had) I knew it was because I was pregnant, but I was still in shock they would be so blatent and so RUDE on the phone! I was actually releieved after the shock wore off because I actually had a horrible feeling about working there. (too long to list the reasons) Then suddenly, I got a call from an AWESOME place, better location, better working conditions,better pay...etc. I was thru the roof with exceitment. I applied to their company BEFORE I found out I was pregnant and they said they had my resume for awhile but there was nothing open until now. I interviewed with two people and decieded not to talk about my private life AT ALL. I usually talk about husband, children, where I live. etc. I kept it short and sweet and only worked off my resume. I am so gunshy about telling an employer I am pregnant and I have no legal reason to do so,so I didn't tell them. I seem to have gotten the job and I am soooo psyched. I am now 20 weeks pregnant and not showing. I took a drug test and waiting for a call from their HR dept to set up orientation. I wont feel right about the job until have an official offer letter and I actually sign paperwork. I am TERRIFIED to tell anyone I am pregnant because of the horror stories I've heard and what happened before. My feeling is: if I am "honest" again and lose the job, and wait until I give birth, which is in March, I will now not only be competing with 2009 graduated like I have been (WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD THE JOBMARKET IS FOR NEW NURSES!) I will be then competing with all the 2010 graduates. I live in the Philly area and the job market is FLOODED with new nurses. It's really a miracle that this place called me to work with no experience (I am even thinking she may not have looked at my resume just the hours I was available to work!! Im not kidding!) So I am doing everything I can to show them I am eager to work and ready to give it my all. Ive gotten advice to not tell them until 2 months before I give birth, which would be sometime late January. That gives them 2 months notice to fill my hours. It's NOT a full time position, it's 3 days a week, 8 hour shifts. So I would NOT need much maternity leave (maybe 4-6 weeks at the most) AND I am not asking for any health benefits, either. I just hope they will keep my position (you don't qualify for FMLA unless you work there for at least a year) so there is still a risk they can fire me on some other lame reason, but I will have to take that chance. SO, after hearing this, HOw did everyone else fair at their job after they were hired pregnant? How did you tell your boss? Any advice to give me? ANYTHING is appreciated!! I am not going to feel confident that i have a job until i have a stethescope around my neck and i am getting paid to be there!! Thanks to everyone who reads this and to anyone who has advice or past experiences!!

I am looking for RN jobs in nursing homes in suburbs of Philly (southeastern PA)...any help is appreciated!! Thank you!!!

I'm an RN, but with no experience!

Hi Everyone! I am a new nurse going on many interviews for nursing homes. Problem is, I have NO IDEA what the going rate is for new nurses in long term care/nursing homes. I live in a SUBURB of Philadelphia. CAn anyone help me on what nurses make at nursing homes in this area? ( I would apprecaite ANY nurses in LTC and what they make hourly.) I am just afraid if they ask what I am asking for I Will either go too low or insult them by asking way too much. Please help! First interview is tommorrow!! THANK YOU!

Thank you!!! I will take your advice...what was the test like? Do you get something to write on? What if you want to take a break,etc? IS the computer test anything like Kaplan?

:redpinkheHi Everyone - IO am taking the NCLEX test on Friday and I'm freaking out. I have two questions for ANYONE willing to help me! I need some reasurrance and advice! My Q Trainer scores were: Q Trainer 6 67$ Q Trainer 7 59% Readiness Test 66% Do you think I Am ready? Anyone else have these scores and pass? Also, what should I do from now (Tuesday) until Friday, the day of the testt? Any help/advice/war stories appreciated!!! THANK YOU!!!!

Thank you ALL for your help. I welcome any type of advice from other nurses, I just want to make sure I am totally prepared for whats ahead!

Hello! I am trying to get into nursing school and I was just reading all those scary ghost stories on here and some stories about dieing mothers and babies. See, my ultimate goal is to work in labor and delivery and OF COURSE I know sometimes babies die, but is that a common thing? The ghost stories thnig may sound silly, but is that a common thing too? Can anyone tell me what they love about thier job and how you get over some of the sad parts. Help out a future RN! thank you!