dayplay

Conratulations and WELCOME to the world of nursing...Well done!!!

I agree with DaytoNite. If those courses with lower GPAs were from another college, and you don't need those credits to qualify for admission, then you don't have to use them. Especially if you are attending a different school. However, if you have courses that you've taken in that college/school and you want to transfer those credits to the school of nursing you applied for...then a transcript is required from that school...and those records will be automatically be disclosed. It becomes part of your records. Other school of nursing particularly looks at the nursing pre-requisities GPA only and not the overall GPA...so your chances may still be great. Work related experiences and bilingual capacities are great assets to have too. Good luck

I certainly would like to find where MissJKm PACU is. Do their PACU still exist as described? I had made that false impression when I moved to PACU. Been in PACU for over 6 years now, and have had my share of hairy days like ICUs. I agree with Rn34TX and Cleothecat...you're not going to escaped from taking ICU patients...nor will your PACU day be a walk in the park all the time. There will be days when you are on your toes from the minute you step in the unit to the time you sign off. No lunch---no breaks. Like ICUs, each unit has its moments of busy time and down time. No guarantees each time. However, my moved to PACU has been one of the best decision I've ever made. At least here, you won't have to deal with surgeons who refused to give additional pain meds/sedation orders because they are worried about respiratory depression. Your primary goal in PACU are airway and pain control...but certainly not limited to the that. Less turning/less bathing...and when patients gets a little bit bossy...it's time for them to go. Recovery is over and hope there's a bed for him to transfer to. Good luck...Check it out...

San Francisco Bay Area FT RN's (experienced over 10+ years) can make over 100K/year easy without OT. Based pay excluding shift differentials and other premium pays. If you are a workaholic...you can even get close to 200K. But then again, our cost of living in the Bay Area is so high...Sometimes, even with a higher pay it could not offset the high cost of living. But do check out our hospitals in the Bay Area...we do need RNs.

Hi there! If you guys ever want to play in Sunny California..c'mon over. San Francisco Bay Area is a great place to work with its wonderful all-year round almost like spring weather. Starting pay is around $37.00 to 39.00 (for 6 mo to a year, then a 3-5 % increasefor the next year, and so forth) + differentials that can run from 10-20%. Add the health and dental benefits to that + 40-48 days of educational leave with pay. The only draw back is that the cost of living is extremely high here. Salary ranges here in the greater San Francisco Bay Area is $38.00-53.00 / hr (base pay only). good luck job hunting...

38 is not too old for school. Most people nowadays start a new career in their 40s. So, you are just right in with the group. To be a CRNA, first you must get a BSN (3-4yrs), + additional year of nursing(as an RN) experience preferably in the Critical Care areas (ICUs), then you can apply for the CRNA school which is highly competitive. Money is great though. However, CRNA school is very expensive ...about 750-800 dollars per unit. Keep you foot in the BSN program, and get your RN license. The, save some money up for CRNA school and in about 8 years you'll be a full pledge CRNAearning mucho dolares. Good luck.

I am very surprised that staff RNs in your hospital are getting the worst pair of assignments. You have every right to be upset, and I don't think you are whining. In our hospital, our staff RN's get priority over travellers and registries unless they have been caring for their assignment the previous day. For continuity, we will give them their pairs, but if an assignment is too heavy...our Charge Nurse will often split up these pairs. How is your assignment given? Is it already assigned before you come in for your shift? If assignments are already assigned by the Charge Nurse, best way to deal with this is to come in a few minutes early and ask the Charge Nurse if you can get a little break from these heavy assignments you've had in the last few weeks/months/over the years. If you still go for group report and then assignments are given at the end of report, you should speak up and state that you're a Staff RN and should be given priority in selecting pairs/assignment before travellers and registries. Good luck.

NaHCO3 is used for severe acidosis...but with this patient...with a lactate level of 42...he would have benefited with fluid resuscitation to correct the base deficit - possibly improving his acidosis.

I'm glad I work in the Critical Care Unit where most of our patients only wear hospital gowns. When you ask them to turn on their side such as, line changes/positioning Q2hrs, listening for breathsounds/wiping their backs---whooalaaa...the butt is just right there...no need to ask...LOL

My answer would be # 4, to assess your patient first before delivering any form of interventions. Basic understanding of the patient condition at any given time is of utmost important, then you can follow the rest of the orders.

Getting into nursing programs is always difficult. Most are impacted programs. Your best bet is if you have the $$$, private school. Other alternative would be, cross-enrolling in different community colleges so that you can complete your required pre-requisites in shorter period of time. I did that. The nursing prerequisites I needed were full at the Univeristy I was enrolled in. I cross-enrolled in a nearby community college while enrolled at the university to complete my required courses. A lot of travelling, but completed my course work in time for admission to the nursing program. Good Luck. (I was attending 2 other community colleges while enrolled at the University - so it can be done)

If you already have a BA/BS in another field, it is better off to get into the accelerated MSN track. For just an additional few months (a semester and a summer usually), you'll get a Master's Degree in Nursing. You'll be able to sit for the boards at the same time as your colleagues in the baccaulareate tracks. Sometimes, it may even be cheaper. Good Luck...

It is better to start searching now, but make sure you already know what area of nursing you would rather pursue. Some hospitals are specialized in certain areas...Trauma, Cardiac, Burn Units, Pediatrics. So it all depends on what you are interested in. Most of the SF hospitals have competitive salary, but do not overlook the other incentives. Look at the whole benefit package and the salary together. Some may offer a better salary, but benefit package (health/dental/retirement) may not be as great. Here are some listing of one of the highest paid RN in the SF Bay Area --- Washington Hospital in Fremont, Kaiser Permanente (across the SF Bay - lots of campuses), Stanford University. For excitement and great learning experiences, public hospitals are wonderful to start. So, its best to look around now. The earlier the better so that you can do you comparison, and see what best suit your needs.

It is better to start searching now, but make sure you already know what area of nursing you would rather pursue. Some hospitals are specialized in certain areas...Trauma, Cardiac, Burn Units, Pediatrics. So it all depends on what you are interested in. Most of the SF hospitals have competitive salary, but do not overlook the other incentives. Look at the whole benefit package and the salary together. Some may offer a better salary, but benefit package (health/dental/retirement) may not be as great. Here are some listing of one of the highest paid RN in the SF Bay Area --- Washington Hospital in Fremont, Kaiser Permanente (across the SF Bay - lots of campuses), Stanford University. For excitement and great learning experiences, public hospitals are wonderful to start. So, its best to look around now. The earlier the better so that you can do you comparison, and see what best suit your needs.

It all depends on what you are hired in. Most hospitals in the SF Bay area have units that have a combination of 8 hr and 12 hours shifts. You can be hired as an 8hr shift RN, but maybe scheduled 12hrs. You will then be entitled to OT pay after your 8hrs. If you are hired as a 12hr RN, then you don't get paid OT until after 12hrs (usually double pay). Oftentime, the 12hr shift employee has a higher hourly rate than the 8 hr RN. For example, a 12hr employee works 36hrs ( 3 - 12hr shifts) and get paid 40 hours. An 8hr person works the full 40.0hrs and get paid 40.0hrs.

Titrating vasopressors require continuous and diligent monitoring of patient's response. Often times, it is titrated to effect. It's best to do a slow titration and then observe for any response. Sometimes, as patient condition's improve, you may continue titration within the ordered parameters. Goals with any vasopressors is to get them off these pressors if patient tolerates it.

I went to SFSU Nursing school, and it is indeed an impacted program. I was lucky enough when I applied for the program in '92, and I did not have to wait at all. At the time, they have recently changed their requirement to accept applicants based on your GPA and work-related experiences (healthcare), so I got in rigt away. I don;t know how they do it now. But having a high GPA on completed prerequisites and having some work-related experience in the health care industry will definitelly be a plus. Being bilingual is an added plus too. Good luck.

Welcome and Good Luck in nursing school. It's a tough program...and you just have to hang in there like we did. Your prior health-related experiences will help your greatly in school. Keep it up.

Job SECURITY...Flexibility and ability to travel anywhere else and be able to find a job where you want.

Graffinius: I'm glad that you are considering of becoming an RN. Although there are many women to meet in this profession...it will probably go down on your list a little bit once you realized what are your getting into. Nursing is a tough program to get into, and once accepted...your life is on hold until you're done nursing school. There are lots of women in this program, yes...but as much as they like guys...their attention will be "the nursing books". On the up side... a few years of patience, after getting your RN license...you'll have a great life ahead of you from travelling to partying and lots of flexibility with your schedule. Job security is good too. Good luck

I think that most RNs would say that having a BSN is more beneficial to the RNs in terms of being consider a "Profession". In every avenues, we looked at professionals with degrees such MD, Pharmacist, Accountant, Analysts...etc. Associate degree is a degree but often looked at as a short-easy way of earning some form of degree. It is like a certificate type program. When people look at professionals, they look at those who pursue 4 or more full-time years of college education. On the other hand, ADN is really not a simple two year program... it is almost a 4year program just like the baccalaureate program sometimes longer. I have difficulty understanding why people would pursue the ADN route (except for cost), while time spent to complete the program is about the same. Perhaps, a two tier salary should be available to ADN vs BSN/MSN RNs then maybe will see a rise in BSN driven RNs. Eventually, we will perhaps get the respect we all been aspiring to achieve as a "professional worker".

10-20cc/hr is our standard to KVO.

My hospital does limit our ability to inject propofol to intubated patients only. Our hospital policy dictates that the patient has to be on a mechanical ventilator before or airway is already secured for propofol infusion or injection.