natron20

I'm only doing my clinical rotation for nursing school (last semester thank goodness) so I have VERY limited experiences but had a woman come in today who bumped her hand at the bowling alley on a table. Rated her pain 2-3/10. What.....the.....hell?

The reason I ask is because something clicked in my head recently that hospice nursing might be for me. I am graduating in December and the rumor was that my final clinical rotation would be with Hospice. The more I thought about the more I warmed to the idea. Not to be corny but I am a guy and one that can be very emotional at times. Just the other day in clinicals I had a patient with Parkinson's who was very difficult to understand and needed total care. She was at the hospital for several days so I saw her and spent time with her on multiple occasions. Well this past Thursday I found out she was being transferred to another floor and I was asked to go help move her. The tech and I rolled the patient's bed out into the hallway and waited for the elevator. As we were waiting Ms Sue (as I called her) pointed at me and mumbled. I could not hear her so I left the foot of the bed and crouched down beside her and asked her "What was that?". I understood her this time, she said, "I'll miss you". I damn near lost it right there. I took her hand and told her I would miss her too all the while holding back tears as best I could. I wanted to tell my fiance about this but did not bother because I was afraid I would cry as I recounted the event to her. Heck, I teared up reading some of the death stories in the other thread here. So my question is when is it ok to cry if working as Hospice nurse? I really would like to give it a shot but I'm not sure I am emotionally geared for it. Having said all of that please don't take from this that I am or would be a basket case.

Danville/Lincoln Co area here. Lord willing and the creek don't rise I'll graduate from the EKU ADN program in December of 09.

Something on your resume or letters or something has to be throwing up a red flag. I'm still in school and will graduate in December but I had many friends who graduated from EKU this past December and everyone of them had jobs secured in January at the latest. Heck several had multiple offers and were able to pick what they wanted. I would suggest contacting someone at a career builder service or something to have them review your resume. They might be able to see the problem. Good luck though.

I spent some time in the accelerated BSN program at EKU. Let me say run as fast as you can to Bellarmine. Outside of one or two faculty they as a group are horrible. I transferred to a different program because it sucked so bad. Several of my friends graduated in December and they still say it was one of the worst experiences of their lives. They hated it that much. Just my but I wouldn't suggest the program to anyone.

I completed my EMT-B license a couple of years before I started nursing school. I graduate with my nursing degree in December and I think anyone who tries to do both at the same time are either nuts are like punishment. More power to anyone willing to give it a go but I would not suggest that route for anyone. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hi Everyone, I am in the process of applying to nursing school in an accelerated BSN program. I am trying to figure two more people to ask abou writing letters on my behalf. What I would like to know is are there any major buzz words that are important that admissions folks are looking at? I'm only asking because the one person I have secured to write one of my letters asked me this question. I told the person I had no idea. To be honest I had never really thought about it. Would anyone have any ideas or advice? Sorry if I put this in the wrong spot. It seems like the topic would fit in a few places but this forum seems to have most of the action. If anyone could offer any insight it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any help.

Hi everyone, I've decided to go back to school to become an RN. I already have a BS in another field so I will be going the accelerated BSN route. I heard someone mention nursing informatics the other day and thought I would look to see what it is about. I've been reading the forms and found the ANIA website but after reading all of this I still have no idea what a nurse in this field does. Because I can tell it deals with IT and electronic records it may be something I already have a background in. I currently work at a Help Desk for a health care registry that uses electronic data capture. Where I work we offer clinical as well as technical support so I feel like I have a decent background in both as it stands right now. I'm just trying to see if this is something that might be for me. Thanks for everyone for any input.

Hi Amanda, I would like to offer a bit of a different view on this. I have lost approx. 120 lbs over the past year and I can attest to the fact that a lot of people with weight issues struggle with portion control. These little snack packs are a great tool for someone having that problem. Just my two cents....

A rather wide brush you paint with. I love it when people who make comments such as this lecture me on tolerance, being unbiased, and having an open mind. Tell me, how is the view from that Ivory Tower? Perhaps you view Christians the same way a racist views one of another race? If not, why single out Christians in such a way? Perhaps YOUR bias leads you to seek out negative examples that reinforce YOUR notions of what being a Christian is all about? Do you take the time to make a special note when you see a Christian do good? For some reason I doubt it. I'm a proud Christian and as far from a racist as you could get. I have dear friends AND FAMILY of all colors and religious back grounds. Your statement was the equivalent of saying all Muslims are terrorists or all British soccer fans are hooligans. Way to hijack a thread.....tell me again how any of this relates to nursing? BTW, I live in Kentucky and God is my next door neighbor. You call it arrogance, I'll call it pride.

Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement. Much appreciated!

I actually am in EMT training right now but decided 1/2 way through nursing is what I would rather do. I too love kids and think pediatric nursing is my way to go. I've realized over the last several months that I'm not a big fan of trauma. My first "run" during EMT clinicals was lady who had been run over by four horses. NOT a good time. I know what you're going through though. I would suggest doing with an EMT service what you are doing at the hospital, volunteer. If you contact your local EMT service I'm sure they would let you "ride along" with them for a little. I think actually doing the hands on thing would help clarify your choice even more. You may find that you LOVE riding 70 mph in the back of an ambulance with sirens blaring, trying to stand up and not being able to, trying to maintain an airway, the list goes on and on. I'm thinking it's not my cup of tea but if may be right up your alley. I take my national certification exam on June 19th. I'm soooo ready to get this over with..... Whatever you choose I wish you nothing but the best. If you have any questions about EMT training please feel free to let me know. I'd be happy to help out as best I can.

I would like to put in a good word for my home town, Danville, Kentucky. It is one of the most charming places you would ever want to live. It has been named one of the top small towns in America and has wonderful people, character, and culture. Heck, this coming weekend is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, The Great American Brass Band Festival! Look it up on Google if you're interested. The Brass Band Festival was ranked as one of the top 10 attractions in the country by AAA a couple of years ago. The town really does have character. We have a great theater called the Pioneer Playhouse. I know that sounds a little red neck but summer internships are sought after by theater students all across the country every summer. George Clooney and Lee Majors are some of the famous people to work at the theater in their younger days. Also downtown is Centre College and it's great campus. The school is very small and tough to get into. I graduated with over 200 classmates in 1996 and I do not know of a single person that went to school there, it is that exclusive. But it adds character to town which is why I love it! The downtown area of Danville is one of the model communities for preservation. Currently construction is going on to open up two HUGE (relative to Danville anyway) medical clinics downtown. What is awesome though is the shell of almost one city block is being preserved while the inside is being rebuilt from the ground up with state of the art technology. On top of that, only a couple of blocks away is the local hospital, around 200 beds and a brand new multi-million dollar expansion is going to be opening up soon increasing capacity to around 240. What I'm trying to say is opportunities will be everywhere for someone such as yourself. Not to mention in Kentucky you will without a doubt see the seasons change. I can promise you will have winter but not enough snow that you have to put chains on your tires or anything like that. I'm not a nurse, but planning to start nursing school soon. From what I have been told starting pay is in the low 20's, which considering the LOW cost of living, a GREAT salary! Danville means so much to me I still live here but commute one hour away to Lexington. Even at 3.00 a gallon it's still worth it to live here and drive that far everyday. In case you can't tell, I love my little home town! If you have any questions I'd be happy to answer any (or find out answers if I don't know). Best of luck where ever you end up!

I would like to clarify that I have no desire to hide or change my accent. Like I said originally, I love being from the South and I love my voice. Heck, if anything it has been a conversation starter. I said I speak with all sorts of healthcare folks everyday so I'm usually asked about where I'm from multiple times a day. I actually conduct training sessions via teleconference (I bet some of us have talked over the last few years!) and I usually am asked where I'm from within the first minute or so. My answer now is a dead pan "Sweeedun". That always seems to make people laugh and let's them know I'm laid back about it. Too many bad things going on in this world to get worked up over someone thinking less of me because of the way I sound. I was more or less curious as to whether anyone thought it may be an obstacle in nursing. Please, please, please, do not think people with southern accents are dumb or stupid though because I can promise you that is NOT the case. I'm used to repeating myself now so that shouldn't be any trouble either. Thanks for the comments and banter everyone! Much appreciated.

Hi y'all (that's the way I would say it anyway) I'm planning to begin a nursing career in the fall of 2007 (accl. BSN program) and was wondering about something. I have a STRONG southern accent. I'm not ashamed of it, I love my accent. I had no idea I even had one until I was 16 and while on a trip to California some people let me know. The question I have is could I anticipate any issues or trouble with my accent? Also, and PLEASE be honest, it won't hurt my feelings (much =) but what would your reaction be if you are from a place where southern accents are not common and heard your nurse have a twang to the voice? I work in the healthcare industry and deal with RNs, Quality Improvement personnel, Administrators, Drug Reps, etc on a daily basis and most of the ladies (99% of the people I work with are female) don't seem to mind. However, I feel like a few are looking down their respective nose at me while I talk. I even had a person who thought they were on mute one time say to a group I was on a conference call with "this guy from KEN-tucky thinks he's going to teach us something". One of those real sarcastic tones. I rolled my eyes and smiled because I knew they were the ones making an a$$ out of themselves. I'm already somewhat apprehensive about being a guy in this profession and fighting off sterotypes. I had never given much thought to any preconceived notions about my my voice though. Will I have another sterotype to deal with? Honestly, what do you think when you hear a guy (or a lady) with a southern accent? Please don't think we're dumb.... Any feedback or commentary would be greatly appreciated! Y'all have a good evening!

name: nathan school: eastern kentucky university program: acclerated bsn what area of interest at this time:i think peds is where my future is at. let's see, i'm a big kid, and i can have a job where i get to hang out with some of the coolest and bravest kids around?!?! sign me up! biggest fear: just about everythinig. paying for school. living off of financial aid to go to school full time. failing. actually being accepted (i will not know until march '07 but will graduate in december '08). being smart enough. not screwing up. oh and the boogie man...... what you'd like us to know about you: as a test to see if i could handle the more gruesome things i am currently in training to obtain my emt license. i will test for my license next month. um, what else. i'm single. i'm meeting a great lady for lunch tomorrow though so maybe that will change soon! being from kentucky i have a hard core thick country accent. so i say stuff like, "go down two streets and take the next riiiiiight." when i'm surprised i'll say "my lands" or "graate day". oh, and i still say supper. i don't think i've ever had dinner. i'm also probably the only guy to ever have a used car salesman not want to make a deal. i asked the guy about a truck on the lot and he said he wouldn't tell me how much it cost because i couldn't afford it anyway. all i could do was laugh! life is too short to get upset about that kind of stuff plus i ended up with fun story. seacrest out.......

I was thinking about that. I'm in Kentucky. Thanks.

Hello, I was hoping to sollicit some help. I am starting the process of looking into beginning an accelerated BSN program and have so many questions. Right now I am trying to determine if nursing is something I really want to do. At this point in time I believe in my heart that it is but I still want to be positive. In this effort I am trying to meet some local RNs here in my area and ask them questions about the career, what they like, don't like etc. Because I have no idea really what to ask I was hoping people here could offer me advice on questions to ask. Knowing what you know now were there things you wished you knew earlier? I'm just trying to go from 95% sure to 100%. Also, if anyone does offer questions that I could ask it would also be awesome if you could offer a response to that question. The more input I have from as many different sources will do nothing but help. Thanks for your time. Nathan

Ok Lisa, I'm thinking you and I may be twins. You and I seem like we are one in the same. I hope you're right about being back here in a couple of years with the "I did it!!!" advantage! I know something that has given me some piece of mind is support from a very special friend. She lives in San Francisco which is several thousand miles from me but it feels like she is right here with her arm around me whispering encouragement. I was talking with her this week about my anxiety and fears and she has decided she is going to be my accountability partner as I go through this process. She is going to be reminding me that this is something I can do and that I need to do. She is also a great supporter who will keep my head up. She is awesome and her support is going to help me beyond words. I need all the help I can get though and want to be here to offer an encouraging word to anyone I see in doubt so I will be using this forum frequently. I wish everyone here going through this same thing all the best. Remember any of us can do it! Thanks again to everyone for sharing and for the encouragment. Nathan

Geez, I live just north of Pulaski County in a town called Danville. I'm not a nurse (applying to programs as of now but I do work in the healthcare industry) but I've never heard of anyone having this bad of an outlook. You may want to check out Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville. Just another option I wanted to suggest if you don't mind living close to Pulaski County instead of in it.

Hi everyone, This thread could fit into a couple of different places but I wanted to try it here. I'll apologize now if it has to be moved. I am just now working to start towards a nursing career (going back to school to complete an accelerated BSN program) and have been reading about all of the avaliable specialities out there. My question is, are male nurses in Ob-Gyn an accepted practice? I would have concerns about finding L and D as my calling but patients refusing to have a male nurse. I can actually see where a lady could be uncomfortable too so I would never begrudge them if they did not want a male nurse. I can also imagine the crap I will take from friends for choosing the Ob-Gyn field if I decide this is where I want to be. I cringe at how many times I'd be called a perv or some other variation. Anyone with any insight, suggestions, experiences, or thoughts they could share? Any would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time. Nathan

Hi everyone. I am looking at possibly starting nursing school next year and have a question (well, I have a lot of questions but this one is burning right now). How do you find "your" speciality. It seems like the list is a mile long. I'm a 27 year old single male so I feel as though I would have decent options if I had to go somewhere else for training or an education. I have been thinking about anesthesia, neo natal, or pediatrics. These are just "hunches" of what I think I would enjoy but I'm just trying to ascertain how I will ever find a speciality that is for me. Thanks to everyone for you any input or insight. For someone looking into this career this website and those of you who contribute are invaluable. Thanks! Nathan

Thanks to everyone for sharing. I am looking into nursing because even though I do have a good job it is not fulfilling for me. I want to know I actually help people. That I make a difference for someone. I'm scared to death though. If I make a mistake in my job right now the worst that can happen is some computer programs screw up and some files have to be replaced so I can start over. If a nurse makes a mistake the consequences are far more drastic. I'm scared I'm not mentally capable of becoming a nurse. I've never been accused of being the smartest cat on the block anyway. My undergrad GPA is only a 3.4 and I had very little science courses. I need two more classes to have all pre reqs. I made B's in A and P which I'm afraid is not good enough. I'm scared I do not have the "stomach" for some of the rougher sites and chores of nursing. I hope this is completely mental and something I can control but I just do not know until that time comes. Having said all of that it does not change the fact I want to make a difference. I want to help. I want to be a reason people can say they've "had a good day". I am about 99% sure this is what I want to do. Now I'm scared I have finally found what my calling in life is but I won't be able to get into a program. Geez, this is crazy. Thanks again to everyone. Nathan

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site (just made my first post in the pre-nursing student forum) and was seeking advice on how you knew a nursing career was right for you. I have been on this site everyday for the last two weeks trying to read and process as much info as possible to decide if I am capable of being a nurse (I have doubts about myself). One thing I have had a hard time with is trying to figure out what these acronyms stand for. I swear I've never seen anything like it. I kind of feel like I'm on a game show or something trying to solve riddles when I read a post that is full of them. (A little Classic Concentration with Alex Trebek from back the 80's anyone?) Is there a quick guide or index somewhere to help figure these out? I'm driving around acronym hell without a map.... Thanks for your time (and if anyone has any info they could post on my other thread in the pre-nursing forum that would be awesome!) Nathan

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site and thought this would be a great place to try and seek out some feedback. I have been thinking about my career lately and about a month ago started really looking into the possibility of a nursing career. My question is how did you know this is what you were supposed to do for a career? I will be honest, I have a very good job with good benefits and I would be giving it all up. I'm nervous about doing this because what if it turns out I become involved and realize nursing was a bad idea? I already have a degree so I would be going for an accelerated BSN. Any insight, thoughts, opinions, or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Nathan