glb1960

Pesticide exposure/reaction/allergy/poisoning while picking fruit?

Hey 16 yo. I, as well as Ludi, wish I had had a plan like yours at 16 yo. I didn't earn my license until I was 40 yo. I have a couple of suggestions, if you are willing. Get into the health care field now. There are spots that only require a certificate that only require a few weeks to complete. Nursing assistant (but work in a hospital, not a long term care facility, too much burn out there), phlebotomist, IV start, transport, HUC. We speak English, but health care has an additional language of acronyms, meds, procedures and codes that you will learn in these supportive roles. I promise you that working in the hospital, in almost any role, will put you far ahead of any of your classmates that haven't. And it will look fantastic on your resume'. Summers, weekends and very part time is enough. Please don't schedule so many hours that you all important grades suffer. Many states have programs that offer Post Secondary Options Programs that offer college level work that also fulfill high school credits. So, double credit for the same class, HS and college. I have a daughter and nieces/nephews that utilized this option in Minnesota. There are also Honors classes with college credits to possibly take. Start with your HS counselor. They should be a good place get started with the info necessary to take these courses. If your counselor isn't supportive of this idea(my niece had one that told her it was a bad idea, she used a different one and graduated HS with 24 credit hours at Inver Hills CC, started her junior year), find one willing to support you. Do not allow anyone to tell you "NO". Start developing a solid backbone now. It will serve you well when you are in the nursing field. Lastly, as you are earning your degree/license, earn some extra nursing certificates. ACLS(Advanced Cardiac Life Support), PALS/PEARS( Peds Advanced Life Support), BLS/CPR, IV start courses which all will make you stand out from your peers. Good luck, 16 yo. Gary

Time is the greatest asset for a wounded heart/soul. For me, crying, praying, anger... were ineffective. Time has taught me that time from the incident is the only effective way to gain perspective and healing. By the way, good job nurse, for jumping in and doing your best. You represented us well!

I couldn't agree more with what brownbook posted. I would like to add a few of my own. Demerol is under used/available to PACU RN's. It has good, longer term pain control and a secondary trait that comes in handy. General anesthesia pt.s can have chemical/gas shaking that looks very different from shivering. If they are 97.6F or warmer and are experiencing large-scale, almost seizure-like shaking, request a 12.5mg dose from your provider, administer, wait 5 minutes and watch them disappear. Phenergan is another anti-nausea med that works wonders and is under available. There is a risk of tissue damage if administered into an infiltrated IV (but we don't do that anyway). So, draw up your dose into a 10cc syringe, dilute with your carrier fluid(0.9NS, LR...) and administer. No tissue risk with dilution. One more thing, be prepared/patient to answer the same question multiple times from the same pt. until they have really woken up.

I went back to school at 40 for my RN and it was easily the best decision I have ever made. Do it and do it now. But first get thee to your nearest community college/tech college for your CNA or NAR license, then to a hospital and start working as an aid on the floor. This was the best advice I received as I was preparing to become a RN. You start learning the language, rhythms, responsibilities and relationships of the nursing world. Keep your eyes open and ask intelligent questions of supportive RNs and you can get a real feel for our profession before you invest thousands of dollars and years of your life towards your degree. Sadly, you also need to realize there are terrific managers and co-workers out there and terrible ones. They can make or break your experience. I am fortunate enough to have found an amazing group of people to call my friends and co-workers. Enjoy this crazy ride we call life and good luck.

I went back to school at 40 for my RN and it was easily the best decision I have ever made. Do it and do it now. But first get thee to your nearest community college/tech college for your CNA or NAR license, then to a hospital and start working as an aid on the floor. This was the best advice I received as I was preparing to become a RN. You start learning the language, rhythms, responsibilities and relationships of the nursing world. Keep your eyes open and ask intelligent questions of supportive RNs and you can get a real feel for our profession before you invest thousands of dollars and years of your life towards your degree. Sadly, you also need to realize there are terrific managers and co-workers out there and terrible ones. They can make or break your experience. I am fortunate enough to have found an amazing group of people to call my friends and co-workers. Enjoy this crazy ride we call life and good luck.

Hey smiggers, Hang in there. NO ONE knows everything about the O.R., not even 20 year vets. We have a saying around our O.R. whenever a surgeon requests some obscure clamp, retractor, lap instrument or whatever, we share the info with the others and then declare that we all learned something new today, time to go home!It will get better. Unfortunately, it took me to the 12 mo. point to feel really comfortable. I kept copious notes on the different surgeons arrangements and set ups so I could refer to them instead of asking all the time. Also, our pick/preference cards have modifiable areas to include some of the surgeon preferences for another resource. At the end of the day, sit down with your notes and reflect a little. Give yourself credit for the cases that went smoothly. Disect what was less then smooth on the other cases, jot down corrections in your notes for the next time and compare the next time for improvement. Treat this position as a nurse note using the DIAP formula:D) data - what case, what went well, what didn't.I) intervention - what do I need to improve to have better success next time?A) assess - Am I improving? What in my notes is not accurate? P) plan - how to get better. What things are happening at roughly the same point in each type of case. Can I anticipate better? Most importantly, develop a third ear. Surgeons will give you clues, if you hear them. My ears always perk up when the surgeon is asking for some instrument that I am unsure was opened onto the sterile field, suture I didn't open, asking for sponges after we have counted off 5, ect... That way I can already be moving towards the supplies before the tech asks me for something. Sounds hard, I know, but break it down to steps:1) Incision = listen for retractors, clamps, pickups, "gas on", another trochar.2) Mid case = new blades, different cautery tip, different lap tools.3) closing = sutures, dressings, casts/splints.You'll come up with your own verbal/timing triggers.Good luck, Gary

We use Ambit pumps for our pain control with very good success. Never in the joint, just nerves; femoral, interscalene, poplitial, axial... As far as assessments going overboard, lawyers will ensure that we will always be buried in excessive C.Y.A. nonsense.

I feel you are selling the profession very short. From Associates degree to Doctorate, there are hundreds of subspecialities with a nursing degree. You mentioned business as an option. There are countless business opportunities for RN's. Pre-qualifing, post care follow-up, insurance review, collections, ect... If dealing with those icky humans is the problem, try circulating O.R. nursing, you only need to deal with an awake pt for a few minutes. From Radiology nursing to cath lab nursing to home care to a dozen different types ICU/CCU of nursing, the nursing world is your oyster, if you so choose. You have done a lot of heavy lifting to get to this point, don't boot it all now, before you understand where your place is in all this. You never HAVE to be caught somewhere you don't want to be. Your R.N. liscense opens SOOOOO many doors, try something new! Good luck, Gary

hey nightingale1231, i worked at the u. of m. children's hospital - fairview for 3 years on the peds blood and marrow transplant floor, it's a specialized heme/onc floor treating various blood disorder issues. they are almost always hiring and really need icu level trained nurses. the icu on that floor is 1 to 1 nursing. the kids are in isolation rooms and when they become icu level care, that is your room for the shift. good nurses, leadership and assistants and 99% of the families are terrific and grateful and even helpful. the nurse managers name is ann. tell her gary says "hi". good luck and let us know how everything turns out, gary breckenridge

You could try the A.O R.N. magazines. They can get a little item specific, but they provide a lot of very good info. I've been a circulating nurse for just 7 months now, still learning the details but completely loving it. Good luck, Gary

Hey Bleppity - I worked at the University of Minnesota/Children's Hospital - Fairview on the peds bone marrow transplant floor for 3+ years. It's a great place to work, terrific, helpful nurses, good management and most importantly, excellent CNA staffing. Being in the heme/onc world, you know the joys and heartbreaks of this field, so I resigned this spring to work OR in my local hospital. I tell my new co-workers that I had to find a job where the little kids died less often. Anyway, the U of M/Children's is always advertising for peds and adult BMT nurses with needs on their regular heme/onc floors as well. Goole search for their website and apply online, that is the only way they take applications anyhow. As far as outdoors goes, yes many bike trails, lakes, fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, hiking, state parks and endless other opportunities. The problem is that summer is limited up here. Outdoors is best late April until early October. Native Minnesotans don't stop for the cold, though. We just ride snowmobiles, cross country/downhill ski, icefish, hike, snowshoe or whatever. Many southerners lock themselves inside with the first snow fall and just complain when they move here. Gotta get out and play. It is not that hard to stay warm, especially when you are active. Hope this info helps. Write any time if you need more specific answers, Good luck, Gary

Hey lorabel - Go ahead and apply for those jobs that state 2 yrs experience, if they are appealing to you. Many times your drive, desire, intelligence or heart will make up for your lack of experience. And sometimes you might be the only applicant. Hang tough bel, Gary

Hey Wheaties - I would suggest you take your very valuable 1 1/2 yrs. experience and try it out at a few different places. You will find someplace where you are not scared to come to work. And when you find a place to love/be loved, the phone ringing will not have the power to terrify you any longer. You deserve nothing less. Good luck, Gary

So fellow nurses, have any of you heard of this type of employment? Certified RN-Coders are Being Recruited for Code@Home Jobs? How about The American Association of Clinical Coders and Auditors, Inc. ? Are these real opportunities are another scam? $999 to get certified and then start fullfilling their contracts. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Gary