snortzmom

Why oh why did I schedule my CEN exam during cold/flu season? Exam website advises that you must give 2 business days notice in order to reschedule. Came down with the death cold today, and exam is tomorrow at 1330. Will suck it up if I have to (h...

I am betting the MD is saying that you were "practicing medicine without a license." Sounds more like a misunderstanding between the pain nurse and the MD, with you caught in the middle. It is one of those "gray areas." 99.99% chance that it will ...

The scenario you describe is my worst nightmare! First of all, the facility seems negligent to leave a new grad in charge of 30 patients. Secondly, 30 patients to 1 nurse?? The facility sounds unsafe and is (as you already know) a risk to your lic...

I took the hit and graduated from an accelerated program May 2007. I think it depends on timing and wait lists. Is there a wait list at the CC in your area? Some can be as long as 2-3 years. If not, I would go for the ASN and then bridge over to t...

My advice to you would be to just shake it off. When you go to work tonight, request that you not be given this patient. This happens all the time and it won't be the first or the last time this happens to you. If management has any question about...

The nice thing about travel nursing is that the contract usually only lasts 13 weeks. Hang in there.. K.

I can't believe that I feel this way... I started out with such rose colored glasses, but now (I have been a nurse for just about 2 years) I can absolutely understand why people leave nursing. I am grateful for the fact that I have a job, especiall...

Thank you for making me feel like I am not alone in feeling this way!! I will for sure follow the advice given by the more seasoned nurses. Next time someone yells at me for not giving them a cab voucher, I will just smile.

How long have you been a nurse?

Hi! It was me that posted the info on delphi :) I turned down the Parkland job due to the "challenge" exam. My recruiter at CCTC actually got me a blueprint of 1 of the 3 tests and it was too much of a risk for me, but then again I am relatively i...

Yes, a last resort, but when you are first learning and your patient is crashing, you do what you have to do to get the line in :) Definitely not ideal but hey I work ER and sometimes you don't have the luxury of missing.. K.

My 12 months is up tomorrow! Those first couple of months off orientation were horrible! I would say that around month 8 (includes orientation) I started to feel relatively comfortable. I can now handle (I am in ER) a patient load of 3-4 critical ...

My 1st year of nursing is up tomorrow! I found it helpful to use non-latex gloves (for some reason I can feel the bounce of the vein more than latex), and don't stick a vein you can't feel. I have been tricked often by veins I can see but not feel....

Z coils, hands down. Expensive (about 200) but they pay for themselves. I feel like I am walking on mattresses.

I am a new ER nurse with 9 months experience and also worked as a tech.. I WISH I had worked as a US.. You will be so far ahead of the game. You will know nursing protocols before you start. You will be familiar with labs, tests, what x-rays need...

I think more importantly it is crucial that you spend time shadowing in different nursing roles. I volunteered 150 hrs, then worked in a hospital for a year before getting accepted into an accelerated program. The person who will interview you want...

The pay difference between an associates and bachelors is only $0.50/hr at my hospital Are you thinking about getting your masters? If not, get your associates degree. Many charge nurses only have an associates degree. Plus, many hospitals will p...

I am at month 8 post graduation, and I am amazed at how much I have learned so far.. Sometimes it blows my mind how much I have learned... Still not comfortable, but getting there.

Because you already have a degree, you can take the prereqs you don't have and then go through an accelerated BSN program (schools grant a BSN in 12-24 months) Or if it is cheaper and you don't plan on getting your masters, get an associates at a ch...

Have you thought about doing something different in nursing? Administration, education, school nursing, botox?

I have been there for 8 months now and I know what you are saying about not wanting to be a jobhopper. From what everyone says, it is normal to feel overwhelmed for about 2 years. I am fine with overwhelmed. What I am not fine about is working for...

I am in exactly the same situation. A couple of weeks ago I decided that my work environment was toxic. I started not sleeping, feeling ill all the time. I love being a nurse and I am not going to let some burned out nurses take that away from me...

I tried it for one week, during which time I ate only healthy foods. Then I started to fart uncontrollably at the worst times, like during patient admissions or starting IV's. It was so embarrassing. I decided it's not for me... It was a waste of...

I took 246 and got the last question wrong.. I passed. Hope the same goes for you. Kirsten

Being a new nurse, I realize that the unit secretaries run the show. I would recommend that you try to get in good with them.. If they are on your side, your life will be soooo :bowingpurmuch easier. We were ordering chinese the other day and I pi...