TAB_RN

I paid $750.00/mo for rent in Massachusetts in 1988 before I moved to South Florida (which I lived for 8 years). That price didn't even include my electric. The cost of living in Massachusetts (Boston) is probably double what you are paying, for a studio apt., so as you can see, the cost of living may be high to you, but that is probably because you are comparing it to your pay. But I believe it is all relative. High cost, higher pay. I now again live in Massachusetts. The cost of living is still ridiculous here, but I do love living here. :)

A good place to start would be your primary physicians office. You could have a titer drawn to see if you need certain immunizations before having them all done again.

I am on an ortho floor and after LP or myelogram, our floor places the patient in a prone position with a pillow under the stomach, then to side lying, then flat on back.

the nclex makes changes to the test every 4 years, i believe. it is usually in april, but i hear that the new changes took place already (a few months ago).

I was a software engineer for many years before going to Nursing School. I have always gone by the rule "never put anything on the internet that you wouldn't want read". I have already figured out who a couple of posters are on here that I went to school with. I just wouldn't vent anything I wouldn't want found out. :)

I have to say, that before I became an RN, I was a PCA on an Orthopedic/Neuro floor. Many patients assumed I was a Nurse. In fact, they would refer to me as one to some of the nurses. I ALWAYS corrected them. But there were times when one of the nurses from my floor, assumed I told a patient I was her nurse. She kind of accused me of introducing me as her nurse, because of the conversation the patient had with her. I did not. So, unless you hear her saying she is a nurse, take it with a grain of salt. She should not be talking to patients about the staff at all... so I would definitely find out what is up with that.

I agree. There is another thread that the OP makes a lot of comments on regarding this issue. It really is a thread that shows a lot of anger and resentment at RN's. I have no tolerance for some of the comments made by LPN's - especially when they try to defend their "title" by degrading or insulting the RN's role. Here it is... https://allnurses.com/forums/f99/why-so-bad-lpn-274536.html

I also have started this past week on a cardiac/surgical step down unit. I will start precepting this week coming and start my telemetry certification classes next week. I am thrilled to be finally at this point. Good luck and best wishes to both of you!!!

It is statements like this quote from above that make this argument ridiculous. First off, I know many RN's that I would rather care for me than doctors. They are THAT smart! I also know many LPN's that are brilliant. The fact of the matter is that when generalizations are made like the above statement, it weakens your argument. RN's in hospitals are caring for some pretty high acuity patients. RN's working in ICU today are caring for patients that are VERY close to death. twenty years ago, patients on hospital floors were in the ICU's of hospitals. Today, you are pretty darn close to death in order to gain a stay in an ICU. I would definitely not say that nurses in LTC facilities are smarter than RN's in hospitals because, as you state "they are so used to working per a doctor's advice 24 hours out of the day that they don't know how to use their own judgement". That is just a silly statement. As I said, generalizations such as the above quote really weaken the argument.

Gosh, I am very sorry to hear of your bad news. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hi emmsha, I am not sure where you are located in MA, but I am also a new graduate. Many hospitals hire ADN RN's. Beth Israel, New England Baptist, UMASS, Saint Vincent, Harrington, Hubbard, Milford, Clinton, Leominster, Framinham, Leonard Morse, Marlboro Hospital... etc. are some of the hospitals that hire ADN's. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time and patience, as well as a bit of assertiveness! LOL! Although it is expensive to live here, the pay in MA is very good. Usually, if you go to the states with lower living expenses, you get a pay that is lower too. I am not trying to discourage you from relocating, I am just letting you know that most ADN RN's do not end up in nursing homes.

Hi Ndcon2, First off, congratulations on your accomplishments! I too, have passed my boards and have started orientation on a cardiac telemetry/surgical floor. I am concerned at my level of knowledge as well. I will get 8 weeks of orientation at 40hrs/week. I was told that if I am not comfortable at the end of the 8 weeks, they will extend my orientation. I am getting alot of support and training, so I am confident that I will do well. You will as well. It is quite common for new graduates to feel as we both do. My manager asked me if I had any concerns and I could only state to her "Of course I do, I am hoping I just don't kill anyone". Of course I was joking, but it is quite scary to start out. She told me that if I wasn't worried, she would be concerned. You will have a lot of support through orientation, as well as after orientation. Use this time to ask questions and LEARN. We all start in the same place as new graduates. Again, congrats!!

Sounds like the patient is on Alli or Xenical....

Are you talking about a halo?

No, hats are not allowed in the test center. Neither are coats. In fact I wasn't allowed to wear my bracelets. They asked me to remove them and put them in my locker.

I just finished nursing school and use a Mac. I used the Mosby's NCLEX, Hogan's NCLEX (new and fantastic!!), and the Saunders NCLEX. The only one I had a problem with, was the Lippincotts. Every other one I tried worked on the Mac. Hope this helps.

Are you serious????

I live in Massachusetts and yes, we have to carry mandatory health insurance. If you do not, you will pay a fine at tax time. This past year, because it is so new, you may have been lucky to only be penalized about $200.00, but next year, they plan to penalize each person over 18 years old about $1,000.00. Still, some people find that this is worth it. When you pay anywhere from $300.00 - $500.00/month for insurance through an employer, it can become very expensive. I believe that making everyone carry health insurance just helps pay the deficit that is created with free healthcare, and really does nothing more. Some of the cheaper health plans really don't cover anything anyway. Here are some of the facts: Massachusetts Mandatory Health Insurance program will provide health coverage as follows for the state's 500,000 uninsured: -- 100,000 poverty-level residents qualify, but have not yet signed up, for Medicaid. They will be legally required to sign-up. Price Tag: $225 million a year, half to be repaid by the federal government. -- The incomes of 200,000 resident families are too low to afford health insurance, but they don't qualify for Medicaid. Nationwide, this group comprises about 70% of the 45 million Americans. Massachusetts plans to partially or fully subsidize health insurance premiums for this group. Those earning between 100% and 300% will pay part of their premiums, calculated on a sliding scale. Those earning 100% of less of the federal poverty level will have their premiums paid by the state. Price Tag: $720 million a year, initially to be funded by a $1 billion fund already set-aside for uninsured care. -- The remaining 200,000 uninsured are deemed to be able to afford health insurance, and will be required to do so by 2008 or be assessed substantial annual tax penalties and/or wage garnishments. I personally do not want socialized medicine. I want to have procedures done when I need them done and not wait ridiculous amounts of time on a waiting list. I don't think there are any real answers to this dilemma, but this is the first state to try this out and see how it will go.

We were not even allowed to do finger sticks on each other in college. I am sorry, but there is absolutely no reason for anyone to have to get naked in class. Not only that, but for the poster that said that in midwifery school that you did lady partsl exams and paps on each other... what happens if you find something really wrong with your fellow student -- like maybe a tumor or something... what do you do? There is WAY too much that can go wrong. There was once a patient in the nursing program at my school that decided to be the guinea pig for an EKG. Well, she was the last one, because the instructor said that it was bad enough to send her to the hospital for a while and the EKG showed heart damage. We had some really expensive "dummies" that were as close to human as possible. Other than that, we worked on patients. We did bed baths on patients in nursing homes in Nursing I. I just don't think it is appropriate to do pap smears on your fellow students.i

That is ridiculous! You could still wear a bra or halter and reach the same goal. I absolutely would have a problem if my instructor had asked me to take my bra off.

I also worked in a nursing home... for only 8 weeks. I worked with a brand new LPN that was vicious. She did not like me and made my life completely miserable. I really believe, because I was a student in a Registered Nursing Program, she just couldn't be kind to me. :nurse:I left and then got a job as a PCA (CNA) in a hospital. It was much different and I just loved the job. I now have passed my boards and am a Registered Nurse. I would NEVER work in a Long Term Facility again, because of the experience I had. I also didn't like the way things were done. I felt like it wasn't structured properly. I wrote a letter to the director upon my leaving, but of course it didn't matter. Good luck to you and maybe it would be better to check out your local hospitals. You may like the way they run there.

I quit 21 days ago. I used Chantix for 3 weeks. I don't have the urge - but the first week was BRUTAL! I was a WITCH! Not to mention, I quit 10 days before sitting for the NCLEX-RN. If I could get through that without a cigarette, I can do ANYTHING! I now know, 21 days later, that I am done. I won't go back, because I don't want to have to do this again. I am past the nicotine and now past the habit as well. Now, if I went back - it would just be a stupid decision, so that is NOT going to happen. :)

1. How many questions did you take on NCLEX? 75 2. What study materials did you use? Did you take a test review course? I took the online review course by Kaplan. I started it in November. 3. Did your SON offer any testing (ERI, ATI, HESI)? ATI 4. How long did you wait for results of the test, or are you still waiting? I waited 48 hours with the quick results - and I passed! 5. What were your thoughts coming out of the test (total disbelief, certainty you had failed, confident you had passed)? I had felt indifferent. But as time passed waiting for my grade, I was feeling like I may have failed. I think this is common though, because most everyone gets about 50% of the questions wrong. It is the way the CAT testing is designed. 6. Was this your first attempt at NCLEX? Yes

Or you can fail with 50%. It is the level of difficulty that you reach that will determine your pass/fail.

It will list your exam date, name, NCLEX ID #, registration #, Exam, grade after grade - it will say either "pass" or "fail"