Anesthetize

A lot of the time the nurses will just hand me a paper with his latest orders/treatments and list of diagnoses with lab results/etc. I don't know if it classifies as a "traditional report" or not, but sometimes I've got to ask about specifics of the patient since the nurses don't really take the time to explain things to me (being a student).

The preceptor was on another floor with students... she came around to me about 0715. In the past, preceptors have never taken report with us, and the reports that we do get are computerized print outs, which don't list the latest blood sugar.

So today I get onto my shift at 0630, and I read through the RAND and do my physical assessments/checks of my patient... at 0715 or so, one of my preceptors walks in and asks me for a report. I tell her the patient's diagnosis, secondary diagnoses (including DM type 2), and then she stops me and asks what the most recent blood sugar was. Now, from what I remembered from reviewing the RAND was that my patient has q6hr fingersticks, the last one being before my shift started at 0600, the next being 1200. So, we look up the latest BS level and it hadn't been taken by the night shift. So, this leads to me being thrown into a big mess with the preceptor and an instructor going on and on about how critical thinking and good judgment required that I should have immediately noticed the absent BS check, and then done it myself or reported to someone else to find out why. I didn't do this initially because I thought that I didn't need to worry about it, since I read the RAND and it said that I didn't have a blood sugar due until 1200... so I didn't even bother checking since I thought it would have been taken care of before my shift -- hence, not my responsibility. What do you guys think, am I clinically neglegent, or am I paying for someone else's mistake? Would you have checked blood sugar levels for the previous shift if you were in my situation? Ever have a similar situation happen to you, and what did you do?

I've been doing some research and it looks like I'd need about 2 full years of prereq's in the hard sciences before applying to med school... which isn't too bad. What the med schools want is a BS degree, though, which I would have. I think that they would like the fact that I had my degree in nursing, too. That means tons of clinical/work experience.

I was just curious if anyone knew any nurses that decided to go to medical school after becoming an RN. I'm 1.5 yrs through my BSN program and doing well, but something about becoming an MD appeals to me. I think I'd make a great doctor, having the nursing experience. The school/time commitment is huge, I realize, but who would you want taking care of you? A nurse-->MD, or someone else?

Well, Brett, I've got a 4.0 so far, and have gotten A's on the exams. My criticism of this type of testing is based on the fact that it's not scientifically based. It's highly subjective and imprecise. I would feel differently if the tests were asking us to solve problems we have the necessary information and/or background to solve. And drawing from prior education/textbook material and using past experiences isn't a problem, either. We are routinely asked questions that have no relevance to ANY material from ANY class, textbook, or experience. That's my problem, with it. The professors also deemphasize the importance of things like regular reading and studying, memorization, and problem solving. In essence, they're basing our grades on the wrong things. IT is my expectation that CRNA schools will have a curriculum based on material they do in fact teach, and I've heard it before on this forum that that's what they do. I'm trying to clarify this issue.

Congrats on the acceptance, UCDSICURN. I'm sure you'll love going to school there. Wish me luck, too, though... I just finished my 1st year at CSUS (w/ a 4.0 nonetheless), and although I didn't get hired as an extern at UCD, I will keep trying.

So, I've just finished my first year in a BSN program. The thing is, all the tests we've taken are "critical thinking" style tests... meaning, they are giving us multiple choice tests covering material that isn't taught or in the textbooks. I don't personally agree with this testing style, since I've studied psychometrics in the past and know that tests like these are flawed. What I'm trying to figure out is what the testing style of CRNA schools are... is it hard science based, or more of this critical thinking BS? And by the way, I wouldn't have a problem with critical thinking tests if they provided us with the information required for logically solving problems. Thanks!

class size 35, applications 350, age 35, GPA 3.5? Am I reading this right? That's a lot of 35's. Just saying, is all.

Offering my perspective, here... aren't people supposed to function within their scopes of practice collaboratively in a team environment? Isn't that what 4th grade was for? Excuse me, but this is ridiculous.

What do you mean by power rankings/hierarchy? Are you getting at your responsibilities relative to others, administrative decisions, giving/taking orders, status, or something else maybe? I don't see the hospital environment as a power ranking system. Everyone ultimately has a responsibility to the patient. I'd say the patient is the most powerful, and everyone functions within their scope of practice collaboratively or independently to perform certain tasks. Using the term "hierarchies" when talking about job positions usually implies a pecking order and some measure of status, so you've got to be careful when and how you use it. A "chain of command," "order of operations," or some similar term might be more appropriate. Technically, a "hierarchy" is defined as "the organization of people at different ranks in an administrative body," and "categorization of a group of people according to ability or status," among other similar definitions. Technically speaking, hospitals aren't hierarchies, since there isn't a ranking system or organization based on status. Hierarchy is too loose of a word to use, much like saying that nurses are middle class citizens, doctors are upper class citizens, CNA's are lower class citizens, and the administration is the government in hospital land... et cetera et cetera.

If you've read the other post with a similar title, you'll read that this person gets positive responses from people when he/she tells others that he/she's a nurse. I've got a complaint, kind of like that... but it's that I get negative responses from people when I tell them what I do. I hear people say that nursing is menial "butt wiping." I'd like to think I get some respect as a kind of humanitarian or altruist, but I get the feeling that nursing is looked down on. Just my 2 cents.

I didn't know that... thanks for sharing. Here's a question for you, though: is it possible to get into a CVICU right out of school?

Call me crazy, but I've heard on this board that CRNA schools prefer level 1 trauma ICU experience. Does anyone know what the schools really prefer? Sure, you might get great experience in a CVICU, but is it ON PAPER what schools want? I always thought it was level 1 trauma. ???

That would be Sacramento (northern cal, urban), with a union I'm geussing (a place like Sutter or UCDavis Medical Center).