christianRN

lbennet, Welcome! I am in Kokomo and also went to IVY Tech (Kokomo) for my LPN and Excelsior for my RN. Congrats and good luck! I like Lafayette!

My hospital paid for someone to come to our hosptial and train a group of us. I think they contacted her through our vendor, B-D.

IVY Tech is cheaper and I think IUK's enrollment was down due to IVY Tech's entrance with their ASN program. I'm sure if they were making money they wouldn't consider ending their ASN program! With all of their problems with obtaining clinical sites, I don't think Kokomo will miss IU-K's ASN program. IVY Tech will step up to the bat and meet the community's needs. IU-K is notoriously hard to deal with and I know students who have satisfied all of their requirements but are still waiting for clinical sites so they can finish. IU-K's NCLEX pass rate is horrid compared to IVY Tech. I think it will all work out ok!

Congratulations, fellow Hoosier! :)

We're going to be going to computerized charting and are looking at replacing the general floors' med carts with Lionville computers-on-wheels that have med drawers. Has anyone had any experience with Lionville? Secondly, we've gotten very mixed responses concerning infection control issues surrounding taking carts in and out of patient rooms. I can't imagine that it would be a problem, since the floors don't clean the portable automatic blood pressure cuff in between each patient, and the computer won't even be touching the patient, BUT we definitely want to get all of these issues ironed out beforehand. What are your policies or what have you seen regarding cleaning rovers or carts? Thanks

Check your policy to be sure!

rarjn, THere are lots of threads that address this...you might do a search for CCRN.

That sounds like a blast! WHat a great team-building idea. I'm with Zee, though, wondering, who has to staff the unit? Perhaps there could be 2 retreats, based on scheduling you could go to one or the other?

Tenn RN basically covered it all, I think! We also love it when we get an aide and he or she can help us transport/transfer pts to tests or to another unit. The aide should be proactive, initiate baths, turns, dumps, temps, etc. on his or her own, not have to wait around on instructions from the nurse.

Havin' a Party, Yes, the certification counts every year on the clinical ladder as long as it's maintained with either a retake of the CCRN or meeting educational requirements, which I think you have to do every three years. For our clinical ladder, national certification gives you more than half the points you need to acheive the first level. It's a good deal!

head-to-toe assessment every 4 hours (or more often if needed) rr, hr, bp q1h, more often if titrating drips temp q4h or more often if needed

THanks a lot, jan. I'll check out that website now. Have you been through her training?

This is an interesting idea. Although we have nothing in writing, most docs consult an intensivist or pulmonologist when their patients are admitted to the unit, but there have been a few times when they haven't been consulted and they should have been. Was this pushed by the hospital, or the intensivists? Do you have a group of intensivists contracted to cover the unit, or do the other docs just pick who they want?

My hospital paid for my books, for the test, and for mileage, but don't pay me any more on the hour for getting my CCRN. I do get credit for it on my clinical ladder, though, and it's a BIG chunk of credit! With my CCRN credit, I will be able to get our $4000 bonus instead of our $3000 bonus. You should push for recogntion and/or reimbursement, especially if your hospital is interested in Magnet status. Certification is a big deal for that.

IV contrast can also give pts a metallic taste. Just one of the side effects.