andi2634

Jessica- I went back to school to get my RN when I was 29- I already had a degree and chose the 2 year route- I had absolutely no problem getting a job after I graduated with a 2 year degree. I'm now working in a large teaching hospital that really ...

I would be sure to ask questions about staffing- does this unit have a large turnover- or do nurses stay. What is the orientation like- will you have one preceptor or be put with someone different all the time. At my first job I had over a dozen dif...

I worked adult cardiac surgery ICU for about 2 years and recently made the change to a level 3 NICU- and absolutely love it! It was a really difficult transition for me- I felt like a new grad all over again- you really do have to relearn a lot of wh...

I wouldn't spend a lot of money on a calculator- I work in both an adult ICU and the NICU- and have never needed anything more than the most basic calculator. I always try to find the smallest one I can because in the NICU I use it so often that I k...

When I was in school I always carried RNotes by Ehrin Meyers. I also kept it with me all the time when I started my first job- it has tons of info: adult and pediatric VS, meds, ACLS protocols, lab values, and clinical skills, with pages you can wri...

There are lots of threads on assessment if you do a search you'll find tons of great info- this is how I chart. We have a flow sheet that we can check of most of our assessment such as lung sounds, IV's, chest tubes, bowel sounds, cap refill, etc, ...

I've been floating to our CCU lately and it's part of standard pre cardiac cath orders- I think with a bicarb gtt. to help protect the kidneys form taking a hit with the dye during the cath. Our pharmacy prints on the MAR to mix it with Coke to help...

We pull all chest tubes unless there has been a specific order for one of the SA's to pull them. When I was orienting on days I had a chance to pull many chest tubes but now I'm on nights and we pull the Swan but usually chest tubes aren't ordered ...

Assessment skills are so important. When I was in school I precepted in labor and delivery. It was a great experience but I didn't really work with sick people. When I started working in a surgical ICU I knew I really needed to work on assessment. ...

We run alot of our drips mcg/kg/min and this is the easiest way for me to figure it out. If the order says to start Dopamine at 5 mcg and the pt. weighs 70 kgs: To find the rate if you know the dose (amt. desired). Amt drug (mg/units) ---------------...

We had to take the HESI at the end of our first year and again before graduation- if we didn't do well our school made us show proof that we were signed up for an NCLEX review course before we could graduate. It's really not that bad. It should be ...

In Ohio-- patients just out of open heart are 1:1 for 1st 4 hours, if they have a balloon pump or are on CVVH are 1:1, once out of surgery stable patients and ICU overflow are usually 1:2, and if we're short staffed those with tele orders, very stabl...

I started in an open heart unit directly after graduating from nursing school. My orientation was about 13 weeks and I started working nights as soon as my orientation ended. we also get a lot of ICU overflow patients and thoracotomies so I have ha...

I thought the same thing about the patient/nurse ratio. I just graduated in May and am in a cardiac surgical ICU. We normally have 2 patients but we are 1:1 for balloon pumps or fresh open hearts. We may have to triple patients but they are usually...

I started on nights around the beginning of November, after working days for my first 3 months of orientation. I'm definitely more of a night person- but it was a hard transition after having to up during the day. There are some days that I have no ...

this is how I learned: To find the rate if you know the dose (amt. desired): Amt of drug(mg or units) / Amt of solution (cc's) x 1000 = A then Amt desired (dose) / A x wt (in kg's) x 60 (for min) ex: start 5mcg Dobutamine, pt wt is 70 kg...

I'm a new grad that went right into a cardiac surgery ICU after graduation. Throughout my orientation I have had so many conflicting thoughts about going into the unit. I have felt completely overwhelmed one day and then the next have thought wow- ...

See if any of the local hospitals have educational assistance programs. I went to nursing school in Cleveland and there were some through the Clevleand Clinic System. We could work 20 hours a week as an aid or tech and the hospital would pay tuitio...

Definitely think about taking advantage of this opportunity. You will get a ton of hands on experience with patients and get good chances to learn while at work. If the staff knows you're a student they'll most likely explain a lot of what is goin...

I know everyone else has told you the same thing- but I'll say it again- school will not always be like this- and the fundamentals are really important. Our first semester covered things like the nursing process, death and dying, Maslow's heirarchy,...

I took the HESI twice- The first time at the end of our first year and then right before graduation. The first time I got an 84.73. If we weren't in the 85th percentile we had to do review questions every week. Our grades didn't get rounded up so...

I have waited tables for the past eleven years and all I can say is Thank God I passed boards and this is my lst week. Watressing is the hardest job I have ever done- but I couldn't have gotten through nursing school without it. Tonight I got to w...

Congratulations!!!!!!!! I just got my results too and I passed with 75. I'm so glad it's over!

I used Carpenito's book my first year and never really liked it very much. Last year I found Mosby's Nursing Care Plans- Nursing Dx and Interventions -ISBN -0-323-01627-8. I helped me alot. I think it explains things alot better and includes more i...

Expect to be scared to touch that first patient. You will work really hard and have a lot expected of you. Ask a million questions. Expect to make mistakes- you'll learn from each one. Even when your completley stressed- try to keep your sense of ...