jsully13

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions! I really appreciate the insight! I'm thinking I'd probably like to work with a low income/underserved population at some point. I just want to have some different experiences, rather than being in a bunch of different doctor's offices the whole time!

I don't start my FNP I clinicals until January 2009, but I want to start thinking about possible clinical sites now. In the program I'm in, we choose our own preceptors (as long as they agree )), but I'm wondering what others have done for clinicals. I have a lot of different interests, but I'm not sure that FP is one of them. I was thinking maybe going to a FP group for my final clinical rotation, but I'd like some good variety before then. Where are/were you for FNP clinicals? The more interesting, the better! Also, has anyone gone to a community cancer center/practice for adult clinicals?

From my experience in the PACU, our lithotripsy patients usually have the procedure done under MAC (monitored anesthesia care). I don't know how much you know about anesthesia, but with MAC the anesthesia provider usually uses meds like fentanyl, versed, and propofol. The patient remains responsive and maintains their own airway but doesn't remember a whole lot of the procedure. MAC provides more comfort than local anesthesia, and you avoid the risks of general anesthesia. Hope this helps!

I agree with Sue. I started out on a Surgical ICU after graduation, and I currently work in the PACU. I learned a LOT on ICU (managing drips, hemodynamic monitoring, ventilated patients, etc.). I occasionally use these skills in the PACU, but it's not something I would have REALLY learned had I not worked in ICU. I think a hard part of PACU as a new grad would probably be the assessment skills. Although you probably know how to do a full assessment, you also have to know how to FOCUS your assessment and ANTICIPATE when things might go downhill. Also, like Sue said, check with potential schools and see if they consider PACU "acute care". The two schools I looked at for the CRNA Program do NOT count PACU as acute care. Hope this helps!!!

1. Is nursing education for you? (1) Strongly Agree 2. Is your educational background and experiences enough so that you can teach in a school of nursing? (4) Strongly Disagree 3. Are you open to alternative educational programs such as online programs to fulfill your educational requirements necessary for teaching? (1) Strongly Agree 4. Are you well organized and flexible, as more nursing programs move away from traditional teaching and learning styles to more computer savvy, high-tech settings? (1) Strongly Agree 5. Are you aware that nurse-educators are in such short supply? (1) Strongly Agree 6. Do you wonder if you would make a good nurse-educator? (3) Disagree 7. As a nurse, you teach people every day. Do you enjoy helping others improve their job performance through the teaching/learning process? (1) Strongly Agree 8. Did you know that nurses with graduate degrees are less likely to choose teaching than in the past because so many other options are available to them? (2) Agree 9. Are you aware that incentive programs are in place to increase salaries of nursing school faculty to help attract them to education? (4) Strongly Disagree 10. Would you encourage others to become a nurse? (1) Strongly Agree

Hi all! I start my FNP program this fall. My current plan is to continue working full time and attend school part time. As it is now, I will graduate in May 2010. Last night, I got this great idea that I should quit work, go to school full time, and graduate in Fall 2008 instead! When my husband's head stopped spinning, we talked about it. First, we COULD afford to live only on his salary for a year, BUT we would have to really scrimp and save. We would also have to take out student loans for tuition since I would no longer have tuition reimbursement. Basically we would be able to afford to eat and live, but not much else. My husband does not like the instability of the idea, but he would like for me to be making twice my salary in half the time! There is a Graduate Assistantship position open that I am waiting to hear more about. Any advice would be much appreciated! What are other people doing??? Thanks!

Hi! I had to take this test as well when I started on an SICU as a new grad! I think the norm was for people to fail. In fact, I think the educator said that only 2 or 3 people that she knew of had passed on their first attempt. And we weren't all new grads. It was a mix of new grads and some nurses with a few years of experience. The main purpose of the test is a knowledge assessment, right? We took the exam and all had to go to new-hire critical care classes regardless of whether we passed or failed. At the end of the classes, the people who failed the first time had to retake the exam. No big deal. Review what you missed so you know what to work on, and pass the exam the next time you take it! PS- I always have a hard time on "priority" questions because I think of how it happens in real life- all at once. I just always have to remember the hierarchy of needs, and break it down further starting with Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. That usually helps!

Hi all! I am returning to grad school this fall to start an FNP Program in Illinois. A good friend of mine is having fertility issues and has been seeing a Reproductive Endocrinologist. I think it would be interesting to work with an RE after I graduate, and I was wondering if anyone out there is doing this. If so, what kinds of things do you do on a daily basis? I do not have any OB/GYN experience (SICU and PACU only). Should I look into changing jobs to gain some experience first? Just looking for suggestions! Thanks!

Zevin still teaches that class? I took it in Fall 2001 (I think). Does he still have the most monotone voice ever? Haha! I graduated with my BSN from IUPUI in December 2004. If you are going to IUPUI and have any questions about classes or teachers, you can PM me! My name is Jess.

ABREVA!!! Love it! It dries the cold sore up but it doesn't make it crusty. It seems to really shorten the healing time, too. Also, in the future, if you apply it as soon as you feel the cold sore coming on, the cold sore won't get as big and nasty. Man, I hate cold sores!

I think you completely did the right thing. I hate when I page a doc and the first words out of his/her mouth are "I hope this is important because I'm really busy!" Like I have nothing better to do than call you and talk to you about unimportant things. Sometimes I feel like saying "I bet you're not as busy as me right now!". Here is the other thing I learned quickly from working in PACU. I work with VARIOUS different docs (surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, blah, blah) and they all have different opinions on how to handle things and what is important and unimportant. And they all expect us to know their preferences, right? Wrong. I refuse to feel guilty or embarrased for asking a question that will help me care for my patients in the best way. They can deal with a 30 second phone call from me. Hope this makes you feel better!

I took boards in December of 2004. After I was done , I went out to my car and cried because I thought I had done really bad! I had 75 questions, and I passed. Hope this helps!

I work in PACU- We get $2.50/hr on call pay, time and a half if called in, and minimum 2 hrs pay. We take weekend (7am Sat. to 7am Mon.) call every 5th weekend and Friday (7pm Fri. to 7am Sat.) call every 5th Friday. It still beats WORKING every other or every third weekend in ICU though!!!!

The girl I work with on the evening shift is Filipino. She works in the OR, and I work in the PACU. She is fairly new (she started about 6 months before me). I don't think she had a harder time than anyone else during orientation. Hope this helps!!!

I never worked on a Med/Surg floor, but I did work in SICU before PACU. It does suck to get admissions, but it has to be done. I was never able to say "Can I call you back in 5 minutes?" I think a big problem is that the majority of med/surg nurses (the ones that haven't worked recovery) don't know exactly how things work in the PACU. If they saw that we get slammed sometimes like they do maybe they would be a little more understanding. We've started doing a thing called a "Room Reservation". We call as soon as we get our patient settled in recovery and give a little 30 second report to either the nurse that will be getting the patient or to the charge nurse to pass on. We give a little basic info (IV side, drains, O2, etc.) AND we give an estimate of how long it will be until we call report. This does 2 things- It gives them the opportunity to tell us if the room is not ready AND they have an idea of when we will be coming in order to prioritize. Then there is the nurse who ALWAYS starts a bath 5 minutes before we are planning to call report...Oh well. It is what it is.