chnc1024

I'd rather relive all three of my labors back to back with no pain medication than do another care plan..... I don't get summer off either, but still. I'm on my 5th care plan and I'm only in my first semester..... Have a Great Day! Chancie

No he did not... Tell his pt with a foley to hang his bag on his IV pole at waist level!!! This was yesterday, my clinical group was waiting to go to lunch, and I saw the pt walking past and to his room. I went and told him why that wasn't a good idea. He and his wife look at me shocked said "his nurse told him to do that"....

I have an "A" average, and have been told by several instructors that I will be an wonderful nurse, so why is it that I can't do a care plan? I KNOW what my pts need, how to do it... everything that a care plan is "suppose" to be about, so why do I fail them? Ok I do know one reason, I'm an audio learner and my CI hasn't bothered to EXPLAIN what I'm supposed to do. I asked her the other day when she was going over one I had done. She telling me that what I was doing was wrong, so I asked "Ok, I'm not understanding what it is you are wanting from me. Could you please give me an example of what I could have written that would have been better so that I'll know what it is you are looking for?" and she replies "Use your book." How exactly is THAT going to help me? I did use my book! So I am wondering if any of you could give me some tips on how to do a proper care plan. I'm so fustrated it's rediculous. Please help! Chancie

I recently did my drug cards, and I came up with a great system for them. I went to walmart and bought a small 2 ring binder. It came with 100 lined index cards. I also bought a pack of unlined cards the same size. I formated my word document to 3x5 index cards, and typed them out and sorted them by drug types. Then I got tabs and labled each drug type so I could flip through easily. I'm going to use the lined cards to keep notes on things durring clinical so that I don't have to carry an extra notebook. What I really love about this, is that I can easily add to my list, and keep them organized. Hope that helps. It cost me less than $5 to do! Have a Gread Day! Chancie

We are REQUIRED to wear our scrubs durring ALL nursing school time. Clinical, Lab, Lecture, and even study time spent in our Sim and Learning Lab.

Yep incentive spirometor

Thanks for all the support! As for the beer not being a big deal, in my school we are held to a stict code of ethics that was given to use before school began. Student's that smoke aren't allowed to do in uniform EVER even if they are on their way home because it is unprofessional. Perhaps I just think of things differently because I don't drink, but I wouln't want a nurse to take care of me or my kids after drinking a beer on lunch break. Also, I don't do the "I have it harder than you do" thing. The only people I told about my son were the people who I know well, and my instuctors since I didn't know what I should do if he were to have another seizure while I'm at school/clinical. The people who came to me and asked what I made were the one's with the sob stories. I just tried to be supportive, even thought it's not easy sometimes. Again thanks for the support, I don't want them to fail, but I do hope that they have different schedules than I do for summer. But then again perhaps they will be in a better mood once they get the hang of the tests. I'm just one of those people that "gets things" easily and quickly, and for some reason people just want to sabotage me because of it. I've been doing a little on my care plan and I think I've got it for the most part now, I guess I just didn't get why the instructor chose to do the interventions that she did. It just seemed silly to me have "up fiber intake" on a pt who is NPO, when it would not benifit her NOW and her last BM was 2 days ago. Am I making since? I think it will be much better when I can prioritize interventions in a way that makes more since to me. Have a Great Day! Chancie

Mom of Student, I am horrible speller, but am normally quite good at English. My kids were running around, and I wast trying to quickly type so that I could get back to other things. Thank you for bringing my attention to this however. I will make sure I check my post before sending it in the future. Have a Great Day! Chancie

I agree with your take on the care plan. The pt. is an imaginary case study our instructor gave us to give us a feel on how to do care plans. My instructor gave us the intervention of "increase dietary fiber" and I didn't get why since like I said she is NPO, gradually progressing to clear fluids as tollerated. She is post op cholestestectomy (think I spelled that right, but not sure) and last bm 2 days prior. I have met some really nice girls in my class, I just don't get the other one's. For example is it REALLY nessisary to say "I hate kids; they smell" and then rolling her eyes when I'm talking to my friend and we are discussing our children durring clinical? This isn't durring any kind of teaching or whatever, just as we are working cassually on our SIM man. I'm not nessisary upset by it, I just don't get why people think that it's acceptable to treat people like crap. Chancie

I was actually told this in all of my evening classes, I'm taking day nursing classes, but all my pre-reqs were pretty much evening. I was told it's usually because day student's ususally are younger, and most people don't want to spent their evenings in class, so the ones that are there are there because they REALLY WANT to be there. Which means they are going to put more work into the class and trying to organize their time more effeciantly because they have other responsibilites that they have to consider. Makes since to me! Have a Great Day! Chancie

Ok I just started Intro to Nursing in January. I've been reading this site for about 2 years, and heard you all tell the horrors of care plans, the high school drama, and just over all crap that goes along with being a nursing student. Well, unfortunately this all became fully evident yesterday durring clinical. People want to ask what I made on my test (95, which I'm completely stoked about:yeah:) and then want to get all mad because they barely passed, and want to make excuses for their grade "I didn't have time to study", or "Oh, I had company", all I wanted to say, "Yea, well I have 3 kids under the age of five. My son who's 2yrs old had a seizure and had to go to the hopsital and had fever of over 102 for the past week that won't come down rotating tylenol and motrin. On top of the 4 month old baby I have that still doen't sleep all night, and you couldn't do your work because....???"(and yes that really did happen) Of course I didn't say that, and decided "Oh, that's rough, but at least you passed. You'll make it up on the next test." would be the more therapeutic response. And then said people go and talk about me behind my back trying to pick apart everything I say or do to try to make themselves feel better. Then 5 people from our group went out to eat at Ruby Tuesdays to drink durring lunch :uhoh21:. Guess who WON'T be asked to help with my patients? Yea, we were only in Lab and not in the hospital (we go for the first time next tuesday) but we are supposed to treat lab like the hospital, and if your going to drink durring lunch you've got bigger problems than the fact that your failing... Care plans suck! This is the first time I've been confused since school started. My problem I'm told is that I'm overthinking it, but I don't know. I just don't get how you can put a time frame on some things. For example, how can you say you want someone to increase fiber intake to reduce constipation when they are NPO??? The instructor said "well they can do it when they begin eating again", well if you don't know WHEN they will be allowed to eat again, how can I possibly give a time frame for fiber intake??? Anyway, I guess I just needed to vent. I just don't understand why some people have to try to tear others down to make themselves feel better. Have A Great Day! Chancie

The majority of the people in my classes are absolutly wonderful, but somethings I just don't understand.... *If you can't stand to touch, or be touched by people because your such a germ-o-phobe, what are you going to do when you actually have to deal with a real pt? *To the same person NO you CAN'T do EVERYTHING with GOLVES on (She brought this up during BP)

I also downloaded my books to my laptop, and it's awsome (also elsevier/evolve) because all I have to take to class is my laptop and a note book. My books are set up so that you can search across all the chapters, and books if you like at the same time, making it much easier to get more information if you need it. It also has a highlight feature, and you can have your highlights sent to your word program to print. It's great! I never thought I'd like an ebook, but it's been invaluable! I think most books can be downloaded if you look online, but remember if you didn't pay for access when you bought your text books you will have to pay extra.

You could always refer her to this site and tell her to check out the students section! That alone should give her a clear picture of what she'll be dealing with. And that way you can know she knows what she's getting into, and you don't have to feel awkward! Have a Great Day! Chancie

For my husband to grow up:banghead:, to be a good mom (I'm concerned about how much time I will be missing with them because of NS), and most of all for my family to follow the plan God has set for us:D! :redbeatheI wish all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!:redbeathe My last New Year Day I spent in the hospital with my son who was having seizures and then stopped breathing....Not a good one:crying2:!!!! Have a Great Day! Chancie

:balloons:Yea You!!!!!!:balloons: :anpom::ancong!::anpom:

My appologies, I didn't intend my "basic nursing stuff" comment to mean that I know how to be a nurse, but that I know BASIC info about what is "normal" (babies have higher heart rates and the like). I have only said what I'm SURE about (things I have learned either from my own kids or in textbooks), and even then I tell her to ask his Docs and Nurses! Thanks for the well wishes!!!! Chancie

The ONLY information I have given is from personal experience (my kids being sick/in the hospital, or because I have learned the information through other sources. I DO NOT/ WILL NEVER pretend to know something I don't!!! I ALWAYS make sure I tell her to check everything with her son's nurses and docs! My cousin is more like a sister to me than a cousin, we grew up next door to each other and I love her dearly. Who care's if I've started classes yet, it doesn't mean I don't know basic medical info! I've taken all pre reqs and we were taught some basic nursing stuff. Im not pretending to know things i don't. Chancie

Hey! I've got M&T lecture, Thurs. clinicals... I was worried at first since classes on a Thurs. that I wouldn't know where to go or what to do, but luckily after that email was sent out (you did get that right?) I was much more relaxed! Good luck in class! Have a Great Day! Chancie

:balloons::anpom: congrats! :anpom::balloons:

I wish I could be there to at least be supportive, but she's like 5 or 6 hours away, and being Christmas time and 3 kids, one in prek and it's just not practical right now. I'm VERY careful to make sure I always follow up any information I give her with "...but you should ask his nurse or doctor if it's something your concerned about!" Mostly she's been concerned with this blood pressure, heart rate, and O2. I told her that the machines should go off if there is a reason to be concerned, and not to be concerned that the blood pressures/ heart rate seem off because it's not the same for babies as it is with adults,...insert quote above... I did tell her that when my daughter was sick once (not with rsv) that her doctors told me that as long as the O2 was above 93-94 that it was usually ok, but again...insert quote above... I just hate it when I can't help and people look to me for help. Chancie

How can I get my family to understand this??? My cousin's little boy (will be 6mo next week) has RSV. He's in the pediatric ICU on a venatalator, and "critical but stable" according to what she's been told. I TOTALLY understand that she's scared and worried, I would be too, but she keeps calling me and asking me if his nurses and doctors are doing the right things or if certian things are "good or bad". I told her the best I could do is give her my VERY LIMITED knowledge and tell her what questions she should ask. I told her I would be happy to look up his medicines in my drug guide, and tell her everything I can find on RSV, but I don't really know much else to do! She told me that her son's nurses seem to keep getting fustrated when she doesn't understand something and that's why she calls me so that "I can help her understand". I told her that if she doesn't understand to keep asking for clarification, because I don't have a licence, I don't have his chart, and I wouldn't even know how to understand that information if I did have it because I haven't learned it yet! I know she's worried, (I know I would be) how can I get her to understand that just because I'm in school to be a nurse that I'm not one yet? I'm concerned that she is looking to me for answers instead of with her little boy's Nurses and Docs. Any Thoughts? Chancie

It's natural to have questions/doubts! Whether or not you go through NS, will empact your life long term! I believe strongly that God has a plan for everyone, and I feel confident that (at least for the time being) I am doing what he wants me to do. And that's probably the only reason I'm not freaking out about what to do or if I can! There are any number of career paths that can alow you to help others (something that's very important to me also) but you'll have to decide HOW you want to help them, and who you want to help most. That alone might steer you in the right direction of where you should go. I'm not too familiar with ADD, but would having a study-buddy help? Someone to keep you on track? Maybe do some excercise to help get the nearvous energy out so that you might be able to focus more. I know that helps me sometimes! I wish you all the best! Chancie

I'm a Navy wife. My husband has been on shore duty for most of the time I've been here, but he is up for new orders in less than a year, and he'll be having to go back out to sea. I'll be in NS, with 3 small kids. Luckily my mom is going to help me out! If it weren't for her I'd be in big trouble!!! I hope you all have your families back very soon! Christmas sucks when your alone-I know!!!! Chancie

Why do you comment on my attitude? Because I think people should work for what they get? Because I said I don't want to help you if your not making an effort to try? I'm sure that's not what you mean, but I'm confused as to why you would hate to see my attitude in a clinical setting? Could you please clarify? And the particular comment on about clinicals I took from a post I read on here and used it as an example. That in no way means that I haven't personally come into these type of situations in my other classes. I took Micro Biology over the summer and everyone in the class, except me and one other girl, was in NS (our school has classes all year you don't get the summer off) and I would hear quite a few of them complain because they are failing and how impossible it is to get all that work done. Then shortly after make plans to go out and "get waisted again". And then they want to get all snotty with me because I had a 97 in Micro, and they were failing. I've also had people ask to cheat off of my math tests, for me to write their essays, and do tests for them for online classes. It just grates on me... People seem to think that because I "don't have a job" (they seem to think that life with 3 kids, youngest is 10 weeks old, leaves me with nothing to do) that should mean that I should have time to take up their slack. I just don't understand it! Have a Great Day! Chancie