toriphile23

Thank you so much for your input! I like the idea of attending research-focused conferences. Also, my schools requires us to come up with a research question when applying to the program. I have started using Zotero and it's extremely helpful in collecting all the journals in one area with citations, tags, etc.

Hello, I am starting my PhD next month and would like to ask for some advice from current PhD nurses and students on how to prepare for the program? My research focus will be on nursing education and simulation. Also, how do I connect with other PhD students from other schools to discuss research, methodologies and study tips? Is there a specific forum just for PhD nursing students? Thank you!

I got accepted to the PhD program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indiana (IUPUI) for Summer 2020. Anyone else applying to the same program and school, or anyone is currently in the program? It would be nice to get connected with you before school starts.

No it will not. In fact, you may enroll concurrently in the collaborative RN-BSN progam once you start.

You should go for PhD in any field if you are really passionate about that particular field and have a strong interest in conducting research on it. Otherwise, it would be just a waste of time and energy. You can still teach in community colleges and universities with MSN but if you decide to get a tenured-track position, PhD would be wise.

Hello GreyDay, Can you please share with me how your PhD interview went and what type of questions did they ask? Thank you!

NO ACLS for telemetry unit? That's scary! What do you do if there's a code? Waiting for RRT to come?

I'm planning to take PCCN this year and I am really broke right now. I wonder if anyone has any used PCCN review books, CDs, software, or material from PCCN review classes? I'm taking this class for my clinical ladder at my job. Thanks!

Hi, Thank you all for replying and your valuable advice. Yes, we were supposed to do our prep work the night before our clinicals (which was Sunday). On Monday, everything went well. I did the best I could in my pt care and giving insulins and PO meds. Unfortunately, on the 2nd day, when I went to do VS and assessment on my pts, I realized the 2nd pt was d/c. I asked my professor if I should take another pt, she said no. But I feel like I needed to take care another pt, so I asked my resource RN if I can take another pt next door, and she agreed. So I have no clue, or whatsover, the 2nd pt's VS, meds, dx, etc. So that's why it took me quite a bit to do the VS and assessment on her. After finishing that (around 8 am), I had to look up my drug books to find the her meds - names & classes, indications, doses and routes, side effects cause I have to explain why the pt was getting such and such drugs. So it took me a while to do that, and I totally forgot bout my pt care. Btw, my 1st pt just started eating her breakfast at 8 am...was I suppose to ask her to sit on the chair and do the linens instead? When the CNA came in and told me that she did the linens on the 1st pt, I was in the middle of taking BP with my instructor beside me. I am only a first semester student, and I got anxious, so I gave her a quick reply of "OK" instead of the full "thank you so much for helping me" which I believe I always did to anyone - resource RN, CNA, even the pt. I always courteous because it's totally against my culture to be rude to somebody. I don't think I deserve a comment of "bad manners" on my probation because of saying OK. If I do something wrong, I WILL ALWAYS ADMIT. I don't put the blame on someone else like, "so and so didn't do this, so I couldn't do this..." I was trying to explain to her the reasons behind all this, but she shut me off. She was practically threatening me in front of all the students. What was I suppose to say? She just didn't want to listen to ANY of my excuses. On the 2nd day, she gave me the probation. I wasn't happy because of the comments. She said I didn't do pt care, OK, maybe I have to admit I was not managing my time properly (Yes, she mentioned before in the beginning of clinicals that we had to do pt care by 8 am), so I was wrong on that part. But saying that I was being defensive on her when I didn't even have the chance to talk, and saying that I was having bad manners when the fact that I was nervous and didn't say "thank you" to CNA were a bit out of line. The conversation went like this when I went up to her and asked for explaination. Me: Professor xxx, can I talk to you in private about the comment on my probation? Prof: No, you can talk here, nobody's listening (Half the class were siting in the room) Me: When you said that I was being defensive, I was actually trying to explain to you that... Prof: I heard what you said to the CNA, you said "OK"...You should've said "thank you". (I stood there speechless) Prof: IF you don't like what I wrote on the probation, go to the dean and change probation. (speechless again) Prof: Do you want that? Me: No. Prof: Then sign it! Some of the students witnessed that. They were even shocked with what she said to me. Every one was quiet and dare not speak a word. All I could do was to keep quiet and sign the probation. I told my partner about this incident and he said I have to go to the dean. I told him that a lot of student told me that the dean was not easy to manage. In fact, the dean would never pro the students. He was mad at me for not wanting to take actions on her. He said you should never suck it up (like what most of my classmates told me to) and moved on cause she will take more opportunities to bully me since I appear to be "weak". I talked to a nursing professor in my previous college, and asked for her opinion. She said she heard a lot of things about my professor and a lot of students had complained bout her. She said if I didn't manage to do what my professor had asked me to do, I should've told her or my resource RN and asked someone to help me. She said timing was very critical sometimes and I needed to be very careful on that. She also said that it is always a courtesy to say "thank you", no matter who helped you - CNA, LVN, another student nurse, etc, and I must bear in mind that never, never forget to say those words, so that it would make me appear to be "bossy". She told me not to talk to the dean of nursing first, because I might be getting into more trouble. I might need to talk to someone higher than the dean, such as the dean of academy...or a counselor, who's not from the nursing department. I requested help from a school advisor, but he said I had to make appointment to see him. So I had to wait. But when I told him that it was regarding a nursing instructor, he said, "nursing has the toughest discipline in this school. Sometimes, they might do it their ways, because only the nursing department knows what is right and what is wrong for the students. I can listen to your stories, but I can't promise to find a solution for you." I don't know, I feel so helpless now. I couldn't concentrate at all on my studies just because of this incident. If I can suck it up, I will. But it's just a matter of time for me to forget bout this issue...but I will NEVER forget her.

Hi, I need some advice. I have a problem with my nursing instructor and I don't know how to handle it. We were having our clinicals, 6 am, on Tuesday and as usual, we did our VS and PA on our patients. My 2nd pt was d/c on Tuesday, so I have to pick a new pt. I did all that for both pts, charted before 8 am. It was our 2nd day of giving PO meds, and I was all excited, and at the same time, nervous bout it. I totally forgot to do pt care such as bathing the pt and changing the linens. My professor was in charge of 12 of us, and she was not always with me. So I was waiting for her to give PO meds, but she was not available. Around 10 am, I started gathering clean sheets and was ready to do pt care on my first pt. All of the sudden she appeared in front of me, and asked me if she had done PO meds with me, and I said no. So I put the linens aside and start showing her the meds that the 2nd pt needed (1st pt went into the bathroom to shower at that time, so we couldn't give the meds to her). Since the meds are beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, we went into the room and did her BP before deciding giving the pt's meds. A CNA walked into the room and told me that she had already changed the linens for my 1st pt. My response was, "OK". She asked if I wanted her to do the 2nd pt's bed, I said "It's OK, I can do it myself" After clinicals we had a small conference at 11:45 am before going home. It was at the hospital lobby. I was running a bit late because I was still helping the 2nd pt doing a bath as she was slow. At 11:50 am, I went down stair and my professor and the rest of my class were waiting for me. She stared at me like she's gonna kill me. She stated, "the next time, if pt care was not done by 8 am, you're getting a probation.". I started to explain to her the reason why I didn't do pt care earlier because I was trying to prepare for meds and was anxious. She didn't want to hear me and threaten me saying, "do you want to get a probation NOW?" in front of all my classmates with all the visitors in the hospital. I stood there dumbfounded and quietly replied no. The next morning she came in with her usual bad mood and handed me a probation. She wrote on the probation saying I didn't follow the routine of care. But the thing I couldn't believe was she stated that I was being "very defensive" and having "bad manners". I was not satisfied and didn't want to be accused for something that I didn't do. So I went up to her and tried to explain to her, and she cut me off again by saying, "I heard what you said to the CNA, you said 'OK'...you should've said 'THANK YOU'", in front of all my classmates. I was almost choked with tears. She said, "if you don't like what I wrote, you can go to the dean and change professor...do you want that?" I stood there, frozen, and speechless. And at the end I gathered courage and said no, she forced me to sign the probation. I find her to be so unapproachable and intimidating. She threatened me, and to all of us, but none of us have the courage to complain because we waited so long to get into the program and we didn't want to lose this opportunity. During winter session, she even made racist remarks on me in front of 60 students because I'm an Asian, until I stopped her. She's not nurturing at all, and she threw her tantrum on us without reasons. I don't understand this, but I haven't seen a professor like her in all my college and university life. Now the question is...what should I do? I heard the dean was even harder to approach. Someone suggested that I could approach the dean of the academy and explain the scenario to him/her. I didn't want to feel unsafe and intimidated anymore because we are all adults, and we should have the right to express our feelings. I have been a good student all the while and have been getting good grades. It's against my culture to fight against a professor, but at this point, I have no choice but to do something because I do not want to have anymore sleepless nights just because of this issue. I rather have sleepless nights for studying hard for my exams.

T'hanks NurseGuyFL!

daytonite, yes i did take cpr class before starting school, and yes it's a basic anatomy and physiogy and i have taken both classes before. but i don't remember being taught how many seconds or mins or hour it takes for the brain to shut down w/out O2. if i know the answer, i wouldn't have asked, would i?

I am just curious on tissue perfusion...how fast does our brain shuts down when there's not enough O2? what bout lungs and heart too?

I posted this on pathophysiology/electrolyte and fluids sticky but nobody responded, so I hope this time somebody can help me :imbar I find those questions hard to "make sense"... so i have a few questions here: 1) hypotonic dehydration (electrolyte loss exceeds water loss) might be caused by chronic illness, excessive fluid replacement (hypotonic), renal failure & chronic malnutrition. i don't have problem understanding the last 3 causes, but what kinda chronic illness can cause hypotonic dehydration? my guess would be colon cancer (cause it will have lesser absorption of electrolytes?). I can't think bout other chronic illnesses that lead to electrolyte loss. can it be liver dz/cancer because of altered in metabolism? 2) assessment for hypertonic dehydration (water loss exceeds electrolyte loss) are hyperactive deep tendon reflexes and pitting edema. i have no clue how hyperactive DTR r/t hypertonic dehydration. less water in the body makes reflex more active, but how? or maybe because of too much electrolytes (compares to water) makes nerve impulse travels faster? 3) "fluid volume excess causes visual disturbances, skeletal muscle weakness, and paresthesias" again, does this have to do with the nerve impulse distribution to those parts of the body? 4) can someone explain how hyperglycemia and CHF causes hyponatremia? It's stated that both dz cause "dilution of serum sodium"...how does too much glucose in the body cause removal of sodium? as for CHF, does kidneys retain water and sodium to compensate with decrease cardiac output? as i was searching for answers, i found this cool chart from wikipedia about hyponatremia, so hope this help other students too. --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:H...mia_Causes.png

So I've been studying fluids and electrolyte chapter and so far it's been good. But when the textbook stated s/s for certain fluid & electrolyte balance, I got a bit stuck because I don't know the reason behind what's going on. So I have a few questions here: 1) Hypotonic dehydration (electrolyte loss exceeds water loss) might be caused by chronic illness, excessive fluid replacement (hypotonic), renal failure & chronic malnutrition. I don't have problem understanding the last 3 causes, but what kinda chronic illness can cause hypotonic dehydration? My guess would be colon cancer (cause it will have lesser absorption of electrolytes?). I can't think bout other chronic illnesses that lead to electrolyte loss. Can it be liver dz/cancer because of altered in metabolism? 2) Assessment for hypertonic dehydration (water loss exceeds electrolyte loss) are hyperactive deep tendon reflexes and pitting edema. I have no clue how hyperactive dtr r/t hypertonic dehydration. Less water in the body makes reflex more active, but how? Or maybe because of too much electrolytes (compares to water) makes nerve impulse travels faster? 3) "Fluid volume excess causes visual disturbances, skeletal muscle weakness, and paresthesias" again, does this have to do with the nerve impulse distribution to those parts of the body? 4) Can someone explain how hyperglycemia and chf causes hyponatremia? It's stated that both dz cause "Dilution of serum sodium"...How does too much glucose in the body cause removal of sodium? As for chf, does kidneys retain water and sodium to compensate with decrease cardiac output? As I was searching for answers, I found this cool chart from wikipedia about hyponatremia, so hope this help other students too. --> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hyponatraemia_Causes.png