Meriwhen ASN, BSN, MSN, RN

Psych ICU, addictions

Member

All Content by Meriwhen

  1. Meriwhen

    APNA?

    I'm a member. I find it worthwhile for the networking opportunities, the journal, the discount on ANCC certification, and the educational opportunities. I write off the cost of membership as a work...
  2. Meriwhen

    Did I catch this guy in a lie?

    No, it looks like he/she has chosen a pic that is available in the Avatar Gallery. Those are available for any member to use, and multiple people can choose the same
  3. Meriwhen

    Did I catch this guy in a lie?

    Personally, I'm a little weirded out by the fact that the OP decided to interrogate someone because they were in scrubs. Last time I checked, it is not illegal for anyone other than healthcare...
  4. Meriwhen

    Fired for a medication error

    Wrongful? No. Fair? Don't know because it seems like there's some key information missing. It seems like a drastic knee-jerk reaction to fire you for one medication error that you did report and...
  5. Meriwhen

    Confused a/b Nursing Program Accreditation

    The program might be new. The program might have changed drastically (e.g., going from diploma to degree) and requires a new accreditation. The program might be in the process of getting accredited...
  6. Meriwhen

    Is CPR needed by BONs or employers?

    Also, be sure to get the right certification. Most employers prefer American Heart Association BLS over American Red Cross CPR, and not all places will let you substitute one for the other. If I had...
  7. To be honest, the best person to get an answer would be your healthcare provider, as we can't give medical advice, nor can we assess you via an internet forum. If you are truly interested in what...
  8. Meriwhen

    C=degree

    Well, I love the cranky old girl :) I agree with you: new grads today should give themselves every advantage they possibly can, because there's just too many of you and too few spots to fill. Does...
  9. Meriwhen

    C=degree

    Perhaps in the past when there was a real nursing shortage, employers didn't care about GPAs. Nowadays, they do care. They have a glut of nurses to choose from and can afford to be as picky as they...
  10. Meriwhen

    Advice for new RN

    And the crystals help get the excess sweat/moisture out of the
  11. Meriwhen

    Advice for new RN

    If it's not too late, get a job as a CNA/PCT/NA. It won't guarantee you a RN job after graduation, but it can help you get the foot in the door as an internal
  12. I'd apply to any job that says "experienced preferred." As far as the "experience required" I'd apply if it wasn't a lot of experience (say 1-2 years) and/or if I had experience in the specialty...
  13. Meriwhen

    new grad maybe moving to CA

    It is tough for new grads, and even tougher if you lack the BSN. Of the crop of new grads that came into my facility, almost all had a BSN: the very few that didn't have it were either internal...
  14. Meriwhen

    new grad conundrum

    Take the med/surg job. Yes, the other job is in the ER where you want to be and you would probably learn a lot from it. But it is NOT a nursing job, it will not help you accrue RN experience and...
  15. Meriwhen

    Facebook almost cost me my job

    that's why i don't like an on facebook (sorry, brian) because i prefer to keep an separate from my real life. though i'm sure someone with time and patience could probably suss out who i am irl...
  16. Meriwhen

    Dear Pysch Nurses

    In my first OB clinical, I took care of a patient who had had a fetal demise. I was doing fine. My instructor had ignored all the clues and was asking mom about her
  17. Meriwhen

    No more fun scrubs

    No color coding where I've worked...in fact, in my current facility I could wear business casual if I wanted. Not sure I want to dress that casually just
  18. Meriwhen

    New Nurses Precepting Students/New Hires?

    In the past I've worked with some older nurses who, while they technically hit the experience wicket, I wouldn't trust them to precept my cat. At the same time, taking a newbie who is still learning...
  19. Meriwhen

    4 med errors in one shift... Feeling terrible

    If you do suffer from anxiety, call your psych doctor and/or therapist (if you do not have one, get one) ASAP and schedule an appointment to address it. And the career counselor couldn't hurt. I...
  20. Meriwhen

    4 med errors in one shift... Feeling terrible

    As far as the med errors...they happen even to the best nurses. Learn from them, but don't beat yourself up over them. It's important to remember to slow down when giving meds, no matter who...
  21. Meriwhen

    4 med errors in one shift... Feeling terrible

    This isn't the first time you've written about your struggles at working various jobs. So I say this with all kindness: the pattern I'm seeing with you is that you have something going that needs to...
  22. Volunteer job in 1 day after passing NCLEX, paying job within 1.5 months after
  23. Meriwhen

    Could somebody answer these questions for my interview...

    I agree. If we answer these questions you're going to get a whole bunch of different answers...none of which may be what YOU would answer when it comes to the interview. And we're not going on the...
  24. Meriwhen

    What motivates you to go to work every day?

    Tequila. Seriously...I go because I am never bored--I never know what each day will bring and I learn something new every day. I'm in a great specialty and I'm fortunate to be working in a great...
  25. If it was me, I'd go for #1. I think it sets you up better for future options than #2, plus you can transition into ER from Tele if you really wanted to. Best of luck whatever you