Sabira

I started nursing school at age 35 and am now a new grad. I was an office manager for years. I have been working as an RN since October 8th. I have days I come home saying to myself stupid girl, what were you thinking? Those are the days that I have patients who treat me like their personal slaves or perhaps not even a 1 minute break to use the bathroom. But days like today, with a patient who everyone branded as a pain in the butt who I touched - priceless. This job is physically and mentally exhausting at times, but when I come home and feel I made a difference it's just the most awesome feeling :)

I just spent time searching the IDPR's website for information and came up with nothing. I also have been calling them periodically throughout the day only to get a busy signal. Does anyone know where to find this information? Thanks :)

I accepted my first position in ICU and regret this decision. Perhaps I am just not the right canidate for an ICU position. You really don't have the time even with two patients for psychosocial needs. You are there to treat the physical. I find it to be an overwhelming experience as a new nurse with huge responsibilities. I should mention, however, that my preceptor is extremely high strung, overworked, and lacking patience. Also, my co-workers seem to "eat their young" and are not giving me the support I so badly need. Patients often come up from the ER with many many drips, several that are titrated. You really have to be on the ball or else you can hurt someone. I think a year of med surg then some tele experience would be a smoother transition to ICU or ER. Then again, perhaps a more supportive environment would yeild a more positive experience.

Hello. There is a clipboard that has vitals, lab values, etc etc. This is a link i found quickly, but i'l sure you can find many others online http://www.netuniform.com/product.ASP?pfid=I-PM-0-3309x&dept_Id=5108 I hope this helps and good luck.

HESI is an exam that many schools are using as an midcuricular and exit exam. The exam is written by health education systems incorporated (HESI) and it is supposed to test whether or not a student will succeed on the NCLEX. Truman requires students to take the exam after the first year. If you get less than an 840, you have to take a summer course. The midcurricular HESI is written according to what the school gives HESI to test. In other words, on what they taught you so far. However, the exit HESI exam is everything. Even if Truman didn't cover it, it might be on there. If you get less than an 870 on the exit HESI, you get one more chance to pass it. If you fail twice, you have to repeat your second year of school. I highly recommend getting disks to do practice questions throughout school. Now that I've purchased Saunder's Comprehensive Review (comes with a disk with over 4,000 questions), I am finding questions that appeared on our exams at Truman. Also, HESI sells a disk and study guide... http://portals2.elsevier.com/portal/portal/hesi I hope this helps and good luck to you! P.S. Are you waiting on a decsion for this Fall? Have you considered RUSH?

Thanks for the tip. I looked into the Martin Reveiw but it was already booked. I'm doing practice questions and the Kaplan review next Monday. Good luck on your NCLEX exam! You will do fine.

Sounds like a good plan. Our scores are very close (830). There were quite a few questions I had no idea how to answer, so I felt it was partially a content problem. I bought Saunders Comprehensive Review and I am doing practice questions daily. What is your chairperson saying as far as when do we get to retest? Ours is saying sometime in July with no date yet.

I'm sorry you didn't pass--it really sucks. We have one more chance to take the HESI in July. If we fail, we have to repeat our 2nd year of school and we are being told there are no opeinings in the Fall. No, they are not signing our ED-Nur if we didnt' pass HESI (I wish lol). I am waiting for a letter from the district office to tell us dates for the Kaplan review and a HESI try two in July (my chairperson said 2 weeks). Have you heard anything else? I have been scrambling for a plan to study and pass the past week. What is your plan of attack?

Truman, you? Did you fail the exam? I did.

mine says E S-07 V-4 Retest 3

Thanks for responding. My school requires an 870. I guess I will continue reviewing the HESI study guide and do practice questions along with my lecture notes and hope for the best. It's very scary to be in this sitation after all the sacrifices. I'm downright losing it right now.

I just failed the HESI with a score of 830 (80%). I really feel my failure was due to lack of knowledge because I had no idea what many of the questions were even asking me. I have one more chance to retake it in August, but if I fail I have to repeat the last year of school. Does anyone have any suggestions? It's not like I have time to break out the 50 pound med surg book along with all the specialty books and restudy all of the content. I don't know where to even begin. I have studied the HESI book and CD, and I have done tons of practice NCLEX questions. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks, Sabira