FLAreN

Awwww congrats!!!! So happy for you! Yes, I definitely would not be where I am today without God. He carried me through my darkest days.

Having had family members as patients and being a patient myself, I know that mistakes can happen even with the best intentions. Thus, coming from the "crazy nurse" perspective, if i suspect or suggest that something is not how I perceive it should be, I would be open to a non-confrontational explanation as to why one is doing something or not doing something. There is definitely more than one way to skin a cat so education and PROPER communication is key. I don't think there is any way you would be able to ask me where I work, how long, what I do, etc. . .that would not be transparent and offensive. THIS is why "crazy nurses" act the way they do. It is not your place as the nurse to judge the culture of your patient or their family members. Culture includes their professional culture. It is your duty to facilitate and guide them. Just my 2 cents.

Sorry to hear about your experiences. You are still learning. Don't be too hard on yourself; however, I did note that you are trying to "never leave an opportunity to learn anything". This is great and you are adopting a wonderful attitude towards learning, but you may be trying to do everything and cannot focus on anything by doing this. In the beginning, just try and focus on YOUR basic skills as a new nurse. When you are starting a task, only focus on that task for now. You are not expected to notice EVERYTHING around you yet. That comes with time. You ARE expected to check your meds 3 times before giving it, ie right drug, right dose, right patient, right time, right route. It sounds like you know what you are supposed to do but fall short along the path somewhere. Try to stay focused. Your willingness to help others is sabotaging your own efforts in completing your task at hand. Don't get distracted too easily. This will help you throughout your career. There will be many situations where distractions cause medical errors even to seasoned nurses. When doing something relatively dangerous do not let your mind wander or worry about other things. You are still in the process of getting your bearings so if you veer off from your task, you will not be able to find your way back too quickly and mistakes will happen. You are probably thinking about too many things at once. Hope that helps! Good luck! Cheer up! Your attitude will take you far but just remember to focus on the task at hand.

Reglan use for headaches is an off-label use. There has been some research linking dopamine and migraines. Reglan works on the dopamine receptor in the body. Unfortunately long-term use of reglan may cause tardive dyskinesia which is also seen with patients who have parkinsons disease. It is NOT recommended for long term use and is mostly used for patients with a history of post operative nausea and vomitting. Reglan is used to increase gastric motility. You are not supposed to push Reglan as it can cause all the side effects everyone who has tried it has noted. Benadryl is given to "calm" these effects. Usually giving it over 10-15 minutes IVPB is best when the patient is awake and not sedated. It is totally unclear how it works on migraines. Sometimes migraine attacks are accompanied with gastric dilation as well as nausea and vomitting. Increased levels of dopamine has been shown to reduce these symptoms. There are other receptors as well that affect nausea and vomitting but it has been noted that increasing dopamine levels decrease migraines. Hope that helps!

It is probably a prescription because fish oils have anticoagulant properties so if the strength were high enough it would interfere or have a synergistic effect with other meds. Its not as benign as people think. I'm not a drug company supporter but this was a good call. Some people take many OTC meds and don't know the possible drug interactions and effects.

Go whereever you are going to administer the most med drips. . .most likely CICU. Besides, it is an area you haven't tackled. Always better to expand your knowledge base. Good luck!!!

Everyone's answers here are great. Long story short. . .I am a CRNA. I had a previous life as well where I incurred school loans. Thus, I would say establish residency whereever there is a STATE CRNA program. Where you go doesn't matter as much as will you graduate. I'm sure there are different levels of CRNA schools but no matter what school you goto, you will learn what you need to get started or else they wouldn't be accredited. Your wife sounds like a top notch candidate who will not stop until she finishes so better she finish with the least amount of school loans. Things to note as another member posted, be aware of the CRNA programs that now require you to get a Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) like in Iowa. This will incur more time and more money. Understanding your situation, I am sure you are trying to go the quickest route possible. That being said, I also used to live in Iowa. Iowa is much more economical than Boston as far as living expenses and for the most part it is pretty safe. I don't know much about the CRNA school in Iowa though. Anyway, if you would like more info, PM me. Good luck! Sorry for the short and abrupt sentences. At this time, I am usually asleep since I wake at 430 / 5am on most days.

They will look at your sciences as well as your nursing grades. I would take the "C" classes over. It doesn't matter where you take them as long as you are going to get better grades in them. I will tell you that some schools scrutinize your science grades more than your nursing grades. This is because anesthesia is a totally different beast than nursing and it will focus more on biochem, chem, A&P as a base and NOT nursing. Nursing is only there to facilitate your ability to handle clinicals and the hands-on things. Yes, you will need to know your basic critical care nursing skills but even that is based moreso on the sciences. As an anesthesia provider you are required to know why you do or do not do things on a much much more in depth level; thus, you will need a strong human bio & science background. As for the GRE, I would take it now since you just completed your B.S. Bio. Ofcourse, that would mean you would have to apply to CRNA school within 5 years of taking the GRE. If you are determined and failure is not an option, you can do it! Good luck!

Well if it makes any difference I was offered a competitive salary WITH a sign-on bonus AFTER the health care bill passed. I was hired by a private anesthesia group and not a government entity nor am I considered a hospital employee. If they were scared of the health care bill and not getting reimbursed, I definitely wouldn't have gotten a sign-on bonus. The facility is in a metro area.

I would know the anesthesia machine basics and the flow of process...i.e. setup machine...see your patient (preop)...go back to check that you now have your setup tailored to your patient: tube size? meds? better sniffing position? know your doses!!! (patient weight / allergies? basics) know somewhat about the pathophysiology of your patient diabetes? HTN? Then the flow of it all once you patient is ready: Wait in holding to take your patient back with CRNA (versed should have been given unless contraindicated) Bring patient in room: Transfer to bed (first, take IV bag and put on IV pole in the room before transfer - note which hand the IV is on so you can place it on the same side) Transfer patient to bed once you have someone at patient feet and sides. They will wait for you to say it is OK to move. Connect (in this order): pulse ox BP cuff then take a BP then EKG leads Turn on oxygen and place mask on patient (make sure you remember to tell patient what you are doing as they are still awake LOL) Tell patient to take deep breaths Then you are ready for the attending Have drugs and intubating equipment ready Induction: More versed? Fentanyl? Lidocaine Propofol? Etomidate? Whatever - check lid reflex...no reflex - tape eyes Can you ventilate? Verbalize...if not, place in oral airway...can you ventilate? verbalize Then paralytic is given...wait till it works, i.e. onset? then OK to intubate inflate cuff check bilateral breath sounds check for end tital co2 (Turn on gas, turn down o2 and add air : 1/1 or whatever) secure tube THIS is the basics... I wish I would have been able to visualize this and do this first semester. You are so nervous that you just forget...in the meantime someone is asking you a dozen questions while another is telling you what to do and you have no time to hear your own thoughts...LOL Thus, I would have just wanted to get the mechanics down so that I didnt need brain power for it cause I basically had none...LOL. Good luck!!!!

I would lost some weight so that the weight that I gained while in school wouldnt have been so significant LOL! oh yes....and do ABSOLUTELY whatever the heck it was that I wanted to do with the sole purpose of having complete FUN!

Hi, I don't know what semester / year you are in but I can say that the first year was as I described...no time to do anything. Now I am in my second to last semester and I do have more time because I am at clinicals 4 days a week and class on the 5th day. I don't have time to study much because I have to take care of my 2 yr and 3 yr old. As for weekends...it is the same thing. I have exhausted my family members' generosity so I don't really have anyone to help so I will say that makes it difficult to study. Thus, I still have to wake up in the wee hours to have time for myself. I am exhausted most of the time because even though I don't study much clinicals is still stressful because I am at a site that continues to 'challenge' you. Honestly, the only reason why my household was in order for the most part is because I had a housekeeper every week. So I tip my hat to you if you are able to balance your life so well in anesthesia school. I wish I could have gotten some advice from you before ALL of this :-)

I haven't thought of quitting due to clinicals but it has MORE THAN CHALLENGED me...actually, quitting is not an option especially because of what I have endured in clinical...it's been and continues to be a mental, physical, and spiritual challenge for me. What has helped me is to talk to other classmates who are going through similar things...actually al of us are or have experienced the same emotions and abuse at one point or another. Call it what you want...misery loves company...whatever, but it helped me to get through the rough times knowing that I had someone to talk to who could understand EXACTLY what I was going through. Hang in there!

For clinicals, I can't live without my Nurse Anesthesia Pocket guide and my Uniball Signo 0.38 extra fine tip pen for clear charting. :-) Everyone else pretty much covered all the other stuff. I do have a Palm for the moments when I actually have time to look up non-anesthesia meds in the patient history but I don't do that too often. I have all the anesthesia programs as well but you can't look at your phone in the OR and you don't have enough time in between cases to look up anything either so if you don't get a PDA fine, if you do, fine...IMO

A year later and I am still in it to win it - MUCH THANKS to GOD! My prayers worked :-):yeah: Truthfully I don't know how I do it so it must be a higher power. It has been and continues to be rough but the emphasis has changed now. I am in class less and more clinicals focusing on specialty rotations. I guess they figured I had enough of Lap Choley's, cyst removals, and D&C's (for those of you in the program - you know what I mean LOL). The most challenging part is learning how to handle different and difficult personalities especially when they go out of their way to show they are smarter or to make you look stupid. It is really disheartening at times because I am an adult who has self-respect and I have high regard for self and others so when other 'adults' act in this way it really is bothersome and ANNOYING. None-the-less, I am still here, still married, with [now] a 1 yr old and a 2.5 year old who continue to get sick during every season. I just wanted to keep anyone who reads this and thinks they can't do it that they can. It is NOT easy mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually but you always have to keep pushing forward. My family has been as supportive as they can and as understanding as they can. Just a note - I ALSO have to make sure I am understanding towards their needs as well. It is hard to juggle everything but I am still doing it. 1 and couple more months to go! Wish me luck and send prayers!!!!

How is it going?

I also didnt find nursing school terribly difficult and I more than worked...I also party'd ;-). I am in anesthesia school now and depending on your program, you can probably work one day a week or so but I have heard of others working more throughout the program. I think it will be your choice to live in a state of exhaustion or have 2 days to relax a little. When you start the vigorous clinical rotations, you may find that working will not pay as much as being able to sleep through the morning :-) Just my .02 cents...

Good luck!!! If I can do it....and I am set to graduate 2009, then you can do it as well!

The first semester, being that I didn't know how it was going to be like, I prepared myself to be dedicated to school until I could grasp the schedule and the material. It helped to learn how the tests were going to be like so that I knew how much studying I definitely needed. That being said, you have to know what your learning style is. I am a very indepedent study person; however, it is extremely important to study in a group because it will help reinforce material or clarify material. Additionally, there might be something that you missed in class that someone else wrote down and ofcourse, that will be on the test. I studied with a group twice a week and two weeks till test time, that woud be increased as much as possible. This was my schedule for the first semester. Then after that, I had to learn to balance school and family so I already knew how the professors taught and how they tested so I knew where I could possibly not invest so much studying time on and which I had to invest more time. The key is knowing how you study and knowing what your academic strengths and weaknesses were. For me, it was extremely important to get high 90s or hundreds in the beginning because I knew I was going to deliver near the end of the semester. Thank goodness for that because I would have failed had I not gotten high grades in the beginning to balance the fact that I may not do so well during finals because I would miss a couple weeks from delivering my second son. Moral of the story - those of you with families, always try to do your best because you never know what may come up that may force you to take time away from your studies. This way, you have a liitle room to not score so high due to personal circumstances. Ciao!

Thanks for the luck wishes...I DO NEED IT! I don't feel I am different than any nurse who has to do what they have to do...honestly, it is really hard for me and I know if I don't do this program when I have the opportunity, there might be other circumstances that may prevent me to do it. Thus, I do what I have to do. I am just happy to be able to share my story to all the moms who think they can't do it. I must say, I have the support of my family who help take care of my kids during the day when I am at school or clinical so that helps a great deal financially. I guess I have never been one to know how to accept accolades for anything because I don't feel I am very much different than anyone with a desire to succeed and a will to complete. My will has been tested and I have days when I ask myself what the heck I am doing but then I snap outta it. Some days it takes longer than others to snap outta it though so it helps to develop a great support system in and out of school. Again, thanks.... BTW, I am also a firm believer in prayer and GOD has definitely guided my brain to pass tests and get through clinical.

Well as for my interview... Why do you want to be a CRNA? What is your worse quality and your best quality? How would you handle a difficult surgeon? How do you work in a team? How have you prepared for being in the program considering you wont be able to work? How do you handle stress? OK....so the general questions are over...now comes the hard part...specific attacks at any weak point in my file...I had minimal ICU experience and my main experience was from ER & OR "There was research conducted on success rate in anesthesia school and nurse experience and it showed that ER and OR nurses had the worst outcome of all specialties and failed the program....what do you have to say about that?" Then I got asked about a life scenario about my kids and if one of them got sick what would I do? I don't know the right or wrong answer to this but I think I was asked this just to get to know who I am. I think no matter how one answers this as long as it shows compassion and concern while attempting to maintain a balance with school exemplifying that school is still an utmost priority, it is OK. I got asked about my experience Because of my lack of ICU experience, I got asked / told that there will be clinical situation where I am expected to know Swan, all the lines, etc...and how would I handle that...well, I answered to the best of my ability and not let them shake my confidence or will to succeed. My clinical question....you guys ready???? Basically, would I resuscitate an HIV patient without an ambu...I gave my answer and statistical reasoning as to why (I found that those who had higher end scores really weren't asked tough clinical questions) That concluded my interview and I was told the panel was very impressed; fast forwarding...I got in. Here is what I have heard others being asked: In a 12 lead, where would you see anterior wall MI, inferior wall MI, etc... Given a 12 lead, what would you see ABG readings and what would you do Drug dosages , metabolism , receptor , site of action, etc (this is why you dont want to tell them all the drugs you work with unless you know them like the back of your hand)! (dopamine, fentanyl, versed) give a patient scenario that you have experienced where you had to be independent and stabilize the patient This is all I can remember...if I remember more, I will post... GOOD LUCK to all of you interviewing or trying to get in! If I can do it, all of you can do it!

LOVE THIS ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!!! That woulda cut the tension in the errr air :-)

MUCH luck and good vibes to you on your interview...just remember to breathe and relax... As for missing the kids, I will admit that if I truly sit down and think about it, I feel a bit guilty and do miss them but I had to change my schedule to fit my family as well as school to keep a ummmm balance and stop WWIII from happening at the homefront ;-). This is why when I get home, I don't study...I spend time with my toddler and hold my infant and do mindless internet surfing while ELMO and leap frog DVDs are playing in the background. This has helped me keep my motherly side alive. It is how I am present and I noticed that as long as I am accessible and around for my toddler (my infant just likes to be held and sit next to me) they are OK. At 5 and 10, I think they are better equipped to deal with your absence because they are mentally more mature. I am assuming your kids goto school and can understand the concept that mommy is also going to school. Mine are too young to understand that which is why I have altered my schedule. It is harder for me than others I will admit because I don't have the luxury to study when I want. Also, this doesn't account for pediatric office visits, runny noses and wet coughs... Can you do it??? YES definitely! Is it hard??? YES, DEFINITELY! There are quite a few moms in my class and a new mom! They are doing well in the program also....I mean 'well' in the context of NOT failing. If you are not failing, you are doing well. We all started with the desire to be magna cum but now we all just wanna pass...LOL In our program anything below 85 is failing and there are no curves in grad school. That is not the hard part...the clinical aspect will test every part of you because you will experience so many different attitudes, comments, failures, moments of brain and body miscommunication...you actually feel a neuron malfunction...LOL! There are times when I completely 'F' - up in clinical but then you learn from it and move on but you NEVER bring it home...THAT your kids wont understand. I am truly blessed because my kids are happy to see me when I get home and that makes it easier to forget that I just got yelled at and that the preceptor felt the need to tell everyone in the OR how incompetent I was...oh well so I get a bad eval in my book. Anyway, enough about my stories... Let me know if you wanna know my experience with the interview. I don't wanna post because sometimes it makes people more nervous. Also, schools are different too so keep that in mind. Hopefully you know someone in the particular program which you are applying and they gave you a scoop on the process... Again, much luck and remember there is NEVER a perfect time to start the program but there is always a perfect excuse so the right time is always now. Feel free to PM anytime...one thing I try to always do is check my emails to keep in touch with reality...totally backwards, I know...

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck on the exam.

"I find the fact that one is able to blunt pain and sensory response while a body cavity is being opened is amazing!" :-)