doglvr

wow, thanks for all the responses. I do make a lot more than $24/hr, but the hospital I work at is in a rough area, so I assume that's why. I was told by someone who works in HR that not many of the hospitals gave raises this year because of the economy, and I sorta thought she was lying! I guess not.

hi everyone, I've been working as an RN on a med/surg unit for almost 2 years. Since then I have gotten two raises, but it was a hospital wide raise that occurs every year. However, along with everyone else getting a raise, the starting salary of new RNs increased as well. Which means that currently I'm only making a couple cents (about 20 cents) more an hour than a new nurse, and frankly it's frustrating! It really pisses me off because I'm forced to join committees and have been "strongly encouraged" to take on additional leadership roles (which I do) and get certified in things I really don't feel comfortable doing. I know my managers like me and I think I do a good job, I just feel like I should be making more. However on the other hand I know how horrible the economy is and I guess I should feel lucky to have a job. How do raises work at your hospital? My thing is if they're going to pay me like a new nurse then I want to be treated like a new nurse (meaning less responsibilities!) Thank you!

My preceptor saw the wound the first day I had the patient, at which time I asked my preceptor about it and she just said it was shearing. The very next day I had the same patient and I asked my preceptor to help me wash the patient up and asked the same question again and once again she said it was from shearing. I'm just worried that in a few days it's going to be a stage 4 and when they look back at all the documentation they're going to see my "shearing" and then the next day see that the wound care nurse called it at stage 4. Then I'll be the one in trouble.

Thanks for resonding! You all are the best! Without a doubt there was an open wound, which is which I thought it was a stage 2. I did document the shearing it in the skin/wound assessment and there was a picture of a body and I circled the sacral area on the picture. I guess when I think of shearing I do think of a break in skin, but not really an open wound which is what my patient had. And to be honest, it's not like this patient is going to get better any time soon as I work in the ICU and it seems like everyday when I go into work she gets worse and worse. I don't know what to do now. I just wanted to cover my butt, but I guess it's too late for that.

Speaking of documenting wounds, I have a question. I'm a new nurse and have been on orientation for a few weeks. My preceptor was helping me get my patient washed up and we both noticed what I thought was a small early stage 2 on the patient's sacral area. My preceptor however called it shearing. I questioned her twice about it, and then figured okay, well she's been a nurse for over 20 years and I've only been a nurse for a month so she obviously knows what she's talking about and called it shearing in my documentation. Now I'm starting to worry because I realized what I did was wrong. Maybe I'm freaking out, but if the patient's family takes anyone to court it will be me, because I documented and signed all the paper work, not my preceptor. God I feel so bad for the patient. And I'm so scared. How would you define "shearing"? Please help! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Just curious.. are RNs allowed to remove stitches? I had a mole removed a few weeks ago and had to get stitches and a younger girl who I assume the RN came in and removed the stitches, I didn't even see the DR. I wasn't sure of her title..Thanks!

Trust me, there's so much info the nclex can test you on it's impossible to know every single thing! Your readiness score sounds good, and as long as you did all the kaplan questions you'll be fine. I tried to study the stuff I didn't feel 100% confident with a few days before the test but didn't get one question on the nclex on any of that stuff, thank god! Something my friends and I noticed about the nclex is it really does test you on basic info, with the exception of meds. I walked out of that test after 75 questions thinking "ohmygod, either I kept getting the 'below passing' questions or those questions are much easier than kaplan." Turns out I passed and the nclex questions are easier than kaplan. GOOD LUCK!!

I really think if you do all the questions kaplan has to offer and understand all the rationales you'll do great. Your scores sound like they're in the same area as my scores and I passed with 75 questions. Try to focus more on the questions rather than the videos and the course book. I also found the questions on nclex to be a little easier than the questions from kaplan. I know everyone is different, but all of the people who I took kaplan with have passed with 75 questions. I think their pass rate is like 94%, or at least that's what I heard. Good luck!

I actually had the same exact experience as jerzygirl on Monday. I also had a PPD done too. It hurt sooo bad and currently looks like a little pimple (w/o a head) and there's a little redness (a little smaller than a pencil eraser.) I know I have to wait until tomorrow for the official results, but if it stays like that is that normal? I know it has to be greater than 10mm to be positive for TB, but in the past when I had PPD I never had any marks at all. I'm scared to death!!! Thanks!!

i must be doing something wrong because i'm not great at math.. but i'm getting like 24,627.2727ml/hour. what are you getting?

Congrats on passing! And thanks for the test breakdown. From what I've been reading on this forum, it seems like there's a lot of infection control and isolation/precaution questions. Ugh.. i'm horrible w/those percaution questions! I guess I should start looking over them considering I'm testing soon! CONGRATS again!!

CONGRATS!

On the readiness test I got a 74%. They say as long as you get above a 65% you should pass the NCLEX. I'm just so nervous because I feel like I don't know anything, but I really don't want to push this test back!

If I were you I wouldn't give up on finding a RN position in a hospital. The jobs are out there! I just graduated with my ADN last month as well. I realize what a pain is it to try to get in touch with HR! I believe the key is you just have to be friendly and persistent, but not annoy them. Also what I ended up doing was sending my resume out in the mail. I noticed I did get a few call backs after I did that. Just try to figure out the name of the nurse recruiter and at all cost avoid addressing your cover letter to "whom it may concern." I also heard from other students that they went directly to HR and filled out an application at the hospital, so you may want to try that too. It's very frustrating, you think about how hard you worked in school and just want a job and begin your nursing career. Just stick with it! Good luck!!

WOOHOO!! Congrats!!!

HELP!! I've just finished my Kaplan course last week and will be taking the NCLEX in two weeks. My kaplan instructor told us as long as we did the questions and scored within the "passing range" we'll do fine. I know that many people say Kaplan and NCLEX's style of questions are very similar, but I'm just wondering if the content that Kaplan tests you on is similar to what you were asked in the NCLEX. I'm not asking for specific topics that you were asked on the NCLEX, I just want to make sure that if I do all of the questions Kaplan has to offer, score within/near the passing range, and read and understand each rationale that I'll most likely do okay. I'm also aware that NCLEX has a pool of thousands of questions. I just feel like Qbank/Qtrainer asks some topics over and over again I'm not sure if they do this on purpose bc they're frequently tested on the NCLEX. At this point I still feel like I don't know anything, but that I can usually figure out the answer by eliminating the wrong answers. My anxiety is so high because I never went into a test feeling that way, but I know the NCLEX is unlike any test I have taken before. Ughh.. I can't wait for this to be over!!! Thanks in advance!!

Ladybugsea- THANKS SO MUCH for that link! It's great!!!! :1luvu:

I know how you feel, although I don't take the NCLEX for another 2 weeks. I feel like there is still so much information I don't know. But to be honest, I think it's impossible to know everything. Having said it, I find it to be extremely frustrating since in nursing school (at least at my school), we knew exactly what topics were going to be on the exam and for the most part as long as you studied from the textbook and knew your notes you did fairly decent. It's just so stressful to go into a test and have no clue what they are going to ask you!! I was talking to one of my friends who passed the NCLEX a few months ago and she advised me not to sit there and memorize everything, that I should just go in there and hope for the best, take your time with each question and if you don't know the answer start by eliminating the choices you know are not correct. Good luck!

Congrats!!!!

CONGRATS!!! :balloons:It must be so exciting to sign your name and write "RN" next to it! Now go out and celebrate!!

Without a doubt I think you should take the NCLEX!!! Your Kaplan scores look pretty good! From what I've read on these boards, even people who had mid-high 50s on Kaplan have passed. Your scores are almost all in the passing range according to Kaplan and your score on QT7 is GREAT! Good luck!!

I totally know how you're feeling right now- I just finished my Kaplan course and so far my scores are in the same range as yours and I'm scheduled to take the NCLEX in two and a half weeks and I'd rather not push it back any longer. From the people who I talked to and from what I've read on these boards, those scores seem within the passing range for NCLEX. I retook question trainer 1,2 and 3 so far and scored in the mid 80s, so that may help you and make you feel more confident. Your Qbank score looks good though! I finally just got mine up to 61 a few hours ago and I was thrilled. Just keep doing the questions over and over and over again until you get 100% and read all the rationales. My one friend who took Kaplan and passed the NCLEX on her first try swears by Kaplan- she said everyone in her class passed so I'm trusting her. I know it's frustrating..but just give it your all for the next two weeks. You're almost done!!! Good luck!! :heartbeat

Buttercup- I laugh each time I see the pic of your dog! He's adorable! :paw:

I just finished my Kaplan course and while I thought it was good, I feel like the whole "decision tree" doesn't really work for me. My score on the readiness test went up 10 points to a 73 compared to the diagnostic test, but besides that my scores are so inconsistent it has me worried! But that's besides the point.. My question was did anyone only use Kaplan and nothing else to study for the NCLEX? My Kaplan instructor told me that it wasn't necessary to use any other material, and as long as I do all the questions in qbank and the qtrainers and score fairly well on them I'll be fine. However I have Saunders (3rd edition) and was just doing some of those questions, and the questions are sooooo much easier and I score a lot higher on the review test, but I feel like Saunders covers a lot more content. I prefer to stick to Kaplan though, but I just wanted to hear what everyone else was doing or has worked for them in the past. Studying for the NCLEX is a lot more stressful than I ever thought it would be!!! :banghead: Thank you in advance and good luck to everyone preparing for the NCLEX!! :heartbeat

The option for question trainer is the 6th option down on my kaplan homepage (Qbank is the 8th option down.) To access Qtrainer, you have to click on "question trainer" and then you'll see bullets for Question trainer 1-7 with a box that says "go" next to each one. You can check out the second link on your homepage titled "NCLEXRN Review Online Study Center" and then click on "How to Approach the Exam" for helpful hints about how to answer the questions. I also like to watch the content videos (that link is under Study Center too), although that takes a lot of time. I don't really think the Decision Tree has helped me at all, but I feel like I'm learning a lot from Kaplan however it's time consuming! Good luck and if you have any specific questions ask me.