Erinkate2959

i work on a med/surg telemetry unit. we get a variety of different types of patients...pre/post caths, acute mi, pts with electrolyte imbalances, sickle cellers with low hgb, pts who had post op complications like desatting or pulm emobli, etc. we take most drips, like ntg, integrillin, heparin, natrecor, dopa, except for major pressors and we also occasionally get vented pts. it is pretty busy and our staffing levels are 1:4-6; very rarely when staffing is horrible we will have to take seven patients. we also have critical care techs who do vitals, blood draws, and pt care.

if you don't mind me asking, what turned you off from penn's program. just curious. i am in the philadelphia area. working in tele, soon to move to icu and then sometime in the next few years apply to crna. i have some info on all of the schools you mentioned, but just wondering what was different for penn?

Bill Clinton's mother was a nurse anesthetist.

Hi peas, There are several nursing programs for those with bachelor's degrees who wish to change their careers to nursing. Some of them offer MSN degrees but others stop at the bachelor's level. I went to one that offered two years for both BSN and MSN (for NP or CNS). However after my first year I decided that I need to work and get some "real" nursing experience once I got my BSN. I also did it because, like you, i am interested in anesthesia which requires job experience. Depending on where you live there are many programs that offer these accelerated programs. Good Luck! Erin

I'm not really clear on what nursing unions are about. I remember someone telling me before that belonging to a union makes nursing less of a career and profession and more of a trade. I think it was one of my instructors who said it. What are the benefits to being in a union? Erin

On my floor there is no one constantly watching the monitors at all times. There are several different alarms that go off if anything goes out of range or anyone goes into a different rhythm. When this happens, it is the responsibility of the RN's to run to the monitor to see what is going on. Usually whoever is closest. Certainly if a patient is really critical, they will take a portable monitor, an RN, and a critical care tech with them for transport.

The tele packs that our patient's are on, allow us to monitor them throughout the entire facility so they do not need to be accompanied by an RN. We can watch their status from the floor. If they need to come off the monitor for a shower or for the specific test, there must be a doctor's order.