BabyRN2B2008

I have not graduated yet, but I am graduating in December. But I personally feel I have gotten a great education in the nursing program at Pima. The course load is tough...it is in any good nursing program...but I have learned so much in the almost 2 years since I started. And I have developed my skills where I feel confident when I go into clinicals that I will be able to properly care for my patients. I don't know about the Albuquerque campus, but everyone in the nursing department at the Mesa campus has been supportive, helpful, and very knowledgeable in their specialties. I am like you...I don't plan on going on to get my BSN, so this program was perfect for me. I'm graduating soon, and if I had stayed at the community college, I may still be on the waiting list (since some of my classmates from the community college are still waiting...and they all passed their prerequisites and the NET test). I wish you luck, and hope that your program at Albuquerque is as good an experience as mine was.

My son has to deal with this exact thing. He isn't married, he isn't in a relationship, doesn't have kids....it's not just families that have to deal with this! He works 40+ hours per week for a small company that does not, by law, have to offer insurance to its employees, and he makes too much to qualify for Medicaid (here in Arizona, it's AHCCCS), but can't afford to purchase insurance on his own, especially with a pre-existing condition. The problem here is that he is a Type 1 diabetic (diagnosed at age 11...he's now 22) and the cost of insulin comes out to over $75 per week, plus syringes, test strips for his glucometer, doctor's visits (if he doesn't go to the doctor every 3 months for his HbA1C, they won't refill his insulin!), lab costs, etc. Plus proper nutrition required for a diabetic costs more than eating unhealthy! Something needs to be fixed in our health care system. It's not his fault (or anyone else's for that matter) that he developed diabetes as a child...but he has to suffer the consequences of paying for management of his disease. Some weeks, it's a decision between making his car payment (so he can get to his job) or paying for his insulin! What I am saying here is that it's not just the poor or the homeless, the alcoholics or the drug abusers, the single pregnant woman who didn't plan on getting pregnant or the families who have too many children...this could affect any one of us.

Here are a few more facts. I'm studying from different books, and when I am unsure or incorrect on an answer, I look up the answers and keep a list of them. So I'll add them as I study!! Leukovorin is used with methotrexate during chemotherapy, to protect normal cells that would normally be destroyed with the methotrexate. When applying a wet-to-dry dressing, pack the moistened gauze into all depressions & grooves of the wound, because necrotic tissue is usually more prevalent in these areas. Signs & symptoms of scabies include gray-brown burrows, epidermal curved or linear ridges, follicular papules, and severe itching, usually at night. The apex of the heart in a toddler is found at the 4th intercostal space immediately to the left of the midclavicular line. Respiratory depression is the most serious complication of epidural anesthesia. Whole grains & meats are good sources of zinc. Before amniocentesis, have patient void to reduce the risk of bladder perforation. Patients with rheumatic fever must remain on bedrest until the ESR returns to normal, the resting pulse is Human insulin is the least antigenic of all types of insulin from other animals, because its composition is identical to what the body would produce on its own. Adverse effects of corticosteroids include acne, mood swings, hirsutism, adrenal suppression, & osteoporosis. It may also cause growth delays in children & adolescents. Documentation following placement of a fetal scalp electrode monitor include the time of placement, name of physician/nurse practitioner who placed it, and the fetal heart rate. Assessment for uterine contractions during the second stage of labor should be done every 15 minutes. Long term antibiotic therapy may be needed for patients being discharged after rheumatic fever, because the patient is at risk for recurrence. Stimulant withdrawal is characterized by fatigue, mental depression, & confusion. The cerebellum is the portion of the brain that controls balance & fine and gross motor function. Persistent GI upset indicates a mild to moderate toxic reaction to lithium, and the patient needs to be educated to notify the physician if this symptom develops. The quality of the food a preschooler consumes is more important than the quantity. For a 12-lead EKG, the V6 lead is placed at the 5th intercostal space at the midaxillary line. Propanolol (Inderal) is used to manage antipsychotic-induced akathisia and anxiety. Onset of oral contraceptive benefits occurs after patient has been taking the medication for at least 10 days. Onset of action for sulfinpyrazone (for gouty arthritis) is 30 minutes. Peak is 1-2 hours, and duration is 4-6 hours. Use of ritodrine for premature labor can cause pulmonary edema, so assess patient for crackles & dyspnea. It may also cause hyperglycemia, tachycardia, & hypokalemia. Fetal position refers to the relationship of the fetus' presenting part to the mother's pelvis.

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting on this forum. I am graduating in December from nursing school, and am already studying for the NCLEX. This forum has been awesome! Lots of good information! Here are my first "random facts": A 10-month old child with phenylketonuria (PKU) is being weaned from breast feeding. The parents need to be informed that the child needs to be on a diet restricting meats & dairy products, which both contain large amounts of phenylalanine. Early signs of vitamin D toxicity include GI upset & metallic taste in the mouth. For a 2 year old child with SVT (supraventricular tachycardia), immerse the child's hands in cold water, have child hold breath, stimulate gagging, or place the child's head lower than the rest of the body, to stimulate a vagal response before attempting any other intervention. Before giving activated charcoal for a drug overdose, verify that the patient has audible bowel sounds, since the activated charcoal binds to the ingested drug & is eliminated in the stool. A biophysical profile (BPP) is used to evaluate fetal health. It determines five variables: fetal breathing movements, gross body movements, fetal tone, reactive fetal heart rate, & qualitative amniotic fluid volume. Normal response for each is 2; a score of 8-10 is considered normal. Infants having a lumbar puncture should be placed in an arched, side-lying position, with no flexion of the neck onto the chest. Systemic antibiotics should be used for patients with severe impetigo, which is caused by S. aureus, for 7-10 days. This helps prevent glomerulonephritis. To prevent dislodging of internal radiation implants, a patient with cervical cancer will receive a bowel-cleansing procedure. Bowel motility can cause the implants to dislodge. Keep them coming....everyone's hints are very helpful!!!

Are you talking about the admission test? Well, it's been almost 2 years since I took the test, but if I remember correctly, it was all three!

We did clinicals at Maricopa Medical Center for NICU, Peds, and L&D, Promise Hospital (old Phoenix Memorial) for med-surg (a lot of trach patients, dialysis, and wound care, because it's an acute long term hospital), Maricopa again for more med-surg, Mesa General and Chandler Regional for telemetry & med-surg, Lodestar Day Resource Center (homeless shelter) for psych, and we are also going to Maryvale for advanced med-surg/ICU. Lots of good experiences!!!

I'm a Pima student, graduating in December with my RN, and I can honestly say I love the program. Yeah, the money was an issue, but my husband and I discussed it, and decided it was worth it to get in the program now rather than waiting until the lottery at the CC pulled me, and get started nursing sooner. The teachers are amazing, and when I am in clinicals, I feel like I can do my patient care with confidence. I have even had compliments from the nurses on how much I know, and I know my classmates have as well. Makes you feel more confident about graduating and starting a new career! Anyway, PMI is a great school, with great teachers who make you work for your grades, but make sure you learn, and are always there to help you!

I was a unit secretary for 12 years, taught a Health Unit Coordinator program for two years, went back to work as a float pool secretary at Banner while I go to school for my RN, and only make $14 an hour, and that's with NAHUC certification. I loved my job, but the money isn't that great.