neko11111

I got harrassed by university of Phoenix when I decided not to go. They promised it would not cost me a penny out of pocket to start, and they pressured me to sign up for the next class (1 week away) and then --- oh yeah, we need $700+ to start. I said no way...... then they started calling, sending emails all day, every day for a good month!!! I ended up at Indiana Wesleyan, and absolutely love it! Its only half the price of phoenix, and haven't dug into my pocket once! :redpinkhe

I believe most hospitals require critical care floats to have at least 2 yrs experience in that field. I have been an ICU nurse my entire career, with a short stent in ED, and CCU. I just relocated to VA, and about to take on a float job to the ICU / ED / PACU at a hospital. I would hope that your facility would only hire experienced RN's for that float pool. Otherwise, that sounds like poor management decisions..... If you and your other staff nurses feel they are not qualified, then talk to your charge nurse about it? I also know how 'us ICU nurses' can be ;0) we only feel that we can do it the right way... and can be protective of our patients. I'm just saying, they should be experienced, qualified nurses in order to take on a float pool position.

There is a page on the application that your current employer can fill out for this requirement. I too just submitted my application - still waiting for the license, but it's only been a week..... Good Luck!

i'm also moving out here soon and i'm a little worried about the job market too. Let me know if you hear anything. I'm looking for icu in the richmond area.

Hey guys! I'm looking for some guidance here. I'm looking to go RN to BSN right now, and thinking that online is for me.. I work full time, and have a very young daughter at home. Going to class multiple times a week, even once, will be pretty rough. Any opinions? I'm looking at university of phoenix...... I'm scared that an online degree is still considered "not as good", but I already have an associates, and a current license. Please - any and all advice is well appreciated in advance!

Practice, Practice, Practice..... that's the only way you get better! Another thing is - even though it's a trauma center - they're not going to throw you to the wolves on the first day, they'll probably start you out with the less severe cases...don't fret. You'll get it, and no matter how good we all say we are - everyone hits a 'funk' every once in a while. Sometimes you can't even hit a garden hose sized vein. Just keep at it You'll learn to pick good spots away from valves, tricks on how to advance past valves, etc... Just take your time, and the major trick is to make sure that you anchor it down good! Good Luck!

Wow..... That was powerful, sad, and amazing, - I'm speechless right now. Thankyou.... I've never tried to verbalized the feelings before - you hit it, head on!!

HAAA HAAA HAAAA!!!! Hilarious!:yeah:

If we waited for the doc to see each pt and order each lab/line - could you even IMAGINE how bad the 'stink eye' you'd be getting from the pt's because of how bad the ER would be backed up and how long the wait times would be???? ICK!?!?! Don't want to even think about that one! It's bad enough as it is!

Thanks guys! I have a feeling I'm gonna love it - I've always planned on crosstraining in the future - so it's just going to be a little sooner than I planned~! :loveya:

hey everyone. I'm starting a new position in the ER in the next couple of weeks and looking for some words of wisdom / advice on how to transition ok. Here's a little about myself: I've been a CCU/ICU RN for about a year now - came in straight out of school and made that transition fairly easy. I work a a private, communitiy hospital - not a major trauma site, but we do get some, and ship them out to the level 1 site quite often w/ life flight, and I'm constantly hearing code blues' on the over head page all of the time. Working on the units - I've been through quite a few codes, and feel pretty comfortable with reading strips, noticing changes, and assessments, etc. I just came back a few weeks ago from maternity leave and found they shut down my smaller unit d/t low census and feel a little rusty, but coping... I've always planned on doing ER in the future because I know that I will love it, but what makes me nervous is that i also know that ER is a completely differernt world, and find myself getting more nervous the closer my start date comes. From what I've heard, I will have a 3mo orientation.... which sounds great! Any major rules, tips I should know about your dept?

Like they said above, there is no EASY answer on how to deal with deaths. I don't think you really ever 'get used to it.' Everybody has there own ways of coping, and going on. I've only been doing it for a year, and each death affects me in a different way, because each one is different. The only advice I can give you, is just to know that you did everything that you could do for the patient and their family. After the patient has passed, the important thing is to be there for the family members and help them through the process. When I first started, I always worried about not knowing what to say to the family members, but then I found that imagining what I would need if it happened to one of my own helped me to find the words. Just being there with them is sometimes enough.... words arent' always needed - sometimes a hug, or a squeeze of the hand is the emotional connection that they need. As for yourself - don't beat yourself up trying to figure out what if's... if you provided the best care that you could, and followed procedures by the book - then that's all that you could have done. Sometimes people are meant to go when they are meant to go, and there's nothing anyone can do about it..... at least, that's how I think about it. I hope things get better for you, trust me, we all go through it. It's a natural response. It will be easier with time - unfortunately, we work in one of those areas where we see death all of the time. Stick with it - it's hard, but definately worth it when you do get to see a patient get well and transfer out, or receive thankyou's from patients and family members for the care that you provided.

Honey - you need to take this post elsewhere, because hmmpfft..... You don't have a clue what nursing truely is - and apparently don't have a clue about what this website is for..... doctor's helper? WTH? I'm calling MUD on this one...

Not sure if this will help or not - but I also have aquired a 'cheat book' that I keep in my clipboard. (lovely little clipboard that snaps shut - to keep supplies and notes inside) The standard drips, protocols, phone #'s, etc. for quick reference when needed. Also - I keep an overall 'schedule' chart. It's a blank spreadsheet broken down by the hour - and a column for each pt I have. That way I have an overall skeleton telling me what I 'should' be doing at 1am or 5am with each pt - and I keep it on top of all of the other paperwork so I can just glance at it. So - I have my report sheet for each pt - I keep a log of everything that happened on it - 'talked to dr. so & so, received this order, pt c/o pain, etc. - which helps when giving report the next morning. And then I fill in my schedule chart with meds, and procedures and when they are due. Hopefully that may help someone out? I'm one of those people who needs to reference back to quick cheat sheets a lot. So I like to keep them handy! I don't know -- It works for me!

I think I would have to say - it all depends on what you want to do with your nursing career. Do you want to go directly into critical care? If so - then go ahead and do it! You're already ACLS certified, you've been a paramedic for 8+ years - that's a pretty good start! I'm a newbie myself - only have about a year in, but I knew that I was meant to do critical care / trauma, and there was no way I could last as a med/surg nurse. But that's just my personality and preference. No matter where you start - you're going to be scared and overwhelmed, but if you pay attention to your preceptor and other experienced nurses and soak in everything that you possibly can - you'll be fine. The only thing I could suggest with the new job offer - is to shadow on the shift that you would be working. That way, you will meet the other nurses that will be there with you. Your environment and the personalities that you work with do play a major part in how your first experience will be! I was lucky enough to get hired in with a great crew that are very willing to help the newer nurses out - and that's been a lifesaver for me! GOOD LUCK! I hope it all goes well for you!