biretta

Thanks everyone. I'll try looking up the hospital's policy.

Hi. I am currently orienting as a new grad on a medical unit. Could someone please clarify this as I have been told conflicting information: For a PICC that requires a heparin flush, i.e. would need to be hep locked if not infusing, if it happens to be used for intermittent infusions, e.g. antibiotics say like 2xs per shift a few hours apart, do I need to hep lock it? Isn't the heparin really only required if the PICC sat without infusing for an entire shift? Thanks, I need to get to the bottom of this without overstepping my preceptor.

I just want to thank everyone for their input. I have a lot to consider, that is if I can find some time to mull this stuff over given that I get so exhausted from work! I guess that happens on a med-surg unit when you're fresh out of school. Thanks again, everyone!

Thank you for your input. No I did not sign anything so I am not bound legally but since the positions are in the same facility, I don't want to blacklist myself or risk any form of retalliation. I'll just hope the OR manager respects my request for confidentiality when I call her which I've decided to do. I'm glad you found--and accepted--your ideal job. It seems like a rare thing to be able to be excited about one's employment.

Please, need advice! Hi all. I just started my first nursing job on a medical unit. During school, I found my interest gravitating towards OR, in one aspect or another but was under the misconception that it woud be difficult to get into this area without some med-surg experience. Knowing I would hate it, I accepted my current position with the intent of gaining the supposed necessary experience to move elsewhere. Two months into my job--I am nearing the end of my preceptorship but nowhere near the end of my probationary period--I've learned that the nurse manager in our hospital's OR does hire new grads and actually prefers to do so. Upon accepting this position, I was told that my dept. asks for an 18 month commitment. I really doubt that I can withstand this for that period of time, especially now that I am experiencing daily the brunt of insufficient staffing on my unit. I am finding myself already resentful that the workload is piled on, yet management expects you to take your breaks while avoid logging in overtime. I understand that working for free is part of the nursing culture but I guess I haven't accepted this yet. My quesiton is, would it be not be advisable to contact the OR manager, who a friend of mine is acquainted with and claims (she) is empathetic to the challenge of a new grad's finding her niche in the profession? I'm afraid this will get back to my manager even if i give only my first name, as this is a small facility with only 250 beds. Am I right to assume that each dept. will honor the commitment set forth by other dept.s in hiring? In other words, is there probably no chance that if there are openings, the OR manager would consider hiring me before my 18 months is up? Thanks in advance for any input; I'm frustrated and getting desperate.

Hi all. I just started my first nursing job on a medical unit. During school, I found my interest gravitating towards OR, in one aspect or another but was under the misconception that it woud be difficult to get into this area without some med-surg experience. Knowing I would hate it, I accepted my current position with the intent of gaining the supposed necessary experience to move elsewhere. Two months into my job--I am nearing the end of my preceptorship but nowhere near the end of my probationary period--I've learned that the nurse manager in our hospital's OR does hire new grads and actually prefers to do so. Upon accepting this position, I was told that my dept. asks for an 18 month commitment. I really doubt that I can withstand this for that period of time, especially now that I am experiencing daily the brunt of insufficient staffing on my unit. I am finding myself already resentful that the workload is piled on, yet management expects you to take your breaks while avoid logging in overtime. I understand that working for free is part of the nursing culture but I guess I haven't accepted this yet. My quesiton is, would it be not be advisable to contact the OR manager, who a friend of mine is acquainted with and claims (she) is empathetic to the challenge of a new grad's finding her niche in the profession? I'm afraid this will get back to my manager even if i give only my first name, as this is a small facility with only 250 beds. Am I right to assume that each dept. will honor the commitment set forth by other dept.s in hiring? In other words, is there probably no chance that if there are openings, the OR manager would consider hiring me before my 18 months is up? Thanks in advance for any input; I'm frustrated and getting desperate.

I'm calling the bookstore now to see if Kaplan's in stock. Thank you and best of luck on the test!

Hi all. I'm scheduled to take it next week, and haven't been too worried as I had a 98% predicted pass rate on the ATI predictor exam, and have done decently on all 5 of my practice books like NCLEX Q and A Made Incredibly Easy, Saunders, and Pearson/Prentice Hall. But I am freaked out now, as yesterday, for the first time, I put in the practice CD from the last book mentioned and have done horribly, having gotten like 65-72% correct. The CD's material seems a lot more difficult than any other practice questions I've encountered thus far. I'm not sure what to think now. For those of you who have taken it, would you please tell me: What study practice tests--which book--would you compare the actual exam to? Any input would be greatly appreciated!