AmyBRN

Hi, Just an FYI. I have been going to a Chiropractor for my back, and felt relief from migraines with just a few back adjustments. She said it could be that some of my migraines could have been from neck misalignment, even though I didn't have neck pain. She also does some therapy on my head. And in the month since I've been going to her, I have noticed a hugh reduction in frequency and intensity of my migraines. One thing about my chiropractor is she also did a lot of post-gradutate work on headaches, and TMJ issues (which I also have). This might work for you too. All you need to find out is one initial assessment. A.

Another repeat dream, is that your running around taking care of your patients, only to realize that it's 200 and you didn't know you had another patient(s).

OMG!!! I thought I was the only person with weird dreams. My problem is I sleep talk and walk. One dream I had was my patients femoral Aline was dislodged and I was putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding, only to have a fight with my husband. He's yelling "Get off of me what are you doing?", I said still half asleep and only thinking about the 'bleeding,' "Hold still your bleeding." back and forth like that, finally he says, "Just go to sleep will you." I say "Fine, bleed out for all I care", roll over and go back to sleep. Another time, it was after I took Pseudophed for a cold, I fell asleep, somehow, and started feeling something like palpitations. I'm thinking, while dreaming that I'm in V-tach, and I cant 'hook' myself up to a monitor. So I'm thinking "Check a pulse." I was able to feel a pulse, so I roll over and think 'good it's not lethal v-tach.' When I woke up later thinking about the dream, I was like non-lethal v-tach??? Maybe just some SVT. Needless to say I don't take Pseudophed before I sleep anymore. Finally, another dream I had was of a patient pulling out their Tracheostomy, and I lunge for the patient and grab the trach and hold it in, asking for someone to help me. Again, DH says "Get off of me, your choking me." As I wake up and look at me holding my hand over his neck, holding in the trach. LOL. Poor hubby takes lots of abuse. I told the last one to a PA, he says, I think you need a less stressful job, gee you think??

Guess he'll have to stop drinking margarita's while showering.

Hi, As a fellow migraine sufferer, I think that you should take whatever medication works for you. When I just started my current job, I told the employee health PA that I have migraines. She just asked if any of my medications for the migraines would show up on the drug screen, which they didn't. But I'm sure that even if they did, as long as I told the truth and had scripts it wouldn't have been a problem. Don't worry, and good luck in your career. Amy

I'm interested to know too!!

A few weeks ago I was passing a bottle of Calcium Carbonate around to my fellow RN's because it smelled soooooo good! I also like the smell of liquid zantac and benzoin. Mucomyst and cat pee antibiotics (you all know the ones) are the worst! Of course the bubblegum antibiotics is yummy. When I was little I used to ask, when I was sick, if I could get the bubblegum medicine. lol. Amy

Regarding PALS, as a PICU nurse. I went to take it after a year of PICU experience (maybe a little longer than I should have waited but...). I think that the PALS class is very interesting, but also very hard. You need to have hands on experience for a little while before taking it. There is test at the end where you run a 'code', as well as a written test. There are a lot of things that you need to know, meds (and specific wt. based dosages!!), EKG's, etc., before you take the PALS course. Personally I would wait on PALS, a lot of nurses on my unit waited about 5- 10 months before taking it. I can't speak for ACLS though. Amy P.S. I am not PALS certified, because I got very sick during the second day and was not able to do the code portion, but my friend said it was hard and without her experience she probably would not have her cert.

HI!! I just started at St. Francis, and I'm hired for there OR program. I'm very excited to start working there. They hold their RN's up to high standards and expect a lot from you, but in the end it makes you a better nurse. I honestly feel that I will be learning 'the right way' to do things. I am currently in their Orientation, I will be hitting a Med/Surg floor before the OR prgram starts (to learn paperwork and hospital policies and such). I have heard great things about this program from people who have done it. And honestly, about people liking it or not, it is just what your 'fit' is. I was at North Shore, and there were a lot of unhappy people there to. It just depends on the 'fit' they have with the hospital. Any questions, you can PM me, and if you do go into the program let me know. I won't be starting the OR portion until May/June, so we might be in the class together. Amy

Hi jetson. Just an FYI, those areas that your considering seem pretty far away from each other to me. (From me, 20 min. to Glen Cove, (being all backroads are the only way to get in and out) Northport is about 40 mins from me on the parkway and Port Jeff. is about 1hr. from me) I'm going to make a suggestion from someone who used to live in Glen Cove. Don't move there if you have kids. The last few years I lived there, though I have to say not a great area, I lived next to a drug addict and a psychotic person who stole my mothers underwear off the line. There are nice areas, and if you don't have kids it might be a great place to live, but the school system is only ok compared to others in the area. One reason for this is because the school budget keeps getting turned down. PM me if you have questions about Glen Cove and surrounding areas. My friend got a job, as a new grad. out in Stony Brook hosp. which is somewhere between Northport and Port Jeff. I got a job as a new grad. in the NSLIJ system as a new grad. There is a hospital in NS-LIJ hospital at Glen Cove which hires new grads. St. Francis I think is hiring new grads. St. Francis, LIJ and NS-Manhasset are all pretty close to each other. Closer to Glen Cove area. There are a ton of hospitals in the area, and in Queens/City if you don't mind the extra commute. Most have websites, and will say whether they accept new grads or not. Again PM me with any questions, both me and my mom are nurses in the area and can help.

I am a NCC graduate from the nursing dept. It is a VERY hard program. My husband will attest to the nights I was up, working on my careplans, at 5 am, crying because the printer stopped working!!!! AHHH the memories. It is a hard program, but rewarding, and I did it!! Keep on working for it and you'll get in it is a great education, for an EXCELLENT price, hence why everyone wants to get in. I was one of over 1000 applicants, and 150 acceptants. I suggest applying to NCC again, as soon as you can, but if you need to bring your GPA up, take some "easy" courses in the meantime, that might apply to your bachelors. (Intro to Stats., Chem., etc.) But also don't put all your eggs in one basket, apply to other schools. NEVER BE ABSENT! DON'T PROCRASTINATE (like me)! AIRWAY BREATHING CIRCULATION! PT. SAFETY!

I'm going to be training on the 8a-4p shift. Once I'm off of orientation I will be working 1200-0030, 3 days a week, no 4th day (which is what they do at someother area hospitals). I was also told that you have to sign up for 5 8-hour call shifts a month, but can "sell" them off, but it is not suggested in the beginning to do that, so I can get more experience. My OR training is going to be almost a year, so I won't be on th 12.5 hr. schedule, for at least a year. Amy

I agree that this website provided lots of great help, in preparing for my interview, I searched WAYY back. Great information, great tips to anyone else looking to go into OR nursing and preparing for an interview. I will be an OR nurse starting March 4th, SOOOOO excited!!

I was given an interview with a group of 3 people in the OR. I was asked questions like Why do I want to work in the OR?, What is a typical day like where you work?, What are your positve attributes/negative attributes? Name a few adjectives that describe you. Have I ever been in the OR, and what surgeries did I see? There was also a lot of discussion about the job, what to expect during training and such. Where do you work, and where are you looking to go?

Just to let you all know... I got the Job!!! Thank you for your support! I will be starting OR orientation Mar. 4th!! Yeah!!!!