HouTx BSN, MSN, EdD

Critical Care, Education

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All Content by HouTx

  1. HouTx

    Nursing not for me

    Have you thought about laboratory science? Nuclear medicine? Radiology? They are all healthcare fields that are more math-oriented than nursing. Here is a comprehensive list of healthcare professions so you can compare their characteristics.
  2. HouTx

    Parents want me to be a doctor, not a nurse....

    You're very fortunate to have supportive parents who believe in your potential. Many of us aren't so fortunate. Please let your parents know that Nursing has been rated as the MOST trusted profession in the US for the last 15 years. Salaries for n...
  3. HouTx

    JP/ Chest Tubes

    CTs systems maintain a constant negative pressure when they're patent. In my organization, nurses do a 'fold and squeeze' to dislodge clots or occlusions rather than the old fashioned stripping technique. However, JPs are only under pressure if the...
  4. HouTx

    when to ask patient if they need an interpreter.

    Don't shoot the messenger. New (strict) rules for the use of medical interpreters is making the nurse's job even more difficult. Just like all the other regulations that roll downhill to the bedside. Initial assessment/admission should include de...
  5. HouTx

    nursing diagnosis

    Uh oh, not again. Am I the only one who wishes that there was a way to trace these NDx questions so we could give some feedback to the 'guilty' schools??? They're obviously not providing students with a clear understanding of how NDx are establish...
  6. Grumpy offers some very valid points in his very cogent assertions. But the fact remains - I'm not a huge fan of NCLEX because the current version (like previous ones) is not a true indicator of real life clinical reasoning skills. It still focuse...
  7. HouTx

    Is LPN worthwhile?

    LVNs in my area are employed in LTACHs also... very much acute care, including vents and such. The patients just have longer stays. Some hospitals are also re-introducing LVNs in new models of care delivery - care teams led by RNs.
  8. HouTx

    Full time online student with a newborn?

    Unless the classes have synchronous (everybody online at the same time) requirements, it shouldn't be a problem. It should be pretty easy to fit your coursework around baby duties.
  9. HouTx

    Starting Phlebotomy school before nursing school

    You may want to double-check if you're counting on a phlebotomy job on weekend nights. In my area, most hospitals expect night nurses to draw their own labs... it's a very common cost savings measure.
  10. I was a bit confused also, but I think OP is using the word "stats" to mean grades rather than an actual Statistics course.
  11. HouTx

    Nursing after alcohol?

    Unless your treatment was a consequence of/related to events that are going to show up on a background check (e.g., DUI, Public Intoxication, etc), I would advise against disclosure. If you opted for treatment voluntarily, in order to deal with your...
  12. HouTx

    I Pads for patient education

    I hope a qualified educator is evaluating this new initiative. Many times, a snazzy delivery media can overpower the actual educational process. The overall effectiveness should be evaluated by measuring achievement of the learner objectives.... co...
  13. HouTx

    Secondary diagnosis

    OK - now I am confused. Are you telling us that "secondary diagnosis of personality disorder" is a qualification needed by people seeking to fill the job??? Or is this a type of client that is cared for by people in this job? I really hope it's the...
  14. HouTx

    can anxiety be a nursing diagnosis

    It helps to always remember our scope of practice - "Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatme...
  15. HouTx

    Help!! Nursing school

    You're still very young. You're obviously smart. You apparently have a supportive family. These are all wonderful assets. Can you talk to your parents and let them know how you feel? Most of us parents want our children to be happy, but we also ...
  16. HouTx

    Anyone drop their BSN program for an ADN program?

    LOL - I think you may eventually realize that those "garbage" classes ARE related to nursing..... just about everything is. Students are usually so focused on the visible 'skills' of nursing that the value of these other courses doesn't even hit the...
  17. HouTx

    Help: I failed out of nursing school

    I agree with the advice - seek counseling services to develop skills for coping with stress. Nursing is an inherently stressful career - because we deal with humans who are frequently at their lowest ebb. Those coping skills will be helpful no matt...
  18. It's a balancing act: Quantity (course load) vs. Quality (GPA). Only you can determine the right pace for yourself. There are so many different variables at stake such as the need to take prep (non-credit) courses, need to keep working, previous kn...
  19. There's some info missing from previous posts - the fact that GPA requirements are not just arbitrary targets to make it more difficult to get into a program. Those requirements have been established as a result of analyzing the characteristics of s...
  20. HouTx

    Dilemma and Question

    Congratulations on your recovery & attitude. I've beaten Ca twice myself - so I have an inkling. I take personal pride in the fact that your nurses made such a positive impression & inspired you to become a nurse also. That's wonderful. ...
  21. HouTx

    Background check for foreign RN with overseas experience

    Unfortunately, there's no way to accurately answer your question. The length of time required will depend upon the resources that are being used. Some (very expensive) external vendors with top-notch resources can perform the process very rapidly. ...
  22. In general, there is no room for negotiation in entry-level jobs- AKA, jobs into which newly licensed nurses are hired. It's not unusual to dislike the idea of working in acute care because of all the negatives (shift work including holidays, high s...
  23. You want to know "our" position.... HERE it is. I agree - activism is the way to go. ANA is our political action arm & have a strong lobby in DC. I have been a member (national, state & local) for a looooong time & encourage others to...
  24. What type of discharge did you receive. That information will be requested on applications (job & school) in the future. You may need to explain the circumstances. Just based on my state's disciplinary guidelines, (your mileage may vary)..... of...
  25. So sorry this happened to you. Transitioning from student to clinical practice is hard enough without this type of situation. Poor & incompetent management strikes again. First things first. Find out your termination status. If you are list...