luv2runRNnow

smn2009-I am a new grad working in a 25 bed hospital in rural Vermont. The facility has an AMAZING new grad orientation and really invests in their nurses. I do not know what their hiring needs are right now but you sound like someone that would really thrive in our environment. North Country Hospital in Newport, Vermont is where I am. Good luck, I am sure you will by dynamite wherever you land!!

I had a wonderful clinical instructor that said "Grief is the price we pay for compassion."

Dental assistant or dental hygienist. Dental assistant is usually around a 9-month program. Dental hygiene is typically 2-year program.

I'm a student with absolutely no ER experience at all so hopefully I'm not way off base! From the info we have, it doesn't seem like her vitals or disorientation (because it's her baseline) are indicating an acute emergency so I would want to take the time to find out a little more about her psych/social history. Does she have a primary care doc? Because she's made 4 visits this week to the ER without a hospital admission, is she using the ER as a primary care facility? If so, why? What did she and her family find as problems with the other 3 ERs (could give you an idea of their values to better help you meet them where they are). I'd want to know if her visit today was for the same symptoms as the other visits this week or is it an entirely different CC. Her vital signs show that there is something physiological happening but I think we need to get a bigger picture of this patient and her family to help determine what the next step is because something, whether psychological or physiological, is going on to have 4 ER visits in the course of the week. I realize I might be wearing my rose-colored glasses and in real life there might not be the luxury of having adequate time to try to figure out the 'story behind the story'!

I've been a dental hygienist for 19 years and have decided to become a nurse (graduate May 09 with BSN). Probably the biggest factor that motivated me to switch careers was the lack of movement within the field of dental hygiene. For the most part, as a hygienist you will work in a private office doing chairside dental hygiene. There are a few public health opportunities as a hygienist but at this point, not a lot at least where I live now. I have been fortunate as a hygienist in that I have never had a problem getting a job - I've worked in VT, MA, CA, and NM but that may be changing - don't know what the current outlook is for hygienists. Sometimes hygiene felt like a numbers game with production being beaten over your head - unlike the previous poster though, I NEVER have had to clock out if a patient was a no show - honestly, I've never heard of that but I believe some dental offices are capable of some pretty lowsy things. I am sure some hospitals are too but that 's probably another story! Both career fields require critical thinking, excellent interpersonal skills, and an ability to make decisions and work independently within the environment. As a hygieniest, you usually have a predictable schedule that does not include nights, weekends, or holidays. Typically you will work in a much smaller office setting which can be great or miserable depending on the dynamics of the group of people you're with. I think the biggest mistake I made as a hygienist was not getting involved in my Dental Hygiene Association and not doing more CEUs. I let myself get stagnant which then made me feel burned out. My bad but a good lesson and one that I will not let happen to me in nursing. I think the education for either profession is equally challenging - I did not find my dental hygiene education to be any easier than my nursing education has been. Need to be on the ball either way. Maybe you could spend a day shadowing a hygienist so you get a feel for what the typical day to day routine might be. I don't think that would work so well with shadowing a nurse because there are so many different jobs that nurses do and they can be VERY different. An ICU nurses day probably looks way different than a school nurse or a public health nurse. I agree with the other poster that I also will not let my dental hygiene license lapse - it is a nice little insurance policy should I need it to fall back on. I think both professions have their pros and cons and figuring out which one lines up better with what is important to you might help you to decide. Good luck in your decision and remember that no decision is permanent and no education is a waste!

I think it works well to try to understand the big picture - taking the time to understand the physiology/pathophysiology of the condition gives you way more 'tools' in your toolbox when it comes to answering test questions. There's a certain amount of stuff that just needs to be memorized (electrolyte values etc.) but for the most part, memorizing data doesn't do a whole lot for you if you can't understand it in the context that it's given to you. Time management and reading assignments before lectures has helped me. Also prioritizing - do I want to spend more time on the assignment that is worth 5% of my grade or do I want to spend more time on the mid-term worth 45% of my grade. Sometimes this one is hard for me, but really trying to honor the other parts of my life outside of school is important. Be passionate! School is hard and if you are passionate about your studies and this profession it will make the journey way more pleasant. Good luck.

Hi, Sorry if this gets posted twice - I just hit submit and lost it! Anyway, my 8 year old daughter has sensory integration dysfunction. When she was about 2, things started falling apart for her. With OT and lots of learning and patience on our part, she is doing terrific. I second the suggestion for The Out of Sync Child. If you are struggling with melt downs etc. The Explosive Child by Ross Greene is an excellent resource. It can be sort of a scary/lonely place to be when someone tells you this about your child - I found it really helpful to network with others that were in this situation. We had to learn how to advocate for her in school but more important, we had to learn to trust and have faith in ourselves as parents that we could give this little girl what she needed. I want to emphasize that she is doing great both emotionally and physically so know that with some good OT and LOTS of patience, you can give your son the tools he needs to be able to be succeed in his environment. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions or anything!