Opera26

Does anybody who has already gotten CIC know if EPI 101 is enough to take the CBIC exam, or do you need EPI 102 and 201 (or whatever they are) as well? I'm hoping EPI 101 is enough, along with other studies. Thanks, Opera26

great! count me in. thanks for getting this started, chey! opera26

Excellent! Thanks. Yes I am a member of APIC. Opera26

You will probably know more than I do after taking the EPI course! Ha. Good luck! As I mentioned in a previous post, I believe you get more bang for your buck with the local APIC orgs, though you still would need the national organization. Opera

hi chey, can you post a link to this? i am not familiar with this course. and, as far as i know, you can retake the exam, though i have not taken it. thanks, opera

What's true? The skills, or not being able to work in a hospital? :)

There is some prejudice against nurses who work in corrections, though. When I was working on my BSN, one of my online classmates made it very plain she did not want anything to do with me because I worked in a prison. She was quite clear about it. I would have said something, but I just wanted to get the class over with and not make waves. My classmate's personal prejudice does not extend to all hospital recruiters, I expect. As I said before, nurses at the prison where I work also work in the local hospital in our small town. I wonder if the original poster, Kitten403 is still reading these responses. Are you finished with school now Kitten403? As for my former classmate, I wonder if she or her family was the victim of some type of crime. That may be why she responded to me that way. Nobody 'has' to work in a prison, but I like it. Hospitals aren't for everybody. I never did care much for working in them. To each his own! Opera

Hi Kitten, Many of the nurses at the prison where I work also work at the local hospital. Oh, and they do not hire new grads who have no experience where I work. Your corrections departments must be different, though. Some people say that prison nursing is "one of the best kept secrets in nursing." I tend to agree with that. It's still a job, though. The work is hard, like every place else, and there are the different personalities to deal with, like any place else. And you still need to get up early or stay up late--just like any other nursing job. Opera

hi jenn, i have been studying off and on for the past 6 months. last month i bought the online practice exam. that made me realize how hard the test really is! i am not even half way through the exam (70 questions). it takes me a long time to find the answer to each question, and sometimes i cannot even find an answer. i mainly search the apic text online version for the answers, which has free online access for a year if you bought the book. i have probably spent nearly $1000 on apic materials--i think i have bought everything there is to study for the exam, with my own money. i found the state infection control organization to be a good value. in my state they are having a 3-day seminar in september for 'only' around $300. it's not geared specifically toward certification, but will probably help, and will at least be good for networking. other than that, the only review classes i know of are the ones on the apic web site. there may be local classes in our areas sometime in the future. i guess we'll find out at the local or state apic meetings. thanks, opera

hi jenn, i want to take the exam too, but have not set a date. there is so much to learn! do you go to the local apic meetings? there may be review classes available at a local hospital. you wrote this almost four months ago, have you already taken the exam? do you work with an active ic department, or are you the only ic person (like i am). i was surprised to find out how little help there actually is for studying for the exam if you are on your own. (as evidenced by this being the only reply you have received in over three months. :) ) good luck to all of us! opera

great info. thanks laura! opera

Unless I missed it, this is the only topic with the word "infect . . . " in it. I was looking for an "Infection Control Nursing" topic to browse here. Maybe the moderators could make an Infection Control Nursing topic heading. Opera

That sounds nuts to me. When I read your post, I thought, "what"? Let the IMs come for their meds. I don't get whatever it is they (whoever's idea this was) are thinking. Change the time the pharm tech gives out the KOPs, if that would help. That is just whack! (BTW, what's a QMA?) Op

Hi Mt, Many nurses have never worked in a prison before, so don't let your lack of knowledge of prison routine bother you. All of us were new to the system once. Try to say, "I chart everything I do" during the interview. Op

Hi Travduck, Thanks for your response. I agree that it will all work out in time. I was thinking that maybe if I was an officer (like the type who wears gold bars, like a Leutenant, not like a CO), that I would automatically get respect. I was wrong. It has to be earned over time. Op