DMoon

There are different publishing companies that publish study guides for the Excelsior exams, and IMO they're all just middlemen out to get your money. The above posters are correct--go straight to the source (Excelsior) and save your money for what's important! There are plenty of free resources for you--both via Excelsior College itself and on-line. And don't forget your hospital library! A lot of times you can borrow texts instead of buying them. Good luck and keep us posted as to your progress-- Dakota (A happy and gainfully employed Regents College grad {what Excelsior College used to be named!})

That is so cool! If only the whole world operated like this...sigh! I'm glad everything's turning out okay for you!

Spartanburg Regional Medical Center's Regional One helicopter crashed this morning with three crew and one patient, no survivors. God bless and keep them and their families. http://www.thecarolinachannel.com/news/3523481/detail.html

Same subject, completely different track-- I do a lot of field work and also trauma in the ER, and I sometimes double and triple glove--when the top set gets too gross I strip it off to the clean set below--saves time in re-gloving plus I hate trying to get fresh gloves on over sweaty hands! Always on one patient, obviously. New patient=completely new set of gloves. Thanks for all the discussion on infection control, too. I always learn good stuff on this forum!

Hi Jocie-- I'm envious! Originally from southern Idaho but went to school in Moscow--now living in the Dakotas, which are lovely in their own very large, flat way, but nothing like northern Idaho!:chuckle You're making me homesick... Best of luck with school! I'm sure you'll do well wherever you go. Dakota

One of the reasons for the wait is that the CPNE is a one-on-one process over the course of several days. Except for your orientation the first evening, it's you and a Masters-prepared evaluator for the whole exam. This limits the number of students they can evaluate at any one site at any one time. It's a very exacting exam. One of the other posters is exactly right--you'll need those months to prepare! Best wishes! Dakota

Cetacaine! Just a little on a 2x2 stuck in your mask will cover the deadliest of odors...of course, you'll be smelling bananas for the rest of your shift but hey, sometimes it's worth it! Most of the odors I don't have any trouble with--but gangrene..OMG... Dakota

Jayrborn, I love (and live!) what you wrote--thank you for putting it into words-- Now I just need to keep it foremost in my mind, because I agree with the other posts too! Seeking Strength always-- Dakota

Hi-- I'm not in Idaho but I'm FROM Idaho, and miss it very much... I graduated from EC a few years ago and had some of the same concerns it seems you have. One of the things that helped me is that I did have deadlines--I scheduled the tests before I was actually ready for them. I gave myself however much time I thought I would need, but I went ahead and set the date. That way I knew that I had a deadline to meet and it made it a lot easier to motivate myself to hit the books. Then I studied everything--and I do mean everything--in the syllabus/course outline. It made it hard, but when I finished I really felt as if I knew my stuff. My experience since then in nursing practice has borne that out. EC can be a very good program for someone who's motivated. Hope this helps! Study hard and good luck!

"Wolf-Parkinson-White"--a cause of supraventricular tachycardia. Bad idea to use drugs that predispose you to tachydysrhythmias when you're already prone to them-- As one of my coworkers would say: "Modern Darwinism at work" (re the drug use, not the poor souls with WPW!).

Julie, Give your husband a cookie and a big hug, because he hit the target dead center: there's something fishy going on here. Maybe it's stupidity and maybe it's drug diversion, but somethin' ain't right! Do as your beloved tells you--document everything. And tell your supervisor!!! It's not only your license swinging in the wind here, it's your facility's risk as well! Many places have programs to deal with employees like this, whether they just can't figure out the proper way to give, document, and dispose of medications, or they've got a drug problem themselves. But don't put yourself and your livelihood at risk by not reporting this. I'm sure there are others here with plenty more good advice, but that's what comes to me first. Good luck and let us know how it turns out!

No uproar, at least for me. Just proud of where I am and how I got there! There's nothing to compare with a job you love... Dakota

Darn right we worked our butts off! I worked too hard for my EMT-P to give it up now! Plus I can't even begin to express how much depth it's added to my nursing practice. You can't really explain it to someone who hasn't been there, either...sort of like trying to get a guy to truly empathize childbirth, or a gal to empathize getting kicked in the family jewels... Still licensed and certified as a medic--practicing as both medic and RN--and loving it still-- Dakota

Dito and likewise to the above posts. I never had any problem finding a job, and neither did any of the Regents/Excelsior grads that I know. Maybe there's something else going on?

The previous posters have all had good advice for you. All I have to add is that the program is much harder than a lot of people think. Be diligent. Study hard. KNOW the material in the study guides backwards, forwards, and in your sleep. Apply yourself and you will do well. Some of the very best nurses I know are Regents/Excelsior grads. Good luck! Dakota