biwa

hi, I have an assignment about role transitioning from school to the actual field, and it requires that I interview a nurse manager. If you don't mind answering some questions, please either pm me or reply here. These questions will pertain to your specific workplace. I understand that each workplace has its own protocol and traditions. You don't need to identify where you work. You don't need to answer every question, just whatever you're comfortable with. =) 1. At your workplace, what are the expectations for a new graduate? 2. What type of orientation program is involved? Who was your guide? How long was your orientation? Did you feel that it sufficiently prepared you for your responsibilities? 3. What did you wish someone had told you about your field when you were in nursing school? 4. What did you find most surprising or unexpected about being a nurse when you first started working? 5. Did you feel you had a good support system at your workplace? Were there good protocols in place to help you direct and resolve your concerns or questions? 6. Which unit do you work on? What is a typical day like for you? 7. What is your schedule like? Do you work 12-hr shifts or 8-hr shifts, and how many days a week? How often do you work overtime? 8. What do you think can be improved about the nursing field? thank you so much for your time.

Why does the action of the radiologist speaking up to the SN have to be termed as "scolding" or "discipline"? How come not just... speaking up? It's not hard to say, "Excuse me, but I like to work in silence," or "Excuse me, I like to work in a quieter environment." How would you expect the radiologist to have spoken up to an RN who was doing the same thing? re: people voicing their own preferences to running commentary, sure, it's fine, your opinions are valid, but what value does it add to this discussion? Right now this thread is not about whether or not one personally likes to hear play by plays. And as you've said, this preference could go EITHER WAY. It's as if the issue was about a patient who is uncomfortable about being called "sweetie" and OP is asking, "Am I in the wrong?" and commentors say, "I don't like to be called sweetie either" or "I love being called sweetie." Since this issue is about the patient's preferences, any other person's preferences is irrelevant.

eh. I wouldn't pay that price. a pin is a pin, how is it going to change the fact I made it through nursing school? I know who I am, I know what I did, I don't need a pin to confirm me that. SELF VALIDATION YO.

as other people have already commented, none of us were there. but I think it is reasonable to expect the radiologist to SAY something if they found your talking the patient through the procedure to be disruptive. How are you supposed to know someone's preferences if they don't tell you? Are we supposed to be mind readers? Not only that, but I think it was disrespectful of the radiologist to not say anything to you about your technique, and then complain to your clinical instructor afterwards. It's not like the radiologist asked for you to support quietly, and then you refused. In my eyes, merely talking the pt. through the procedure is nothing to be criticized for. some posters are saying, "I would/wouldn't have liked to listen to a running commentary.." but who cares? This isn't about them right now. They're not the patient. What we're concerned about is whether or not the PATIENT was comfortable with the commentary. and we don't know that. I think it's ridiculous the school is trying to call you out on being disrespectful. The radiologist is an adult. They should know how to be able to speak up civilly about their preferences. Talking about team work, how about open communication between colleagues?

I'm an SN, still have a ways to go before I become an RN.. do you have any advice you can share about talking patients down?

I haven't started nursing school/clinicals yet, but will be this upcoming spring, and I do foresee crying in my future. Like a lot of people mentioned- we are human, we feel things, and being around people who are suffering can be hard to deal with emotionally. The way we deal with that stress is different for everybody, and no one ought to be shamed for crying. Crying in itself isn't a sign of weakness, it's just an expressed emotion. Just like- laughing as a result of stress, screaming as a result of stress, snapping as a result of stress. ALL of those reactions are emotional, but why is crying the one thing that gets so much flak, and is termed "emotional"? And what is wrong with being "emotional," really? Being an emotional person does not always equate to being someone who compromises their responsibilities in lieu of their emotions. Even if someone is crying for reasons that aren't related to the patients- if they're crying for a test grade, or cos they feel they've been mistreated, had a off day, whatever- it's still an emotional expression to relieve that stress. Sure, you as the observer may feel uncomfortable, and you're allowed to feel however you want. But I don't think it's right that crying is painted as something that should ALWAYS be kept under wraps, that it is simply not acceptable in public. Would it be preferable for that crying person to start cursing instead? Or to not even get stressed at all over X thing. But people are different, that's all there is to it. Yes, there are situations in which I don't think being emotional (sad, angry, scared, etc) is appropriate- for example, if one begins to feel that their emotions are compromising their ability to treat their patients safely. Again this isn't merely about crying, which is only an outward expression (of any number of emotions). Someone can be emotionally compromised WITHOUT having cried. And, yes, we want to keep in mind that we want to promote an environment in which our patients can feel safe and secure. But once more: showing emotion does not equal being emotionally compromised. I do think it is worth-noting, that there have been a fair number of people who feel the need to qualify their crying with, "But it wasn't big sobbing hysterics." (Here I'm imagining incoherent babbling, heaving shoulders, etc.) That is really on the extreme end of the crying scale. The posters qualified themselves with the intent to clarify their situation... but what are people doing assuming that "hysterics" are the natural (or even most common) meaning of "I cried" anyway? Crying is merely a method of expressing emotion- and expressing emotion in this way isn't "weak," and if one thinks it is, I think it should be examined. If crying is weak, then why isn't laughing weak, yelling weak, cursing weak?

Thanks for the info, I'll look into it.

Again, thank you so much for your responses, encouragement, and information. I really appreciate it. I can't wait until the day comes when I'll be leaving for PC, but I have a lot more research to do. Thanks, innumerably! Take care.

that's funny that you have a word limit, is it a restriction from the allnurses forum itself? are you using quick reply? Yeah, I was reading similar topics on here asking about Peace Corps and they seem to be very accepting of RNs with little to no experience, but using them in situations where their clinical skills aren't quite necessary, and focussing more on health education. =) which I don't have a problem with. Although, I'd like to be put into that situation, so I'm thinking I'll do 2 years of PC right after school, come back and get a year of experience, then go back to PC or apply to MSF. I know you when you apply to PC your assignment will be for the next year, so you will have an inbetween waiting period. Do they let you make a new application while you're actually serving in PC? Or must you be finished first? Yeah, as for asking if living on a stipend is unrealistic- I know that I wouldn't be able to save my way to millions off what they give me, but I was thinking about the idea of living on a stipend most of my life, and wondering if it was a silly idea. I suppose it's more a personal question than anything else though, about whether or not I'd be happy with that standard of living. Thanks so much for your reply.

hello, I'm currently a pre-nursing student taking my requirements. I'll be submitting my application to join the nursing dept early next year. My question is, I want to join the Peace Corps, but will they take an RN that just graduated? Or would they prefer an experience of 2 years, 3 years, and so on? Which specialty should I focus on in order to be most helpful? On the site it says relevant experience would be in public health, midwifery, or physician's assistant, but I think I've also read on the forums surgery exp would also be good? What's your opinion on doing Peace Corps for most of your life? As in, making that your career, living on a stipend. Is it unrealistic? I'm really interested also in doing overseas/development/refugee nursing but so far I've only found that the majority (if not all) of aforementioned nurses do it on a volunteer basis. I would like to be able to do that as my job and not worry about coming up with the money for plane tickets and so forth. Are there any organizations that do that at all? Or can you recommend a similar field to me? Thank you!

forgive me if I'm wrong but I assumed the NLN was the pre-admissions test deltech has applicants take? I was also looking at taking classes at the Stanton campus, so maybe the procedure is also different there, because after talking to a counselor I assumed we take the pre-admission test after completing the pre-req classes and not before it. I didn't ask to specify, but there will be an upcoming nursing major info session in July I'll attend that will clear things up. I wanted to ask here for deadlines because the counselor told me that on Stanton at least, they review applicants for enrollment once a year every spring only, and I really want to get in then...but if Terry campus accepts applicants twice a year I'll definitely look into it. thanks so much for replying to my question. I really hope I'll be up to it!!

here's another question to add to the pile.. when is the deadline to apply to the nursing program in the spring? if not an exact date, any idea of whereabouts? Is applying to the nursing program the same as taking the NLN, or does the NLN come after?