HT3RN

I'll be there!

Don't know about traveling with peds experience. Picking is pretty slim for travel jobs right now.

I have worked in two different LTAC's in two different states as well as ICU's in 6 states. An LTAC is not critical care period. If the patient gets "unstable" then they get shipped out to a critical care setting. Like I read earlier they are mostly failure to wean from vent patients. They can't breathe effectively on their own but everything else works okay.... relatively speaking. They may require dialysis, tpn etc. Some eventually go home and some go home. If you know what I mean.

JCJC, I have never met anyone who went there. My point made. Like I said, you should be considering ADN vs. BSN strictly for advancement purposes, not because the education you will get will be any better or worse. Nursing is a great deal OJT anyway. You go to school to get the degree and you go to work to learn how to be a nurse.

It took me about 2-3 years before I quit having anxiety about going into the unit. All I can say is it takes time. It sounds like you have a good team. That makes all the difference. Just remember caring for any critically ill patient requires a whole team and you are never alone.

It doesn't matter what school you go to. Pick the one that best suites you. When you get out and start working no one cares where you got your degree but, they only care about how you perform. I would suggest getting whatever prereqs you need out of the way for a BSN. BSN vs ADN is more important than where you get an ADN.

If you are speaking of the Jackson area, the answer is yes. There is a nursing shortage everywhere. I am a travel nurse from Jackson and if there is a hospital, there is a need.

Something I have learned from nurses that have been at it a while, is ABC's. Focus on the basics and always keep an eye on the big picture. The thing about the ICU is it takes time. You will get there. Remember, no one knows everything. Period. There is always someone that knows more. Don't take on an assignment you aren't comfortable with, and if you are drowning, ask for help. Nursing is a team effort. At first you will rely on your team a lot more for basic things. Then you will get that down and eventually be relying on them for more perplexing things. Just remember ABC's. Does your pt have an airway...check. Is your airway effective...check. Does the patient have a blood pressure...check. The rest is details....but the details is what takes time and experience and what helps you head big things off before they even happen. Stick it out you'll be fine. Good luck.

We just started using them about 3 months ago. More than anything they seem to be good predictors of pt survival.

Prone patients all the time. Done as last resort...beds are expensive. Always seems to work (increases oxygenation), more perfusion. Patient survival rate unknown to me. Haven't seen anyone succumb to resp. complications due to it. But, I am currently on a trauma unit so most of these patients are generally healthy with few or no commorbitities. Complications not tolerating being supine sometimes requiring 100% FiO2 before and while being rotated supine, facial swelling and breakdown can occur. It works. Hate the bed, but it works.

Graduated in 2005. No problems for me passing boards. I don't know the pass rate but one of the instructors would be able to tell you. My suggesting for being successful, at least on the tests, go and by an NCLEX study book, one that has large sections of questions. When you are about to have a test on specific body system go through the questions and answer them. Then go back and read the rationales to all the questions regardless if you got them right or not. All tests are geared to passing the NCLEX so you need to make yourself as familiar as possible with this testing style. Practicing the testing style is almost as important as the content. Good luck!!!

The reason you elevate the head of the bed for head trauma's as well as most interventions for head trauma's are geared to decreasing ICP (pressure inside the head). Generally you want the pressure below 20-25mm/hg. Elevating the head + keeping the head and neck in line facilitates blood flow. I don't have any links or where to tell you to find the research. I just know its the standard of practice. Benefits to steroids is it is supposed to reduce swelling. Negatives it will only work for so long and generally causes an increase in blood glucose. All of our patients are on an insulin protocol.

HMA is not worried about you the nurse just the dollar.

BKAT Basic Knowledge Assessment Tool. About 100 questions. Easy. Had to take it a couple of times for different assignments. Just refresh yourself on inulin specifics. That is the only part I had trouble with.

Does anyone have any recs on websites for the licox Pbto2 monitor? I've googled it and am having trouble finding anything useful. Anyone have any feed back on these likes, dislikes and why. Do you think it actually helps improve pt outcome. Where is the best placement for the catheter. Near injury or opposite of injury with rationale.