Medic09

Congratulations. ICU may even be a better start for your eventual goal. ED nurses need a lot of ICU skills, but not all the time. We tend to get rusty with ICU setups, then find ourselves needing those very skills with a patient who will be boarding with us for lack of ICU beds. You will never regret having good ICU skills, even if you do move to ED later on.

There is no excuse for rude or negligent. None. Send that letter to the CNO of the hospital, with a request to be informed how they intend to address such a problem. I've done occasional triage. I haven't always been the most helpful or efficient; but I have always been careful to show some sympathy and respect. That is the very least we can do for every one who comes to triage. That nurse owes you an apology, and a promise to change for future patients. BTW, if the letter goes public, don't be surprised if the EMS crew don't like it. They are not 'ambulance attendants', and haven't been since the 60s. EMS is a profession, like nursing. Even the volunteer services have to use trained crews. They are EMTs. Just a side note, there.

More than enough time. Most folks I know don't prepare at all; but most of us are repeat offenders. Just relax, and read through the book once or twice. Nearly all the AHA material for providers has been simplified/dumbed down over the years, so there's less reason to stress.

I've also had some minor frustration as a nurse. Autonomy and being trusted is definitely different. I've had a doc say he'd trust me to intubate if need be (not actually allowed in-house); but then a nurse manager chews me out (politely) for starting an EJ on a crashing patient. And I just found out that in the hospital only the docs are supposed to do IOs. Really?!!! Nonetheless, my frustration has been minimal. I accept that the roles really are a bit different. At heart, I am still and will always be an infantry medic. Even 25 years later. And I still work outside as a flight medic, to balance my time inside as an ER nurse. This way I have the best of all worlds, and stay fairly happy with it. At heart, you may always be a medic.

Hi J! Thanks for the welcome! Missed ya. I'll have to come by and say hi. Are you working the usual shifts? 9Lives, Albuquerque is about one hour south of Santa Fe. Very easy, straight drive down the interstate. Rush hours will slow you down by about 15 minutes or so; otherwise when I drive down to work in ABQ it takes me just about an hour door to door. Welcome to NM!

It is my regular, daily transportation. I hardly ever drive a car, except when there's ice on the roads or to haul feed or the dogs.

What is it you'd like to know? Feels like a small town. One hospital, in effect, for most things. Beautiful location. Great hiking minutes outside town, even on the edge of town. Pretty high altitude. One hour away from Albuquerque, the only large city in the state.

I like "Shalom, how are you?" :)

Hey Sweettooth, Remember that technique is everything. Almost. If you keep getting the same view, you need to change something in HOW you are creating that view. Get scheduled for OR time. If you have a good doc, a bit of good coaching will be worth a thousand words. Review all the factors that influence your view. Start with head position. Don't forget that a maneuver like BURP is very useful for improving view. What about your left hand technique. Are you cranking up towards the ceiling (BAD), or lifting up, and out over the feet towards the high corner of the wall and ceiling? You get the idea. Get a good text to review and remind you, like Walls - Manual of Emergency Airway Management, or Levitan - Airway Cam book. And don't forget to always have your backups ready and next to you, and go to one sooner rather than later. A failed intubation is no shame; but an unventilated patient is dead. Good luck!

I've heard there are jobs out here in NM. I'm a bit surprised that the rural docs in donormom's locale don't want NPs. That's exactly the environment NP was started for.

All the programs I've looked at prepare for the FNP. Some prepare for FNP and ACNP. The last bit I don't know anything about.

Vanderbilt is not brand new; but it is 'young'. There are a number of good schools running ENP curricula. There is, as of yet, no ENP board cert; so it is a bit of an open field. We were just talking about this in my house tonight with an MD and NP/PA part of the conversation. Google Emergency Nurse Practitioner and you will find programs at Vanderbilt, University of Texas, Emory, U. of South Alabama, some others. Vanderbilt and USA are doing a combined ACNP/FNP curriculum. Others are doing an expanded FNP curriculum. But there certainly are programs out there who are intent are preparing NPs for the role. Vanderbilt and USA were the only two I found that do the didactics online. The others were all on-campus programs. There are a number of possibilities out there. Go back and do your search again.

I would like to hear from graduates of ENP programs presently working. I am considering this route for myself. I know there is no ENP boarded specialty. I have found ENP programs that are combination FNP/ACNP; and I see programs that are essentially an expanded FNP program. I'd like to hear which programs you attended. How did you like the quality of the program? Do you have any special comments, positive or negative, about things to watch for? Did you attend an online or on-campus program? Are you working in the ED now? Are you working the full scope of the ED, or are you limited to specific areas such as Fast Track, Urgent Care, etc. ? Any valid input welcome. Thanks in advance!

According to newspaper reports on the 'net, this young lady has been found.

I take it the hospitals in Worcester (too many residents, I know) weren't any help? Back in my time, St. Vincent used PAs in the ER. I would have thought they'd look at NPs as well. I assume you've contacted Milford and Leominster, etc.? I would try walk in visits to these places, with a resume ready in my briefcase. BTW, some interesting opportunities in the military, if you like that route. Good luck!