scrapqueen

In our SICU, our fresh CABGs and valves are 1:1 for at least the first 12 hours. Doesn't matter if they are on pressors or not. Usually, we also get a few hours to set up the room too. Sometimes we will have a floor patient awaiting a bed, or a low acuity patient while we set up, but when the CABG arrives, he/she is always a 1:1, no exceptions. Our policy states that cardiac surgery patients can be 1:1 for up to 24 hours, or longer if hemodynamically unstable. Balloon pump patients are always 1:1 per our policy. If stable and uncomplicated, they are extubated within 6 hours. A couple of times recently, we have had CABGs come out of the OR already extubated. We have our CABGs delined (swan-ganz out, a-line out) and up in a recliner chair early morning of post op day 1, and walking in the hallway by the afternoon.

I had never touched a patient before my first clinical rotation, so I didn't know what I was getting into either!!

Grade 1 step 4 RN at the Denver VA $56418 (without any of the differentials)

Congrats! I am a CU '08 grad. I am soooo happy got my BSN. I have worked as an ICU nurse since graduation, and can't believe how much I love nursing. Yes, there are days that suck, but overall it is the best decision I've made. The hardest thing for me about nursing school was the lack of control over my schedule. I have two girls and a husband that travels. But we made it work. Have a good support system in place, and hopefully some friends who can pitch in and help on short notice if needed. I studied a lot, and it paid off. Sometimes I did not know my clinical schedule until a week or two before starting, and that was difficult for me. But realize there are some things you can't control... There will be classes/instructors/clinicals that you love and some you don't. Learn what you can from each experience. I got my current job from one of my nursing school clinical experiences (senior practicum). If you go to the CU nursing website under faculty, you can see which teachers have received awards. Some of my favorites were Spencer, Armstrong, Makic. Good luck to everyone! Hope you are as happy with your choice as I am.

I work at the Denver VA and love it! I've been there almost 3 years as an ICU nurse. I think the pay is very good, especially compared with other local hospitals. Our med/surg floors are very busy. 4South is mostly surgical, 5North is mostl medical, and 5South is medical/rehab. Not sure how many openings there are right now, but you can check out www.denver.va.gov We are building a new hospital, estimated completion in 2014. Feel free to email me for more info.

Hi everyone - Just thought I'd share my NCLEX story since I've tried to stay sane by reading everyone else's for the last 48 hours!! By the way, if you are checking the Pearson VUE website in hopes that your results will appear sooner than 48 hours, you are wasting your time. I think I checked a hundred times. My suggestion is that the NCLEX should be followed by a medically induced coma until your results are ready. I walked out of the NCLEX on Thurs. morning and thought for sure I'd failed. I had 20 SATA - yes I kept track - (select all that apply, also known as multiple-multiple choice), 0 math, 5 or 6 meds I had never heard of, and very little PEDS/OB. I had 75 questions, and it took me about 90 minutes. I have a job offer, and was dreading the call I knew I would have to make when I failed. I graduated with a BSN, 3.9 GPA, and felt horrible about the NCLEX. I mean, at least give me ONE med calculation question !! The last 48 hours have been torture. I have been a complete basket case. If I could have paid $100 to have the results earlier, I would have. To top it off, the quick results advertises 2 business days, and I didn't even know if my results would be available today, or if I would have to wait until Monday. Thankfully, my results appeared about 15 minutes ago. I PASSED!!!!!! I did not take a review course, but I did use two review books: Saunder's, and Lippincott's Q & A review. The Lippincott book was great because it has 6 comprehensive tests at the back of the book, plus tons of Q's for each chapter. I think that the comprehensive tests helped me the most. I am so happy that I'm crying. Angela, RN (!) soon-to-be a nurse in the surgical ICU!! (P.S. - benefits at the VA are amazing - 5 weeks of vacation!!!!)