nightangel99

Thanks, both of you. Advice well taken. The aspect of Women's Health that interests me the most is community/public health...counseling young women on family planning, std prevention, prenatal care, preventative medicine, etc. I like to interact with girls and teach them how to take care of themselves, offer advice; you know, the social aspect of the field. As an ER nurse, I encountered so many young women who were pregnant, yet did not know basic parts of their anatomy. I enjoyed teaching these girls from indigent populations who were very smart, but didn't have an older, responsible female to teach these very basics. I also am interested in seminars, fairs, etc. to boost community awareness on things like STD prevention and unwanted pregnancy prevention. Get my drift???

I currently work in Critical Care nursing and have been for 4 years. I also have 6 years experience in Emergency nursing. I have an expressed interest in the Womens' Health/Community Health NP career track... Is it feasible to do this track without Labor/Delivery or OB/GYN experience in the clinical setting? What part does your pre-graduate experience play in the track you choose as a Nurse Practitioner?

I posted this over in the Pre-CRNA inquiry section, but I will repost here for hopes of a response/some insight.... I am about to pursue my BSN with intent to go to CRNA school upon finishing. I am currently an ADN working in critical care. My question is this... Tomorrow I will be filing a Chapter 13. In 4.5 years I will be free and clear of all debts except my house. Will it be possible for me to get through CRNA school on federal loans alone? I am deciding between UAB and the Gooding Institute in Panama City for attendance, both of which don't seem to be very expensive schools. I understand there are living expenses associated with maintaining two households...but has anyone here ever made it without private loans and Tuition Answer loans, etc., through CRNA school? I would hate to know that due to financial circumstances beyond my control that this could potentially be a dream deferred. HELP!!!

I am about to pursue my BSN with intent to go to CRNA school upon finishing. I am currently an ADN working in critical care. My question is this... Tomorrow I will be filing a Chapter 13. In 4.5 years I will be free and clear of all debts except my house. Will it be possible for me to get through CRNA school on federal loans alone? I am deciding between UAB and the Gooding Institute in Panama City for attendance, both of which don't seem to be very expensive schools. I understand there are living expenses associated with maintaining two households...but has anyone here ever made it without private loans and Tuition Answer loans, etc., through CRNA school? I would hate to know that due to financial circumstances beyond my control that this could potentially be a dream deferred. Any insight??

How much is a RN license in minnesota by endorsement? I tried to find it somewhere on the website, but couldn't.

For all those that recently interviewed, keep us posted!! I am trying to decide between Gooding and UAB. I live in Dothan, AL.... wondering about the clinical requirements of Gooding. Anyway..keep us posted. Good Luck!!!

Ok guys, I'm an ER nurse by trade, and so is my neighbor. His 3 yr old daughter had open heart surgery at Childrens' in Birmingham, AL to correct a congenital heart defect last Wednesday. I am copying/pasting her recent update: On Saturday, Emily developed some sort of neurological issue that was severe enough for Josh and I to take her to the ER at SAMC. She had a cat scan to make sure she had not had a stroke, which came out negative. However, her condition still can not be explained. Therefore, we have to take Emily back to B'ham to be checked out by a neurologist there. At this point, we're not sure if what's she's experiencing is permanent or temprorary, considering they don't even know what it is. As of right now, they're looking at two factors: one is the lack of oxygen for 3 minutes when she removed her breathing tube in recovery and the second is a rare occurence of acquiring a post op neurological disorder from being on the by-pass machine. Hopefully, her condition will be temporary but at this point we just don't have any clue. Any of you see any interviews with Michael J Fox while he's had Parkinsons? That's what Emmy's going through. She's somewhat confused, uncoordinated, clumsy, slurred speed mildly and CONSTANT movement with her arms, legs, head and facial gestures. It seemed to come in waves on Saturday, being intense during the day, easing early evening and back to intense late last night. Update to follow later........... Guys- what's your take on this? I have never heard of this and although I have my theories, I need you seasoned picu nurses to help me out. What do you think?

UGH.... I don't blame you there. I personally have never worked a nursing floor and have even gone as far as having a nightmare about working the floor....I had a dream that by the time the lunch trays came out, I was so far behind that the breakfast trays were still sitting in the hallway!!! All of my patients were angry at me and the CEO came to the floor to ream me out, docs were on the phone complaining and yelling at me....then I woke up and realized how grateful I was not to work on the floor...I think it takes a special person to work on the floor, or to be a nurse in general, I spose.... Glad you are liking the new job, though. Sometimes a good job is worth driving out of town for!

I work at Baptist South, in the ER as a staff nurse. I worked at SAMC for 7 years. Started there as a new grad in the ER and ended up being a charge nurse most of my time there.. did a few months in the ICU there. The ratios were never an issue for me....what part of the hospital did you work in? I agree the floor ratios are ridiculous. At times the staffing there is ridiculous as well. They also don't pay very well...they are very close minded when it comes to pay, and the only competition they feel they have as far as salary goes is with the the hospital across town (Flowers). THey need to come up to speed.

I went to Wallace and graduated from the ADN program in 1999. My 21 classmates and I all made great nurses...it was a pretty airtight program. Is Mr. Ortman still teaching Med Surg III? All his exams come DIRECTLY from the notes. You can't miss there. I think the pass rate was 97% when I went. Overall great education.

I work in Montgomery...just started 4 weeks ago. I love my job so far....What do you do (Cheryl) in Montgomery exactly? I live in DOTHAN....I know, I know, I must be crazy... let's just say I'm compensated well...

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Don't even get in the habit of working to please your coworkers.....I like to think of it as a personal best, not a departmental one. If you get caught up to trying to measure up to someone else's standard of care, you miss out on the gift you will personally offer to your ED. You will find that in every ED there is that one nurse who is very egocentrical and condescending (yes i speak from experience) and this can intimidate new grads. Always do your PERSONAL BEST... grab hold to a mentor. Yes, read, read, read....get the ole' med surg book out and cross reference the cases you had earlier in the day...read our experiences here on the boards. Find one great resource nurse who is receptive to new grads/students and hang on tight. And remember...although your orientation may only be 12 weeks, it takes a full year to even start to believe you are getting the hang of it. BE ENCOURAGED! I started 7 years ago as a new grad, and I love it still! Good luck in your career as an ER NURSE!

I had a 17 year old present with the same symptoms..had EKG changes consistent with an MI and an elevated troponin. The cardiologist diagnosed him with pericarditis....:smackingf

Here's another factoid about that tube- There are actually 3 kinds of varice tubes - one is a Blakemore, one is a Minnesota (I think), and it has like 6 ports on the end. I think that is the one that they used on Liota. The other one has a name that leaves me. Ask me how I know (studying for the CEN exam - argh) I thoroughly enjoyed last nite's episode. And it is creepily accurate....that lady who started flapping around on the floor to hurry up and get seen....wow, what a window into my world..... :rotfl: Emmie

I'm no OB nurse, but from an ER nurse who has had personal experience with pre-term labor with bedrest management, I will say this.... a hard head makes a soft behind. As a nurse, you deem yourself invincible. So what do I do at 31 weeks, on bedrest? I get a cleaning jag (nesting) to clean the fish tank. 15 minutes later, I was contracting again. Incidentally, i was 2 and 50%. I was placed on a magnesium gtt and my labor stopped. The second time I was admitted, it was with PROM at 34 weeks. Baby was delivered c-section after i had two injections of steroids (to help mature baby's lungs, although i am not sure if this is still practiced). Baby is now almost 3 years old, and health and happy. Tell sister to take it easy, and i too agree that NM is on the right track. Emmie

I know this is an old thread, and you may have already landed a job but...here is my two cents. I am a proud SAMC ER nurse. We have employees that drive from farther than Enterprise to work here. We have a beautiful and functional 32 bed facility that staffs LPNs, RNs, and paramedics on the weekends to help with triage. We have an 8 bed fast track unit staffed by two PAs to help treat and street the delayed and non urgents. In about a week we will have a PA at triage to take care of most of the nonurgents that needs a script and walking papers. The nurse to patient ratio is 1:1 with emergents, 1:3 with urgents, and 1:4 with non-urgents. We have a great bunch of nurses with a wealth of knowledge. Our administrative team and management team is reliable and knowledgeable. We use cutting edge technology to help with patient flow. I have worked at FLowers as a PCA before graduating nursing school, and the ERs do not compare. Also, we pay an ER diff - $2 extra an hour in addtion to shift diff and cert pay if applicable. Our benefits are the BEST...FLowers insurance, in a word, bites. And as far as turnover goes, usually the people that leave SAMC come back and stay a couple of decades. :) We have a gym for the employees and a wonderful on site child development center as well (my kids go there). Our name badges can be used to buy meals, purchase items from either gift shop, for book fairs that travel through, and last but not least for our employee pharmacy, where we can get OTC meds for next to nothing. I would strongly recommend you drive the extra 10 minutes - it will be worth yourwhile. And if you currently work at FLowers, then I hope your experience is pleasant. HOPE I HELPED!

We have TVs in our ED, and crowd control has not been any more an issue than before they were installed. Word to the wise - bolt your remote controls down, or eliminate them altogether. They tend to grow legs. Get ready for patients using the call light to ask you to turn the TV for them. Get ready for patients to ask you to turn to their favorite show, but not know exactly what channel it is on, but oh yeah, that's right, it comes on tomorrow, not today, after you have back spasms from reaching upward tapping that 1 mm button to turn 69 channels twice. Kids love the fact they can watch cartoon network, and it proves to be positive reinforcement for their cooperation with treatment. All in all, the TV thing was a good one, because remember...being inside 4 walls makes 1 hour seem like an eternity.

I have drawn from IV locks several times with success. Usually what I do is flush with about 1 cc NS first, then aspirate. If that doesn't work, I leave well enough alone. If I have a patient that I know I will probably need to do more labs on later, I place an 18g IV in the patient. THey usually draw like dreams. One of the treatments I received in my ED was what we call the "Baker Cocktail" --named for one of our ER docs. It is strong, but effective: Benadryl 50 mg, Toradol 30 mg, Phenergan 25 mg, and MSO4 2 mg. That along with O2 at 2L per NC and 1 L NS. I ended up with a diagnosis after CT of Sinusitis. The CT showed fluid in my sphenoid sinus. Another thing - we do not have Compazine on our formulary anymore. Too many dystonic reactions were occuring as a result of giving it IV. The reactions are usually calmed by Benadryl, but we stopped using it nevertheless.