Hands&Feet

I saw a classified ad just a few weeks ago for a "Veterinary Nurse." Qualifications - HS diploma or GED.

Send him to the neuro floor with 1:1 orders - meaning that a nurse will be pulled off the floor to babysit, (because of course night shift doesn't need an aide) and split her other 6 patients with the remaining 4 nurses. Happens to us all too often! Extremely frustrating!

We were taught IVs on a plastic dummy arm/hand, or a "virtual" computerized program (which did not help in the least). We were not allowed to actually place IVs due to hospital policy where we did clinicals, but we could d/c them. During hospital orientation we were also trained and checked off in a skills lab for IV placement. I've been working almost a year now and although I would like to learn how, I have yet to do any blood draws (other than from PICC or CL). The lab does all of ours.

Yep, sounds like our neuro floor too. Our hospital does have an inpatient psych unit - but they won't take anyone who isn't "medically stable." (and apparently even MRSA means they're unstable.)

We had to pay for our own, if we wanted one.

. . . bachelor's in anything or BSN?

Just a little update - I'm on orientation, and things seem to be going well. The staff seems supportive and always willing to help & answer my questions. There seems to be quite a bit of psych cases, but I think I'll also have a decent exposure to med-surg type "stuff" to build my foundation. All in all I think it's going to be ok. I may not want to stay there forever, but I'm feeling much better about it. Thanks for the support & encouragement!

That was the main influence! I had a desire to help people on a more personal, hands-on level and was trying to decide if I should quit my secure, stable government job (in the midst of the recession). It just came down to "I'll go where You send me." Also, since I was in newborn screening, we always had pics & logos of little feet on everything. And no, you are not old! :)

Thanks for the info - I'll definitely check into those! I don't start until June 1st, but I'll try to keep you all updated. Thanks for the encouragement, too!

Ugh - why is this all I hear about Neuro?! Does everyone really hate their job and is it so much more physically demanding than other nursing jobs? I'm really not looking forward to this as my first nursing job!

Thanks for the reply & information. I think that I'm just nervous/depressed because I have no idea what to expect. I've never set foot on the floor, and this wasn't an area I had ever even thought of going into. My only experience in school with trachs and pegs was in a long term acute care hospital (which seemed much like a nursing home only more intense) so that is the image that popped in my head. I know I should be thankful that I have a job, especially in this economy, and I'm sure that I will learn a lot. I just hope it's not miserable. I guess I need an attitude adjustment & to just focus on the positive. Thanks again for the replies.

Oh, sounds just lovely! Maybe I should apply to nursing homes, at least I'd get paid better.

I was offered and accepted a position on the neuroscience floor. It is at a teaching hospital and is a certified stroke center. I have never set foot through the door, so I don't know what to expect. It's not anything that I planned on or imagined myself doing, but I'm sure I will learn a lot, and I'm just thankful to have a position lined up. During the interview, it was mentioned that there were several nurses who had been there for a long time - so I look forward to drawing from their knowledge and experience. From the literature I was given, their patient population includes: traumatic brain injuries, epidural & subdural hematomas, seizure disorders, cervical & lumbar strains, laminectomies, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, strokes, aneurysms, and subarachnoid hemorrhages. I plan on reviewing all the above, cranial nerves, communication issues, and of course neuro assessment. Is there anything else you all recommend? Any insight on what I can expect, or tips to handle it? How well will this prepare me for other units/floors if I decide this isn't for me, long-term? What do you love about it, what do you hate about it? Thanks!

Sorry about that! I noticed after I posted that it was an associate program, but I was too lazy to edit. I'm not sure why I had it in my head that it was a diploma program. BTW, I've heard nothing but great things about it - Congrats on being a part of it!

Yeah, I had to take one for a position I applied to. It seemed to be a personality type questionaire. At least it did tell me rather quickly (within a day or two) that I passed and that my application was being considered.

St. Mary's Medical Center in Huntington has a diploma program. http://www.st-marys.org/careers_edu_son.php Ashland, Ky is pretty close and has an ADN program. http://www.ashland.kctcs.edu/Academics/Programs_of_Study/Nursing.aspx A little farther out is Shawnee State, Kentucky Christian, and Rio Grande . . . http://www.shawnee.edu/acad/hs/nursing/index.html http://www.kcu.edu/template.php?area=nursing http://www.rio.edu/academics/page.php?ID=schoolofnursing And, depending on how far you are willing to drive, there's Kanawha Valley CTC (formerly WV State CTC). http://www.wvsctc.edu/node/167 Hope this gives you a start!

"Will you care for a drug addict, a murderer, someone who drinks to excess, someone who lies, cheats or steals? I feel if you start saying that you WILL not care for one area of the patient population you had better be equal across all populations. We are there to give nursing care, not to judge people by their circumstances. No one is perfect, if we were then we wouldn't need nurses in the first place." With all due respect, I don't think this is the issue. The OP has stated that he would still provide care to someone who had a past abortion, so I would venture to say he understands and is capable of providing non-judgemental care to all those populations listed above. However, he does not want to take part in the act itself, or be in a position that would "allow" the act to take place. Much like he probably would not be comfortable providing drugs, alcohol, a murder weapon, etc. . . .

May 15th!!! Counting down the weeks!

I got my rejection letter today, too. I'm also a second-degree student, but in an ADN program. It's actually pretty cheap compared to yours - about $3500/year, and I'm in my last year. So I don't know what criteria they use. Maybe it actually is random. I'm bummed, but I just have to remind myself that I only have 7 months left and hopefully I can find a job and start paying off all these loans. And I won't be bound to HRSA for 2 years. Granted I'll be paying on loans for 10 years. Ugh!

It would be a bit farther to drive, but Kanawha Valley CTC (formerly WV State CTC) in Institute, has a good program. (I'm biased though since I'm a current student!) They admit based on a point system for things like NET scores, GPA, # college credits, etc. You could keep taking pre-reqs during the spring & summer and then start next fall, if you got into the program. Here's a link for more info . . . http://www.wvsctc.edu/node/167

Yeah, really! I couldn't afford to feed my kids formula even if I wanted to. I do take issue with "Breast-feeding exclusively is not like taking a prenatal vitamin. It is a serious time commitment that pretty much guarantees that you will not work in any meaningful way." Gee thanks! How is the work I did before & during pregnancy any different than the work I was doing while pumping? Umm, not at all!! I just had to stay longer to cover any extra time I took to pump! And as far as the husband getting to shirk any of his responsibilities . . . I always looked forward to coming home and breastfeeding. It meant I got to sit down and relax on the couch while he cooked dinner, cleaned, etc.

I'm just a student, but I try to say thanks to everyone for anything they do to help me. There's so much to learn from everyone! But beyond that, it's just common courtesy. You thank the stranger that holds a door open for you, the cashier at the grocery store, the person who hands out your food at the drive-thru, etc. Why not the person who is working with you day after day? I wonder how many docs thank the nurses?

My first job out of college (the first time around) was about an hour and a half drive one way, 212 miles round trip, mostly interstate. I hated the place and only started out at $7/hr. I was quite miserable. BUT, if this is your dream job and you would only be driving it for 5 months, I think it would be a lot more bearable. Would you be working 8 hr shifts? A 2 hour commute on top of a 12 hr shift might be a little much.

IMO, you have to look out for yourself and that precious baby. Do what you think is best, regardless of their opinions and any inconvenience it may cause. And on the bright side, at least you will have Christmas '10 off with the little one!

We were told that we are not allowed to start IVs as students due to the risk of liability. They said that once we were hired, the agency would train us on the procedure. Not sure about blood draws, though.