Trauma1

In order to state whether or not someone has a BBB you must have a 12 lead EKG and it must be present in 2 leads. If you are reading a telemetry strip I would call it IVCD or idioventricular conduction delay. This is normally found with a measurement greater than 0.12. If you are measuring the PVC rate you would measure R wave to R wave. If you are measuring the width of the PVC you would measure from the Q wave to the S wave. We usually measure the rate of the PVCs rather than the width. Hope this helps.

I am starting anesthesia school in August and I am taking a core class that is a requirement for the MSN degree. There are 3 core classes that can be taken before you are accepted into the program that I am starting in August. I heard it is a good idea to get these classes out of the way before you start school because it makes life much easier. You should contact the graduate/nurse anesthesia programs you are interested in and find out what classes you can take before you are accepted. I wish I would have taken the other two classes....

I agree. You should definitly try a med-surg unit to get good background experience before you jump into critical care or community health. Those experiences will help form a foundation for your nursing knowlegde. Many hospitals (in the southeast) have new nurse orientation programs for nurses. The orientation is between 6 and 12 weeks with no floating for 6 months to a year. (depending on your hospital) Look into these programs and listen to staff that work on the unit. Are they happy, friendly etc? Teamwork is essential in nursing so try to find a place where you see the team working well. Maybe do an internship or shadow for a day before you accept a job offer. I was a medsurg nurse for several years before going into critical care and the knowledge/time management skills I gained were invaluable. Don't give up...there's a niche for all of us...you just have to find yours.

I applied to the Raleigh School through UNCG (interviewed and accepted). This is the only school I applied to. I knew I wanted to attend this school because of the location and because I attended UNCG as an undergraduate. I really like the program. Thanks.

My husband is graduating from pharmacy school this May and I was the primary source of income while he was in school. We decided to buy a house and now I will be entering nurse anesthesia school in August. I think that buying a house is a good investment. Depending where you buy, the house can appreciate value pretty quickly. We built a town house (found the community while it was being built) so we were able to choose all of the features. We also don't have to worry about yard work which can be time consuming and expensive. Hope this helps!

Thank you everyone. I am attending the Raleigh school in August and I am taking the NUR 610 class this spring at UNCG. I'm really excited....I can hardly wait. This discussion board was such a great help in the application process. :)

I recently received an acceptance letter to CRNA school and I am ecstatic!!! I wanted to thank everyone on this site for all of your help. I have learned invaluable information from reading all of the posts. I start school in August of 2005, but I am taking some graduate classes in the spring. Thank you so much for all the advice and information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, First I would like to respond to the fears associated with having a Type I diabetic in the OR. It is very important that experience has taught me that I have gone for 12 hrs without eating and never had a problem because of my insulin pump. I have worked shifts as long as 18 hrs and never had a problem and often rotate shifts and done on call. Only you know your body and as a diabetic you have to decide what you think is safe. I think that shots make life very regimented...you have to eat three meals a day, can't skip snacks, risk hypo or hyperglycemia at inopportune times. I work out regularly and I was also worried about situps etc. The pump sets offer a flexible plastic cannula that moves with your body. You don't even feel it. You change the set every 2 to 3 days and can adjust your basal rates to your metabolic needs. Shots don't allow this. It's hard to consider the idea of having something attached to you all of the time, but it is the best thing I ever did. Most of the time I'm not even aware of it. It's like a part of me. It is very small, about the size of a beeper and comfortable. It has offered me a normal life and opportunities that I would be unable to experience otherwise. Hope this helps.

I have Type I Diabetes myself and I am applying to CRNA school this fall. I think you should do what your heart tells you. In many ways obstacles in life make you stronger, more determined, and more willing to reflect on how those obstacles have made you a better person. I would recommend getting an insulin pump if you can afford it (if you don't already have one). It has made my life as a nurse soooo much easier. I often take the most unstable patient in the unit and am unable to leave the room without someone watching out to even have a bathroom break yikes :). I never have any problems. Don't let this obstacle hold you back from your dreams...use it as a stepping stone. Go for it!

In our hospital we use vasopressin all the time for septic shock. It's great because it has less alpha HR raising effects than dopamine. In cardiogenic shock there is new evidence that the SVR is actually lower than initially thought and the use of vasopressin may be indicated in people with low to normal SVR in cardiogenic shock.