achiever

I'm in the Midwest, and we have several nurses and physicians who wear the hijab, and I've never heard any of them complain that they've had problems. I can't imagine anyone would have a problem, although people can be stupid. If I were you I would absolutely wear it, it's something to be proud of. --M.

Hello All: I am a new graduate nurse trying to find my way out there. I'm sure we've all heard more than enough about how the market is right now so, no I'm not here to complain about that one. My question is this. I am sending out my resume for new positions, and I'm trying to keep it short by including only my most recent job as an SNA (student nurse assistant) clinical rotations and other training related information. However, before I started the nursing school journey, I apprenticed for a group of homebirth midwives for three years, worked as a doula (perinatal and postpartum) a monitrice (super doula). Should I include this information in my resume? I have to admit that I'm worried I'll come across as too earthy-birthy, and while I am that, I will also be an amazing OB nurse. How can I convey that I have my own convictions and beliefs but that I'm not trying to convert? I learned long ago that each birth is it's own, and my job is to be present for the reality and not what I see as the ideal. I'm a non-judger. I love OB, it's what I'm meant to do. I'm just not sure the best way to present myself. Advice and opinions welcome and appreciated. Michelle

My pending status was changed to approved today.

I took mine yesterday, and had my results today (I passed!). I'm in Ohio so ymmv. I did the Pearson trick too, and it worked for me. hth Michelle

Sorry about the confusion. You'll be doing hands on stuff that quarter as part of your regular clinical, buy one day instead of being with your clinical group you'll shadow in the OR. Follow a patient from preop, watch their surgical procedure, and then through PACU. You won't do anything clinical in the OR or preop or PACU. Depending on what is on the schedule that day you may get to watch several procedures. I was on an ortho unit so I watched a knee scope, a foot surgery, and a shoulder replacement repair (something had gone very wrong with her original procedure) The rest of the quarter you'll be doing hands on on your unit. hth Michelle

Beatrice: So happy you posted, I literally was coming to post a "What should I get for my preceptor and her unit" question. Hope you (we) get some great ideas. Michelle

I didn't take the HESI entrance exam, but I did just take my HESI exit exam at CSCC, and it has a calculator built in. hth. Michelle

Clinical sites for first quarter LTC will probably vary a lot from year to year, but Wexner, McCrory places like that. Then for the med/surg and OB its OSU, and Ohio Health hospitals. For rehab/psych it's OSU, Ohio Health and maybe a few independent free standing places. Peds will be at Children's. hth Michelle

Once you are in nursing school, OSUMC has a position called an SNA (student nurse assistant) which is a part time temporary position (you can only stay in the job while in school, and will not get benefits). You have to work a minimum of 32 hours a month and two weekend shifts a month, and you have to have finished at least one quarter of med-surg clinical. You can work full time hours if you want, but cannot get benefits if you do. Pay starts at about $14/hr. You get shift diff and weekend premium on top of the base pay too. I do it now and I work nights so it fits great with my schedule. Just something to think about. If you want to work as a PCA at OSUMC you have to work full time, they don't really hire anyone for a part time PCA job. They're hiring but it is competitive. Submit your resume online and then follow up with a call to the recruiter in HR, it does help. Good Luck Michelle

Most of us had some kind of device, either an ipod or a palm or something. I had a palm and got it before the ipod touch came out. I recommend them (palm, ipod) because they don't have a camera or a phone in them and some units don't allow you to carry either. And having a whole drug book in your pocket with a fast search option is awesome. You can't pass a med without knowing what it is so you need access to one. You could buy a book, I have both, and use them equally, my vision sucks. So for software a drug book is a must. There are others like epocrates which I have but don't really use, although others do and love it. I bought the skyscape software, and davis drug guide for my palm, and just recently bought the NCLEX review software, so now I have practice questions everywhere I go which is nice. At CSCC they're not yet mandatory, and I don't know that they will be, but the are super helpful! Michelle

oh, and the simulator lab is for electives, we used it in critical care, you run codes,etc. I'm sure they use it in trauma, neonatal/peds too.

Sounds like you mostly got it right! First quarter: LTC Second Quarter: OB (this includes L&D, mother/infant, and high risk OB) Third Quarter: Med/Surg Fourth Quarter: Peds or Med/Surg/surgical shadowing Fifth Quarter: Peds or Med/Surg/surgical shadowing (whichever you didn't have the quarter before) Sixth Quarter: Rehab/Psych (half one, half the other) Seventh Quarter: Med/Surg, Preceptorship, there's also a trauma clinical offered at Grant but you have to have taken the trauma elective in order to get in, and your spot is not guaranteed, there are more people in the class than there are room for in the clinical. My clinical experiences have been really good, peds I mostly had trachs, med surg I did ortho and renal, and I'm in a preceptorship seventh quarter in oncology, which is what I requested. Michelle

That's just not how its done at CSCC I guess. Every student is in some sort of long term care facility, but not necessarily an acute care setting. So quarter one you focus on assessment and therapeutic communication, no med passes. Every other quarter you are responsible for 1-3 patients depending on your abilities and all of their meds. Seventh quarter you have 6 patients and are responsible for all meds. To be honest, I thought it was a nice easy transition. I had done lots of tech work before, but for many students other than the clinical time for NURC they had no clinical experience, and I don't think that I would want that person passing meds to my mom, know what I mean? Michelle

You can absolutely switch to the the online program after you start in traditional. And I'm confused about passing meds. You won't first quarter because everyone is in an ECF. But starting quarter two you'll be passing meds, PO, IM SQ and Push. Michelle

I don't think CSCC sends out large envelopes for acceptance, you'll get the other stuff later. I'm in the online program and I graduate in June. There is a lot of interaction with instructors, maybe not face to face with your theory instructor but you will have labs to start and clinical instructors every quarter. I really only struggled with one course pharmacology, I got a B in both but the were my first Bs so there you go. And there will always be weekday clinicals at 7 am. There is always a Saturday clinical as well, but they try to reserve those for people who work M-F 9-5. It takes some adjustment, I have kids too, and for one of them school doesn't start until 9. My husband goes into work later on my clinical days which is awesome. I think you'll do fine with the online program. They're big on saying, it's online not self taught. Good luck Michelle