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

I paid total of $650 which included airfare. We stayed at a church in Mercedes TX, and all of our meals were provided. The church provided showers, laundry facilities, and foam mattresses to sleep. We traveled across the boarder daily to Nuevo Progresso MX. We saw almost 500 patients over two days. Sat up the clinic and the pharmacy. Four docs, five CNPs about 12 nursing students, and four pharmacists. I did a lot of triage, assessment and history taking. Worked as the nurse for a CNP, and did some home visits. It was really a great experience, if you have the time and the money you should try to go. Michelle

You can do s many electives as you can fit in, as long as you have the prerecs. I did critical care and the Mexico mission and was planning on trauma elective this quarter, but it was just too much. Michelle

I applied both online and traditional, but when I got accepted online it canceled my traditional application. The online track is workable for those working full time, although I know some in the traditional track that are working full time as well. And as for hours, my plan of course work dated 6/06 lists 51 hours of arts and sciences, 54 hours of nursing coursework and 2 hours of electives your clinical hours which range from 4-16 hours each week, and these are the numbers for quarters, although I know they're switching to semesters maybe in 2012? And as for the NET, I thought it was really basic. I bought the study guide and really I just brushed up on my math, I had totally forgotten how to divide fractions for example.

Well, I was accepted with my first application. My NET was 98%, I had a 4.0, several years of experience, a BA in International Studies (West African Political Economy), and had completely finished all classes except for my NURS classes, I think I was number nine. Hang in there, I know the application process can be very frustrating, but once you're in it will be totally worth it. Michelle

Let me see if I can help at all. For the traditional program there is a lag time for entry, you get accepted and then they let you know a start date. For the online deal (I graduate in June) if you are accepted, you start with the next cohort. As for pre-recs/ non nursing classes I only had to do NURC 102, CHEM 113, BIO ??? the Micro class, and PSYCH of development. They weren't tough, As in all. If you have anything other than NURS classes left, including those included in the plan of study, I highly recommend you get them done before you begin your nursing classes. Nursing classes are incredibly time intensive and the less you have to divide your time the better off you will be. Traditional students cannot enroll in the hybrid courses. They weren't doing the HESI entrance exam, it was the net, when I applied, but I can tell you the HESI will be the bane of your existence. You take a HESI 4th quarter and cannot proceed to 5th without the required score, and then again at the beginning of 7th quarter and cannot graduate or sit for boards until you pass. Learn to study for it now. As for your transcript/DARS, your advisor will review it your first quarter and let you know if you're missing anything. HTH.

Yeah, I'm in the online program now and graduate in JUNE! I think I got my letter by March at the latest. Good luck. Michelle

Big Big Congratulations on the Ross gig! It is a beautiful hospital and a great population to work with. I work at OSUMC now as an SNA, mostly in the main house and whenever I float over to Ross I always thing, oooo, it's nice here. I interviewed for the James track in mid December, and am waiting anxiously to hear. Those folks over at Ross are a super efficient bunch! Do you have any idea how many other people will be in your cohort? I'm sure you'll have a fantastic experience and hurray for you! Michelle

Wait, I'm confused. You were accepted into the internship or you were offered another position? I interviewed for the internship at the James and they said I wouldn't hear either way until February. Am I out of the loop? I hate to be out of the loop. Michelle

I have a BA in another field, and am currently enrolled in an ADN program at Columbus State online. I also want to continue through Family Nurse Practitioner school. I know the grad entry program like at OSU or UC is a time saver, but for me I really feel like I need experience as a nurse before I move into an advanced practice role. I guess it's really just your preference, but for me nothing beats experience. Michelle

number of seconds divided by number of increments equals seconds per increment 1) change number of minutes to seconds (change the 4 minutes to seconds) 2) figure out number of increments (figure out your dose, then multiply the number of mLs times the increments per mL based on syringe) 3) divide step one by step two and you'll get the seconds per increment. HTH Michelle