Anubis

Hey Kate: I've also been having this same thought process. When I got out of nursing school, I had to take the first job I could find, which was analyzing clinical data for QC. I got a kick out of it at first, but find that I spend most of my time finding ways to extrapolate and manipulate patient data (legally, of course) to benefit the doctors, but I don't have direct patient contact at all. After only a year and a half on the job, I'm unhappy and bored. A dear NP friend of mine is trying to get me on at the hospice agency he works for, because hospice was what I originally intended on doing when I started school. I've seen far too many friends die to not feel like there's something I could do, and I think hospice will allow me that opportunity.

My thoughts too...if they're that narrow-minded, I probably wouldn't enjoy being around them anyway.

I agree, your husband should be more supportive of what makes YOU happy. As far as the job goes, get somewhere that you are happy and you enjoy. Many years ago, a pharmacist I knew told me "we spend too many waking hours at work to not enjoy what we do." This goes for everybody...if you don't like it, change it.

I've actually been having great luck with the New Balance MW575WT all white walking shoes. They're comfortable, easy to clean, and didn't cost a fortune. I have high arches, so I'm very particular about what I put on my feet.

My fingers and thumbs were getting in horrible shape because of constant hand washing and gloving. I finally started to carry a small tube of Eucerin w/me and would re-lotion as often as I could between pts, to help retain moisture at work, and then at night, just before I roll over to go to sleep, I put a big glob of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula (the thick stuff) on and rub it in really well...works great for me. But after reading through this thread, I think I may try to add the olive oil sugar scrub once in a while. I'm diabetic, so it's very important for me to keep my fingers from cracking and getting in bad shape in the first place.

I've only been on the job as a CNA for a little over a month, and work 2nd shift (2-10). It's okay, get the residents after they've had lunch, before dinner, and then afterward just have to put them to bed. Third shift seems like they have the best deal, the residents are in bed already and they leave just before they get up, so they don't have to get them dressed. They just have to answer the occasional call light for a snack, toileting or a briefs change. It would sure be nice if they could take the initiative to restock briefs and stuff, but even if they don't, they still make the same money. But if you can't adjust to it, no harm in that, nursing needs all shifts!

I passed my CNA exam on 1/4/2009. I had passed the written test on the first try back in December, but the evaluator started talking to me during the practicals and asked me to perform one of them differently, and then she failed me for it, so I did a retake (at another facility) and passed. My skills (on the retake) were; Handwashing (of course) Radial Pulse Ambulation w/a Gait Belt Range of Motion (knee and ankle) Making an Occupied Bed The bed was the one skill I probably practiced the most...took me 4 minutes from start to finish. Five days after passing, I landed an interview at a local nursing home and just started my new job last night! I'm on my way to a new career in healthcare! Thanks, and congrats to all the other CNAs out there. It is a critical service that we perform, so be proud to toot your own horn now and then! :thankya:

I can't speak for the other campuses, but at the Denver campus, we have some very competent instructors. The director of our nursing program is one of the advisors to the council that writes the NCLEX exam (so I was told, anyway), so maybe it's something local to the KC campus. I am sorry you had such a horrible experience; there ARE some schools out there only interested in getting money from their students, but our nursing staff seems to be genuinely interested in producing good students.

Don't give in, just walk away. This kind of "fake" crying is almost always a ploy, because she knows she screwed up and she's hoping that by crying, you'll feel sorry for her, not report her and she'll be off the hook -- you've heard the expression about the power of a woman's tears...it's like kryptonite to Superman (usually only works on straight guys, though...gay men are largely immune...LOL). She knew perfectly well she dropped the ball and she's scared...and she should be; accountability and professionalism are NOT gender-specific. Fake crying sure as heck wouldn't work in the other direction!

For those of us who are not familiar with advanced sound technology, I take it this is a good thing? LOL

Well, I won't be eligible until probably next June, as I am taking A&P I this qtr, A&P II + Algebra 2nd qtr, Micro and Nutrition 3rd qtr (they took Eng Comp as a transfer, so I'm taking Nutrition to get enough points). I've already had all my immunizations, and will take TEAS, drug test and background in March-ish, to try and qualify for clinicals in June. I'm hoping to get in on the first try.

When I enrolled at NAU, I was told by my counselor that the NLNAC was tentatively coming in this fall to evaluate them for accreditation, and they felt optimistic that they were going to get it. According to her, there are currently only two other nursing schools in Colorado that are NLNAC-accredited. I don't know how true any of this is, just what I was told, because I specifically asked about accreditation.

Hey there, Kenaldo and MomOf6WannaBeRN....I'm enrolled at the NAU Denver campus too! Are either of you interested in getting a study group together (assuming we're taking the same course)? I'm taking A&P I, Mon & Wed. Let me know!

Don't waste your money on a tape recorder, get a digital voice recorder. Microcassettes have to be flipped over, which can disrupt the class, and you can only record a short amount at a time before it fills up. Go to Best Buy or Office Max (or similar) and buy one of these new tape-less wonders. I bought a Sony IC Recorder, it records up to 260 hours continuously with NO TAPE, and it's totally silent, so the instructor won't frown at you for unnecessary noise. As a bonus, I can hook it up to my laptop and upload all of my lectures right to the hard drive and save them as voice files. It comes with voice editor software, so I can edit out the sidebar conversations (and keep only the pertinent lecture material) and even burn them to a CD or IPOD/MP3 if I want. Also, if I had the right version of the voice recognition software, it would even automatically transcribe the lecture recordings into written notes! This thing is AMAZING!!! I can record an entire quarter's worth of lectures before the thing fills up. I plan on using this little gizmo a LOT.

By the way, many thanks for the website info, I'll use that too. I absolutely need every advantage so I can make sure I get into clinicals without having to wait. Much appreciated from all of us that still have it in front of us.

Thanks for the info, but I already gone out and found a copy online. I tried to bid for one on ebay, but someone else outbid me in the last 20 seconds. So I went out searching elsewhere and found a used copy on another website for just $10. I thought that was waaay reasonable, since I won't be taking my test for about 6 months, so I could hang on to it and study it at my leisure, without keeping the library copy away from other students. And when I'm done with it, I'll apparently have no problems finding someone else who wants it, as there were 3 copies of it on Ebay and every single one of them went for $30 or more. I just think it's hilarious that someone else put in a bid that high to take it from me, and then I ended getting it for $20 bucks less.

I am trying to read ahead of some of my classes to be better prepared, so I've been scouring a few sites to compare various prices on reference books. For example, I've already found a study guide for my TEAS which won't be for about 6 months...I need every advantage to qualify for one of the spots in clinicals. Obviously I don't want to spend too much money when I know the school is going to be on a newer edition by the time I actually get to take the class down the road. During my search, I came across a site called BetterWorld.com. They do have some very reasonable prices on both new and used books. For example, the very same manual I got outbid for on Ebay, I ended up getting for $1.99. Granted, it was about 4 years old, but most of the information is still current. At any rate, it's some research I can do to try and expand my mind. It's probably not quite as copious as Amazon, but they do seem to have some fairly recent offerings, as well as some out of print stuff, and I believe a portion of all proceeds goes to fight illiteracy in Africa, or someplace. I wouldn't say it should necessarily be the first place you go to check for books, but it might be worth checking to see if you can save yourself a few bucks, not to mention skipping over how long you have to wait for an auction to end. HINT: It helps if you know the ISBN-13. Hope that helps someone out there.

I just ordered a Littmann Lightweight II S.E. from Steeles.com. They are on sale for $38.99. It's on the low-end of the Littmann series, but it's still a Littmann, so of course it's still of high quality. They have a choice of six colors (I picked burgundy) and I'm having my name engraved on it. It's billed as a good entry-level scope and has a no-chill rim. This same scope on Stethoscopes.com runs $48. They (Steeles) also have specials for students who purchase from the Cardiology series for a free accessory kit directly from 3M. I did have to call their customer service to ask a question about the engraving, but I was treated very courteously and got my question answered fast. I really liked the way I was treated and I'd recommend checking them out, definitely. www.steeles.com

My 2 cents....I am just starting out in nursing after spending 15 years in I.T. I never felt it necessary to discuss my personal life in the office, as it has no place there, period. I have never been ashamed of being gay, but I realized early on that it really makes absolutely no difference on how good I am at my work, so I never made an issue of it or allowed it to come to work with me. I'm not effeminate, but I'm also not a knuckle-dragging neanderthal either. I'm a broad-chested, bearded, shaved-head bear, covered in fur and several tattoos...I probably look like a Hell's Angel to some people, but those who know me know that I'm really a big teddy-bear with a good heart. A lot of my co-workers never figured out the truth, but a few them did, and it was never an issue with them because they knew I knew my job well, and I was hard-working and dependable. Just be yourself, focus on being the very best you can be at your job, and keep your personal life where it belongs. To quote Olympia Dukakis from my favorite movie, Moonstruck, "Don't **** where you eat."

I totally agree...and I don't think we need a separate name for male nurses either. We all have to take the same NCLEX exam and the qualifications are the same whether you're gay, straight, male, female, white, black, or purple. Except for the licensing and legal differences between LPN/LVNs and RNs, a nurse is a nurse is a nurse. We share a common goal of caring for patients and should celebrate our commonality of purpose, instead of trying to segregate who's what. The only way to promote equality is to TREAT with equality. Just my

I have yet to find anything to deal with nursing education that there isn't some kind of fee for! :chuckle But I know it'll be worth it.

WHOA...you mean there's actually a study manual for this? I didn't realize...I had heard about a "TEAS" test, but thought it was just something my school cooked up to charge me more money. I'll be darned! What's the name of the book and where can I get a copy? My test won't be for a little while, but I may as well start studying for it sooner rather than later. THANKS!!!

Yes, bologna and a whole host of other things! I'm just starting school at age 42, and hearing all these positive stories about folks in their 40's, 50's, and up, just starting out really makes me feel GREAT, that it really CAN be done! I truly feel inspired by y'all!

Doesn't matter...sexual harassment doesn't only come from people who have power/authority over you, it can come from co-workers of equal stature. Go to your supervisor, or up the chain to someone who can and will interject on your behalf. If you can't find one, the police may be your next step. Or, if you don't want to go to all that trouble....once I had a guy keep asking me out who just would NOT take no for an answer. I lied and told him I had an infectious case of anal warts that gave me sporadic bouts of explosive diarrhea. He went off me for some reason. NOTE: I'm not trying to minimize or ridicule what you're going through at all, harassment is wrong regardless of gender or sexual orientation. But sometimes I find that it's easier to deal with some things yourself, especially if you think you're not going to be treated fairly because of the potential for prejudice from others. Good luck!

The first time it happens, make it clear that her behavior was inappropriate for the workplace, her advances were unwelcome and ask her not to repeat them. Make note of the time/date it happens, exactly what was said, and of anyone who witnessed it. Then, if it happens again, make note of the details and go directly to the supervisor and let him/her know what happened, and that it has happened before. If you do not feel comfortable discussing it with the supervisor, go to HR. Sexual harassment in the workplace has gotten to be a significant problem over the last several years, and it doesn't matter whether you're male or female, "no" means "NO!". Many employers are quick to react when such a thing occurs, because they know they can be sued if they knew that something like this was happening and they didn't react appropriately. One key, though, is to make sure that you can conclusively prove it was her provoking the confrontation and not you, otherwise she can lie and make it look as if YOU were the one provoking it. This is especially true when it's a female who's coming onto a male, because this is highly unusual, and some people may not believe you. Traditionally, it IS much more common that the male is the aggressor in most of these situations, because of the horrible way that women have been historically treated in some of the male-dominated professions. (and before anybody calls me a sexist, go to a sexual harassment workshop and you'll find that statistics back me up)