ninja2011

How about getting a DUO for children over 45lbs. to use the adult head. Anyone think they need that for teens or older children? Or does the regular pediatric work fine. Thanks

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Hello, I have to write a bio for my new grad job which is going to go out to the preceptor group. What should I write in it and how long? There were not any guidelines other than a bio and your picture if we would like. Has anyone written one before for something like this? What is expected? Thanks

Congrats on getting a job. As for the medical experience as an LVN being a negative I disagree. Most places like the previous medical experience in fact a job I interviewed at they told me I wasnt accepted because I had no exp. Being an EMT, paramedic or LVN etc is helpful the ones I know who I graduated with at least got interviews and most jobs.

Seems like you might need help with interviewing. You are able to land some interviews which is great. Try and get some help from friends or even ask the places you interviewed from some criticism why you werent hired. I have a friend who did just that and they liked how motivated she was and they reconsidered interviewing her for another position and guess what??? She got it. Good luck

Sadly, There are even programs where having certification prior to being considered are a requirement. In san diego there is a hospital that even requires a 600 dollar Regional perinatal class before you can even be considered. I would do ACLS and PALS if I was you and anything else you can get certified in to be more marketable.

a bit of advice for all of you trying to get into kaplan or other pay schools like national...... First of all I am currently RN program at City I waitlisted. A tried previously to get into Kaplan which was then Maric(name changed bc they have a bad rap) they basically told me because I had all my pre-reqs up to Bachelor level there was a very low chance I would get in unless I retook classes with them. I had A's and a couple B's in all my pre-reqs. (This basically meant pay them more money.) So I said screw Maric. At National they gave me the run around for the same reason. My mom who is a nurse here in SD actually knows some of the instructors at National and they told her I needed to keep calling and they might not take me for the same reason. Finally after 6 months of bugging them nearly every other day they sent me a letter saying I wasnt accepted for "reasons undisclosed" lol. Sadly, from talking with students in those programs and instructors its not a great school. You will get accepted based on how much money you will need to pay to graduate. If you have no pre-reqs done its probably a good chance you will get in. My mom's hospital will not hire RNs from Kaplan. Also sadly with the economy new grads are having a hard time and most hospitals at least around here will prefer BSN so I am at a disadvantage as well. I will probably go straight into a RN-BSN program if I dont get a job right away. Better off to wait on the waitlist in my opinion. Goodluck everyone.

Im sorry you got dismissed but the reason you got dismissed does matter. If you dont want to say that is fine. So far this year 6 people have been kicked out of my program none of them were kicked for patient safety issues or unethical problems so if they wanted they can come back next year (my school only has a start each fall and you must take your classes in a certain order). I talked to some senior nursing students about a person who did a med error (using the wrong type of syringe, therefore wrong dosage) and almost gave it to the patient. But the instructor stopped her, told her and even gave her a chance to see what she did wrong. She still did not know or think she was wrong. She was then kicked out. She cant come back at all. When she applied to another school using her classes she had already taken they questioned why she was dismissed. Sorry so long but in the end she just started all over at another school. Hopefully something similiar does not happen to you. Goodluck.

I just recently stopped working for bariatric surgeon and it opened my eyes to the American obesity problem. It is bad. I used to think people all overweight people were just lazy. I believe that America does make excuses for being overweight more than other countries. We have bigger portions and bigger everything so its no wonder people are getting fat. Yes people are responsible for their actions but acceptance of being overweight is the problem. People often wait until they are much bigger before they take action and by then its so difficult. Other countries normal portions are half, if not less than American standards. For many of the people I talked to everyday it was a struggle to lose or keep the weight off all their lives. For some controlling eating habits and exercising was all they needed, not to mention a BIG push of encouragement. The people my heart went out to the most were the ones who had 3 or more co-morbities, a lifetime of genetically predisposed obesity, tried everything to lose and guess what they had really needed surgery to help keep their weight down. At this office they not only did the surgery but required nutrition classes and psychological support before and after. Unfortunately either the insurance companies wouldnt cover or they had a BMI of 34 which was the cut off for any bariatric surgery to be covered by any insurance. Sad isnt it? Then the only thing they can do get fatter to pass the 35 BMI or 40 if they didnt have any other conditions. I also dont agree with the BMI scale what is most important is to look at one's fat percentage and activity tolerance level. But BMI is, on "average" a good indicator at least to insurance companies.

This is very interesting. I have been reading this site for a long time and love it. BTW, I finally started nursing school after two years on the waitlist. WEE!!! My mom is a foreign nurse who has 20 plus years of experience now in the US and is one of the most knowledgable and competent nurses. But even my mother has said she worked so hard once she got here to understand the US nursing system because the country she is from the RN's there do not get the training they get here. I rather not say where to not cause any fights. She says where she is from RN's were basically pill pushers. I have two cousins Rns who are trying to come here and they say the same thing unfortunately. They studied for the NCLEX at they say its nothing like what they learned. I tell them about what Im doing and they say again its not like what they learned. They say US nurses have to do so much more and have more responsibility. I support my cousins coming here I know they are both caring and intelligent people who will be great nurses and learn the system here. But what about the others who are lazy and just do enough to pass the test and move? This scares me. I think what needs to be done is better evaluation by the US of foreign schools. But I doubt that will happen.