webdwarf40

For me - screaming and crying is a lot more tolerable coming from a 2 yr old than a 42 yo! And another plus...the diapers are a lot easier to change.

What city are you in? I'm a travel RN and really want to stay away from there! :lol2

I am a Peds ICU nurse for the most part and have noticed a recent issue at the facility that I am a traveler. What matters most in your facility when caring for a developmentally delayed patient - CHRONOLOGICAL AGE OR DEVELOPMENTAL AGE? For instance, at this facility, the chronological age limit for Peds ICU admission or floor admission under the Peds teaching team is 18 years. Despite this we have recently admitted a 24 year old that functions at a 3-5 year old level but weighs 75kg and takes adult dosed meds. My patient tonight is a 19 year old with a chronic seizure disorder - again >50kg and on adult dosages. With technological advances, children with chronic needs are living much longer and although they are of adult size - they are still, and always will be children. There are centers for Adult with Congenital Heart Defects around the country to deal with a small portion of special needs patients that fall in between the standard care models. Anybody have an example of an existing solution that has worked in their community? Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks Mary

I have been considering going back for my BSN/MSN for a while now. I have come close to making a decision and was discussing it with my sis-in-law. She is also an ADN but works for a pharmacy benefits managment company and has been out of the clinical arena for several years. As I outlined my plan - her immediate response was "make sure it's not a diploma mill like University of Phx. I asked her what she meant as my younger sister's husband completed his MBA and has a great job because of that - well that and his incredible personality and people skills. I considered this a knee-jerk reaction but the more I think about it the more I wonder. Are there any distance educated RN's out there (ie Excelsior, Regis, Chamberlain etc) that have experienced prejudice because of their non-traditional education? I'm 45 and have had a nontraditional education from the beginning of my nursing career. I attended vocational school concurrent with high school and received my LPN diploma the night before High School graduation. I worked full time nights as a house float - mostly in ICUs -for 7 years while taking basic college classes toward my ADN. For the past 27+ years, I've worked in PedsICU, Peds Cardiac Cath lab, Neo ICU, ER, Telephone Triage / Triage Supervisor, Cruise ship nurse, adult Cath Lab and of course as a travel RN for 15 total assignments over different time frames. It occurs to me that I have never been questioned about my education other than he occaisional ADN v. BSN debate.. Even then it was more of a generic comparison. Clinically, I can and do take pretty much whatever type of patient I'm assigned with confidence - my favorite being Peds Hearts. With all that said my questions are: 1. Is knowledge or where it came from most important? 2. Anyone experienced issues for having acquired said knowledge in a non-traditional manner? 3. Anyone have any do's, don'ts or other suggestions? Thanks MARY:banghead: