Pmdc

Yeah, what's next? A long break? MCG's DNP? Anyway, congrats. Hope to be there myself in a few months.

Sorry for the brevity. ATL is ATLanta. Along similar lines of WI being WIsconsin. I do agree with the path you mention. Why not make money while pursuing the BSN?

I read yours and others posts about your experiences. You ended up with initial licensure in another state, and then wasn't able to endorse, right? The system our State has created, be it for those seeking endorsement, or those pursuing initial licensure, should at least be navigable to those who are forced into it. I know I'm not saying anything you don't already know way more about than I do, but I was just curious about whether the graduates who are now having to do preceptorships are finding it easy to find sites, preceptors, etc. Seems like it might be a nightmare, because I've not seen a clear explanation of the process from the BON. Is there one? For what it's worth (again, preaching to the choir), I think Georgia made a monumental mistake here, and it's cost us who knows how many qualified, professional, clinically competent RNs. I'm sure the nursing leaders of our border states are appreciative of the leaders of our State, because they will benefit immensely. Our State is rarely at the top of any list; well, except for high school dropout rates, STDs, and teenage pregnancy. Poor decisions by members of our leadership may just keep us at the top of these lists.

I know a couple of people in Georgia who are starting the precepted clinicals after completing the EC ASN. From what I hear, it's easier if you do it through the hospital where you are employed. Is that the consensus? What about those who work in a specialized facility that may not have psych, OB, and whatever other rotations that are required? Are hospitals welcoming non-employees who are already ASN grads for a 350-700 hour clinical preceptorship, and have no current affiliation with a school of nursing as a student? How does that work? Is it possible, considering the potential liability? Does the state provide an outline of a course of study for the clinical experience? I ask because I participated in some of the political processes of the previous Georgia legislative session, and wondered if the process the State has mandated actually works for those forced to go through it. I'm not in a position of political power, but I am persistent, and, as an EC alumnus and Georgia resident, I would like to see the process made 'user friendly' for the preceptees. If the State changes the system, their solution should be fair and just for those affected by the change. I plan to enter a PhD program when I finish the MSN in a few months, and the issue of clinical competency among students in different types of pre-licensure nursing course formats (distance vs. traditional vs. challenge exam, etc.) and the relevance of prior clinical experience has very little applicable research that I can find. It might make for a great project(s) for someone (maybe even me), and may actually be of benefit when state BONs place what appear to be unwarranted restrictions on new EC graduates. As long as there is ignorance regarding the issue, this will continue. Any feedback from those currently jumping through the hoops?

Hey-ohh!!!!:imbar

Oh. Interesting. I'm in the ATL area and from what I've been seeing the trend here seems to be going in the opposite direction as that mentioned above. I've known a few new grads with ASN degrees who were passed over due to certain facilities hiring only BSN grads. Also, I think that facilities who hold or are seeking Magnet status will actively pursue those with the BSN or higher. I guess everyone agrees so far that the short-term money difference is negligible. If you look at the big picture though, the lifetime career opportunities offered to those with higher education will far outweigh the slightly higher paycheck.

My experience with EC was great. If you decide to go with study guides from TCN, Rue, etc., then just buy them used. Some of the publishing companies have shady reputations, and sometimes the line between them and EC gets a little blurred for those who are just learning about EC. EC tries to distance themselves from these companies, but some of the companies make it appear that students must go through them to complete the EC program. Make sure your state is pro-EC. Some aren't at present time, but I assure you that their reasons for not accepting EC are not based on factual evidence. As for me, I finshed in about a year. Six months for exams; the rest waiting for the CPNE. I continued on in a traditional program for the BSN, and I'm now in another traditional program working on my masters. Due to my schedule I could have never finished my ASN the traditional way. The traditional programs are getting better in their flexibility for LPN and Paramedic to RN students, but most still have a long way to go.

I've spent my career around areas like the ER, ICU, and flight. Men seem to be pretty well represented in those areas, as well as in anesthesia. I do notice that when I visit one of our med-surg areas that they sometimes have the token dude, or maybe none at all, but due to my work area I guess I tend to not notice the disproportion to the same degree as that seen in the profession as a whole.

"Is it common that Associates degree RNs make the same as Bachelor's degree RNs in a hospital staff nurse position?" There usually isn't a huge difference in pay, at least in my experience. I think it's about 25 cents an hour at my facility. The differences I have found are that there are more opportunities available for those with the higher educational levels. Another non-monetary advantage that I have found is that the BSN courses that I had in physical assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology gave me more knowledge in providing direct patient care. I went in to the BSN program thinking it was mostly just management type courses, but I found it to be more than that. So, to answer the question: You won't see much difference in pay on a paycheck to paycheck basis. But, over the course of your career, your earning potential will likely be higher due to increased career opportunities.

I start my rotations in the next couple of weeks, and my first preceptor is an MD. The school allows us to use MD, DO, NP, and PA. I had hoped to work with a diverse group, and learn as much as possible from them. I'm not sure why PAs would be excluded as preceptors by some schools. Can't be that it's because some of them have a BS degree instead of a masters because I know of some "experienced" (I didn't say older) NPs who don't have a masters degree. I know they have the whole medicine focus thing, but so do MDs. I would imagine that some PA schools exclude NPs as potential preceptors as well. The schools should require us to work with as many different professionals as possible. Maybe it would open our eyes to what the other providers actually do.

You might check out this site: http://ecg.bidmc.harvard.edu/maven/mavenmain.asp Hundreds of practice ECGs with rationale.

We are not presently clearing C-spines by physical exam at my facility, but I think the time has come for properly trained RNs/Paramedics to perform this skill. Just from some of the research I've read regarding the complications of unnecessary immobilization, I wonder how much damage we've caused over the years by insisting that patients who otherwise meet the NEXUS 5-item assessment tool for spinal clearance to remain immobilized for extended times out of fear of liability. Is there no liability for unnecessary immobilization with resultant complications? I used NEXUS (which included 34,069 trauma patients at 21 facilities throughout the U.S.) as the basis for my senior research project when completing my BSN. My project was very basic, especially in regards to the number of study participants, but the RNs I surveyed clearly demonstrated that, after a very short and informal educational session, they were capable of applying the 5-item assessment tool when assessing trauma patients in a scenario-type format. For those who are unfamiliar, the NEXUS criteria are as follows: 1. Altered Mental Status 2. Use of intoxicants 3. Focal neurological deficit 4. Presence of distracting injuries (fractures, deep soft tissue injuries, etc.) 5. Midline C-spine tenderness Obviously, any patient who meets one or more of the criteria cannot be cleared by physical exam. How many patients brought in from minor MVCs could have the equipment removed based on this simple exam? Might this decrease pain and anxiety in many of these patients? Could it possibly improve throughput times for already taxed emergency departments? MWBoswell, I am glad you're considering this as a topic to research. I hope the assessment is eventually taught in the TNCC course if continued research supports the exam's use by emergency nurses. I don't believe I've ever seen a position statement from the ENA on this topic. I really believe that this will be a topic of increasing interest in the coming years, especially with our aging population.

I didn't even know what an HBCU was until now. Seriously, I really don't think anyone would even consider that when making hiring decisions. If they did, then I wouldn't want to work there anyway. I would be more concerned about the school of nursing's reputation, accreditation (regional and NLN or CCNE), NCLEX pass rates, attrition rates during the program, clinical opportunities, etc. No matter what you decide, I think you'll find the same opportunities when you graduate regardless of your choice of school. Good luck in your studies!

I'm in the fire dept also. I've worked as an emergency nurse for several years and starting NP school in August. I'm 42. I still have twelve more years in the FD, so I guess I'll do both, as I don't plan on giving up the FD retirement. I plan to work part-time ER. PM me if you have any other questions. Best wishes to you in your studies.