dbarnes2

Hi Guys. I am a RN student that is having to decide on where to study 75 hours of preceptorship. I want to learn more than just be in the most interesting place for right now. I am torn between Emergency, ICU, PACU, and med-surg, even though I believe that I will someday make my way to the OR. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of one over the other when it comes to a mid-RN year student continuing to learn? I have spoken to one 10n year RN that says she learned more in her first year at an ER than you could imagine, and then felt ready to work in almost any hospital or area. Should a person just dive in, or spend time in med surg first? Thanks in advance, Flylearn

I understand, and agree. I waited until after class, and then e-mailed her. She blew me off as stupid and told to go study some more. She never would asnwer the simple question of "will the body over compensate on pH, or does where it lies tell the starting condition in full compensation? I know that I need to let it go and I will. I just hope that she doesn't try to make me out to be stupid in class, because then I know that I will not be able to not state what I know to be true.

Yeah, its hard. From the beginning, she has picked her favorites, and treated many of us as nothing, just shy of being out of line. I am not sure why she picked teaching. Thanks again

Thanks guys, she got very defensive when asked. Fly

Now that is the question, some say that you might go with which one is greater, but my book says that the body will never over-compensate for pH, therefore whichever side of 7.4 that the pH is on will tell you wherther it is Resp Acidosis or Metabolic Alkalosis. Of course this is for full compensation situations. Is anyone sure?

I am so sorry, but I misquoted what the teacher said. She said that it was Metabolic ALKALOSIS w full compensation. When I look in my book, it shows that Met Alk and Resp Acid have the same high HCO3 and PCO2, but the difference is where the pH lies. She says that it could be either one and that even if the pH is at 7.38, it could be Metabolic Alkalosis. Thanks again, Doug

I hope that I can make this simple. Here are the numbers. pH = 7.38, HCO3 = 30, PCO2 = 53. I have a teacher that says that this is Metabolic Acidosis w/ Full compensation, but I have read in books that it is Respiratory Acidosis w/ Full compensation. Both of these have high HCO3 and PCO2 in the books--the only thing different is where the pH lies. They state that it has to be an acid problem because the pH is lying a little on the acidic side. They say that the body will not overcompensate on pH and that this 7.38 shows you which side that the pH started from, an acidic situation. Thank You, Doug

I am in my RN year and we are going to be asked soon to pick 5 areas that we would like for preceptorship. Here is my thinking, but I would like any advice. I do not have much clinical time as I have been in school fullt time and will not give up the necc time raising my son to work also. Even though this is the case, I would really like to try ER, fully expecting my hair to catch fire. In the idea of most learning, I have guessed that my next choices might be ICU, Stepdown and then MedSurg, in that order. Please give me any of your opinions and other areas that might help my learning curve. I love surgery, but think that it would not be the ideal place for my needed learning at this time. I guess that I consider the next couple of years on the job as just more needed school when I should build a foundation, even though I know that in this profession, you are always learning. Thank You, Doug

Hi Guys. I am a 48 year old male student nurse that is just now completing my first of two years of an RN degree near St. Louis. I have one more year to go. The thing that keeps calling to me as we go forward is my need to talk to and study the people and their feelings as much or more than the physical care? My question is; Is their a specialty of mursing that would allow me to migrate more toward a counseling-type position? We watched a baby death at delivery today, and while other students were asking questions about what happened medically, I found myself wanting to be able to see how it all played out for the parents and their extended family over time. I wish that I could have been there to see how the hospital took care of them in the hours that followed, when their need was so great. I don't know if this makes much sense, but it is an attempt to state what keeps taliking to me. Thanks in advance.

I am a male nurse, 48; 1/2way through my RN, and wondering if the military will take me when I am through. Is there a shortage of people who would go to countries where the fighting is? I have heard that age is not conditional for RN's but am not positive. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

I just recieved an e-mail from the Mo State Board and they said that after completing EC, we could sit for their boards. Doug

I am assuming that endorsing it in another state means to work in a state that accepts EC, and then transfer the degree to Missouri. I woud have to check Illinois, as I am pretty close to that border. If you have worked for a couple of years as an RN, don't other states then accept this?

I am checking with the boards in my State of Missouri. I really would like to leave my traditional RN setting for two reasons. 1) because my school, ( I will not name names) is in the middle of many changes/repairs and is trying to figure out the best way to do better. This has resulted in a very disconnected group of teachers with attitudes and a big-time lowering of board pass rates over the last two years. All of the current RN students HATE their environment and are telling us all to go elsewhere to get our RN, even if we have to skip a year to do this. Even many of our instructors acknowledge the problem that we are having. 2) My wife, who is super compassionate and loves people is also just coming into the LPN class this Fall and may or may not need more time to study than I do. She has excellent study skills, (better than mine) and is growing in all areas at a really fast pace. That being said, I do not know if she can cut the overnight cram schedule of our nursing program. I believe that she would surely benefit from added time to study. I gotta be honest, I hate the 1-2 day cram it all in just so you can forget most of it and cram more for tommorrows test way of learning. It seems to be more about checking off the boxes than really learning the information so that you can remember it and use it later when it counts. I am hoping that the Excelsior way allows you to really get it memorized, whether it takes a day or a week, then to go on to the next thing. Am I wrong. Does this fit with those of you who have done it? Doug

I will be over my LPN at a local college this Summer and am really considering Excelsior for my RN year. There are currently about 5 of us interested in doing this together. My questions are... Are you guys Rocket Scientists? Do only the smartest of the smart make it through and then pass? If local college LPN school was fine, will I be able to do this? What percentage of students who start, finish and pass boards? Can someone give me an idea of how many books and tests that I may have to go through if I have all my pre reqs and start my RN year? How many hours give or take may I have to study and prepare for each unit or module? Do you ever take more than 1 course at a time? Is there a comprehensive final, other that the CPNE? Can I get this info somewhere? I believe that I will be fine studying at home, especially with study guides. I am ready to donate maye 5 hours per day to the courses. I would just like to feel as though can do this before giving up my spot in the second year RN program. Thank You All, Doug

I am surprised that no one has given advice. Cmon guys