olli975

Hi everyone, I have received my BSN and in 2008 and loved the BSN program. I have applied to the same university (very well known) for my NP degree. Unlike my BSN, the program is almost completely online (except clinicals) and I am worried because I feel like it's not as good as it should be. However, I work for the hospital affiliated with my school and they pay my tuition. I am a half way through... If I transfer to the other university, they will only except a few credit hours and I have taken 25 credit hours so far... plus, I will have to pay out of pocket for the school. What should I do?

I definitely know how to keep my sexy :-) First, hair: I have long straight brown hair and I do usually pull it back but I use really nice headbands like "Hermes, France," "Burberry" etc. I do use make up but just make it very natural, a bit of the lip gloss "Kiss" from "Dior," eyeliner and mascara, some blush... I like "Dickies" uniforms, I think they are designed for young RNs... but I like plane ones, no flowers and puppies... I wear white Pumas and they are so much more comfortable to walk, it's unbelievable. I have a really nice stethoscope, watch and all the equipment... My nails are short and no manicure, just nice shape. I whiten my teeth... I have been told I look very taken care of and professional. There is nothing worse than overworked tired RNs in dirty shoes and some plastic stethoscope around the neck as well as some RN who thinks she is a sex bomb and wears a T-shirt to work and a heavy make up... I used to model in the past and I just like to feel sexy all the time, not only when I am off or on some special occasions

I would talk to your clinical instructor and ask her how to handle those cases: like giving medications with the preceptor etc... I had a great RN student today, she was so eager to learn, asking me to let her put Piggy back and draw blood... And I did, but I was there all the time and made sure she did it correctly and she was great... I gave all of the meds myself but she wanted to be there too, so I called her... Anyway, if you are not allowed to give meds, and the clinical instructor will tell you not to do it with the preceptor, let your preceptor know, but also tell her you would like to go in the room with her when she gives meds, look up some meds, etc... I believe you can delegate a little bit too: when you tell CNAs you will be taking care of the pt, call cafeteria for smth, etc you are delegating... Ask your preceptor how exactly she would like you to delegate... no need to run and report if you can still solve this problem and stay in a good relationship...

LilyBlue, you are hilarious! I was all smiles when reading your post! I will definitely try the percentages and movie scripts next time! I love 8hrs shifts: I love going to lunch and thinking yeay, I am half way done... 12 hrs shifts are harder, when we have a change of shifts at 3pm, I think again, yeay, 4 more hrs and I am out of here... I remember once back in NS I had my one day of a clinical experience at the department of health and somehow it was very boring and time was dragging... Finally at 3pm, I said good bye to everyone but could not find the exit... so I was just running from door to door, repeating "how do I get out of here?" and everyone just burst laughing... sometimes you just can't wait to go home

I feel your pain. I had the other day a pt with a PICC and when her .9NS bag was done, I flushed her PICC, clamped it and went to get another bag and put it up right away... Guess what, no .9NS, no flushes, nothing... By the time I went to another unit and got .9NS, and a flush, I could not flush her PICC, had to call PICC RN, thank God she was able to flush it... I work PT though, less stress but also thinking about picking up a shift or two of Home Care... Good luck to you!!!

I always pick up the phone when NM is around unless I am busy :-) When she is not around, not so much :-)

Well, it all depends on how much your tuitions are, how much you make at your job, how good the job outlook and the salary for RNs are in your area. I did my BSN part time while working part time. It took me 3 years though. If you can do it as an accelerated program, and have some savings or someone to support you, go for it... At my old job, the most I had was $19/hr, now as a new grad I have $28/hr (+ differentials) It was totally worth for me to become an RN.

Hi! I graduated with my BSN in May. At the times I felt like I was not getting enough clinical experience and was anxious to start my new job. Now though I realized that I have gotten a lot of knowledge in the BSN program and I developed a lot of skills (like IV insertion) when I started my new RN job... The preceptor is there for you to learn, not to fail you...

I just posted a topic "A problem with CNAs" At my unit many CNAs say they are currently taking prerequisites to transfer into RN program. I just know by heart who has a potential to become a good RN and who better just get real and look at their job performance from the side.

That's exactly what I do: I write their assignments, and I highlight it too... and I tell them: if for any reason you did not or could not do this, tell me ASAP... Doesn't help Also when they are utilized as sitters, they literally sit on the chair, watching TV, hiding food in pockets and attempting to use pt's phone to make personal phone calls...

You have handled this really well. Some MDs feel frustrated when they can't cure a pt and do not want to let go... Don't let this stop you from calling the resident when you need something. Just act the same way you acted before with her. Think: she was unprofessional, not me, so she should be the one embarrassed to talk to me, not vice versa. I do it a lot: when I believe I am right, I do not act like I did something wrong

Hi, I am a new RN at the teaching hospital. I used to work at the same hospital on a different unit as an RN extern for a year prior to this. As an RN extern, I usually took 4 patients and did am care, assessment, education, charting, etc. Things I did not do were meds/some procedures like G tube care/trach care that only RNs could do... Besides, at 8am and 12pm I did VS and Accuchecks for ALL of the patients on the floor... When they were very busy, I was just utilized as a CNA and did am care/bed change for everyone, Vitals, Accuchecks and I&Os... I got recommended for an RN position by Associate Director of Nursing based on recommendations or RNs I worked with Now at my current floor we have some really great CNAs but there are a few who constantly do a half @** job... I am lucky if I at least get VS and Accuchecks from them for my pts, not even mentioning bed or bath... and I do all I&Os myself. There were a few times that some of my VS were missing for one reason or another. Most common answers usually were: "pt off the floor"(although pt left at 11am and came before 12pm), "MD was in the room at the time", "pt stated you checked her VS" (although I rechecked it at 10amto see if BP went down after I gave BP medications), "pt is going home"(although her pick up is not until 2 pm) or simply "I did not do it because I was busy"... They lie, take constant break, forget their phones, look for an opportunity to skip smth. I tried speaking to a few but it did not help. I also spoke to charge RNs when I had a problem. Other RNs have the same problem with those few CNAs. This morning I emailed my manager with things to mention at the next CNA meeting for everyone (basically remind them on what their job description and responsibilities are) and told her about everything. Do you think I handled this situation right? How do you handle it at your job?

Yes, I was taking a report from an RN who had a pt post angio. When I asked where the access site is, she stated "periphery" and when I asked her to specify, she kept repeating "periphery"... How did she do her frequent site checks etc? Same RN is always delayed with giving me reports, one time MD called me about the pt at 8am and I did not even get my report yet so I told her to take a call and she did not... RRR, what is she getting paid for?

Hmm... do you really like having two part time jobs: one that you don't like but only want for benefits and the other that is not really suited for an educated person but pays well? Maybe you should just find a job that you enjoy and that has benefits...

How about MDs who have an accent? Do they have less patients because patients are not willing to have an MD with an accent? Does "accent" stand for "competency"? I had a group interview for NP program and only two of us out of five in my group got accepted. The other three were native English speakers. It's about how knowlagable, competent and determind you are

I do have an accent. I do speak four other langauges than English too. Often I am asked to come and speak to the patient who only speaks Polish or Russian etc. I am able to communicate with Spanish speaking patients because they say I do not speak as fast as a native English speaker and I took time to learn some Spanish... Being a native English speaker only means that... maybe patients who have English as their native language will understand you very well (although again depends on you voice etc) but how about immigrants who do not need an interpreter at all times but just need someone to speak slowly and in simple words... This is a serious issue for my patients too :-) My bf is a native speaker, tought ACT preparation class (English section) when he was in law school, his English is more than perfect... Oftentimes though when we travel abroad people ask me to repat what he said because he does not use simple words and they seem to understand me better... Of course, I can see how this would be a problem if the patient was not able to understand me because of my accent which does not happen... But then how to you get hired when you have an accent? Can't they hear it during the job interview? Didn't they think if this will be an issue with patients' communication? I work at the large teaching hospital and we have very diverse RNs as well as patients... Many RNs have accents as well as patients and we try to match them on languages etc, but generally I don't remember there was ever a problem with someone not being able to understand someone else speak English because of an accent...

Family and children are the most important things in my life. Career comes next. To me nursing is a great profession to balance family/career: you can work PT, PRN, "weekend program", am, pm, nights, inpatient/outpatient. I know many RNs I talked to liked homecare because they were able to drop off kids to school, do some errands in between, pick kids up etc... My bf is an attorney and he told me about a partner at this firm who had a baby and had to travell for business a lot, so she would ship her breastmilk through fedex :-) If you want to be with your kids/family and there for them, you'll find the way with any job... nursing does not make it hard (unless you do three 12s at one hospital and three 12s at another etc), there are always so many choices... good luck! :-)

Thnks for your replies, everyone! I am sorry, I ment I get paid my base hourly salary when I come extra, no overtime rates... :-)

Hmm... Can you just realize how many patients we have and how busy we are? can you prioritize: this I could do myself or have a family member/friend do for me and this is important, so I need to call RN... can you remember to ask MD your questions and not me right after MD leaves... even if you are upset or angry, can you please not pass it on me... Hmm, I would like to tell patients that I am not doing nursing for money, because otherwise I would chose a better paid filed, I am not scared of them reporting me or talking to my manger because I am trying to do my best at all times, I am not scared of lawyers because I am surrounded by them myself... I am just doing this because I like to help people... and I think that they should also at least appreciate it

Hi everyone, I am a new RN and am still getting to know my unit's rules etc. I am working on my Master's so I only work part time. When I had my job interview, my manager and I discussed working extra when they need me and I am able to. I thought though that I will be asked in advance, for instance, when someone takes vacation time or is sick for a few days... Instead I often get 4 am calls on my days off asking if I could come. I would like to work some extra time to save more money and help my coworkers out, but often I have already some plans for a day: doctor's appointment, study group, out of town etc... My questions is: do they call everyone? does this somehow reflect on the preformace review, etc? I am just worried because I am a new RN and want to establish a good relationship with everyone, yet at the same time I want to have a life with some sort of predictability so I can plan my study time etc and often when I come for an extra 8 hr shift, I am asked to stay 12 etc... Also I am not paid extra when I work extra because I am a part time employee, which is fine anyway... Do you get phone calls on your days off? Do you keep your cell phone on at night? Do I have to keep it one? Thank you!!! :redpinkhe

Hi, I am Eastern European so I do have an accent myself. I never had negative experiences though related to not being able to communicate with my patients or patients not being able to understand what I said... I believe patients have right to understand what is said and do not mind to repeat or clarify anything if needed... However, keep in mind that some patients will complain about the race/background of RN, age of RN (too young, too old etc) about having a male RN etc... *just a thought* :-)

I usually let an RN finish her report and at the end ask her if certain blood test was done, if MD was notified, or the medication was given. I looked up in the policies and procedures of my hospital what the report should include and I just stick to it... I do appreciate RNs making sure I did what I was supposed to (test, meds, documentation etc) especially because I am a new RN but either when it relates to what I am saying at the time or after I am done with the report, otherwise it only makes it hard for me to give a report when I am saying that the other RN is not writing down what I think is important or constantly interrupts me

Impatiently listening to report, flipping thru the chart or the computer, gathering info, not waiting to hear it. Interrupting with my most important questions. Feeling ticked off at the start of shift over the incompetency of others.

Oh, and smth else: for my final leadership rotation I chose med/surg while one of my classmates chose ER and the other ICU and they were saying they would never chose med/surg etc... Guess what after we graduated both of them went to med/surg... Don't listen to everyone because they might not know what they are talking about. Good luck! :-)

I am a new RN and after talking to a bunch of RNs/professors etc decided to do med/surg. I like it, although I have 4-5 pts per shift. I think after this experience I can do anything I like... including ER or ICU... In the past RNs who wanted to do ER or ICU needed to have a solid med/surg background but now because of the shortage they hire new grads... That's how we get some new RNs full of crap because they believe they are so good that they got in ER and ICU and then some of them are not even able to complete their orientation there. Remember at the end it's YOUR choice and it's up to YOU...