seamel

There are some programs that don't require the GRE to apply....

Current SRNA. 157 / 157 (314 total) and 5.0 writing. Kaplan prep book

My school wouldn't allow it, but for this first semester I would have had the time. I have heard from students ahead of me in the program that from 2nd semester on it would be impossible.

that sounds awesome! congrats!!

If you "were to work in an ICU?" You do realize that you are required to do so, right?

To start fall 2017? 2 years away from now? Wow, I can't imagine having to wait that long just to start after acceptance, but at least you will get the chance to save a lot of money and work OT now! Congrats! You must be relieved.

Yes...

Marishkarn I encourage you to apply to the University of Puerto Rico program, too! :)

get a bachelors in nursing. not an associates degree

I PM'ed you. Let me know if you have any questions at all

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing! I know it is a long shot, as they only accept a few per year. Us west coast people really got the short end of the stick in terms of close-to-home programs. I am in the pacific NW and denver is one of the few places I can convince my husband to move! I will admit that I didn't realize most of their applicants already work there but glad to hear that wasn't the case in 2013! I appreciate you taking the time to reply and encourage me about this program! Where do you plan to apply?

Replying to follow this thread for next year's application cycle! Best of luck!

Congrats! Hoping to be in your boat this time next year. Also will be applying to TWU, Gonzaga, and Sam Merritt. Which clinical site did you get offered at TWU? I am hoping for Denver.

Hi there! I am a part of my units shared governance committee and have volunteered to try to improve my unit's report process. We have had complaints from a couple providers and family members about information being lost during report. We usually have 2 patients at a time. My unit is a mix of everything- medical/surgical/coronary/open hearts/neuro/trauma. So there is no hard and fast system that I would imagine would be a bit more obvious with a specialty ICU. Currently we start with name, age, admit date, allergies, MDs covering, and code status. Then go in to history and then reason for admit. From there, certain nurses seem to veer off however they so choose. I like to state hospital course and plan of care right after admission reason, but sometimes this does not happen. Also, some nurses only state (or only want to know) about the past day or so, but I feel it is most helpful to know the entire course (from admission, on). Anybody agree on this? Then we go into systems - neuro, respiratory, CV, GI, GU, IV gtts, labs, mobility, skin, psychosocial (family issues, etc). Then, we are supposed to go through the caredex and meds- but rarely does this occur. It seems our intensivists rarely d/c orders that need to be cleaned up, and don't like us to do this ourselves- so the caredex is a big blur of old and new orders. However, often, important orders are missed because of people skipping this step. Does anybody have any tips as to how to get out intensivists on board with clearing up orders PRN? Anybody had success at their hospitals doing this? Then we finish report with a 2-RN skin check of both the patients (which can often take at least 10 minutes, itself). After all is said and done, RARELY is report finished in the allotted half hour. Not only are we trying to improve efficiency, but quality of information. My questions for you- 1. What is your process for report? Does it follow this general guide or is there an easier, more direct way to do it? 2. Does your facility use one standard report sheet? My last hospital did and it seemed to help- everybody has the same template in front of them, so we can be sure not to miss anything. Most the nurses at this hospital just use a blank sheet of paper and write as they go/are told info. 3. Do your MDs routinely clean up the caredex/orders? Is this a nursing responsibility? Is it different for different docs? I would love to make this a nursing responsibility just to make sure it actually gets done, but there has been push back from certain MDs- who, however, still don't do it themselves, so we are left with a mess of orders to sift through. 4. For people who have implemented a new report system, HOW did you manage to educate those nurses that are...(ahem) "set in their ways" and refuse to adopt a new process? I could see developing a great system- and not having it followed, thus, not improving our problem at all (problem being loss of info and lack of efficiency in giving/receiving report.) Would really appreciate help if anybody has suggestions for any of those questions! Thanks a lot!!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to offer help. I really appreciate it! Do you have any suggestions for the best science class to take- or know of any advanced biochem/organic chem online classes?

Hi all! I wanted to know if any of you had tips for how to improve my application. I plan to apply Fall 2015 to Gonzaga (spokane, wa) and OHSU (Portland, or). My BSN GPA is 3.76 with science GPA 3.91. I work in a large 32-bed adult ICU that is in a major metro area. We see it all...open hearts with PA Caths, surgical, medical, neuro, and everything in between. Frequently patients are vented and/or have vasoactive gtts. Art lines, CVPs, etc. I have only worked there since this past June (2014). By application deadline I will have almost 1.5 years of experience. (I also have over 2.5 years of pediatric acute care RN experience). I will take CCRN as soon as I am eligible (approx. May 2015) and am studying for GRE now. I generally test well and hopefully will get a decent GRE. Gonzaga doesn't require GRE, OHSU does. I also need to take a stats class for OHSU, which will be this fall. For Gonzaga, I need to take one more science class (they require 7 and I have 6). Which science class would boost my app most? I have taken 2 chem classes. One titled "intro to chemistry," one titled "intro to organic chemistry and biochemistry." I have heard it is good to take organic or biochem, but I don't know if this class counts for that or if there is a better, more in-depth one that could help. I have shadowed once and have it worked out to continue to shadow the same CRNA about 1-2x a month until I apply. I generally interview well (although this is a whole different ball game, I'm sure.) What can I do to better improve my chances of getting that interview? Classes I can take? Certifications to earn? Extra ideas? Volunteer work? I appreciate any help I could get. Getting into school would be a dream and I want to spend this next year wisely to ensure I can achieve this goal. Thanks so much! Also, if anyone has ideas of other schools I could get into, based on my stats, I would love to hear them!

Thank you so much Ashley. I have been looking for the NACHRI guidelines since you posted but have been unable to find a clear cut set of recommendations. I have found some research articles related to the matter by them but have only read the abstracts- is this where I can find those guidelines? Thanks again. I am a part of my unit's Quality Practice Committee. At our last meeting I asked if CHG wipes before accessing would be more effective but was told the friction of the alcohol wipes kills everything. I would love to learn more about CHG before accessing central lines if it could potentially decrease CLABSI at my hospital.

I'm curious about your unit's central line care to prevent blood stream infections. I have seen some posters mention their unit has not has a BSI in over a year or two. My unit is good, but not THAT good, and I would like to know what we could do different to prevent poor outcomes in our kiddos! Currently we do daily CHG baths on kids over 2 months old with central lines, weekly and PRN CL dressing changes, scrub with alcohol swabs for 15 seconds and let dry for 15 seconds before accessing, place sterile drapes under the line each time it is accessed, and diligent hand hygiene and tubing changes. Thanks!

$4.50 for nights and $4.50 for weekends at my hospital.

Our contract gives 3% raises yearly plus an extra $1.25/hr for every year of experience I gain. Yes, I think this is fair. I do not think some of the responses I've read are fair!

I don't think RNs are better than another profession by any means, but I did feel a twinge of annoyance when, at my boyfriend's family's thanksgiving, one of his family members was asked if she was a nurse (after talking about working at a hospital) and replied, "No I'm a respiratory therapist. Very similar to a nurse." The RTs I work with are great at what they do, but that's where it usually stops. I've had RT's refuse (or make sure I know I'm "inconveniencing" them) to help me reposition a patient in bed when they're slouched- not like that would help open up their airway or anything :icon_roll RTs do assess, give meds, etc, but they assess the RESPIRATORY system. We are responsible for ALL the systems of the body, caring for the whole person and family, providing basic needs (would love to see an RT put a patient on a bedpan) being a waitress, being an emotional outlet, being the repair man, etc. I will say, this is only my experience in my short 4 months of being an RN at the one hospital I have worked at. Maybe at the hospital my boyfriend's family member works at, the RTs ARE similar to nurses. Maybe she just didn't feel like talking about work and wanted to end the conversation quickly. I don't know.

When I was in school, the nursing home I did my gero rotation at was full of wealthy people. They had "happy hour" every day from 3-5 with boxed wine, with a two glass maximum. I thought it was cute. :)

I am thankful for: My family who are supportive, even of me living 300 miles away to work my dream job in a large, nationally recognized pediatric hospital. My AMAZING job that I have been working toward and wishing for for years until now. My boyfriend who is funny, encouraging, and driven while he works hard to make money in addition to finishing school. :redpinkhe

1:3 on days and 1:3-4 on nights on my pediatric surgical floor. We take care of high acuity kiddos, some that most hospitals would have in a PICU. I LOVE my job! :heartbeat

I probably wouldn't live on Capitol Hill with a 4th grader. Not a very safe area, in my experience. I would go for areas like Greenlake, Ballard, Wedgewood, Magnolia, Sandpoint, or Laurelhurst if you really want to live in a main part of Seattle. Areas like Shoreline or Bothell (a few miles north or south on I-5) have lower cost of living and more "neighborhood-like" or family oriented feels. For example in Greenlake, your neighbor could be another single mom, or a house full of wild college students. On the other hand, areas like that have less of this. As for child care or nannies, I would contact the Seattle University, UW, and Seattle Pacific University colleges of nursing to see if they could send an email to all their students asking for what you're looking for. We got these emails quite frequently when I was in school. As for the NICUs, I am not sure, but I would check Seattle Children's, UWMC, and Valley Medical.