chiquilina

I can't PM you - my private email is would you please send me an email so I can ask you something regarding 203? Thank you so much!

Hi - wondering if you could please give me a bit more info on what I can start doing my summer reading on for Sept NCC 203? I heard there was a lot of material, but I don't know - that we'll be getting a reading list . . . would anyone mind sharing? Also - would you consider the psych books suggested for 203 semester a 'necessity'? Thanks. I just really want to get a head start on my reading/studying over the summer - since we are officially 3 1/2 weeks until this semester is over . . . can you tell I'm counting the days???? Whatever will I do w/ all that free time? Ha ha . . .thanks.

Hi - I am a student, but thought it would do well to post here. . . besides having a grounding pad underneath pt. and on pt., what are other ways an or nurse maintains electrical safety in the or? What other safety measures are used in OR, other than asepsis & electrical safety, what about the PACU? Thank you in advance for your input. My textbook has a lot of general patient interventions, (keep patent airway, etc) but not technical stuff.

Thank you so much for all your input. Sometimes I try to talk to DH about it but he just doesn't get it. I've been getting more assertive about asking for help, and surprisingly so, (I hate to say it) some of the aids/nurses just need to be told "ok, pt. in room *** is completely immobile and I cannot move him by myself, I'll be needing someone to help me". I was in a different floor today, I don't know what kind of floor it was, I guess a 'general' floor??? It wasn't too bad because the aids were very helpful and that made a world of difference, I even ended up staying an extra 20 mins., not because I had to but because I wanted to help. I really needed to have a good day like today. Yesterday I had a pt. sing "I'm in heaven" to me because he said I took such good care of him. (granted it took me almost an entire hour to get him out of bed to chair, change sheets, give him am care and help him eat). Today I got to take care of a lady as well, who needed to be fed, cleaned, the whole 9 and she said to me that I was very kind and that she was afraid they were gonna take me away from her; it feels so good to be appreciated and just to know that I am making a difference in someone's quality of life. Both of these pts. were deemed to be "trouble" pts. by the staff - but I think they just needed someone to talk to and not rush them. Now, I know in real life, a nurse/aid will have many pt.s and of course time is a luxury, but I figure, if I'm in this position, why not take the extra time? I know there will be good days and not so good days, but I hope there are more days like today to come. Thank you for all your responses, I definitely take all of them to heart. This place is a Godsend, because there are people that *understand*.

HI, I am a 2nd semester nursing student in an AD program. I started working as a bed bath aide 1 week ago today. The reason I took this job is because I had quit my full time office job back in November because I had been there for 8 years and was sick of the BS. Also, since Nursing school can be very demanding, I figured, ok, part-time per diem job as a bed and bath will be beneficial since it will make me more comfortable around patients (especially during clinicals) and I will be exposed to hospital environment, lingo, procedures, etc. (BTW, I cannot work as a Nursing Assistant until I finish my 2nd semester in May 09). I was hired as a floater. Here are my issues. To sum it up, I want to just quit nursing school and quit the job together, like right now. Every day I go to bed with anxiety and I am so depressed. I didn't expect to see the things I've seen in the hospital. (esp, the oncology floor) Secondly, I don't think I can handle giving bed baths to 6 patients a day (changing sheets, gown, etc as well) because 4 out of the 6 have liquid diarrhea. Normally the drill is, I show up to the floor and each nursing aide will assign me 2 patients that they want me to give bed/baths to. Obviously, I end up getting the patients that they least want to take care of. Please let me clarify, it is not the body fluids that bother me so much, but the fact that I have to work by MYSELF. 95% of these patients are incapable of moving or helping me move them in any way, they are complete dead weight, and for the past 3 days my lower back (by my tailbone) is hurting me so badly. I don't know if it is because my body is not used to this, or because I have done some damage already. (I've tried tricks of the trade, correct lifting, etc, but it is not helping) Obviously a hospital is not a feel-good place, but seeing these patients in that state everyday, I can't help it, but I feel the place is so depressing, I mean, in the floors I've been in, really no one except for 2 little old ladies has gotten "better". And after seeing the RNs and what they do, I feel like I am having a change of heart. But what I want to know is, is this cold feet? Will these feelings go away as I am in the hospital setting longer? Is this an "adjustment" phase? I would hate to quit both and then quick myself for not seeing this through. PLEASE ANY ADVICE IS WELCOME, has anyone else gone through this? I mean there are times when I just feel like crying, and running, literally. What makes my situation worse is that if I did, I'd be out of a job, in this horrendous economy. One point is that I definitely am more more more comfortable around patients, which I think would be very helpful around clinical time. I feel more confident. But other than that, my feelings are really troubling me. I have cried almost every single day, usually at night when I am alone, I think about these people and how they're not gonna get better and how tomorrow when I show up they'll be worse than yesterday and then I think, :crying2:ok, some of them are non-verbal, some of them are delirious, some of them are in such bad shape, and to know on top that I have to care for them by myself. (managing oxygen mask, nG tube, foley, loaded diaper) while I give bed/bath and change sheets, and it is not that I am lazy, but I feel that working with someone else really does make a tremendous difference and you get done in half the time, which I feel is not only good for me, but for the patient as well - (they don't have to be exposed as long, one person can help them turn and hold them to the side while they are being cleaned, can also help fetch extra supplies if needed, esp. if it is a huge watery bm, or get the nurse to report change in pressure ulcer status, get the nurse to change dressing, etc). Things were so different in nursing school, the lab, so unrealistic . . . which makes me question my path. I am new and I don't want to rock the boat on how things are done at this hospital. Plus I see that there are other bed bath aides who do this alone each and every day and when I ask, does your back hurt, they've looked at me like I'm crazy. PLEASE HELP.

Ok, 2nd week, assessment took about 25 minutes. . . . I think it was nerves, the fact that I didn't know where things were on the chart, since each hospital is different. I think I see what you mean about "flow" . . .I'm hopeful in a few weeks, I will be able to do my assessment in less and less time. Thanks for your input everyone.

Please help!!! Our class will be going to our 2nd clinical week next Monday and I am dreading it. . . this past MOnday, according to our instructor a head to toe assessment (including lab works and getting report from the evening nurse) oh, and verifying meds, should only take 20 minutes. . . . Please, someone tell me, is something wrong here? it took me literally an hour and ahalf - first, because the hospital was new, the charts were new, the medicine/pixis unit, different, some nurses helpful/some cannot be found, plus, also depending on which pt. you get, I got ANOTHER pt. who cannot communicate verbally and was not oriented to time or place, sorry, but it is going to take me longer. An example of my frustration: We MUST document our assessment - if a pt. that is confused, how can I possibly get an answer out of them about their stool, what does it look like, what color was it, who do they live with, etc?? Keep in mind we're getting to the floor around 6:15 - 6:30 (close to change of shift) the CNA's while, very professional and nice on that floor, are busy half the time, would I ask them if the pt. is OOB w/ assistance and is not incontinent? According to my clinical professor, somewhere there is documentation on bowel movements. . is this so? I feel like I am so lost looking at all the paperwork, I feel like I need time to "take it all in", I know in the real world nurses have to deal with many pts. at one time, but it feels overwhelming to me. Example of my frustration: (with myself, because at this point I don't know if it is me that has no common sense or what) Tuesday, we are back for clinical, this time we were told we only had an hour and half to assess pt. and provide pm care. . . ok, so pt. has full tray, has not started to eat yet - so I figure, hey before she starts eating (which will take up a considerable amt. of time since pt. is on soft diet and has dysphagia, is nauseous, etc) I figure, let me get vital signs, (which should take a little time) and then I'll assist pt. w/ her meal. . . well, who bursts in but my clinical instructor - saying loudly "Looks like MRS. >>>>> is hungry, it's time for her to eat, forget what you're going to do, or somehting along those lines) Ok, so I feel like it's dammed if I do, dammed if I don't because, ok, what if I had started feeding pt. upon getting to floor and then 45 mins go by, then, couldn't she just as well walked in and said "why didn't you do vitals first, if you knew this was going to take a long time?" Do you know what I'm saying?? I'm not complaining about my instructer BTW, I'm just trying to get other people's perspective, please be brutally honest, am I lacking some common sense here? I feel SO insecure, I am constantly questioning myself ALL the time. BTW, please keep in mind that I've been out of nursing school for 2 yrs so this is my first semester back after that hiaturs.

The good news is also - and I know this for a fact, they will ONLY factor in your gpa for the classes needed for pre-requesities and also for any nursing classes (micro, etc). So if you didn't do great on other courses that do not count towards the nursing they will not count it. I wish you the best of luck, but also don't forget, NCC might be great for convenience (location, commute, $$), etc, but there are also other schools that are very decent - St. Vincent's School of Nursing in Queens (flushing) is supposed to be very good as well (they do an AA degree) and I believe they will take most credits that count towards their nursing curriculum. - they do have a website, though I do not know what it is, their campus is located in Horace Harding Expresseay, in Queens, - they have a night time as well as a day time program. SUNY Farmingdale also has an AA program in Nursing. So do not get discouraged. Things may not happen in the frametime you need them do, but as long as you keep at it you can get it done. :stdnrsrck:

one more tip . . . always carry hair bands . . in your car, in your pocket(s) - for clinical you have to wear your hair away from your face, they are strict about this for obvious reasons so save yourself trouble and always carry those around.

I did NUR 103/104 back in Fall 06, back then, I do not recall having to ever do an interview. . . 3.3 is a good GPA, though I think at the time I applied my gpa was around 3.8 and I got in on my first try. It's hard to say if you would/wouldn't get in, as I know 2 factors they look is if you live in Nassau County and also your gpa, they start from the top 4.0 and down - they also look at how many credits you have - most students I encountered not only had their prerequisites but most credits done with the exception of nursing. I truly wish you the best of luck. :typing

stethoscope definitely, though I wouldn't go for a top of the line expensive one, I would get a basic one. I would also get one of those pens with four colors on them, it helps, if you are going to get nursing shoes check with their policy, I know they do not allow open nursing shoes, meaning, they are not open on the back - no crocs either, but I would check - you should be getting packet with all the information - like where to order your uniforms from, you can buy your patches from NCC nursing club. Best of luck.

First, congratulations, 2nd trust me. . . never argue with a professor. Ever, ever, ever. Second, do your best and make arrangements so that you can give it your all. The Test Taking for Success books they sell on campus really really helped. Best of luck!!