MatRNstudent

I am practicing in the U.S., so your advice is appreciated. I am also in communication with the hospital's stroke coordinator, so I will be sure that I'm in line with organizational policies. I have rudimentary spanish communication skills that I use with my spanish speaking patients, so it is a bit of a grey area as to when I must use a language line and when it is okay for me to communicate with them. I have seen a spanish version of the NIHSS mentioned in a research study, but it didnt provide what they used. This is why i reached out to everyone here at Allnurses...I'm figuring someone in Neuro has used something other than a language line.

I have to agree with Chuckster...I wouldn't flip out or get into a "deathmatch" over it. Just tough it out until you get your year in. Then, they have no leverage over you whatsoever and you can go where you want. I know the post is getting a little stale and irrelevant by now, but I felt it worth mentioning the economy is still rough and nursing jobs aren't quite as plentiful as we'd all like them to be especially the entry level ones Hope everything turns out well.

Hello All, I'm an RN on a floor that is becoming designated our hospital's stroke floor. We have received extensive training in preparation for the transition however there is something that I believe would be of great benefit to us. I was hoping to get my hands on a NIHSS english to spanish script. We have access to a language line, but I would prefer to have a script that our whole floor could use rather than go through a translater each and every time. It would save time and keep our assessments more consistent. I did a quick google search, and a search of the AHA website with no success. Anyone have a script? Hopefully something that has been in a research study or that has been field tested in some way. Thanks for any responses

At my school students are allowed to run a digital recorder up at the instructor's podium as a supplement to written lecture notes. I believe this instructor knows when she is making skewed, possibly inaccurate, statements. With that said, I believe the information she presents would start to become a good deal less biased if she knew her words were being recorded (I tried it with a biology professor who was honestly out of control with her "version" of things and she changed her tone the very day I began recording her lectures). Either way, Good Luck

I was looking for general nursing considerations such as the need for patient teaching due to the common misconception, "natural remedies aren't really drugs so I don't need to mention them to my nurse/physician." I was also looking for specific examples to tie into those general considerations like the st. johns wort example cursedandblessed provided (btw thank you:wink2:). All of the replies so far have been very useful...thanks to all who took the time to help! I will be working on the assigment until next Tuesday so any other replies would be greatly appreciated.

Hey Everyone, I'm taking a pharm course this summer and I was hoping to pick some brains for my first project. We are discussing the nursing considerations for patients taking over the counter (OTC) drugs and herbal supplements at the same time. No specific herbals or OTCs were mentioned. I know herbal supplements can interfere with the therapeutic effects of OTC drugs and contribute to toxicity in some cases, so a thorough health history assessing current OTC and herbal supplement use is a great start. However, I know there is soo much more to consider so I was hoping that some of you might throw in your (or a useful link:nuke:). Thanks, Mat

One thing that has helped me a great deal so far is speaking with upperclassmen at the school I'm attending. If you can find out who is in student government, library club, or student curriculum clubs these will likely be the over-achievers that will be able to offer you kernels of wisdom custom tailored to the program you are getting into. Exchange emails with them and continue to pick their brains every time a new question pops to mind, not to mention they will be able to tell you things you didn't even think to ask (like which instructors love a pop quiz!). This will also help you network. On the Algebra side of dosage calculations don't get too worried about that. Clinical calculations will be part of your Nursing curriculum (you will not be thrown to the dogs when calculating/administering meds) and there really aren't that many formulas to learn from what I've seen. :)Good luck and study hard!!!:)

I'm a student right now learning how advocacy of the patient is paramount, and I wondered how that would pan out when push comes to shove. Thank you very much for taking the time to share. You are awesome...Good Luck!

Mmmm, coffee:rollI love coffee, but it is addictive so I only have a few cups a day at most. I prefer dunkin donuts blueberry coffee with cream and splenda, but I will drink it black if I have to. It really helps me get through the day, but more than 2 cups makes me irritable and unable to sleep come bedtime. If I was being cared for and didn't have to get up early for school/work I would definitely drink coffee at every meal :)

I am sorry to hear you were put off or offended by the responses you got anxiouslywaiting. I don't come on this site to tear anyone down. I only meant to disagree and have open dialogue.

I have to respectfully disagree with you djc about women not asking/demanding higher pay and being stuck in a handmaiden/Florence Nightengale attitude. I believe the pay discrepancy is an issue intertwined with the gender biased social structure in our country and a lot more complex than a failure to simply ask for more money. As for the archaic mindset, I am sure there are some older nurses who haven't evolved with the changing environment, but the same holds true for any field. Out of all of the nursing students and the few RNs I've met (admittedly most are part of the younger population), none of them seem to hold the handmaiden/Florence Nightingale attitude). Though I whole-heartedly agree that men bring a different perspective to nursing, which should only work to improve things.

there is a huge nursing shortage if you weren't aware, so if you are as driven by the humanitarian aspect of nursing as you claim to be, you should be overwhelmed with joy over the influx of new nursing students. i must say, i am glad this thread was made because i have always thought there may be people who feel like i'm a poser or don't belong simply because of the volume of new nurses and the increase in male applicants. i will admit, i care most about money because i need it to survive! simply being a caring person doesn't pay my mortgage or grocery bill. however, this isn't going to stop me from being a caring, attentive, and compassionate member of a healthcare team...i can do both!!! it's not like i get paid more for giving poor quality care to patients. that is the best part in nursing we get the money and the opportunity to enrich people's lives. please take a step back and realize this glass is definitely half full.

Dude, if you're attractive like you say you are then girls coming onto you shouldn't be anything new, so enjoy the ego boost and behave. Four years is a long time to flush for a fling. I keep out of trouble by thinking about some of the crazy women I've met and I know my luck one of them would be the girl I decide to have a fling with. Calling my phone non-stop, finding my house and harassing my girlfriend "that's my man, he told me he loves me!", or putting holes in condoms...Haven't you every seen Jerry Springer or Maury Povich!?!? Ha Ha Ha!!! I know I have a vivid imagination but it has kept me out of a lot of trouble...a lot.

If you have poor writing skills, this is an opportunity to refine them and get critique from a professional (this is by no means the last paper you'll be writing in your lifetime). Not to mention, if not cheating turns out to be the reason you are unable to complete nursing school you probably wouldn't have been a safe practitioner anyway. By now I am sure you know where your weaknesses are, so going to the student library to study a college text on composition, grammar, etc. for just a few hours would help you sooo much (trust me I've done it myself). If you get your degree/cert the right way you will be that much more proud and confident:yeah: Good Luck:wink2: Mat

Hello All, I've completed all of my prerequisite classes and I am beginning Nursing I on 01/20/09:). I was hoping that some Our Lady of Lourdes (OLOL) School of Nursing Alumni (or Nursing II, III, or IV students) could suggest supplemental texts or study guides they found useful while working through the RN program at OLOL. I have the required texts but the recommended texts are the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and Saunders Strategies for success for the NCLEX-RN examination, and I am looking for texts more focused on the core curriculum. Any suggestions from OLOL alumni, OLOL students, or students/alumni from other schools would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mat