linfull

Thanks so much for all of the info!!

How do you like Baker's program? I live outside of Cadillac and have been begging them to bring the nursing program. I already have a two year degree in medical transcription from them, but am looking for a change. So far I have been told MAYBE 2008 for the actual NUR classes. I really enjoyed Baker previously. Thanks for any info!

Thank you. When you refer to central line, is that a subclavian? (Can you tell I'm not a student yet??):selfbonk: Thanks again!

Just wondering how many times Hospice nurses end up putting in catheters and IVs or do your patients usually already have caths in and if IVs are usually removed prior to being admitted to hospice. I'm referring to home hospice as opposed to a facility. Seems to me caths would already be in place and IVs removed, but wanting some expert advice. Thank you much

"And I can honestly say in the number of times I have done this or seen it done not once did the patient complain. You're a cold person. What a cruel, hurtful thing to say. :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

I am 37 years young and I, too, have always felt a calling to be a nurse, but I was terrified of math and needles! After 10+ years as a medical transcriptionist, I have made up my mind that the minute our local college brings their RN program up to our town, I am in. I found my calling about 6 years ago when my dad was enrolled in Hospice. I remember sitting next to his bed watching the nurses and thinking, "This is what I want to do." It was just so clear. I swear if I could have started right then and there, I would have. I never felt so positive about anything (even more positive than when I gave birth to my son!!! I'm way more confident in becoming a nurse than I was when I became a new mommy!). I spoke with a friend who works for home health and hospice agengy as an occupational therapist. She said if this is truly what I want to do I could shadow a nurse and then if I am still convinced, they would help pay for my school (up to all of it) and I would sign a contract with them for approximately one to two years. I last heard our college was bringing the RN program this fall (2006). Hurry up!!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: Good luck and remember it is never to late for anything!

Last year, I made the decision to return to school for nursing. I had never talked with a nurse or read much about nursing. I have always admired nurses and have a deep love for science, yet was always a bit squemish so I went into medical records. I was hoping our local college would be bringing their nursing program up to our town, but I was told it would at least a three year wait because the test scores at their other campuses were so low that their license was suspended. So....after reading all of the posts here for about six months, it has given me pause. I have learned that nursing is not a bed of roses (of course, not many jobs are). I have such a respect for nurses (especially hospice nurses) that I was under the belief that everyone felt the same way I do. I have learned otherwise!! I work from home as a medical transcriptionist (very little office politics, very few unhappy clients). Lots of flex time. I can make approximately $22.00 an hour on up depending on speed. I live in a small midwest town so that sort of money is good. The RNs at our LTC make approximately $18.00 an hour. I have no benefitis (husband does). No overtime. No holiday pay. I work every weekend. But... I am home every day. The company I work for is great. They believe very much in family. I must have all work turned around within 24 hours. They don't care if it is done the moment I receive the dictation or if I am done the 23rd hour. I also must be perfect. Those are the rules along with no gossiping and agreeing to help my fellow workers to become better at their job. My boss says, "I will not fire you for making a mistake. I could not look at myself in the mirror if I did that. But I will fire you if you are purposely hurting another worker." He is a wonderful man. I spend every holiday with my family. I may be up at 5 am and start typing, stop for presents and dinner and then type at night. I take my son to school every day and pick him up. I am involved in PTA and don't have to miss any school functions. I have wanted to work for hospice or LTC. I am beginning to think I can work from home and still do some volunteer work for hospice or LTC and satisfy that inner need for me to help people. I figure the next three years will be a good time to really think long and hard about going into nursing. I guess time will tell!!!

I received my associate's in science in medical transcription back in 1996 from Baker. The teacher's were very well qualified and I had to take A&P I&II, pathophysiology, pharmacology, disease processes, etc. I was trained very well as now I see you can get a certificate in MT from Baker. I was a returning (older) student and graduated with honors. I really enjoyed the setting and the instructors. I also was told it would be at a minimum of three years before they offered nursing at the Cadillac campus due to the low scores of the graduates. I will post if I hear anything new!

My son weighed 11 pounds 1 ounce and both of our sugars were fine! I pushed for 4 hours and finally had to have a c-section. I can't imagine how uncomfortable that mama was...my doc said I deserved a superwoman award because my son's head was so far up under my ribcage...talk about heartburn! And his tushie was smashing my bladder! At 9 months, they thought perhaps he was twins!! A 13 pounder is unbelievable!!!

:roll :roll :roll

I work in Med. Records and my boss just showed us what we could be fined with if we break pt confidentiality.... $10,000 fine and up to 5 years. Now, would that really happen? I don't know and I don't want to find out! I take the contract I signed very, very seriously. I hope that you have not spoken to people about this pt and included any of the info that was posted here...no edit button when it is face-to-face. Be more careful!

I,too, enjoyed South By Southwest. Austin is definately a party town. Sixth street is the best place to go if you love music. You can catch some country, rock, jazz, alternative, blues...all on the same street in ONE night. Lived there about 15 years ago...can't remember a whole lot Ended up at a nudist beach, I think it was called Hippy Hollow. I was really bummed as it was all gay men. Sweet as could be, but I still left alone! Not that I was looking to pick someone up, but as one of the previous posters mentioned...the guys in Texas are pretty hot. But I have to say...the heat sucks! You go from your airconditioned house, to your airconditioned car, to your airconditioned workplace/mall/bar/etc. Watch out for fire ants. Those suckers HURT when they bite. Also, saw cockroaches as big as my hand and tarantulas(?) out in the woods. If you're young and looking for a very cool town...Austin is it. But, being an REM fan, Athens holds a special place in my heart. Saw REM in Austin 15 years ago...wow!

I guess I'm in the right field also because the only post that made me slightly gag was about swallowing the patient's loogie. Other than that, I have been laughing so hard I almost wet my pants!!!!!

I guess I'm in the right field also because the only post that made me slightly gag was about swallowing the patient's loogie. Other than that, I have been laughing so hard I almost wet my pants!!!!!

I received my associates in science back in 1996. I took A&PI & II, pathophysiology, pharmacology and lots of other classes that have disappeared over the past 8 years from my mind! I remember lots of medical assitant students in the classes with me and they couldn't believe how much I had to take to perform transcription. Well, now I see that my college has decided to make medical transcription a certificate! No path, no pharm, no A&P II. Just medical term. and lots of typing. I am lucky to have worked with a local legal deposition company that had one doctor that had a back log of dictation. Since then, we have spun off into our own company and cover our entire state, plus are going to other states. It would be a great job while in school. You just have to have the reports turned around within 24 hours and make sure they are 99.5% accurate. Hope this info was helpful!

I received my associates in science back in 1996. I took A&PI & II, pathophysiology, pharmacology and lots of other classes that have disappeared over the past 8 years from my mind! I remember lots of medical assitant students in the classes with me and they couldn't believe how much I had to take to perform transcription. Well, now I see that my college has decided to make medical transcription a certificate! No path, no pharm, no A&P II. Just medical term. and lots of typing. I am lucky to have worked with a local legal deposition company that had one doctor that had a back log of dictation. Since then, we have spun off into our own company and cover our entire state, plus are going to other states. It would be a great job while in school. You just have to have the reports turned around within 24 hours and make sure they are 99.5% accurate. Hope this info was helpful!

Thanks so much for all of the info. I just became a little nervous when thinking of taking out another student loan after getting my last one paid off and discovering that I would not be able to find a job! Thanks again!

Thanks so much for all of the info. I just became a little nervous when thinking of taking out another student loan after getting my last one paid off and discovering that I would not be able to find a job! Thanks again!

A nursing friend of mine just informed me that there is talk of training nurses in India and then offering them free housing to come work in the U.S. Is this true :angryfire :uhoh21: ? I was going to start nursing school next year, but may rethink it now. I work from home as a medical transcriptionist. I don't have any benefits, but my husband does. I can make $23.00+ an hour if I'm cranking out over 300 lines in an hour (which I do). This is before taxes, which means I foot the bill 100% for Medicare. But, I don't have to drive anywhere nor do I have to pay for a babysitter. I can be home when my son wakes up, take him to school, work at home, pick him back up after school. BUt this requires quite a bit of weekend work. I can also work as a substitute teacher for $80.00 once he is in school full time and this won't require any extra school as I have an associates in science. I miss being around people, but I can achieve that by volunteering again with Hospice or our local nursing home (which is where I wanted to do nursing LTC). Do you all think the money I make now is comparable to that of a LTC nurse in a small town? Just looking for some good advice/info from nurses out there in the field/trenches. Thanks a bunch!!

Thanks for all of the info. I figured with the shortage how could anyone be phased out!

What a great thread! Keep posting more of these. I can't wait to start school so I can apply the KISS method or the old "when you hear hoves, think horses not zebras."

I'm pretty new to this website and I hope I'm not asking a question that has already been dealt with. I'm getting ready to start an ADN program. I orginally was going to become an LPN and I have had some nurses tell me that LPNs will be phased out in the future. Other nurses have told me that it is impossible to phase them out due to the shortage. I have also been told that someday all RNs will have to have a BSN and those with an ADN will be grandfathered in and still others have said not true. A bit confusing to say the least, but I have decided to go for the RN. Thanks for any info!

I have had the same worries! I have my associates in science and only had to have math for business (just barely touched on algebra). I got an A-, which shows I can add, etc., but I still spent most of my 20s trying to choose a major that did not have any algebra!! Finally, at 35, I have decided this is silly and I am going to be a nurse... math or no math!!! I am getting ready to take intro to algebra just to get comfortable and I can't wait! I have purchase some "math for dummies" books and they are very helpful. As for A&P, I had it five years ago and really enjoyed it. Tons of memorizing (understanding how the heart really works almost killed me!), but when you stop and think about the human body and what it does and what it is capable of, doesn't it just blow your mind???? I loved school before and can't wait to start nursing school!

About 10 years ago, my stepmother was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. She was not a very warm, huggy person and there were lots of hard feelings between her, her kids and myself. I took care of her for six months until she went into the hospital. Even her own kids did not come to help until she was in the hospital. Anyway, while caring for her she and I mended fences and she truly appreciated what I was doing for her. Since she had lung cancer, she could not lie down. Sitting up would wear her out, so she would sit up in the bed and drape herself across the portable bedside table. There was no way to give her a good ole hug, so I would rub her back and then when leaving, I would say good bye to her at the end of her bed and squeeze her big toe. I know it may sound silly, but it was an easy way to show affection. After she died, I was staying with my father and helping straighten things up around their house. My dad slept on the couch and let me sleep in their bed. One night, I sat straight up in bed because I felt someone squeezing my toe!!!! Freaked me out!! But I also knew she was in a better place and remembered how I took care of her when no one else was around. Happened only once.

I started low-carb in April of 2003 and by Aug. I had lost 30 pounds. My doctor also put me on 500 mg of Glucophage a day to help stabilize my blood sugars. My husband then changed jobs and we went three months w/o any insurance so I have been w/o the Glucophage and I noticed a big difference in my cravings. I haven't lost any more, but I also have not gained. I plan on going back on the Glucophage this month. As long as I stay away from flour and sugar, I'm pretty good to go. The holidays were sort of tough as I love cookies, but made it through! I was always starving on low fat eating. I felt like I always had my head in the fridge and it did not matter how much I exercised, I could not lose any weight. The low-carb was the easiest way for me to lose. I still have not stopped drinking coffee and allow myself some special treats once in a while. :) :)