recoveringcory

Sometimes they don't use IV contrast. In most instances in the ER, the Docs almost always used PO and IV contrast. The IV contrast should help identify within the bowel and surrounding that there is adequate blood flow, and there isn't ischemic or necrotic bowel... Cory

Crocs are a pretty comfortable, light-weight shoe. I've heard Nike Shocks are a very good shoe to buy as well. I've always used Addidas or K-Swiss shoes, and have had no problems with them! Bottem line is don't get a cheap off brand shoe, because I've tried that, and it really makes a difference - plus they don't hold up as well. Hope that helps some! Cory

My thought as to this manner is take the 3 12s. I love three twelves - 3 days of work and you are done! Heck if your facility is self scheduling, you can work it in such a way to get 7 days off in a row - don't even need to take vacation days. I'm all about the 12s, just so I can get stretches of days off! Cory

Everyone has already said about everything I could say. I can tell you, ER gives you a good foundation on your nursing skills, because you are doing ALL of them on a consistent basis, and get quite good at them! If you are looking for an environment where you can establish a meaningful bond with your patients, and get them back to better health, ER is not the place for you. While you are at the beginnings of establishing that nurse-patient relationship, before you know it they are gone. If you like a structured setting and a schedule (when to pass meds/treatments), ER is not for you. If you don't like working under constant pressure, ER is definitely not for you. But, if you like doing your skills over and over, if you like diversity, working in a fast paced environment, blood and guts, crazy people, critical care, and babies to the most ederly: ER is for you. My best advice I can give is to is to do what the above post says: Job Shadow. You can see for yourself what you like the best! Hope that helps some! Cory

yes it will show up in a drug test and you will fail - it shows up as a benzodiazapine. You need to inform your potential employer of these kinds of drugs prior to taking the position.

I'm not sure about Texas, specifically. Typically a CNA class trains you for the STNA exam. There's not typically a STNA class per se, it's a CNA class that trains you to pass the STNA exam license. Really the STNA license just makes you more marketable. You don't learn about blood draws/passing medications in CNA classes. You learn basic care: changing bed linens, washing patients, cleaning patients private areas/soiled areas, transfering patients, feeding patients...you know, basically helping people do what they can't do for themself. Now regarding meds. I have never heard of a CNA giving medications; it is out of their scope of practice. IVs/blood draw need special training. For blood draws, typically you need a phlebotomist license/training. However, I can't give you a complete answer about IVs/blood draws, because I don't know the answer to that for sure! Cory

1. explain the reasons why you decided to return to school for a bachelor of science degree in nursing and be sure to list your reasons. you have a better opportunity for advancement into management and other areas where an adn nurse may not be as qualified. you become more well rounded as a nurse. while a lot of nursing theories can seem pretty silly, they do help broaden your perpective on lots of different situations. 2.provide insight into how a bs degree in nursing will/has enhance(d) your professional goals. i want to teach nurses/students. with a bsn i can teach clinicals. i want to get my msn. need the bsn to get the msn. my goal is to eventually be in a high up management position as well as a teaching position. 3.discuss what you perceive are the top three challenges that you have/might experience by returning to school. explain why they were/might be challenging for you, and select possible solutions for each that may help you achieve success in school. cost. i went through the university of phoenix, and it cost me around $25,000....yeah, i know...wow....however, i had to take some extra courses/prerequisites, so it costed more. this program, however, was extremely convenient with my work schedule...was able to work full time and go to school full time without problem. papers. i'm not the best test taker, but i'm a pretty good paper writer. you write lots of papers in your bsn schooling - i did, anyway, and u of p is all paper writing and really, no tests. research. you will really have to develop your research skills, finding good solid research resources (not wikipedia...), to develop high quality research papers, with statistical evidence. these can be some big papers. i had a few papers over 20 pages easy. wasn't difficult for me...just time consuming... tips for success get a schedule book, and schedule yourself to work on your homework on given days, rather than procrastination (which i am horrible at). develop your writing skills, and if your skill has like a "center of writing excellence" use it! find good wholesome resources. if there is group projects, make sure to keep on top of everyone in the group that they are getting their work done on time with good quality! hope this helps a little! cory

Some hospitals do hire CNAs in the ER. Having your STNA is a better marketing feature, though. However, our hospital actually got rid of the CNAs, because they couldn't function as highly as the techs who were EMTs or paramedics, in that they can't do a majority of nursing skills required to be of use - IVs, catheters, etc. I worked as an STNA in a nursing home. You can get jobs in hospitals on the floors, and function in much of the same way, taking vitals, bed baths, feeding, helping the nurses, etc. Hope this helps! Cory

I would highly suggest at least 1.5 to 2 years experience in your specified area of expertise. Get the basics down, get your skills down, get the feel of the environment down. The reason I say this is because you will need to learn new charting methods, different medication administration methods, policies/procedures/protocols go from hospital to hospital as a traveler. If you are sketchy on you nursing skills, that is one more thing that can cause you some SERIOUS trouble!! Cory

Disagree. Why? If the hospital you work for is like mine, when deciding to go to ER, you get placed with a preceptor for 2-3 months before being out on your own. During that period, your preceptor will volunteer you for all the nursing skills you can get, and will guide you through the process. You also need to be assertive and tell everyone what nursing skills you need experience in....you WILL get experience. Trust me. I got WAY more experience in basic nursing skills (IVs, foleys, NG tubes, IMs, SQs, gastric lavage, etc.) in the ER than ever in my med surge rotations. Then when you are on your own, there always seems to be at least 1 other person around who has done a certain nursing skill before, and will accompany you in helping you get it done, be it a doctor, nurse, or even a tech! Cory

see below...

I have almost 3 years ER. Why? 1. Because there is so much diversity. You see people with a large variety of ailments and have to know about treatment, signs and symptoms, ect. for each one. 2. Excellent foundation for your nursing skills, as you use every nursing skill all the time that your learned in nursing school. You become very well rounded. 3. Love the turn over with patients. I like fixing a patient and shipping them out. It's not that I don't like people, I just don't like having to take care of the same person for days, or even hours on end. 4. Adrenaline. There are nights when you may get a bunch of traumas and a bunch of codes. Nothing like fixing a dead person (trying anyway) or packing a gaping wound, or helping the doctor crack a patient's chest to massage their heart...talk about getting the blood flowing. 5. No schedule. I don't like the concept of having to give certain pills or certain treatments at a given time. Everything you do in ER is stat and prn. You don't typically have a set schedule with the patient, and I like that. 6. Reward. In one week you will have helped LOTS of people. Some will remember you, and some won't. But the fact that you know you helped all those people will make the job all the more rewarding. You make your mark on their lives in one way or another. 7. Takin' em down! There are instances where patients or even your safety or life is in danger. Nothin like having to drop a patient where he stands when he gets out of line. For example, I had this 19-20 year old kid once. He came in because he overdosed on something. Well, I was going through my examination, and asking all the normal questions/health history, and he did fine. I was just about done with my physical assessment, and he said out of no where, "I would stand back if I were you..." I said, 'Listen, I just have to listen to your lungs and abdomen and I'll be done. You aren't going to hit me are you?" He didn't say anything, so I went to pick my stethoscope off the bed, and he straight up and grabbed me by my shirt. Instantly, I choke slammed his a$$ onto the bed, and security was there instantly (as they were standing just outside the door when I was examining him. If that doesn't get your blood going, nothing will. After tying him down in leathers, I calmy said to him, "We are going to leave you in these straps until you can behave calmly and in a manner that is appropriate. You realize that you have just assaulted a healthcare worker, which is a felony, and you will probably go to jail?" His eyes got huge, and he was scared crapless! I told him the doctor will be in shortly, and I'll be back in a bit. hahahaha...of course I didn't press charges, but situations like that really get you goin! Hope these few reasons help you out! Cory

Re: What is the usual process?I'm just a little confused here. You say that you voluntarily surrendered your nursing license, right? Then how can you go through the state's peer assitance program if you are no longer a nurse? I think you need to call your state's BON on this matter. Hi there, thanks for the reply. Surrending your license voluntarily is part of the application process in applying for the Alternative Program for my state. I can have it reinstated at any time, however, that would be cause for disqualification for the Alternative Program! If accepted into the program, I get my license back, and then some probable restrictions of some sort. If I am not accepted into the program, then I get my license back, and then am subject to disciplinary action. Hope that clears things up! Thanks, Cory

Hi there, It sounds like you did everything right. Like the above post says, see what the protocol is for taking them. Now for addressing the rude nurse. #1. Don't let it bother you. Think about it, you have control on what does or doesn't bother you. Letting someone else bother you makes them have power over you, so don't let it happen. #2. If you have a problem with her - DON'T go to your manager first. WAY to many people do this, and it isn't right. Whenever I had a problem with a doctor or a nurse, I addressed the problem one on one, in a calm professional manner, with the person I am having a problem with. People WILL HAVE MORE RESPECT for you if you address them first, and stick up for yourself. Truly, they will. #3. If you think the problem wasn't resolved by talking with the person, THEN go and talk to the manager. See, if you do this before confronting the person, this is disrespectful, in my opinion, because you are going behind a person's back, and they may not know someone has a problem with them. #4. Demand respect. I don't care if you are a doctor, nurse, tech, housekeeping, whatever. I for one do not address the techs in any different manner from a nurse. We each are deserving of respect, and if someone isn't respecting you, address it in a RESPECTFUL manner, and carry yourself in a dignified professional manner. People see this behavior, and respect that kind of person. Remember, don't lower yourself to a nother person's level if they are acting 'greater than thou'. That means they have some sort of insecurity that they think they have to be better than everyone. Carry yourself in a manner deserving of respect! Hope that helps! Cory

Personally, I have no problem with people dying anymore. It really doesn't affect me at all, most of the time. There is an exception, of course, if the person is a kid or very young. Most of the time when I do get some tears coming is moreso when the family is there grieving...that can be hard sometimes. For the most part, though, I have become hardened about death, in that I don't get upset when someone else dies. My stance is this: we do everything we can for patients, and if the Good Lord is calling their number, there is absolutely nothing we can do under the sun to bring the person back. In addition, if a person codes, chances are they are going to die. In all reality the person's body has been compensating for awhile, and finally just pooped out, so to bring them back is a pretty huge task. Well over 90% of codes that come into the ER never make it - I'd even say the high 90s, between 95-97% never make it. Bottem line in my rationale: People die - it's natural. It happens. We are all going to do it. I'll use everything I have to try and save them, but there is only so much we can do, and after that we did everything we could. After thinking that...No problems! Cory