CorpsmanRN

I have "cable organizer tubing" coiled around the steth tubing to protect it. I've heard the cloth covers aren't all that great to have on (sanitary issue I'm thinking).

I love Alegria shoes, they don't take as much getting used to as Danskos. Also, the sole is wider so I don't feel like I'm going to roll my ankle like danskos. I just bought a pair of Timberlands because pregnancy has caused my feet to swell and Alegrias to not fit so well anymore. I haven't worn them on a shift yet but they feel good so far walking around my house.

I wear it around my neck. I have a cable organizer tubing wrapped around the steth tubing to protect it. I don't like it in my cargo pocket only because I have my trauma shears and reference book/notepad in it. Working in an ER, I've been around several psych or combative pt's and none have tried to even reach for it.

Don't beat yourself up, we've all made mistakes. I was not a new grad when I started but was new to the ER and often times left at the end of the day saying to myself "what in the world came over me?". I'm sure your coworkers know and understand you will be nervous. My preceptors would share their mistakes and I knew I wasn't alone. One of my "doh!" moments came when I was hanging an antibiotic and plugging in the rate into the machine (I was on my own at this point). The machine said the infusion would go over 2hrs. I looked at the order and Rx on bag and saw it said to infuse over 120mins...yup, I went out to ask a coworker (an ER & ICU RN) why the machine would give me a different infusion time and how I can override or fix it! DOH!! Usually I catch myself and answer my own question or realize my brain fart before I finish asking my question but this time it wasn't until she said 'well, 60mins in an hour and...' that I realized "OMG, 120mins is 2hrs". I was so embarrassed, I could feel my cheeks and ears turning red as I said "thanks" and walked back into the room. I am pregnant too so she just laughed and told me my pregnancy brain got the best of me. Just take a deep breath and know tomorrow is a new day :)

Reading this took me back to my deployment a couple yrs ago. I was fortunate to be on a camp in Kuwait so we had some luxuries, and no mortars to deal with. It is amazing how fast you learn to be ready for anything, especially mid-shower or bathroom break. Haha, reminds me of being fortunate enough to have not been caught in the sand storms mid-shower or bathroom stop, those were crazy! Thanks for the insight from a forward position. Knowing our camp was R&R for the Marines and few others that stopped in, I never took for granted how good I had it (even though my family back home thought it was still a crazy living situation). Thoughts for a safe return home! Semper Paratus USCG

Being from a state that has "legalized" marijuana, I think some people forget that it is still a Federal offense to use marijuana. States can say all they want that it is legal but the DEA comes in and shuts down marijuana shops because they are breaking federal law. As someone posted before, the legal part simply allows you to have a small amount in your possession (at least in our state). Safest bet, don't use it.

This is exactly my problem! Currently I work in a surgical center which provides our scrubs. I've found that at times the medium pants are so snug I could swear they are really smalls. The sizing fluctuates so much. Since I'm hippy (as in curvy, haha), the med pants can be a little snug but if I put on a large, they look ridiculous on me. Same goes for the tops! I wear the small cause I swim in the medium. The small of course is boxy and bunches at my hips because it won't go over them...agh!! I will be starting a new job in a few weeks so now I am in search of scrubs (darn, you mean I have to purchase and launder my own scrubs now? haha). Thanks for all the tips! Especially the pants dragging issue. Since I'm on the shorter side, some of the pants were too long but there was nothing I could do and cuffing OR scrubs is next to impossible.

We only have a few level 2 trauma hospitals and they are highly competitive, let alone the competitiveness of a level1 trauma hospital. I'm still a new nurse and have tried for 3 years to get an ED position. I was just offered an ED position an I can't wait!!! I told them I would take any shift, expecting to get a night shift. How I ended up being offered a day shift is beyond me but I am incredibly grateful. You'd be silly to not accept whatever opportunity they offer if ED is really what you want.

Very good info.! I had an interview early Feb and I thought for sure I had my usual moments of rambling. I was put to ease by one of the interviewers when they said my interview was going very well! :) I got the email this past week with an offer!! I have been trying for about 3 years to get into an ED position. I'd like to think that if I did ramble a bit they saw past it and saw my utter excitement for the challenges an ED brings. Also for the first time I asked them all sorts of questions. There are plenty of good tips in this thread. I am so incredibly excited to start working there at the end of the month!!

Bummer Hang in there and just keep applying.

Any word yet? The waiting can sometimes be more stressful. Good luck!

Once you get your ATT you can schedule your test. I got my ATT a week after graduation. Some schools (like mine) send in your transcripts for you, while other schools make you send them yourself. It was crazy how fast after the secretary sent in our transcripts that we all started getting the ATT email!

I'm in the CG, we don't have a Nurse Corp or commission RNs. You're either an HS (enlisted) or PA (officer, through the CG or PHS). Oh, & we deploy overseas as well - even to the desert, so no escaping deployments there. Do I prefer to not be deployed? Of course. But it's the risk you take staying attached to the military through the Reserves.

Since we don't have nurses in the Coast Guard, I've been thinking about switching into the Air Force to be a nurse. My recommendation is to look at all the branches. Look at what they all offer. I have never regretted my experience in the military. If you & your someday spouse can handle the moving & unexpectedness of orders that come, then I say check it out. You can get some pretty good training & opportunities. There is also an option of Reserves (again, check each branch). Good luck!

It came up fine for me, so here are the distributors that were listed: Progressive Medical International Item #68017 PMI - Progressive Medical International: EMS Supplies, Medical Equipment, Medical Supplies, AEDs, defibrillators & patient monitors Global Supply Solutions GSSgear.com - Global Supply Solutions That's all that was listed. Hope that helps.

I switch needles (it's what I was taught in Corpsman school). I don't recall what they taught us in nursing school though. Usually what I notice that causes discomfort is the medication being injected (& maybe how fast the person injected it).

$54,410.!! My ADN program at a CC cost around....$10,000. That's tuition & books. If I had to take out loans, boy would I choose the lesser of two evils. Again, you should check out the threads about all the CA new grads struggling to find a job. You could very well be sitting along side your pals wondering how you're going to start paying for those loans.

Having graduated this year, we didn't get much teaching in the way of narrative writing. It was just embedded in our brains to "document everything" in order to "cover your backside." But then we were also taught about charting by exception (which I found many felt like it wasn't enough & needed to include a little bit more info). Every time I had clinical I asked the nurse what they wrote & it was always sooo different. I'd also read the narratives of prior shifts to see how they wrote them out. One nurse's narrative included everything (even what was on the assessment chart/form) but in alphabet soup, nearly EVERYTHING was abbreviated. Some rarely ever wrote a note. I hate that we weren't taught even in general when to write narratives, what makes a good narrative note, what's too much or what's too little, etc. If I were one of those new nurses you work with, I'd be ecstatic if you showed me how I could better my notes.

I'm laughing at the fact that so many are offended by the word "probie" If that's the worst of someone's "unprofessionalism" towards me as a new nurse, call me probie all you want. It's simply short for Probationer, what's the big deal?

You do not want to start your career in a huge amount of debt. Just look at the threads about how hard it is to find a job as a new grad. In the year you are waiting to get into a community college program, you could: take your pre-reqs at a community college which would save you $$ (& that would have a much higher chance of transferring to say maybe a RN-BSN bridge); find a job as a CNA or ER tech or whatever gets you some experience in the medical field; save some money so that you don't have to take out so much of a loan. Some hospitals may even help you with tuition/school, but might have restrictions on the type of school. Is Kaplan even accredited? Good luck in whatever you decide.

I agree with other posts, if you don't want to move around, don't join the military. Once in, you are government property. Think about how you feel in terms of being deployed too (having a baby won't keep you from shipping out). Being in the military is a different way of life. Some love it, while others hate it. Just get as much info as you can. Sorry can't give you more info about Army Nurse Corp, I'm Coast Guard & we don't have a Nurse Corp

Grammar too, all over the place (not just OP) "oh!! I thought all new grad RNs could only work night shifts to start?" Definitely not the story here. New grads can apply for & get any shift being offered for Residency.

Had you floated, wonder how the parents would have reacted if they found out you were not a peds nurse! Even with an interest in peds, I would have been scared to float without the proper training. Shoot, I still listen to my niece's HR & resps just to practice counting!

Unbelievable. Definitely a good thing you didn't turn in your notice! Hope things work out for you. :)