SteffersRN87

Just relax! It's only the 2nd week of your job, and it is completely normal to be stressed out (even this much). Is your preceptor giving you just 2 patients or the full 6 or 7?

I know that in Pennsylvania, you must be a graduate of an approved LPN program to sit for the NCLEX-PN. The LPN program is different from the RN program in the role and function of that particular person.

Honestly, I would work as much as you can and try to save as much money as you can. I went to a three year diploma program with classes Tuesday through Friday and worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 7p to 7a or Saturday, Sunday, and Monday 7a to 7p. I don't know how I did it, but I did and everything worked out OK. I would not take a CNA course at this stage in the game. You will learn "CNA stuff" in a fundamentals course. I took a CNA course in high school. When I started working as a patient care tech in the hospital, I found that many fellow co-workers had only on-the-job training. Try to get a job as an aide or tech if you can.

When I graduated from high school, my stepfather was laid off from the airlines. I had to pursue my nursing education through a local hospital-based diploma program. I had always wanted to complete a BSN, so I waited about 9 months after graduation and started a program. I am currently working on a MSN in nursing education. It was hard (at times) to go to school full time and work full time, but I did it with my diploma program so why not during my BSN program? The BSN program I went to offered 3, 5, or 6 weeks courses, which allowed you to take one at a time. And, I did receive some money for tuition reimbursement through my employer.

I could go on about this subject for days... I recently had an elderly male patient (cute as a button) with a super annoying family. When he returned from the PACU, I asked if I could get him something for pain. I returned with a Percocet and his family was in the room. The wife asked me if he would be receiving an antibiotic because "we have a nurse in the family that said so." I explained that he would be getting Ancef as soon as pharmacy sent it. The daughter gave me this confused look and said, "You are going to give him the Percocet and antibiotic at the same time?" I sure am! Later on, the IV pump was beeping because their was air in the tubing. The son ran out of the room and said that we needed to come quick and his father needed help. Golly, was I shocked to find the patient in bed watching Dr. Phil with a beeping IV pump. And the wife was on the phone with the "nurse in the family." As soon as I pulled the tubing out, the wife asked me what had happened. I simply explained that the IV was done and she reported this to the nurse on the phone. Where did you all go to nursing school? Oh, you didn't go. Let me do my job! And, yes, you can give Percocet and Ancef at the same time.

I belong to the Oncology Nursing Society... Membership is about $102 per year... You receive subscriptions to the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and Oncology Nursing Forum, both are great journals with tons of good information and evidence-based practice stuff... You get unlimited CE for free from the journals... You receive a discount on books and webcourses... And if you decided to take an oncology certification exam, the price is discounted...

Most often, our docs write these parameters for SOLID TUMORS AND LYMPHOMAS ONLY: WBC less than or equal to 3, ANC less than or equal to 1500, hemoglobin less than or equal to 10, platelets less than or equal to 100,000, or creatinine greater than or equal to 1.5. Please know that patients with leukemia get chemo despite their labs because there are often so neutropenic and anemic because of their disease process.

Hello everyone! Has anyone had experience with the MSN programs at Clarion University of PA? I am interested in the nursing education track. I'd like to know what previous or current students or those who know previous or current students have to say about the program. Thank you!

I work oupatient oncology/hematology/BMT and give PRBC's and plts almost every day. We use the CLC 2000 adapters (caps) and there has never been anything said about not using them for transfusions. Our manager is also the IV team manager and knows all kinds of wild and crazy IV stuff. So I'm sure if it's taboo, it would be in the policy.

My personal theory is that you need to learn by doing. You will learn through experience what you should do in situations like this. But for now, utilize your resources - fellow staff nurses, charge nurse, educator, manager, etc. ASK ASK ASK!!! As far as your patient, I would keep an eye on their BP through the night, even if it means checking it once an hour. Your patient's BP came up after they had went to the bathroom, so it was probably low because they were sleeping. I know it is very easy to excited over things like this when you are a new nurse, but just increase your monitoring of the patient. In this situation, I definitely would have not called the doctor at 2am. But, like I said, this knowledge comes from experience. Ask yourself, can this wait until the morning?

I would stop the continuous IV infusion (and put a sterile cap on it)... flush with 10 mL's... give your IVP... flush with 10 mL's... restart your continuous IV infusion... and call it a day... I will give an IVP through a maintenance if it is compatible...

I am going to have to agree with those that say the school should be teaching her how to read. It will be a great disadvantage if she cannot read. For example, if a cardiac cath patient has problems through the night, many times the on-call cardiologist asks us to read through the cath report to see if there is anything pertinent that they need to know. Or, what if a patient asks you to read them something because they cannot read or have visual problems. It's just an essential skills and may hinder her success as an RN. For the OP, have you ever considered online classes? I know this will not work for science classes. But online classes require you to teach yourself without relying on someone to lecture you.

Just so you know, if your COPD patient has a SPO2 of 69%, they need a little more than 3L of O2... In this situation, it is OK to put them on a higher concentration of O2! Hypoxia only complicates the situation...

I love Toradol! I had cholecystitis and was given it and it was the best experience of my life! I'm a cheap date, I know! Actually, I was in a car accident and bashed my face off of the steering wheel and was given a little morphine for the pain... I felt like I was flying though space on a merry-go-round...

Fentanyl has a high risk of causing sedation and respiratory depression and can drop a BP. I worked in ICU and we gave it like candy. I work in outpatient oncology and invasive/surgical procedure receovery and we are not allowed to give it nor would I feel comfortable.

I would suggest a journal that is related to your specialty. I find that Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and Oncology Nursing Forum suit me very well because they keep me informed on what's new in my specialty and I learn a great deal from them.

well like I said... it was just a discussion...

After reading several threads regarding the entry-level MSN programs and which level of nursing education should become the standard, I want to share a classroom discussion I had a while back... What if a MSN became the solid standard for entry into nursing practice? What if we all practiced in the role of a nurse practitioner? Now, I know that this will surely NEVER happen! But, a six year program leading towards a MSN degree with the outcome of a nurse practitioner may not be such a bad idea. Think about it... We could manager our own patients' care instead of the way a physician thinks it should. We could prescribe pain medication when a patient needs it. Anyways, as I said it will probably never happen, but it was a very interesting discussion. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT???

I am from Pennsylvania so my answer may not apply to your situation, but... I completed and EMT-B course and received state certification in high school. While completing my liberal arts and science courses at a community college, I took a nurse aide training course that led to CNA certification. Now, I never actually worked as an EMT (I used to have aspirations of becoming a flight nurse). In nurse aide training you are taught basic nursing skills such as bathing, making beds, assisting with feeding and toileting, taking vital signs, intake and output, etc. On my state exam, I had to demonstrate foley catheter care, how to take a BP, how to wash your hands, how to turn and reposition a patient on their side, and how to weigh a patient. Now in PA, you have to either complete a nurse aide training program or the first clinical nursing course in order to sit for the exam. So I would suggest looking into what you state requires as far as educational requirements for the program. And, keep in mind that there is a great difference in the skills of an EMT-B and a CNA.

I pass out pain medications like there is no tomorrow... Who am I to judge?

I work outpatient oncology... I would start on the oncology unit because you will get TONS of experience... Inpatient oncology units can vary but you may be working with medical and surgical oncology patients and maybe a little radiation... Bone marrow transplant units are good experience too... But an inpatient oncology unit offers lots of experience with IV's, chemotherapy, blood transfusions, pain control, and tons of other stuff... And you will develop very good assessment skills... Once you have a couple of years in oncology you can work outpatient oncology... I definitely recommend it!!!

Hgb of 3.8 in an adult sickle cell patient INR of 14 in an elderly man who go his meds confused K+ of 9.1 WBC of 410,000 and manual WBC of 6 Plt count of 1 I work in hem/onc so I see lots of labs that amaze me...

I see over and over many new grads are stressed out over their new jobs. So, I though it would be helpful to share some stress relief tips that would help them out! -if I have a stressful day, I unwind by going for a brisk walk then come home and kick back with a glass of wine to relax

Cherokee has a lot of cute white embroidered tops. I have about 10 that I have bought within the last year.

I am a RN in the Pittsburgh area. I always work about 44 to 48 hours per week and a little extra during the holiday season. I will probably clear about $56,000 this year.