texashyles

Do you buy still buy dog food in the 40 lb sacks? Have you lived through and understand the draw and power of addiction and weakness therein?..my thoughts are if u desire it, pursue it. You only live once. Who wants to go to their grave saying , "I wish I had...but it's too late now.."

Should Healthcare be a Basic Human Right? What about protection of property, finances, the ability to make and then bring home a decent wage? These rights are being trampled. The lack of checks and balances in the Medicaid system is putrid. I do not believe that people who can afford cigarettes, alcohol, street drugs, and other luxury items should be given food stamps and free cell phones. I do believe that monitoring of such behavior should be mandated to protect my rights. If abuse of the system were to be significantly decreased, programs such as education and job training assistance could and should be strongly advocated. Some people simply do not know how to become self-sustaining.

I did my psych rotation at DePaul next to Providence. FYI, to set up my clinicals, I called the site/hospital/clinic and put them in touch with A&M. All they had to do was get the contract ironed out. The contract I had with DePaul may be expired now, so if I were you, I would call DePaul and talk to the DON about it. Good Luck!

Wow..if that were my child! I agree it is a HIPAA violation, besides being ethically atrocious.

Also, a four color pen comes in handy..green for meds, blue for labs, red for Tx's, etc. Routine is the best overall timesaver for me.

The nurses on my unit have an alarm set on their phones that notifies them when blood sugars need to be taken.

1. Spending more hours charting than with the patients. 2. Unproductive competition among nurses (although I appreciate healthy competition where we inspire each other to better ourselves individually and professionally).

I love having iBooks. When you have a question about something you read and cannot find any keywords in the index, you can search the phrase for the entire book! Also, there are free and paid nursing apps such as Appocrates (drug info) that can be very useful.

"Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to get on the bus" -nurse unk in my first clinical "God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts" -unk

If you like spending more money and want the added prestige of graduating from a big name university, go ahead! I went to junior college for my AS, then A&M for my BSN. It is not going to affect your pay scale either way. I am definitely going to encourage my 5 kids to go to junior college first, then university.

Anxiety over doing right by your patients makes you a better nurse. Remember that once you begin your career you will not be alone. There will be other seasoned nurses on the floor to bounce your questions on. Many facilities offer up to six weeks of training before you even get on the floor. My experience is that working as a nurse is much easier emotionally than getting through nursing school.

Remember to keep in mind the facility's options for continued education, benefits and mobility. If you take a "comfortable" position, you may become bored quickly and wish that you had challenged yourself. It's up to you! Also, a larger facility may start you out at a lower wage, but have better options for raises, floating to desirable/interesting positions, and stability. I am not trying to sway you, but it is food for thought...

I agree with himalayaneyes, if you post your questions, you will receive your answers. :tinkbll:

I empathize your position. My mother was out of work for 9 months b/c of age, IMHO. My advice: NEVER GIVE UP! The next time you interview, focus on the strengths and pros of the company you are applying to. Since you are introverted, you probably are uncomfortable being examined. Smile, laugh, use humor, do your best to illustrate your interest in accelerating the interests of the facility you are applying to. Please keep us updated! Know that I support you and am praying and thinking of you in this difficult time. Good luck IcedTea!

It seems that you are experiencing a lot of anxiety R/T the test. My advice- take a deep breath, watch a favorite movie, or relax in your own favorite way. Remember from school that a little anxiety helps you reach your goals, but a lot is overwhelming and can hinder your confidence!

I don't understand why some new nursing students do not understand the concept of addressing pts' needs first. If your pt is dirty and a CNA is not available, take care of the issue immediately! I would not let a pt remain in their own filth any longer than I would of my 15-month-old. If total care is too much for a nurse, perhaps that student should get certified as a CMA instead.

I live in Central Texas and jobs are abundant. Just do a search at Scott & White Hospital in Temple, TX.

1. It cost me about $3,500/semester. 2. 3-4 (full course load) 3. Modules are a breakdown of each class into subdivisions, like chapters, that you complete individually to fulfill the needs of the whole class..when you complete all of the modules, you have completed the class. 4. UNKNOWN 5. It is great to make friends or have friends in the program for support and inspiration! 6. I did not feel behind the curve at clinical. Make sure you humble yourself and respect the nurses' time. They are there to do their work first as their first duties are to the patient and the facility, and then to you. If you do this, they will argue over who will get you instead of the other "regular" students who act as though they are priority. This will also result in the nurses' willingness to help you learn. GOOD LUCK!!

I did not have an interview. It took me four years to get through the two year program but I took my time. I worked, I had two babies while in the program, and refused to miss a baseball practice or game to study. Most finish WAY quicker than I did, but I did finish, and I did pass the NCLEX on my first try! It was a great program for me bc it was impossible for me to physically attend classes. I studied at night when the kiddos (5 now) were all tucked away for the night. If you get into the program, one of your best assets is the other students. They have a discussion forum for eLine students (once you are in) that is very helpful bc the students very much want to help each other. It is a great resource for finding other students in your area, asking all sorts of questions, and getting overall support. I live in Central Texas, so completed my rotations at Hillcrest and Providence in Waco. Hope this helps!

Ok nurses-to-be! Don't stress. Passing the NCLEX is based upon your OVERALL nursing knowledge. I got hung up on pneumonics and specific questions too, when I was preparing, but the best thing that helped me pass the test in Feb. 2010 was confidence. Now I wasn't over-confident by any means. In fact, I had A LOT of anxiety. After I took it, though, I realized that by studying question after question in the CD provided by Saunders with their study book, I had gained confidence in my general nursing knowledge. Also, don't get hung up on the little things. Study the basic things that are pertinent to every nurse's knowledge needs on a daily basis. I can't tell you exactly what to study because test-takers are not allowed to divulge questions presented on the test. Just remember to have a general working knowledge in every key body system, important disease processes, and the role of the nurse as a whole. Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK!

Well, thank the GOOD LORD for Central Texas! I was offered three positions within a week of filling out three applications..right out of nursing school. I rejected the PRN and the 12h night position in favor of a full-time position with 8h shifts (5 kids, hubby, baseball:lol2:). I am not special. I was not the most brilliant nursing student, and obviously have zero real-time experience. The hard reality at the time that I had to deal with (a few months ago) was that I would have to work nights until a day position opened. But now I have decided that I like nights because I don't have to get a babysitter for my wee ones as I nap when they do and then catch another nap when my hubby gets off of work in the evenings! There is hope people! Don't be discouraged.:loveya:

I just graduated from this eLine program in Dec. 2010. I passed the NCLEX on the 1st try on 2/9/11. I did not have an LVN first, so no help there. My thoughts.. PROS: Almost all is online (except the head-to-toe assessment early in the program that you must go to Corpus for). Clinicals are self-scheduled and can be done all in a row up to a maximum hours per week (depending upon level in the program). You can work through an entire class before starting another in the same semester. It doesn't matter what order you complete your semester work in. I completed one class at a time b/c it flowed and I believe it helped me finish quicker with more focus. You can study and test according to your schedule, all online (except HESIs). (PERSONAL NOTE: I had two babies while in this program and still graduated AND passed the NCLEX!). The pass rate for the NCLEX is higher for the eLine students than the on-campus students (90%). If necessary, you have up to an entire year to complete one semester. CONS: You are responsible for initiating clinical agreements in your area between facilities and the school if an agreement has not yet been made. Some of the instructors are not great at getting your assignments back to you timely. Hope this helps.

I just passed that bugger on 2/9/11! I studied for two months after graduating in Dec. 2010. It took me 146 questions. The best study aid I had was Saunders NCLEX Comprehensive Review. I did not read the book cover to cover, but the CD that came with the book was fabulous. You can study many different and/or specific areas in the format of questions, with reasoning accompanying each answer. If you do quick quizzes of 10 questions each and consistently perform poorly, you know which areas you are weak in. Remember, IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE WRONG ANSWERS. This greatly improves your chances by gaining familiarity in each arena. Also, know that the questions on the NCLEX are NEVER trick questions. Pay attention to every detail given. Every detail is pertinent in choosing the correct answer. There will, however, be "trick" answers, if you will. If you are given a question that mentions cardiovascular and lung inconsistencies, choose the answer that reflects both, not just one! GOOD LUCK STUDENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

The following represent my experience with my online program in Texas. Pros: (1) flexible schedule (2) makes returning to school more feasible for those who already have family or jobs (myself: married with 5 kiddos ages 9 and under) (3) good for students who are efficient readers and can absorb and integrate read material. Cons: (1). difficult to "get a read" on professors (some what succinct simple work assignments while others want lengthy rationale..you do not know what is expected from each until well into the class) (2). possible difficulty locating clinical rotation sites because distance students are spread across the state (3) less ability to interact with other students at same level in program (4) my school required more work of the online students (i.e., more assignments) (5) impossible if not self-motivated (6) difficult if student is an interactive learner

I have just completed the exit HESI for A&M C.C. and wanted to know what others found challenging and rewarding in their distance ed. experience.