RiverOne

Thank you for all of yu hardwork:up:

Thank you verymuch for all your report sheets, they make life easier!

Thanks for the reassurance. I like feeling prepared, which is good most times, but others, can drive me crazy! They have given us several practice scenarios, all different surgeries and all varying from 1 day post op- to 2 days post op. So there is a wide variety of procedures, and some variance in timelines I am preparing for. Since I am in school for RPN, no PACU assessments. I think if I study enough, I can adapt, improvise, and overcome any scenario they give. I have another week to prepare, and have been preparing for a couple weeks. I made up careplans as well for each scenario, and have practiced any relevant skills. So hopefully I can better control my nerves and take deep breaths!

We have practical testing soon, and I fear the worst then. So not following our hospital's policy because it is a bit more relaxed than our labs! LOL I am trying to prepare myself for the test, and don`t want to miss anything, so it is geared towards testing. so i created a chart, not sure how to attach to this message so I will paste(not sure if it will work, and i previewed, it doesn`t!) If you wouldn't mind taking a look for me, it is appreciated. , sans-serif]VS: , sans-serif]Temp , sans-serif]Pulse , sans-serif]Resp , sans-serif]BP , sans-serif]O2 Room air , sans-serif]Elimination: , sans-serif]Void (colour, odour, amount) 30 ml/ hr min , sans-serif]BM , sans-serif]Foley , sans-serif]Ostomy Stoma- appearance , sans-serif]Flatus , sans-serif]Drains/ output- Colour, amount, odour , sans-serif]Serous, sero- sanguineous, sanguineous, purulent , sans-serif]JP , sans-serif]Penrose , sans-serif]Hemovac , sans-serif]T- tube , sans-serif]Dressing/ Wound- staples- sutures , sans-serif]Colour , sans-serif]Odour , sans-serif]Amount , sans-serif]Bleeding VAG? , sans-serif]Tubes , sans-serif]NG , sans-serif]O2 , sans-serif]Trach , sans-serif]Meds: , sans-serif]Oral , sans-serif]IV: , sans-serif]Rate: , sans-serif]Pain VAS (0-10) , sans-serif]PQRSTU , sans-serif]Last pain meds: , sans-serif]PCA: , sans-serif]Activity/ M/S- Leg exercises, ROM, ambulation, assistive devices, stiffness , sans-serif]LOC- alert, oriented, drowsy, asleep, awake, conscious , sans-serif]Deep Breathing and coughing , sans-serif]Incentive Spirometer , sans-serif]q1h , sans-serif]Splinting prn , sans-serif]Breath Sounds adventitious sounds? , sans-serif]Bowel Sounds - present in all quads? , sans-serif]Skin- Pallor, pink, warm, pedal pulse, cap refill in feet, tugor , sans-serif]bruising? Anit- ems? , sans-serif]INPUT - Diet: , sans-serif]Fluids:

I didn't know where I should post it, in student forum, Canadian forum, so sorry for any redundancy:imbar Thank you both for your answers. It helps a lot.

Hello, I am a nursing student, and I was curious how you organize your post op assessments. I think I would like to write everything down, however I want to use an efficent method. I bet most of you can keep track of it in your head. So I have a couple of questions: Do you do your assessment by system after assessing ABC's, LOC , and VS? Or do you do your ABC's, LOC, and VS then a focused assessment of the reason for surgery(ie hip replacement, bowel resection etc) then do a systems based assessment. Everything ties into each other, so my main question is how you keep it organized, efficient and don't forget anything? I am thinking that I will be creating a chart for myself with the systems so i don't forget anything, like : Respiratory, Cardiovascular, CNS, musculoskeletal, GI, Renal, Skin, Diagnostic tests. I know you're all busy and any help is appreciated!:loveya:

Thank you for your reply! I have found all of my clinicals so far, have been places I could work in. I am currently in maternity but have done, complex continuing care, a med surgical floor with many stroke patients, and long term care. I have 3 more clinicals left. I have also worked as a PSW, which was a valuable experience in time management! I don`t want to limit myself so that is why i asked. :)

As a student, you get many different clinical experiences but I was wondering how you decided what was right/wrong for you? I hope it isn't (but highly suspect it might be by trial)... My problem now is not enough (extended) exposure and finding interests in too many things! Would anyone suggest volunteering in another capacity (not as a student) as a good idea? I am asking because my college only allows consolidation in the following areas: long term care facilities, rehabilitation, palliative, medicine, surgery, maternal-child, mental health, community and/or complex continuing care. and I want to pick a worthwhile choice. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help:cool:

I was born in Niagara Falls, and now I am in Peterborough Ontario at Fleming. Shannon

Yes, I know there are few schools that offer the bridging program. It is quite disappointing, however this was best path for me as with nursing you have to know if you love it to make it worth it. I didn't want to jump right into a 4 year program however looks like it will take me a long time to upgrade. Thank you so much for your help. In Ontario you can bridge directly without set hours. However I wonder if Alberta schools require that you do if you did bridge that way. I will look into it. If i have to go for the full 4 years I will.

Probably a long shot, but I have heard of such things when hospitals agree to help finance this. Even if it is in a different country I would have an interest. I have dual citizenship with Ireland and Canada so opens up the whole EU. I am currently in first year RPN program in Ontario. I do want to upgrade to RN however I am interested if there is cheaper ways. If not, I would apply to the bridging programs offered here. I have read those threads as well. Any help is greatly appreciated! Shannon