kimlpn

I graduated in 2005 from EC. I have been working in pediatrics since 2005. I am currently enrolled in Thomas Edison's RN-BSN program.

The clinical at Excelsior is fairly expensive. I took it last a year ago and paid about $1250.00. The clinical is tough but very doable. I liked the Excelsior (Regents) program. I feel that I learned a lot and I was able to continue working and caring for my kids. This is a great program for those that have families and need to continue working. As with any program, it has it's downfalls too. Good luck in whatever route you choose, Check out the distance learning section of allnurses....you will find tons of useful info on various distance learning programs. Kim--RN as of 2005!!!

I have been an LPN for several years and graduated recently from RN school. I am working on a peds step-down unit that gets pretty busy. We usually have 2-3 patients. We see lots of the home vent kids (I worked the past 5+ years with home vents--so this is an area I am comfortable with). My discouragement comes from the way assignments are made out. It seems like because I am the "new" nurse that I tend to get rooms that are far away from each other or if I get a difficult patient and a more stable one, they move my more stable one and give me an equally difficult one. When they move the patient it is usually just to another room in our unit. Several nurses complain about the moving of patients. Now, I can see this being justified if they move a patient who is not iso out of an iso room to make way for an iso patient... There seems to be one charge nurse who likes to give her buddies these really easy assignments (same room patients, less demanding patients with lower acuity)...it is just frustrating!!!! I see them sitting together gabbing and eating while I (and others) barely get a bathroom break! Anyone else have these problems or similar??? How do you handle this??? (I am not the only one that notices this either...no one says anything because they don't want to get on anyone's bad side) I like this job and plan on staying a year to get good experience...I am just down about some of the unfairness I see....and so little that can be done. Thanks for listening. Kim

especially in the ICU setting you should be careful with medications. These patients are fragile! I have never heard or seen anything that equates to this wide variety (essentially you were setting your own time frames and amount)....I really agree with the other posters--this was a pretty big error. Your book gives generalized dosage info--it does not take into consideration patient status...as this is something you must assess. If during your assessments after a few administrations of the med, with no effect, why did you not call the dr.?????

I simply wouldn't have carried through with an order that wasn't complete. I am a new RN working in a critical care unit. We do not follow orders that do not have the correct data (med, dose, route, frequency). I would have immediately did a telephone clarification with the Dr. This is pretty basic. Unfortunately, if your hospital policy is the same (orders need all the above data) as mine, then you failed policy. Regardless what the drug book says--you really should have called...and especially if the drug was not effective after a few doses. I would comply with the restrictions. Kim--RN:)

I somewhat disagree with the above poster about HH being only for experienced nurses. I pretty much started out in HH and learned so much. I did pediatric HH for years. I had some clients with very interesting and rare conditions. I learned how to work with the vents, trach's, gt care, dressings....the list could go on. If you get involved with a good agency that holds classes and inservices, then this may be a great option for you. I am now an RN and have been working in the hospital on a critical care pediatric unit....that vent and trach experience is sure a plus!!! Most agencies have a clinical case manager covering all hours that you can call in the event you need advice. Start out with some easier cases and take training courses--you may find this is something that you like. Kim--RN now :)

Do you have children? This is a fairly common problem--and more so for boys. It is not always an issue of enabling.

My daughter did the same thing...although she finally totally trained at 3. She would pee in the potty but ask for a diaper to poop in. I think this is fairly common. Boys are typically slower at training than girls...I would just keep up with the praises and it will happen one day. Kim now RN :)

I have found that those who do the most complaining are the nurses who really aren't doing the best job. Hang in there! Make a list of the things that need to be done and mark them off as you go. Like the other poster said grow tough skin...NEVER clock out before your work is done--you are owed this time!

Wow! I haven't been on here in several months. I did not realize how EC was looked at so negatively on these boards...and to me it is more on the boards than in real life. I have had no problems obtaining jobs. Ignore it and move on!

I passed the CPNE a year ago. It was stressful, but it was doable. I agree that you could get a CE that was really picky...although this was not my case. Study and do your best...its a roll of the dice.

Some of my on-line courses through the local community college were more intense than the ones I went into class for. I felt like I was doing more research and writing than in my traditional classes. I really think it also has a lot to do with how much effort the student puts into their course work. I know I learned a lot in my non-trad studies.

LPN-- Take more time with the preparing. I thought 5 was difficult mainly because of the content being somewhat dry to me. This is how I order the exams in level of difficulty...CPNE,2,1,5,4,7,6,&3. Cpne hardest and 3 easiest for me. Just pick up where you left off and dig in. Maybe try taking 7 while you are wating to retake 5. NC7 is basiclly nursing history, laws, different nursing delivery models...I actually kind of liked it. Everyone falls off the path at some point--get back on and you will be done soon. Kim

I guess I am weird too LOL! I have done nothing but trach care and vent clients for 5 years. It is rather strange to be eating your lunch in a chair situated right next to the suction container with yellow sputum floating around :) I used to bother me but time has made that change. Kim

I have heard the new Texas site is good. I believe there are some posts on a site called alittlesarcasm.com from someone who has gone there...and YES, it was positive! Kim