swirlything

Would someone kindly also forward me the facebook page information. Would love to chat with other student during the program. :)

I'm a neonatal ICU nurse, and I'm in school for FNP. I agree with the previous poster. Go work in a NICU and see for yourself what it's like. I LOVE preemies... that's why I'm a NICU nurse. I don't find it difficult to see sick babies, or even dying babies. Even with the babies you cannot save, you are helping the families. I understand death is just another part of life, and I believe that there are worse things than death. Having said that, the vast majority of babies go home.

I started the South U FNP program Monday. So today is day 5. So far I've completed the work for this week and what of next week that I can. The hardest thing about the week was figuing out APA citations and finding journal articles to reference in my work. That actually took me MUCH longer than actually writing the posts and the paper.

The total program, including books, is approx. $34K

HI ABCKitty, I'm also starting the FNP program tomorrow, Nov 30. Maybe we can commiserate! Future_ARNP, I'm also in Florida... Orlando area. Just thought I'd say hi! -Carrie

I have PCOS too. You might ask your endocrinologist whether or not low dose spironolactone might help. In addition to being a diuretic, it blocks testosterone at the level of the hair follicles. It does take about 6 months for effects to begin to show, but it might help both your facial hair and your thinning hair. I am on it, as is another friend of mine. We've both had good results.

Ok. I had to laugh at this post! Here in the NICU, most of the nurses wouldn't be able to work 1 week per month if we couldn't hold babies while menstruating. That's just preposterous!

An MA, passing herself off as a nurse, lied to my daughter once when she was about 10. She said that a rocephin injection wasn't going to hurt, but knew full well that it was. My daugher, now 3 years later, still does not trust nurses and outrightly says that "nurses lie to you." I say, do not lie to the patient.

It is important for parents to learn how to properly administer medications to their infant that the infant will be getting at home. In order to do this, the nurse must teach the parent how to give the medication and then have the parent actually administer the medication to demonstrate competency. This is the best way to ensure that the parent will be able to poperly administer the medication at home.

I graduated in Jun '09. NICU was the only RN job I wanted. Our school would not allow us to do NICU for our last practicum/preceptorship (other schools in the area did allow it, so there were students doing practicum on the unit). I got hired in the NICU right out of school, regardless of the fact that I did NOT do my practicum there. I just made it clear to the NICU manager that NICU was where I was meant to be, regardless of anything else. So it IS possible... don't give up hope.

I've always said that nursing school is nothing more than 2 years of hazing (or longer). It's just what you have to get through to get where you want to be. Focus on the goal, getting to and passing NCLEX. The semester will suck, but will be over before you know it. You can do it! Additionally, I'm surprised that your teachers haven't worked as nurses for years. In the school I went to, most of the teachers worked both as teachers AND as nurses in the hospital. In fact, some of the former students now work side-by-side with the women who were their nursing school instructors.

You get accustomed to dealing with the icky stuff after you do it a few times. I actually passed-out when I got my ears pierced and went into nursing school with a TERRIBLE fear of needles. I still cannot watch when I get a shot, but I can start IVs and give shots without any problem. After doing it a few times, it's really no big deal.

I have been working as an RN for about a year now, and I'm one of the lucky ones that got exactly the specialty job I dreamed of. I have a much more financial security. Paid off all my debts. I have taken a couple of trips across the country to see my family, I hadn't been able to afford to do that before. Instead of spending nearly every day studying and focusing on school work (like in nursing school), I actually have 4 days each week which are totally mine! Additionally, I have a stronger bond with my older sister, who has been a nurse for 20 years. The bad? Not a whole lot. I work every Sunday and I miss my family that day. I have to work some holidays, and I hate doing that to my kid. 12 1/2 hours makes for a really long day. On the days I work, I'm so exhausted when I get home that I don't have energy or time left to do much other than hug my daughter and snuggle on the couch for a few minutes before I fall asleep. And honestly, I really don't like getting out of bed so early on those days I work... but does anyone?

Depends on where you work. I work on a unit where I feel the nurse:patient ratio is safe, the nurses help each other and are supportive of each other in our work, there is usually a float nurse who is available to lend a hand if you get really behind, most of the doctors treat us well, and we do our own scheduling. It's generally a nice environment to be in. Maybe my unit is in the minority, I don't know. Or maybe it's only the crappy ones that people come online to complain about, whereas people do not go to the effort of telling the world about the places that are more comfortable. Either way, there are hospital units that are not so high-strung.

You can get used to anything over time.

We practiced on manequins with pretend water. It was sufficient to learn. It's inappropriate to force everyone to get into swimsuits in front of all their classmates. Yes, it shows the patient perspective, but the patients do not go to school with the CNAs/nurses that bathe them and the nurses/doctors that examine them. The relationship is completely different, and that's what makes it inappropriate.

I suspect that when you start clinicals, you will be working so closely with the others in your clinical group that you will make friends and maybe even study partners. As far as study groups go, I personally found them more harm than good. Too much socializing, not enough studying. I did much better on my own, and when others asked to study with me, I always declined.... it was not in my best interest.

I went into nursing school in my mid 30's. I graduated last year at the age of 38. I chose nursing after having a 25 week preemie that died in the NICU after 7 months. I now work in the NICU myself. My time in the NICU as a parent is likely what landed me my job. Can you handle school with 3 kids? It's a sacrifice, but if you AND your wife decide to make it a priority, then yes. As far as making $60K as a new grad, that depends largely on where you live, and if you work days or nights. I recommend an Associates degree from a community college. Then start working. Then do your RN-BSN at a university while you are working; there are a lot of online programs. The community college will be much less expensive than a university. Do not go to a trade school, you can only get an LPN there. You want to start with at least an RN, which an associates degree will get you. My understanding is that to get into CRNA school, you have to have your BSN plus a year or two of ICU experience. I've heard that some CRNA schools will not allow you to work while you are in the program (not sure how they can do that, but it's what I've been told). I don't think you need to be concerned about being a male nurse, there are a lot of you. We even have male nurses in the NICU.

I graduated in 6/09. I had a job lined up before graduation. It took many of my classmates months to find a job. Some could only secure part-time work. A few still do not have jobs and have decided to fill the gap by going back to school for a higher degree, either BSN or MSN. In the hospital, 1/2 the staff nurses work days; the other 1/2 works nights, or around about. The shift differential for nights is so high where I work, that it's hard to get a night shift position and there is a waiting list to get one of those coveted night spots. I don't think I'd survive nights, so I'm more than happy to make the lower day shift pay.

When I was a child in the 70s, I had an overnight in the hospital and came home with scabies. That was gross! Fortunately, it's not an issue for me at work.

Many hospitals are not hiring new grads, the one I work at has NO openings for new grads posted at this time (RN or LPN). Hospitals also prefer RNs over LPNs. You may find great difficulty finding a hospital job as a new LPN right now in this area. I have RN friends who graduated over a year ago who still don't have jobs. Now as far as the best hospital to work at, that's another question altogether. There are 2 large hospital systems, each has a very different culture from the other. Which you'd like better may be a matter of your own personality. When I did clinicals at both systems, the nurses at Orlando Health seemed happier than those at Florida Hospital... just my observation. Florida Hospital pays a bit more though. Sometimes when a hospital pays more, it's because they have to. Also, it seems the farther you get from downtown Orlando, the lower the pay. As far as location, that depends on where you live. I drive 30 miles and pass 3 other hospitals to get to work; but I really like working where I do, so it's worth it to me.

Well lets compare 2 areas with very similar costs of living. Central Florida with say, Vancouver, WA (a place I would LOVE to live). According to Salary.com and other sites, the cost of living is essentially the same. However, starting nursing salary is 25% less in central Florida. That's comparing apples to apples.

We premedicate with acetaminophen. The MD uses a local anesthetic immediately prior to the procedure. We use sweeties during the procedure. After procedure, we medicate with around-the-clock dosing of acetaminophen for a couple of days. Typically, the only crying is during the administration of the local anesthetic, if even then.

Please do not wear perfume to clinical, even if your school allows it. The last thing sick people need is to have more chemicals irritating their respiratory systems. I'm one of those who is very sensitive to smells. If I walk by someone wearing a lot of perfume, my nose turns into a faucet and runs non-stop for hours. It takes 3 benadryl to get it to stop, and then I have to fight falling asleep where I stand. If you came on my unit with perfume that I could smell, I would have to refuse to work with you.

My sister is an RN who lives this type of lifestyle. She takes a cruise at least every year, often more than once per year. She schedules herself to take several vacations, often across the country or out of country. She lives in a very large house in a very nice neighborhood. She drives a decent car, could have a nicer car but it's not a priority to her... vacation is. She is an RN in the northwest with 20 years experience that works nights and weekends. Her husband is an accountant. I'm an RN with about a year experience. I make half what my sister does, but I live in one of those low-paid southern states and won't work nights. And my husband is not college educated.