ishootu

I took it today. Much harder than I thought it would be. Got a B thanks to Lisa Arends study guides and practice tests. I got a lot of communication questions, especially about being assertive.

Just wondering if anyone knows if Missouri residents can do more than one clinical in a semester?

It sounds like my floor- inpatient oncology. We get to know the patients thanks to frequent readmissions, and extended stays. Lots of teaching, and also lots of opportunity for emotional support for the patients and their families.

I'd say go for it. If you need to work while in school, why not gain such valuable experience? Especially if it's a trauma ER- you will learn so much. I'm a nurse aide in a hospital right now and although the pay is much less than I could make somewhere else I'm learning so much! I won't be intimidated by anything during school- and that's important.

Needing to know which brands are best for white scrubs. they need to hold their color, be fairly thick to not allow crazy see-through... etc. i want all opinions!

As a cna, I've seen my fair share of death. While I've learned to cope with the long struggles and horrible disease death that can seem as a blessing, there are the patients who you become attached to, and the young tragedies. During an emergency I definitely go into "function" mode, then after, I like to talk myself through it and try and learn from the experience, and then I usually go into "feel" mode. But once I get through the learning, I realize that I did everything I could and call it a night. Sometimes this takes a week, sometimes only a few hours. Don't stop "feeling" b/c that's the basis of our profession: compassion.

Never worked nights and never worked LTC except for clinicals. But here's my 2 cents. Hospital is very different than LTC. The fact that you have NA duties (vitals q4, i/os, toileting, etc) + phlebotomy and ekg duties will keep you busy. Especially depending on your patient load. I hope it won't be more than 8-10, because with that many responsibilites I'd consider that a full load.

As a Unit Tech (as we're called here- it's a step up from Nurse Aides, includes secretarial and other tasks) I've been told the most important qualities are: -eager and willing to learn -takes initiative -accountable and trustworthy -observant Best of luck to you!

I applied LPN because the wait list for our local ADN program is 2 years, and I could (and planned) to be one year ahead by doing LPN, then bridge. Our local university offers a BSN and just started an accelerated BSN program, both of which are accepting students for fall 2011. The LPN, then bridge route seemed the quickest, and most economical. Once I get the basic LPN clinical stuff out of the way, it was going to be easy to get my BSN, but I put all of my eggs in one basket... Lesson learned. I've since submitted my application to the traditional adn program and their application process opens up in September. Thanks for your replies...

So I requested to meet with the program administrator of the LPN program that I just found out I was an alternate for, for the second straight year. Last year, I was told I didn't have enough medical experience, so I quit my job at a brokerage firm to become a cna. Financially, this has been very tough on my family. So imagine my surprise after AP I and II, Chem, Nutrition, (all of the BSN pre-reqs) later, I get alternate again this year. I already have one degree (albeit not medical), but I scored highly on their entrance test, got great recommendations from my nurse manager and a coworker, so I never expected to be an alternate. The thought literally never crossed my mind. To the point of my post: Do I go in, professional and calm and act like it doesn't matter, because really I've never wanted anything more in my life. I'm normally very composed but I'm afraid I"m going to turn into a blubbering mess. How would you act? What would you say?

I am a CNA on a Med/Onc unit with a max load of 11, usually we're at 8 or 9 though. My advice is a little bit biased, but I love love love my job. I was very apprehensive of the emotional nature of a med/onc unit, but I love getting to know the families and the patients. Often towards the end of life, their stays are longer, or more frequent, and we really bond with them. It makes it very hard once they pass, but it is so rewarding when the family expresses their gratitude. Strictly speaking on a schedule, straight nights would be much easier for me than swing/rotating. Even if I act like a zombie, at least I could get into a routine.

As an aide, here's my experience: - 5 patients or less = 1 nurse, 1 aide, 1 secretary - 6-7 patients= 2 nurses, either aide or secretary sent home on call or floated, nurses do primary care - 8-12 patients= 2 nurses, 1 aide, 1 secretary. All aides/secretaries are in the process of becoming UT's on our floor, though. So I would hope that won't increase the risk of cutting our staff (but I have a feeling it will).

As an aide, I wouldn't dare transfer with one just because I couldn't find someone to help. But i may make comments towards the patient about how difficult it is to find someone so frequently, because all of my other patients need me just as much. A bit of "tough love" perhaps?

on a side note- i hope you mean 180. otherwise they'd be right where they started...?

I'm not sure how you handle it, honestly. I just do my job and then leave the room if I have to. The worst cases so far: CDiff incontinence, and a really really bad UTI (full of sediment and pungent!!!!), and bowel prep on a colostomy (). I personally would never wear a mask unless that person was on Isolation (since I'm on oncology quite a few patients are neutropenic so I wear a mask anyways). I've never encountered a smell that was quite that bad that really made me worried about losing my lunch. In CNA clinicals I cleaned some nasty looking male parts, and at work I was bathing a breast cancer patient whose whole chest was burned from radiation. Those are the two sights that bothered me the most. My breast cancer patient was fighting and receiving treatment up until the end, and when I encountered this, she was in uncontrollable pain, all the time. Eyes wide open looking at you, piercing my heart. I can't control my gag reflex though with sounds (namely emesis), but also wet, phlegmy cough, etc.

Thank you for your reply. Just found out that this pt coded once in ICU and didn't make it. Haunting images that will probably be engrained in my head forever- is this normal?

Hello all! I have been lurking for months, maybe close to a year now. I'm in the middle of a career change to nursing; I left the financial industry in October, got my CNA and a lower paying job than I left, and started on the pre-reqs for my 2nd degree bsn program. Fast forward to Dec. 23rd. I start on the oncology floor at my local hospital as an aide. Needless to say, this is a small floor that only uses 1 aide for 11 beds, so we run our tails off most days. Tuesday, I literally did not sit down all day, except for a 10 minute lunch in the back while charting. Wednesday, my aide supposed to be training me no called no show, so I was on my own. At 3, they found someone to help me, and by 6 pm we were caught up and getting things organized to give report. 6:15 I go clean up and turn one of our compassionate care patients who is now unresponsive, etc etc. While walking out of that patients room, I hear a chime. What is that? Call light? No. Bed Alarm? No. OH CRAP!!!!! Then came the words "Code Blue. 5th floor. Oncology" Okay- who? Where? What now? All I can think is "I'M STILL IN FREAKING ORIENTATION! WE DIDN'T GO OVER THIS!" The only death I saw in my training was a peaceful passing in the nursing home during clinicals. Nothing like this. So of course, adrenaline kicks in. I have to figure out wth I'm supposed to be doing! I walk into the room where one of the nurses is trying to suction (the pt aspirated), the tech is grabbing the crash cart, and i start pulling crap out of the room. Within seconds it seems the room is full of doctors, RT, etc etc. So then I step back and just watch. I did a couple of sprints to the clean storage and linen, etc but mostly just observed. I really wish I could describe my feelings a bit more, but it was so AMAZING to see that code team spring into action. WHAT TEAMWORK! I felt like I was in a tv show. My memories are so dazed now... It's all a blur. Someone start compressions. Nurse rattling off brief history. Charging. Everyone clear. Shocking. Nothing. Continue compressions. Yelling for drugs, calling out times to the recorder. Charging. Clear. Shocking. Nothing. Are we gonna call it? Let's try one last time. Charging. Clear. Shocking. HE'S IN A FIB! But then... there's no room in the ICU. REALLY?!? Someone call House Sup he is going to ICU. I don't know how they found a place for him that quickly but within minutes they were on the elevator to ICU. But now what? I'm left on the floor trying to sort out my emotions, my actions, what should I learn from this? So I do the only thing I know to do to help: check on all my patients and proceed to clean up the room from the chaos. It seemed dumb at the time, just some mindless task to be done, but now I get it. It was my own form of closure on the events that just happened. I'm not capable of making life sustaining decisions yet, but I know that sometimes you just have to pick up the pieces and do the best you can.

There are no exceptions, just knowing that I'm "towards the top of the list" for alternates. I went over his head. I work in the financial industry right now and our regional leader is an ex-nurse so I asked her, even though she hasn't had as much contact with me. But still, no exceptions, having my regional manager do it is simply to be considered as an alternate. Thanks for sympathizing. May be a little bit longer than I expected until I get to join you guys in full discussion- but I'll get there.

So I found out today that I didn't get into the local vocational school's LPN program. What's the big deal? It's not because I did poorly on the test or my high school AND COLLEGE transcripts weren't good enough (I already have a BA), or even that there were better qualified applicants. It's because my current boss didn't fill out a character survey. Therefore, my folder was considered incomplete and I could not be considered for admission. I asked the director, and her words were "your test scores were some of the highest and had we had that for you, you would've been in." NOW WHAT? I am so angry I can't see straight. (PS I know about 2nd degree BSN's, diploma programs, etc. I have 2 little ones under 2 and the night part time LPN course would've worked best for our family)