lcprnc

Any recent students taking the DNP Education track? I'm looking into applying and would value your opinions please.

"Training" and "Education" are not synonyms. If you really want to know the difference, put the word "sex" before training or education. You will then know the difference. (Would you like your kid to attend a sex training or sex education?)

Being in charge of the community flu shot program, I have done research on this topic and developed our policy. I have seen the recommendations a few years ago and stopped aspirating prior to injecting influenza vaccinations. Here it is. Hope it helps: ASPIRATION BEFORE INJECTION Previous versions of the General Recommendations have recommended aspiration (i.e., gently pulling back on the plunger to check for blood before injection) prior to injection, particularly before intramuscular injection. No data exist to document the necessity of this procedure. The 2002 General Recommendations on Immunization does not recommend aspiration before injection. Source: http://www.immunize.org/genr.d/issue297.htm LCPRNC

and i am the opposite. i got to know at least three of my classmates. we were a team. we became very good friends and as a matter of fact, met once face to face. it was awesome. i made lifetime friends. we really helped each other through school.

Yes, I know a few hospitals who wouldn't give you a choice. Charge nurse responsibilities are part of your job description (falling under leadership) and everyone gets assigned on a rotational basis. I don't agree with it at all but it does happen.

Back in the 80's team nursing was when a nurse, an LPN and a NA were asigned to work as a "team" for a group of patients, like th eentire hallway. The RN will make assignments, call docotrs and take orders, admissions, IVs, and mostly paperwork. The the LPN wil give out all meds (except IVs). and simple treatments like dsg changes. Then the NA will answer call bells. Sometimes, there are 2 NAs to turn and reposition patients and do call lights. It's a huge responsibilty for the RN bec she is ultimately accountable for many more patients so it is best if you have a team of LPNs and NAs who are truly responsible/reliable and will appropriately communicate any issues with the RN.

Yes, H and H is Hemoglobin and Hematocrit, used in CA and other states in the midwest. East coast will usually say the whole words without abbreviations and other states would say, "Crit" for hematocrit.

Thank you, CraigB and llg! What's challenging for me is that I am in charge of the whole organization's education. The hospital where I work does not have unit-based educators so verification of competencies are usually done by the respective managers. In other words, I would do orientation in the classroom, teach an overview of the National Patient Safety Goals and how we address those elements, the documentation & policies. It also incorporates other topics like infection control, fire safety, etc. Besides teaching IV classes, BLS, etc. for all nurses, the unit-specific orientation and competencies are done by the unit managers. Unless there is an issue or need to re-inservice/re-educate, that's when they'd notify me. it is difficult to monitor and trend performance as far as I am (my dept is) concerned. I am involved when there is an educational need, for example if core measure scores are low, but otherwise, it is difficult to say that the scores went up only because I re-educated the nurses. So, I have been mulling over the question of, "What data can I collect and trend to show that my educational interventions influenced performance improvement?"

I'd like to hear from Staff Development Nurses . . . How do you incorporate Performance Improvement (PI) data into your staff development programs? What types of data do you collect and metric?

Hi everyone, I passed! Took the computer test that took about 2 hours. (This included the tutorial). There were 175 questions total but the 25 questions were not supposed to be counted in the scoring. Whew! Glad it's over.

Nursey, Our prayers were heard! I am so happy to hear that this is over and you can now move forward. I am sorry to hear about your cat, though. Anyway, you also helped us realize that something like this could happen to anyone. Try to let go. "We" all learn from it. We all make mistakes and you are being given a chance to move on.

Excellent! Congratulations! I also don;t have the time to study. I do have small green book (Can't even remember the name of the book or author) that someone gave me. I only flipped through it so far. It has summary, sort of like outline of the exam content. Thank you. I'll let you know how I do. How did you do with time? How many questions were asked and how long did it take you?

I haven't taken the exam yet. I did schedule myself for mid-Feb. Since you're taking it before me, please share your expereince. RE: study materials, I was hoping to get the CD but it's not available..I believe it's being revised and the new one is not available yet.

Nursey, I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. This phase of shock and depression will pass, I'm sure. I also believe that this particular incident will make you stronger and become a better nurse. There is that saying that what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger! Hang in there, before you know it, things will look up. Stay positive and do something to keep your mind off the negative "what ifs." Exercise, eat and sleep better. I know that it's probably hard but this is the time that you need to nurture yourself better, ok? You have a lot of nurses here pulling for you and prayers do work ...I know, He hasn't failed me yet :) so try to not ruminate on negative consequences. It was an honest mistake and the patient didn't die. Someone was watching over you and the patient.

Hi Nursey, I jusrt wanted to let you know that you are in my prayers. Try to focus on positives like the patient was not harmed. I don't really know know what else to say other than hang in there. Take care of yourself. LCPRNC

CPR certification is a policy imposed by the respective facility, not by the state BON. Also, CPR classes are subject to cancellation when not enough students sign up. I would advise anyone to renew at least two to three months before expiration to alleviate urgency. Also, some hospitals require that you only take certification from the American Heart Association vs. Red Cross. It really depends on what your facility dictates.

Thanks for the feedback! Wow, hypoglycemic episode? I better bring some glucose with me :) In any event, I thought I'd register for a 2-day review class not too far from where I live since I haven't taken any education days yet. It's just harder for me to do self-study these days. Just don't have the time. I called ANCC and alerted them that I'd be ready (I hope) to take the exam in Oct. It'll be computerized...the first one to be offered (no more pen and paper). Thanks again! I hope you enjoyed your vacation.

Hi all, I thought I'd let you know that 6 CMEs (Continuing Medical Education) on Cultural Competency is now a mandatory requirement for all physicians per NJ Medical Board of Examiners for MD license renewal. I am glad to see this! If you're interested in becoming a facilitator, there is a toolkit that you can obtain but you must complete the entire course at http://ccnm.thinkculturalhealth.org, scoring 70% or better on all posttests. Many of our docs are already taking the class online. I have a feeling that this is coming for nurses as well. I am a big fan of cultural competency for all healthcare givers.

I truly appreciate your responses. So, I suppose giving out the test after hire for orientation purposes should be safe, which we've been doing all along. And yes, we coach and give them study materials to be able to pass the second, remediation test if needed. I just feel that the tests that we currently have are out dated and didn't know the legality or having to test for validity and reliability would be an issue. So, it's good to know those things. I wanted to add questions that were more up-to-date, rather than basic questions. Are your remediation tests similar to the original or totally different?

I go there as an outpatient. Employees are always customer-friendly. I'm a very satisfied patient! I can't talk about the particular dept but my overall impression of the whole hospital is great. Good luck and congratulations!

I am wondering if any of you give out pharmacology/drug calculation tests to your new RNs as part of pre-employment screening or as part of orientation? My facility wants to implement giving out the test to "screen" and basically, "weed out" candidates who test poorly. There is a controversy about giving out this test as a requirement prior to giving the candidate a job offer. As the clinical educator, I have mainly used it for orientation purposes, to assess basic knowledge and tailor the orientation to meet the newly hired nurse's educational needs. Some (especially the seasoned nurses) say they find it insulting. After all, they are already licensed! However, some employers argue that there is nothing wrong with it. They only want to hire the best and don't want to waste money and time on those who are not to that level.

I will look into buying one. Thank you! How long is the CD to listen to?

You may want to search and incorporate data related to NCLEX pass rate in your state and compare nationwide. Someone just posted NJ's the other day. Also, incorporate HESI and other final tests given to students before they are allowed to graduate. Utilize your librarian if you need help with online search...Just some thoughts. Good luck to you.

Aha! Loan Forgiveness....how does one look into that? Do employers in FL advertise that? If so, do you need to give them back so many years of employment? How common is this incentive? I'd like to enjoy retirement and not have to worry about paying student loans!

Thanks! Maybe it would be a good idea to find an employer who'd pay for higher education, That way, you could get your BS or MSN without owing so much. I'm sure it would be more these days.