jebain

I personally am quitting work June 26th & heading to the beach for a mth. I am going to relax, spend time with my family, & I may look over some drugs while lounging.-doubtful, but maybe!!! Our department head said if we got in the program then we were ready to be taught in the fall-not to start trying to teach ourselves now. And personally after seeing my fall schedule & paying for the 1st semester I have no problem relaxing & waiting to be enlightened!!!!!!!! Enjoy your summer!!!!!!!!!

I am starting my program this August, and I would not even consider taking time off in the beginning. You applied to school & should know what it takes mentally, physically, financially, & time wise. To ask for time off to go on a honeymoon does not show you have your priorities in line. A honeymoon does not make or break a marriage-it is simply a fun get-a-way that americans have deamed a neccessity when getting married. Plus, adding the stress of missing classes to starting a new marriage is not a good way to go. Just focus on the fact that you are in love-getting married-AND were selected to start a competitive program that will afford you an awesome, but late honeymoon. I am sure you can find a nice, luxury hotel close to home & spend a few nights there together--Get some nice couple spa treatments & relax!!!! Congrats on the marriage!!!! :balloons:

Know what you have been exposed to well, and do not try to B.S. the interviewers. Just say you don't know. This was the best advice given to me before I interviewed. They are not looking for the person who gets the most answers right-they are looking for a well-rounded nurse. Let your personality come through (easier said than done!!!). Good Luck!! P.S. Dress Appropriately & Make EYE contact!!!!!

I agree that the competition is tough, but you need to find out what schools you want to apply to. Some schools don't factor in ADN or prereq. grades. Some only look at your BSN grades, some look at BSN grades plus science, math, & statistics grades. It all depends. I am not sure what they do with someone with your degrees, but I would contact each school I wanted to apply to and find out. Do all you can to make yourself more competitive by their standards, but don't get into overdoing without knowing exactly what they are looking for. You can waste time & money.I do know most of the schools I looked into were far more concerned with recent grades/achievements & work experience. A "C" average in the ADN program will not keep you from getting in. Good Luck!!!

congrats!! I just moved to Kansas from Alabama so I can start the crna program here in August. It is an adjustment, but I know it will be worth it. I am glad I moved early so my husband and I can get adjusted to the area before I get started. Good Luck to you!!!!!!!!

First of all, congrats and goodluck in nursing school. The key to being a well-rounded, competent nurse is to have the desire and commitment to life-time learning. The medical world continuously changes, and nurses must strive to learn all they can. Remember that it is o.k. to ask questions-infact always ask questions when you are curious or unsure. No one knows everything. You learn what you are exposed to-Labor and Delivery, CVICU, ER--it is all different. Just concentrate on the basic foundations of nursing and know them well. AND don't forget 6 yrs from now when new grads come onto your unit or area-help them, teach them, guide them. One of the worst things we do as nurses is get frustrated and "eat our young". ---You are already on your way, just keep up the faith!!!!!!!

I am with the elope. Got to Vegas or somewhere and get married. If family or friends want to come they can. Plus, it will be a great get-away before school starts!! CONGRATS ON BOTH & GOODLUCK. Marriage is great if it is to the right person, and unless you are deadset on a big wedding-they are a pain!! Stress you don't need right now. We had a small backyard-family wedding and have never regretted it. You can always renew your vows with a big wedding bash.

sweetdreams-I look forward to meeting you this August!!!

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have selected to attend Newman, and I am very pleased with the feedback from current and former students. It seems to be the small, friendly, and supportive environment I am looking for in a school.

I am an EP nurse too, but soon to be off to crna school!! EP is a different ball game, and it is amazing what you learn in the lab! You learn about the heart in a whole different light.

I begin school this August, and I would like to be reviewing anything that may help me out prior to school starting. Any advice on what to review or a specific book that may help me? I don't want to over-do it, as I know I will be in for quite the load come August. I just want to have a good base knowledge "brush-up"!! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!

I have a friend in Panama City & she loves the Gooding Institute. I have met the director myself, and I was impressed with him and the program. Close knit group from what I gather-with no special treatment for people that work there or have "connections". I don't know anything about the other school in FL.

Hey I agree there are many misconceptions out there. Mainly because people don't realize the programing details of these devices. I see many patients with a fib, mostly 2per day. The patients with pacemakers implanted for afib are usually ppm dependant or they are on so many medications to control ventricular responce, the ventricle rate is to low for patient tolerance. Many of the patients that don't have ppm elect for catheter ablation therapy of afib. This treatment has improved greatly over the last 2 years. Success rates improved as well. I disagree with the 40-50% of afib patients have had bypass. Maybee 40 to 50 % of bypass patients develop afib post-op, I find it very difficult to believe the otherwise. Most pacemakers have the basic modes of pacing to choose from as well as rate responsivness.(ie. exercise increases the paced rate of the heart) The Magnet does not "reprogram" the pacemaker. It does suspend sensing of the device. This makes the ppm pace reguardless of whats going on. If the ppm is in a "demand" type mode reguardless of patient dependance a bovie or electrical impulse of any kind will be detected as if it were a heart beat by the ppm. A ppm dependant pt will go pulseless in this setting. A magnet over the ppm will tell the ppm to pace reguardless. A bovie cautary will not interfere with the ppm pacing. ICD's are different. A magnet suspends dectection of the device. (defib detection ) IT WILL NOT SHOCK after a magnet has been placed over the device. Some of these settings are changed with prolonged magnet placement. ( i.e.Guidant) Not all company magnet responses are the same. In the OR with bovi the icd will sence the bovie as vt/vf AND SHOCK INAPPROPRIATELY. This puts the patient and everyone else at risk for harm. Now with the age of Bi-Ventricular devices implanted for heart failure management. These devices pace 100% of the time. Be sure you know what your dealing with because there are so many different devices out there now.

Congrats Gooser!! I know it feels great to have that weight off your shoulders. Lots of luck to you!!!:biggringi

Just want to clear something up: Pacemakers ARE inserted for A-fib all the time. Whether or not they ablate the A-V node or not is dependent upon the pts condition and if they are chronic A-fib. We try to first perform ablations to the pulmonary veins to rid people of A-fib, but sometimes a pacer is neccessary.

Hi there. I work in a lab where we put in pacers, defib, and perform ablations. Basically, defib. need to be programmed off when a bovie is used-it can set off the defib due to false sensing by the defib.-Not fun!! Pacers are another story. The pacemakers are to be set to a mode so that they pace but do not inhibit due to the patient's rhythm because it could be the bovie it is really sensing. It can depend on the patient's underlying rhthym. If they have an underlying rhythm and don't use the pacer much then it can be turned off during the procedure. Having the magnet available to set the pacer back to it's previous settings when the procedure is over is correct. We also ALWAYS recommend having pads on the patient so the RN can pace externally if necc. You never know what can happen. I hope this helps! Pacers and defibrillators can be confusing. They come up with new stuff everyday. There is also something we are putting in for CHF that is not responding to drug therapy-it is called a BIV or biventricular pacemaker or it can be a defibrillator. There are 3 leads place into the heart-the 3rd is placed down through the coronary sinus over to the left side of the heart. This way the pacer can sort of pace both ventricles!! It is giving people 7-9 years of quality life!! Oh, one more thing some people do not realized-a defibrillator has the ability to not only deliver a shock, but to pace a patient when needed as well. It depends on the MD that programs it. Sorry, to go on and on, but I think it is amazing what is being invented!!

Thanks everyone. I am beyond excited!!! It almost does not seem real to me right now. I cannot wait to get started. I know it will be stressful but enjoyable at the same time. I am canceling 2 of my other interviews and attending one other, but I am leaning toward Newman right now. As far has the competitiveness: I was told 143 applied one time and 160 another, 41 were interviewed and I thought 12 were accepted, but my acceptance letter said I was 1 of 10 selected. So, I am not sure. Good luck to everyone!:roll

congrats!! I got my acceptance letter this past thursday, so I can share in your excitement!!!!!!!!!!! We are on our way!! Where are you going?

I got in!!!!!!!!!!!!Yea!!!!!!!!!!!I am very excited. got the letter today. They did not call anyone this year-I guess. So, good luck to everyone, and if you don't have a letter yet it does not mean you did not get in!!:roll

Are you interviewing anywhere else? Hang in there-you will get in to a program!!!!! I do not think I got in either, but I will keep trying!!:)

Hey trauma tom!! Thanks for the cheering section!! I am interviewing at Gooding and MCG too. Maybe we will meet up at one!! The interview at Newman was my first, and I was very nervous. I thought I did o.k., but I walked out not having a clue as to how it went from their perspective. They are good at not letting on!!! Boy, you can hang your ownself in an interview, huh?! Overall, I am just pleased I did not feel like an idiot leaving the interview. It is hard to function with 6 people looking at your file and writing down scores for you!! But, they were nice and stood up to greet you as you came in and when you left. Overall, it was a good experience from a first interview perspective and a learning experience in this whole process to becoming a CRNA. :imbar

Hi GC. I interview at Gooding in Feb. too. I know they rate you by gre, gpa-etc, plus interview points. The top 14 get in-no discussions it's all based on top 14 app\licants points in the end. Seems to be a very fair system. You interview with them one on one-not a panel all at once. You also scrub in and go to the or setting where I believe clinical instructors will be working and ask you questions. That is about all I know-good luck!!

Hi Melrey11. I am not in school yet-just starting interviews, but I have spoken with many current students. I suppose it depends on the program(s) you have selected. Everyone has told me that there is a "refresher" course in A&P and as for chemistry I know some schools don't even require it as a prereq. They teach you what you need to know in school. I would say it is safe to go with the schools advice, but with so much to learn in school-every little bit you have down already will probably help. You can probably just buy a review book and freshen up on your own without having to officially take a course. Good Luck!!

GOCRNAS-Good luck!!

CONGRATS and Good luck!! I am jealous!! I have my first interview this sat. and three more in Feb. I hope to be posting your message by march!!!