samae23

Good points all, I'm actually in Madison, WI. But I'm sure it would be worth it to commute if I were to find a job outside the city. I've been looking around Madison too. I'll keep looking. I understand why people don't really want to hire new grads though and it's a good point about the whole not wanting to hire a new grad b/c some just want their one year experience and then quit. Which actually doesn't look that great either I'm sure!

At some point GET AN INTERNSHIP... you have no idea how much this will help you in finding a job....I regret I didn't have one (not that I didn't try)...it would have helped a lot!!!!!!!!!

I know, I just wish someone would be willing to give me the experience I need! I wonder how anyone is supposed to start out with no one wanting to give us a chance! I would LOVE to get into a residency program but they;re SOOOO competitive! I've already applied to two, and they shot me down. Of course

I've always wanted to go to Texas :) Well sugar, that sucks!

Well thanks everyone! I WISH I could relocate....unfortunately my situation sucks even more because my fiance just got a job in the area as a police officer, so needless to say we're kinda stuck here for a little while! I guess I'll just have to start volunteering!! I'll keep looking though, I'm not going to give up on nursing!! Never!

I'm in the same boat, no one will give me a chance It's disheartening. It almost makes me think, what was the point of going to school for 4 years if no one will give me the chance to prove myself?????

So, I am a registered nurse in Wisconsin. I graduated in Dec. '10, but I haven't found a job yet....I have looked at almost every option. Basically NO ONE wants me... I am wondering if anyone knows if you CAN work as a CNA in Wisconsin with a registered nurse license? I honestly just need experience at this point, I will try anything. Otherwise I might look at volunteer opportunites, but what type of volunteering would even be helpful??? I am so frustrated!!! I don't know what to do and wish people would just give me a chance so I can prove what a great nurse I can be

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

wow, thank you so much for all of the help!! i will definitely look more into everything and make some changes! i really appreciate it :)

Oh Ok I get what you're saying now, blow flow to the heart is deoxygenated and blood flow leaving the heart is oxygenated. So this edematous blood in the lower extremities needs to get back to the heart so it can get oxygenated and then perfuse the lower extremities. That does make a lot more sense. I don't know why I couldn't think of this before... Thanks!!!

I'm just not sure about the whole compression of the lower extremities thing now, because if my diagnosis is ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion, wouldn't some type of compression be making this worse because it's promoting venous blood flow back to the heart when blood needs to be getting to the lower extremities? Or does this just promote blood flow as a whole...so blood is able to circulate better to and from the heart?? I don't know why but I'm so confused!!!!

One things though, are compression stockings able to be used for PITTING edema??

Thank you so much!! Your input has definitely helped me!!!

I am writing a care plan for a pt. A little hx is that he has COPD, CHF, kidney disease, hypertension and on assessment he has bilateral 2+ pitting edema in his lower extremities. He has been a smoker for most of his life but quit about 2 years ago. He has thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease) as well but it has been quiescent since he stopped smoking. This is one of the nursing Dx I came up with: Ineffective peripheral tissue perfusion r/t compromised blood flow secondary to congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and thromboangiitis obliterans manifested by lower extremity edema, cool hands and feet, and diminished peripheral pulses. I am trying to come up with nursing interventions and I'm having a hard time...maybe it's just lack of sleep. The pt is on bed rest due to his edema. Should he be doing range of motion exercises? But only to his unaffeced extremities (a.k.a his arms, head...). Should he keep his legs in a dependent position and keep them warm? I don't think his legs should be elevated since since this could be a contraindication due to his CHF/COPD.. I only need to come up with 2 interventions..Any other ideas? I also did have another diagnosis of: Activity intolerance r/t compromised oxygen transport system secondary to congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease manifested by weakness, and dyspnea with exertion Is this a good diagnosis for him? What type of interventions could I use?? My last diagnosis had to do with impaired gas exchange and I got that one all figured out already. Any help would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

We did something like this a couple semesters ago...I remember someone did some type of promotion of eating healthy. They had examples of things you could eat instead of something else (like going to mcdonalds...or if you did go to mcdonalds what healthy choices there are). They also showed portion sizes. And then the kids were given a healthy snack they could take with them. It was something kind of like that...