Laura77598

Hello all, I am trying to get into an LVN program since I just left a former RN program. MED Surg kicked my you know what pretty bad. I was told that in the clinicals I seemed unsafe and was asked to withdraw. I don't know what specifically I did that was unsafe but they kept referring to bad physical assessment ability and they said I was unsafe. I am not convinced, but I would rather enter a program that is less neurotic than the previous RN program I was enrolled in. What do you folks think of LVN programs and the pace and difficulty? I am not a stupid person, but I hope for something a bit slower paced and more manageable. Do any of you have any advice for me? Thanks, LK

Yes I did and greatly improved them, but when I returned and got remediation they were still nt impressed with my improvements. They continued to tell me thaat i have made improvements, but its not enough. I somehow feel that they just seem to want me out of the way so they can focus on their other students.

I would never say that I did not make mistakes, However, I was on one unit (the med surge unit) for all of my rotation , and while I was on this unit, I was in the room examining a pt with my back to the door when a Dr. came in to examine the patient. He was very quiet and unassuming. I had my back to the door and was giving a physical assessment on a female patient 38 y.o. I had my scope down the pt's gown listening to her heart and was continuing with my assessment to her back and abdomen. I barely noticed that there was another person in the room. I said something like I'm almost done, and he complained to the charge nurse. That was my first complaint. I went outside a pt's room once with gloves still on. That was another complaint. once when I was beginning to take 2 patients (as our program transitions us) I asked aLOT of questions to my primary nurse, and she stated to my instructor that I seemed unsafe. I had not done anything like give meds without a nurse or w/o checking them. I have had problems with a perfect physical assessment. and that was mentioned a few times. So I paid more attention to that part of my practice. I practiced my assessments and tutored with our instructor (student aide) who helped me fine tune my physical assessment. I also took steps to correct the complaints leveled against me. I noticed that my instructor did not offer me much in the way of advice or guidance, just disappointment when someone would complain. Now all of the other students were put on other floors from time to time. They were on floor 5S for about 4-5 times then moved to 6E for a while then to OR then to RR and so on. I mostly stayed on 5S. WE were instructed to NOT answer call lights or the phone or anything while on the unit. Then 1/2 way through semester, I was transferred to 2 days at the LTC facility. I went there and my 1st pt was a 700 lb man who could not even sit up by himself. I was to go to get a hydraulic lift to help this pt stand and use the toilet. I volunteered to go look for the lift. When I went to the station (located centrally) NOT A SINGLE NURSE WAS AT THE STATION!!! NOT EVEN A TECH OR A SECRETARY NO ONE!!!!!I went to the other floors (same level just diff hallways) and found a nurse who was w/a pt but she said she would help me with the lift in a minute. I went to the Nurses station and sat down to chart for a few minutes and wait for this nurse. Before she returned my instructor came to the station and low and behold I was the only person at the station sitting down, charting!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE I?????? When I had a pt who had to go to the bathroom and my instructor and 2 other students in the room with my pt. I may as well have had a boc of DONUTS and a cup of COFFEE with me! I didn't return to the room because I didn't want to return empty-handed, and the othernnurse in the pt room told me She would be right with me. If I left and she showed up and I was gone, I thought that would be non-productive and just cause more problems. When I was a kid, my dad always told me to wait. not to go off by myself and do it myself. So I sat at the stationand my INSTRUCTOR came out first. She was NONE too happy with the fact that I was charting. I had a chance to explain this to her, but she was already upset and didn't really care about my explanation. She also said that I didn't answer a call light that morning. that I just went to the door and waited for her to get there. At the hospital, We weren't even supposed to do that! How did I know the rules changed all of a sudden. Then she tells me that she wants to see more initiative from me. I show great initiative , but I never seem to do what they want me to do when they want me to do it. The letter I got makes me sound like I go around with rusty needles dosing patients in the middle of shift or something. I will agree I could have made better decisions and such, but so far, nothing really UNSAFE. My health assessment skills I will agree need improvement as I have had trouble finding the right places to listen for things like murmurs and I have had problems hearing wheezes. Also when I performed a Phys. Assessment on a pt who had osteoporosis I neglected to state Kyphosis in her assessment. I mentioned no spinal curvatures. (I was thinking of scoliosis). and she had age spots, and I mentioned that her back seemed pretty clear. (I was thinking no lesions sores or scars or cuts- I didn't realistically think that AGE SPOTS on a 78 y.o. pt was THAT UNUSUAL! I got in trouble for that also. I just really don't think my clinical performance amounts to unsafe practice since I AM a student. Now I have DONATED MONEY to their nursing program and nothing to show for it. Since I am not really a skilled atty or debater, even if I went to the Nursing Dept. I already surmize that they have their minds made up and They just want me gone! But I have had the WORST STRING OF LUCK and NO AMOUNT OF HELP OR SUPPORT FROM ANYONE!!!!! Forget the STAGE 4 pressure ulcer that I had to finish packing for one of the primary nurses at the hospital because she was sick and about to leave the unit. I was helping her and she began to cough, and I finished packing a stage 4 tunneling pressure ulcer with exposed bone. I packed the wound with some type of silver nitrate soaked sterile cloth and dressed the wound. I WAS SO PROUD OF MYSELF!!! You know there weren't any instructors watching me THEN don't ya! I am not an incompetent person. I however have had moments of oversight and much complaining. I can genuinely see how this would translate to me being a whiner or something. but I just really feel that I could have gotten more help and less slaps on the hand when this only my second semester with a clinical. I feel that other students may not have received complaints like I did, but you can sure bet that they weren't doing the same risky procedures or having the other problems I had either. I would never presume to claim that I am a perfect student and never make mistakes, but I do think I performed better than I'm being given CREDIT for. I really feel that I could make changes and perform remediation to improve my deficiencies but I truly believe their minds are cemented into place and I more than likely won't get another chance with this program. I just don't believe that my journey should end this way. I really do appreciate all y'alls feedback, and I have already ordered some DVDs and BOOKS to read and watch over the summer. but I really am perplexed about what my next step should be. I do feel that my instructors gave me enough rope to hang myself and then just didn't intervene enough to help me do better.

Hello allnurses, I'm still in a state of SHOCK right now... I was just recently told that I should withdraw from the program because I would not pass clinical. I (at the time ) was told that I could reapply to the school and perhaps be readmitted. So I dropped. I have been having CONTINUOUS issues with this program and its instructors, and I had many complaints from hospital staff, but I have tried to address the issues. I have received complaints of unsafe clinical behavior, but it has been something like a one time incident of forgetting to remove my gloves before stepping out of a pt's room. I also was told I am not performing an acceptable physical health assessment when I examine my patient. I took Health Assessment in the fall of 2006, and haven't had any of it since. I reapplied to the program and took the tests and everything and submitted my application to re-enter the program the next year. My plans were to retake health assessment since my instructors have pointed out deficiencies in my physical assessment while in clinical, then I would go back and retake common concepts of adult health (med-surge 1) and be delayed for a year. It sounds like a good plan on paper so far, huh? Skip ahead another couple of weeks to a week after my reapplication... I got a letter in the mail from the director of our nursing program stating that I would not be readmitted to the program due to "unsafe clinical behavior". Now I don't know what to do... Personally, I don't see my clinical behavior any different than the majority of the students in the program, I seem to get more difficult patients with more critical issues such as morbid obesity, inability to move, and such. I now have to apply to another program. However, one of the problems I face with that is previous program dismissal. I can apply to another program, and I will more than likely get in, but so many of the other programs around here want you to be able to return to your previous program. What to do... I really don't want to go to the Nursing Department and rehash all of this again, as the staff there (all 4 of them) are of the opinion that I shouldn't ever BE a NURSE! I am mad, tired, discouraged, and doubtful at this point. FORGET all the accolades I have had previous to this program, but now, the Nursing Department doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me. They don't even want to entertain the idea of me being back in their program. Our director is a REAL BIGWIG she is the former president of the Texas Nursing Association, and she is like a nursing God or something. My current plan of action is to apply to another nearby program that is in a separate college nearby. I just feel like I should have had a second chance with this first program. And What about the Clinically unsafe opinions? That frightens me b/c I haven't been any different than any of the other students I have been on the unit with. I sort of feel like I have been hung out to twist in the wind by my instructors. I don't feel supported or taught or encouraged by any of them. I feel that I was judged harshly, and I am HUGELY DISSAPOINTED by my nursing instructors. I feel that I have only been criticized for my errors, and NOT shown a better way of anything. I am undecided about how to handle this dismissal. Now I am actually close personal friends with the Dean of Students at this school. Should I involve her? Should I complain to the Dean of Students about this dismissal/denial of readmission, or should I just move on and reapply to this next program? Currently I am just so let down by my level of instruction and I am really disheartened by the whole experience. Here are my courses and grades so far: Fall 2004: Lifespan Growth and Dev. 2314- A Sp 2005: A&P1 - A Summer 2005: Psych 2301 (intro) - A Spring 2006: A & P 2 - B Summer2006: English 1301 - A Fall 2006: Health Assessment - A Spring 2007: Microbiology - A Fall 2007: Dosage Calculation - A Spring 2008: Medical Spanish - A Fall 2008: Foundations of Nursing - B Fall 2008: Clinical for Foundations - B Spring 2009: Med Surge 1 (Common Concepts of Adult Health) Withdrew - W Spring 2009: Clinical for Med Surge 1 - Withdrew - W Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, Laura

Hello allnurses, I'm still in a state of SHOCK right now... I was just recently told that I should withdraw from the program because I would not pass clinical. I (at the time ) was told that I could reapply to the school and perhaps be readmitted. So I dropped. I have been having CONTINUOUS issues with this program and its instructors, and I had many complaints from hospital staff, but I have tried to address the issues. I have received complaints of unsafe clinical behavior, but it has been something like a one time incident of forgetting to remove my gloves before stepping out of a pt's room. I also was told I am not performing an acceptable physical health assessment when I examine my patient. I took Health Assessment in the fall of 2006, and haven't had any of it since. I reapplied to the program and took the tests and everything and submitted my application to re-enter the program the next year. My plans were to retake health assessment since my instructors have pointed out deficiencies in my physical assessment while in clinical, then I would go back and retake common concepts of adult health (med-surge 1) and be delayed for a year. It sounds like a good plan on paper so far, huh? Skip ahead another couple of weeks to a week after my reapplication... I got a letter in the mail from the director of our nursing program stating that I would not be readmitted to the program due to "unsafe clinical behavior". Now I don't know what to do... Personally, I don't see my clinical behavior any different than the majority of the students in the program, I seem to get more difficult patients with more critical issues such as morbid obesity, inability to move, and such. I now have to apply to another program. However, one of the problems I face with that is previous program dismissal. I can apply to another program, and I will more than likely get in, but so many of the other programs around here want you to be able to return to your previous program. What to do... I really don't want to go to the Nursing Department and rehash all of this again, as the staff there (all 4 of them) are of the opinion that I shouldn't ever BE a NURSE! I am mad, tired, discouraged, and doubtful at this point. FORGET all the accolades I have had previous to this program, but now, the Nursing Department doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with me. They don't even want to entertain the idea of me being back in their program. Our director is a REAL BIGWIG she is the former president of the Texas Nursing Association, and she is like a nursing God or something. My current plan of action is to apply to another nearby program that is in a separate college nearby. I just feel like I should have had a second chance with this first program. And What about the Clinically unsafe opinions? That frightens me b/c I haven't been any different than any of the other students I have been on the unit with. I sort of feel like I have been hung out to twist in the wind by my instructors. I don't feel supported or taught or encouraged by any of them. I feel that I was judged harshly, and I am HUGELY DISSAPOINTED by my nursing instructors. I feel that I have only been criticized for my errors, and NOT shown a better way of anything. I am undecided about how to handle this dismissal. Now I am actually close personal friends with the Dean of Students at this school. Should I involve her? Should I complain to the Dean of Students about this dismissal/denial of readmission, or should I just move on and reapply to this next program? Currently I am just so let down by my level of instruction and I am really disheartened by the whole experience. Here are my courses and grades so far: Fall 2004: Lifespan Growth and Dev. 2314- A Sp 2005: A&P1 - A Summer 2005: Psych 2301 (intro) - A Spring 2006: A & P 2 - B Summer2006: English 1301 - A Fall 2006: Health Assessment - A Spring 2007: Microbiology - A Fall 2007: Dosage Calculation - A Spring 2008: Medical Spanish - A Fall 2008: Foundations of Nursing - B Fall 2008: Clinical for Foundations - B Spring 2009: Med Surge 1 (Common Concepts of Adult Health) Withdrew - W Spring 2009: Clinical for Med Surge 1 - Withdrew - W Any advice is appreciated. Thanks, Laura

Hi everybody, went and talked to my instructors today: They are not happy with my Health Assessment skills with doing a Head-to-toe assessment. I need to improve and get a perfect head to toe ass. by next Thursday (Feb 26). I am nervous about not remembering all the bases to cover. I need to get a really good way to remember all the things I need to remember so I can impress my instructors. Also, I need to do this on a patient not a student. That makes it a little more awkward, since I have to ask these people to move and many of them are bedridden. Any suggestions about how to remember all the things covered in a Head to Toe? By The Way Thanks to all of you who took the time to answer my post!!:bowingpur I really got GREAT FEEDBACK from you ALL, and the instructors echoed your advice in my meeting. I am going to go to the unit the evening before, take notes on my pt, get his meds and labs jotted down, and look meds up at home when I get back about 30 mins later. Then, when preconference comes around I will have much data on my 2 pts., and I won't have this problem again. Then after I Hear report, I will go and see my patients as soon as report is over, Do My Head To Toe, and I should be O.K. Any other advice you can give is always appreciated!!!:bowingpur Thanks Again, Laura

Hi everybody... Today when I went to clinical I got there a little later than normal, due to the fact that we students now have to park in another lot, far, far away.... Well, I got lost trying to get back to the hospital unit on time. I went into several buildings before I got turned around and found the right building. When I got onto my unit finally, I had to choose my 2 pts. I charted meds and stayed out of the way, but then I got report late from my primary nurse. My instructor noticed this and she was not happy!!! Then the Director of the program and my nursing instructor took me to a room and told me that there had been a concern about me during an evening when I went to the unit to select my patients. My instructor had previously told us that we could go to the unit the night before to select a pt if we went in professional clothing and so on. So I did, Well the complaint... as I understand it to be... is that I seemed confused, disoriented, Red in the face, and like I was just really confused and shuffling papers around. I have been getting a lot of complaints from staff on this unit. I have been told that 5 different people have reported something negative about me since I have been going to this hospital. What's that all about? I don't know. One of the first complaints was from a Doctor who walked in behind me while I was assessing my patient. I had my back to him, and my scope down my patients gown to listen to her heart. Apparently he was upset that I did not leave so he could visit with the patient. I didn't even know he was in the room for a few minutes, then I had my scope down this lady's gown, what was I supposed to DO????? Just snap my fingers and DISAPPEAR?????? I then have ben complained about from other staff who say that I was asking too many questions about my pt rather than going in and assessing her myself. I will admit I am a little nervous about going to see patients right away, but I don't think I need this kind of CONSTANT NITPICKING as I turn EVERY CORNER!!!!!!! I am afraid that when I go to see my instructor tomorrow, they will try to get rid of me!!!! What can I do??????? What Recourse do I have??????? Our Syllabus states in our class that if our instructor chooses to do so, she can kick us out of the program if she sees fit to do so. NOW I AM SCARED!!!!!!!!! Anyway, my nurse instructor sent me home today, and this will reduce my clinical grade by 10 % right off the bat; but now I am scared that she and the staff and the director are trying to get me kicked out of the program altogether!!!! I am a first year student, and i am not getting the politics of Nursing down! I feel like I will have spent all this money and get kicked out of the program and have nothing to show for it and no where to go!!!! Help!!!! What should I do? I took A&P in 2005, and I could get into another program, I guess, but should I leave them, or just wait for them to get rid of me? I have worked WAY TOO HARD FOR THIS TO END THIS WAY!!!!!!! There must be some way to give them what they want without me having to get thrown out of school for this! I still do not know specifically what I did that caused others to complain. I was confused! I was shuffling papers! I HAVE ROSACEA, AND MY FACE IS ALWAYS RED AFTER A SHOWER!!!!! What am I supposed to do? Can my school REALLY LEGALLY THROW ME OUT FOR STAFF COMPLAINTS????????????????????????????????? Help, Laura

Hi allnurses, My careplan is due Monday the 16 of Feb., and I am havind trouble finding the right diagnoses for my client. He is a 64 y-o male who presented with dyspnea (Shortness of breath)and leukocytosis. He has a hx of: COPD, Smoking 1pk/day, Asthma-uses CPAP at night, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes. He wears dentures. He also has Hx of a abd hernia repair. (unrelated to this visit) I need three nursing diagnosis and tX plans, but I looked in mu Nursing diagnosis book, and I cannot find a Nurs. Dx of impaired gas exchange (do they not use this?) I see Ineffective Airway Clearance (not being able to cough out excess mucous, but I was kinda hoping for something better than just Can't cough up mucous to get it out. Pt is also obese w a wt of 249 and ht of 5'10" . As a second Nursing Dx. I chose imbalanced nutrition: more than body requirements R/t wt . & decreased activity. I also need a Psychosocial Dx. Can anyone give me some recomendations?:bowingpur Thanks in Advance, Laura

Hello all nurses, I am supposed to develop a nurses teaching plan for my client (patient) a 66 year old man who is married who has COPD-emphysema and an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm 4 cm in diameter. My patient has seen a doctor about his aneurysm, and the surgeon said that he wants to employ watchful waiting and wait to see if the aneurysm increases to 5.5 cm. Then he said he would operate. With my patient's COPD-emphysema, he doesn't want to put him under anesthesia and hope he comes out of it. He even told the patient that if he did operate, he would probably have to cut a trache toensure that he could get enough oxygen to survive the surgery. Now I need to develop a TEACHING PLAN for this patient. How in the WORLD do I begin???? Please help me:cry: My teaching plan is due on Feb. 20th. Thank you ALL in advance:bowingpur Laura

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles:(. I have LOTS of experrience with AEDs and they are pretty much all yucky as far as sleep inducing and very depressing. I have had epilepsy since 1970. I also had surgery to correct mine:eek:. I had temporal resection. I had my right hippocampus removed. I have no more seizures now, but for 25 years of my life I had uncontrollable epilepsy. It $*c#$ doesn't it! I used to have to take Depakote 250 TID. I felt like I was coming out of a hangover, and everytime I almost got sober, it was time for another med:barf01:! Yuck:barf01:!! Anyway What type of epilepsy do you have? Grand Mals, petite mals, complex partials, simple partials? There are some AWFUL MEDS out there who most folks would rather have the symptoms rather than the treatment! I feel really bad for you, cause I know exactly what it's like!! You can't co anywhere unless you go with friends, family or a bus:trout:, you have to fight the side effects of your meds, and then you have to monitor your stress levels just to avoid having a seizure. I feel your pain, and I'm sorry. What med are you taking? The best med I HAVE EVER TAKEN is Lamotrigine (Lamictal) 100-200 mg/day. I currently take (when I remember) 1 pill once a day (particularly to have as insurance when I drive) of Lamictal. This is the one anticonvulsant that I have taken that has shown the least side effects of all of them. This differs from Pt to Pt so my experience may be very different from yours, but you might read up on the AEDs and ASK your NEUROLOGIST about surgical options, pacemakers, (implantable goes in under the clavicle), and Lamictal. You are not alone! I hated the WORLD for a VERY LOOOOOOOOOONG time, ESPECIALLY my Neurologist!!! It seemed that all he was interested in was GIVING ME ANOTHER PRESCRIPTION:barf02:!!!!! Oh yeah, maybe a little more of this pill, now we have a new one we want you to try along with this one, and on and on and on...:barf01:Yes, Sadly I'm no big fan of neurologiststrout:barf02:, too many bad experiences with AEDs that didn't fix the problem, just added to my long list of symptoms and complications!!!!! Extra weight gaintransient hair loss, tremors, depression, and apathy and just a HUGE lack of ANY energy:sleep:! I actually had to program myself to get up out of a chair, and even to move one of my hands up off of an object (like telling my right hand to move up now) Yeah, I could complain for hours about neurologists and anticonvulsants, but, unless you are willing to explore the surgical option (a very viable option for those with focal epilepsy where the seizures come from a single area of the brain) you may have to keep changing anticonvulsants until you find one that works for you. You should ask your neurologist to refer you to a neurosurgeon. Then ask him to perform an MRI on you and explore whether you are a candidate for surgery or perhaps an implantable device. That sounds crazy, I know, but one day, some 25 years AFTER I had been diagnosed with complex partial seizures (Epilepsy) my husband of one year (Oh I love that man!) was just browsing the internet in our apartment and he asked me "Why don't you get that surgery to treat your epilepsy?". He had just gotten his first CO-OP job before he graduated Electrical Engineering School at UT-Austin. Anyway, I was so excited that he had a job I was thrilled. He had also known me for some ten years before we were married, so he knew about my epilepsy, and somehow came back for the increased responsibility and stress and abuse anywayblushkiss. Go Figure! Anyway, I told him to stick to fixing the electronics and the machines, and let me worry about my own brain thank you very! But then I remembered that I needed to make an appointment with a neurologist so I could get my prescriptions refilled. But NOW WE HAD INSURANCE, GLORIOUS INSURANCE and MY MEDS (all 250 dollars worth or more) would be COVERED, and MY DOCTOR would be COVERED TOO No MORE pulling money from where ever I could to buy my pills anymore. So I made an appt with a primary care physician and told him that I needed to see a neurologist to get my prescription refilled:caduceus:. I went to the neurologist on our plan, and I asked him: My husband said something to me the other day. He said maybe I should try this surgery to fix my epilepsy! Of Course, I told him that he was just CRAZY, because IF ANYtHING like THAT were available, SURELY one of my LONG-TERM NEUROLOGISTS who had been treating me for 10 or 15 YEARS WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULDN'T HE? The next thing this man told me was"I'm gonna give you a business card, and I want you to make an appointment with this man. He is a former collegue of mine, and he works out in Baylor at The MEDICAL CENTER with Methodist and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Well, I just stood there with my mouth hanging, like I was in some kind of movie that I couldn't stop. I thanked him, and I took the card and the prescription. That was the last time I ever saw that neurologist! I remember his name as clear as a bell, but I couldn't say it if I tried. I'm also not sure about giving names on this board either. He was a Korean doctor, and I never forgot him, because he was the only neurologist I only saw once. The next day I went to fill my prescription and I called the doctor's office from the business card. I told them my name and that I was a pt of a doctor here in Austin, and he told me to call your office to make an appointment to see you. I scheduled the appointment, and I met with the doctor. They explained to me that this was a medical seizure study, and I would have to be evaluated. I went through a few different tests. The first thing they did to me was schedule an MRI. I had the MRI and they told me that I could possibly be a candidate for surgery, but they would have to do some more tests on me to determine if I am a candidate. So they scheduled me for an MRI, a Language test, a psychological battery with a neuropsychologist, and an extended study EEG. I had to be admitted to the hospital and put on a long term EEG and VIDEOTAPED FROM HEAD TO TOE for 2 WEEKS! That was interesting!!! I was removed from ALL of my meds, hooked up to an EEG machine and videomonitored completely until I had 3 seizures on videotape!!! I laughed at first. I thought, Heck, you take me off ALL my meds, I'll be outta here by tomorrow! Well one day passed, and NOTHIN' then 2 days, then 3 days passed, and still nothin'. I was AMAZED!!! I said really, I think I'm cured, I didn't know it was possible to stop taking my pills and not have any seizures!! Well the next day I had a seizure. I was somewhat relieved. Then the nurse came in and told me that the seizure came from the place they had expected ( the place on the MRI). I was relieved. Now it was just a matter of time before more would happen. Then after a couple more days, I had another seizure, and after about 2 WEEKS I finally had three seizures!!! YEAH ME!!!!! Crazy, huh? Well then we went for psychological testing and another MRI. while I was in the recovery room (patient bay) I saw Jerry Lewis (of Martin and Lewis) you know (HEY LADY,) the Labor Day telethon guy. I just sat there and thought, Wow the place can't be that bad, Jerry Lewis is in here. Then he spoke to me! He said, "Whatta ya in for?" I said, "Jerry Lewis is TALKING TO ME!!!!!!!!!"I told him "I'm in for BRAIN SURGERY!!!!" Who says things like that out loud? (just another page in the book of the story of my life!) He told me that "the people out here are the BEST!!!" He said "You are in REAL GOOD HANDS HERE!" I asked him what he was in for, and he said "heart surgery. " He had to have a tripple bypass! YUCK! Well, we wished each other well with our respective surgeries, and then the orderlies came to take us to our rooms. I'll never forget that! Well, I was still not sure what the doctors were going to do as far as whether or not I was a candidate for surgery. I asked the doctors, and they introduced me to their chief of Neurosurgery!!! He was the cheif or Neurosurgery and the Head of the Neurosurgery Dept at the college. He told me that I had a condition called Hippocampal Sclerosis! I said "I just thought I had epilepsy." I was stunned. He asked how my seizures started, and I told him that I had severe ear infections when I was about 2-4 yrs old. I told him that I had fevers of 104 degrees and after a few years I started having auras and then I got simple seizures and then I had psychomotor seizures (complex partials) I told him I had been taking Depakote for about 15 years or so:, and it still didn't seem to help very much. He told me he thinks he can fix them. Then I was actually scheduled for SURGERY!! I really thought that I would be disqualified somewhere along the way, and the whole process would be a waste of time and aggravation, but somehow they actually scheduled me for BRAIN SURGERY!!! I remember when I was admitted for surgery the morning of the 21 of December in 1991. They prepped me and shaved my head and I told them, " I have always wanted to give my doctor a good piece of my mind, I just never really envisioned doing it quite like THIS!!!!!" That got everyone to laugh! Well when I went to sleep I had hair, and eight hours later, when I woke up, even before I opened my eyes, I noticed that my auras were COMPLETELY GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:w00t::bowingpur: I was AMAZED!!!!! WoW! THIS IS WHAT HAPPINESS IS LIKE?yelclap:I like it!!!!! I remembered that the surgeon told me that one of the possible side effects was loss of short term memory and partial loss of peripheral vision on my right side. I wasn't worried about that, as soon I realized my AURAS were GONE I OPENED my EYES to see if I could STILL SEE!! I opened my eyes, and saw my husband :redbeathe:and my parents and my sister and my inlaws and my friends there waiting for me! I could see everyone and everything and I hadn't forgotten any of them! I had some temporary problems with where did I put this thing, but it passed. I could see, and hear and remember and had NO AURAS!!!!:yelclapLife was GOOD!!!!! Then I fan my hand over the right side of my head to see how much hair I had lost, and I noticed about 64 hard metal STAPLES going down the side of my head!!!!!!! I thought to myself: They didn't EVEN SEW me SHUT!!! They just GRABBED A STAPLE GUN AND QUICK-FIXED ME? Then I ran my hand back around the back of my head and found a HOLE in the BACK of my HEAD!!!!!!!!! This thing was the SIZE of a QUARTER or maybe even a HALF-DOLLAR!!!!!!!!! Heck, I bet If I put A QUARTER in I could get a GUMBALL OUT!!!!!!! I was SHOCKED!!!! but I was HAPPY!!!!!!! Well I healed for about a week in the hospital, and then I was discharged and kept on a different anticonvulsant for about a year to minimize risk for seizures. after a year I came off the drugs completely and had no seizures. I had one or two while I was pregnant, but I haven't had any in about 11 years. I take only one pill and that is more for insurance while driving than because I notice effects if I don't. I just don't want to have to worry about having something unexpected happen when I drive. Well there it is... I didn't want or try to turn this into a story about me, but, just know that you are NOT alone!!!!! Laura

Hi allnurses, I have a dosage Calculation question I need help on (ASAP) I have a test tomorrow,yeah I know, no pressure, huh? Anyway this is an adjusted flow rate question. Personally I think there is not enough info, but my instructor insists that this is worked correctly. Here it goes. There are 450 mL in an IV bag. The bag is running at 150 mL/hr. The bag was started at 10:00 a.m. At 11:00 a.m. there are 400 mL left in the bag. To what should you set the flow rate? This is how the teacher worked the problem, and I don't understand how she got what she got. I don't understand the process, so if someone could approach each step and tell me why she did what she did, I would really appreciate your help! 450 mL = 3 hr 150 ml/hr 11:00 a.m. Why did we do this? How is this significant? + 3:00 hrs 2:00 p.m. Then she said the new total infusion time is 2 hours. and the new volume to be infused is 400 mL. (Now I get the 400 mL, but why is the new infusion time 2 hrs? I thought it would be 1 hour since 11:00 -10:00 1:00 1 hour can someone explain to me why the problem works this way? Thanks, Laura Then: mL = 400 mL = 200 mL/hr hr 2 hr

Hi all, I was just wondering if anyone has a good idea about an area of nursing with less personal contact for a new grad. I am a fact based information exchanger type personality, and I don't really have good people skills. I am very quiet most of the time, and I have very dark eye brows that scream "Stay away from me. I can kill you with an eyelash!" I don't even know Ilook that way until I pass a miirror or something. Often people ask me what's wrong, and I don't have a problem, but Ive decided that I must look like Ive just killed someone, and Even my clinical instructor last semester seems to think I need help playing well with others. I have been let go from a few different jobs that I believe people just didn't like to be around me, and I'm worried about getting a job and losing it because I'm not received well by others. I'm not a mean person, but I come across as less than sensitive. BIG problem in the NURSING FIELD! Are there any areas of nursing where I don't have to be so incredibly sweet to retain my employment? I keep feeling like I should ask if they want a mint or if I should bring them a cocktail or something. I feel more like I'm not a good nurse unless I'm acting like a Hostess or Stewartess or something. Are there any jobs where I will not has to lick people's boots overly much? I do not have a lot of excess sugar to my presentation and I am over 40 and I am afraid I cannot change this aspect of my personality. I am really nervous about being graded on my flat personality, and I just wondered if there is some other way to handle this problem. I don't smile all the time, and I am usually a very private and withdrawn person. I like myself that way, but I worry about petential employers having issues with this. Any advice or feedback would be appreciated! Thanks in Advance, Laura:wink2:

Hi Everyone: I have already had my Health Assessment class about 2 years ago, but now I need to perform a Head to Toe assessment on a patient. Can anyone offer me a way to remember the steps? It has been a long time since I performed a Health Assessment, and I Ned a way to remember all the important steps. Is there a mneumonic device I could use that any of you know about? I have to impress the pants off my clinical instructor tomorrow. Thanks in advance Laura:bow::bow:

Hi and welcome, Boy will you find a lot of threads on this debate, HEEE HEEE HEEE HEEEE HEEEE!!! But to answer your question, yes, an RN with an associates degree can perform the same clinical duties that a BSN can. BUT when it comes time to leave the bedside, you will be better able to find a job in management or some other aspect of nursing with a BSN. If you want to go for an ADN for now and go for a BSN afer you et your RN, that is a good option. I am just reporting what I have heard on this board. But be careful, SOME people here see this topic of discussion as "touchy." You might also receive a better reception from potential employers if you have your BSN- but if you want to get an RN from a CC and then get your BSN from another university, that is also a valid option. Clinically they can do the same things, but job options may differ. Many institutions ( hospitals ) want their nurses to have BSN degrees. Be aware. Laura

yOU'll be just fine! HANG IN THERE!! Laura