icunurse36

Hi: Have you thought about seeing if you can stay in the hospital in an empty bed somewhere instead of driving 2 hours each way? What about moving there temporarily for the next year?

Hey: Where I used to work, we did reimburse them if it was required for their jobs. I mean, what is the difference between the online and the live? As long as it is the American Heart Assn course (not those lame companies that say that they are AHA affililiated), then give them the 8 hours for renewal and 12 hours for initial, provided they give you a completion certificate. The only recognized course we use is the http://www.onlineaha.org site. (The official AHA site that requires a skill validation with an ACLS instructor). The course cost is 120.00. We used Healthstream, and ACLS is online there now as well. All of the other "ACLS" renewals online do not require skill validation and are not AHA courses. ICU

Hey: Go to http://www.onlineaha.org and take the online BLS course for Healthcare providers. It only costs 17.50 and then on the website you can find out who is an AHA instructor and do a skill validation. You do the course and test online and then do a skills validation with an instructor...usually costs about 20.00 or so. Good luck icu

Hey All: Anyone going to NTI in May of 2009? I will be there and would like to meet up with others from Allnurses. Chris

Hey cardiac nurse: I have both. I know it sounds like a lot but I first bought the audio CD's the first time that I took the exam (I have renewed 2 times by exam, 2 times by CEU) but then I bought the DVD and I learned a lot from that too. I would probably say that the audio CD is more practical for the reasons that you stated. It is easy to pop in the CD player in the car or at workouts. I have listened to it over and over and over. I think that is the key....repeating it over and over. It drills it into your head. I have her book too, to do the practice questions. Of course, you also need to review AACN's Core Curriculum book as the exam is from that. I have to say that I am a nerd....I have the Pass CCRN book and the AACN's CCRN review course as well. They all give a different experience. The reason I like the AACN's version is that is has a lot of patho, whereas, Gasparis is down and dirty info. You know what I mean? I like the Pass CCRN book just because it is cool....but it is pretty hard in some places. Whichever one you choose, just remember what the other posters stated...Rome wasn't built in a day....take your time and keep repeating the lessons. I gave myself 4 months before the exam to practice each week for 4 hours. I set it aside and did it. No more and no less....that way I could concentrate on it and then go about my life. Good luck to you! Chris

Hey: Check out http://www.pearlsreview.com. They cost about 29.00 for a year, unlimited CE. I use them. There are also alot of free CEU's on the internet, just type in free nursing CEU on google. Good luck! It isn't hard to get them. I am a member of AACN and I get free Nursing CE from them as well. Chris

Hi: We use Healthstream for our hospital as well. I love it...It has its bugs and stuff but so much better than Net Learn as far as the interface is concerned, in my opinion. We also supplement with Pearlsreview.com. It costs the hospital about 1600.00 for 250 students.. Great product, everyone loves it. It is an online CEU company for nurses. icunurse36

Hey: We have alot of travelers where I work at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Panama City, FL (about 45 minutes east of Destin). I believe they are from all different agencies but have to go through the All about Staffing company for HCA hospitals. I don't know anything further about the agency nurses, but we do use them. http://www.allaboutstaffing.com Good Luck!! I love the beach!!!! icunurse36

Hey: I just have one comment as the others have very eloquently stated their opinions. If you have ever taken the CCRN test, you would never say to someone that this is a test someone could take if they "test well". You have to know your stuff. It was the hardest test I have ever done and I have done it 3 times. I take it to force myself to review. I hope you do take it, it was one of my most proudest moments. Even if no one else knows, you will know, that you did it!! Good luck!!! PS I recommend Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio's DVD"s and the reading the entire Core Curriculum book from AACN. Chris

Hi: Here is my thought....especially when you are new to a job or area....show you will help, instead of saying you will be there if they need help. Don't ask them if they need help, just go in there and start helping them. Start with the little things. You obviously need a develop a relationship with this particular nurse as well as the others. So, develop a routine, check with all the nurses for a status report say every 4 hours out of the 12 hour shift....call it your status report. But make sure that you do it to all the nurses, so that they don't feel like you are just factoring in on one nurse in particular. I think most people have a beef with a charge nurse saying call me if you need me....just volunteer yourself...you don't have to wait until someone is getting slammed, jump in there and help them before they get overwhelmed. Just my 2 cents!! Good luck...you will continue to be fine...don't let your nerves mess you up.... Chris

Hey Peach: I use Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio tapes and DVD's as well as her books. Also, I use the AACN Core Curriculum book and audio tapes for CCRN review. Even if they aren't studying for the CCRN, these are great reference materials. I tell all my new grads to get the book by Diepenbrock, Quick reference for Critical care and Gary Algozzine's Critical Care IV med spiral bound book for pocket references. Email me if you have any questions, or reply to me here. I would be happy to help you and share stuff with you. I have a ton of critical care resources. Chris

Hey: I had found this. I work in Education Dept of a local hospital here in Fla. http://www.poweredtemplates.com/medical-ppt-powerpoint-templates.html?page=next&current_page=1&l=6 Chris

I have for ya'll. One night in our MICU, it had been super busy. It was about 2am and we were all silent and diligently charting away. I was sitting next to a post with the fire extinguisher on it to the right of me, with a short hallway behind me. There was a friend of mine to my left, the post to my right and another friend in front of me to the right behind the post. I heard someone call my name, whisper like, to my right ear. I felt my hair move....when they whispered, they were so close to me, that my hair moved. My name is Christine and it was very distinct. I threw my pen down, pissed and said...you guys quit screwing with me, I have to finish charting!...They both looked at me and said what the hell are you talking about? ...I was like, oh right, like one of ya'll is jerking with me, whispering my name in my right ear. My friend, to my left, said I haven't moved..i have sat here the whole time!!...I believed her, because I would have seen her move.There was no one behind me in the hall. So, I turned to my friend on the right and wheeled my chair around the pole. I said to her, quit screwing with me and let me chart....She said again...I swear I haven't moved...I then realized that no one had moved and got the biggest goose bumps and burst into tears at the nurses station....Then, they all got freaked out because they thought I was jerking around with them and realized I wasn't!! But i heard someone say my name just as normal as anything...Freaked the crap out of me!!!! Chris

i have been at my hospital for about 13 years. It is outside of the New Orleans, LA area. I am in MICU. I make a base of 24.52. Then add CCRN pay 2.50 , plus I work nights, that is 2.50 more. So almost 30.00 hr/nights during the week...Weekend nights is 34.00/hr. C