asfreeasabird

Be confident in what you have learned. You don't need an experienced nurse to check ALL of your work. That being said don't be afraid to ask questions of nurses you trust. Find a good nurse that you can go to like a mentor who works with you often an...

Nurses have a huge rate of burn out. Know when not to take extra shifts. Take care of yourself, eat well, exercise, and take regular vacations. Know when you are starting to get burned out, and take some time for yourself. I have quite a few vacation...

I was an LPN before I became an RN. I worked in LTC and now work on the medical floor at our hospital. I am thankful for the experience I gained as an LPN. I gained excellent time management skills. I worked a 2-10pm shift when I did LTC which was gr...

I understand what you mean I work 12hours shifts on a medical floor. 30minutes is taken out of our paychecks for lunch, but I have had up to five phone calls during my lunch hour. Some days I take the battery out and enjoy my lunch (boundries). If it...

You could volunteer as a candy striper (if they still do this). Our hospital has something called transport. A transporter will take the patients all over the hospital for diagnostic procedures, wheel them out to their car when they are ready to go h...

I have had that happen a few times. I have care planned it so they can do the care themselves. I asked my manager and I had one of my patients reaccess her own portacath because she would be doing it at home and had been doing it at home. I had anoth...

1. Wear comfortable shoes 2. Be confident in what you know and ask about what you don't 3. the patients can wait, go the bathroom 4. find a mentor 5. have a sense of humor about what you do (somedays this is going to be the only thing that will...

The community college I went to told me where I was on the alternate list.

I was an LPN for a few years at a long term care facility before returning to get my RN. An LPN is considered "the bedside nurse." The LPN will typically care for a more stable patient. Our hospital has phased out most of the LPNs at the bedside. Fro...

Just remember people can tell when you are smiling on the phone. I would shoot for all three instead of the oncology dept, you can always transfer later. It is a great oppertunity to work at a teaching hospital. Be calm and courteous to all of them. ...

If you have the option I would recommend waiting. You don't want to deal with swollen ankles, morning sickness and nursing school exams. At the school I graduated from many of the pregnant gals failed out. One that did not showed up a few days after ...

My aunt worked as a critical care nurse for 10years and became a personal trainer. Her clients seek her out because she is a nurse. Something about having someone there who knows what to do if you start exercising too hard is comforting to her elderl...

When mine is down I usually have something to put it up, because as we all know in nursing you never know what is going to happen during the day. Our floor is a little stricter. We are not allowed to wear jeans to on-site education (which is good but...

Our local hospital had a pretty bad nickname. A few years ago it partnered up with a chain of other hospitals and has since been trying to improve it's reputation in the community. Most people notice the change, but there are still people who call it...

1. You will learn to see everyone as an equal...everybody is equal sick in a hospital gown 2. You will have a bladder that is like a 50gallon drum 3. You will be able to watch medical dramas and be able to laugh at the dramatic parts 4. You will be a...

Sometimes the greatest joy in the day is being able to hand them off to the next nurse. You know what patients I am talking about.

It sounds like a classic case of exaserbation of CHF. I don't know anyone who would think about PE given the clinical picture. Even if I was thinking about a PE you don't have to be out of the country to sit for a long period of time. Sounds like a c...

Our local university is trying to get people in to the nursing program without having to wade through too many prerequisites. The theory is you should be able to get a four year degree in four years. I have not seen any stats on it. All they require...

I wonder how many of our lawmakers actually read this bill before voting for it. It seems more political than in the best interest of the people.

When I graduated one of my teachers recommended a Kapplan book. I bought the book at barnes and noble for around $35. It went through strategies for the NCLEX. I liked it a lot. I passed the NCLEX with 75 questions in an hour. Hope this helps.

I did the LPN route then transitioned to get my RN at the same community college. I noticed that I needed to study less because the A&P made sense after caring for patients. Nursing is cyclic sometimes there is a huge shortage and ADNs and LPNs a...

It is a different kind of stress. As the charge in LTC I was in charge of my 15-20 residents as well as the 120bed facility, which during the week wasn't bad but on the weekends when everybody wanted to call in it was HELL. I had meds to pass, I was ...

Some days despite your best efforts people compain. I had a night when a patient was hyperkalemic and had received kayexallate and was up and down to the commode all night. I was charting outside her door and went in there everytime she needed to get...

I was RN supervisor at a LTC facility. The job requirements were caring for a hall with 15-20patients many of whom did not need a lot of care. I also rounded on the other halls to make sure there were no problems. If there are any problems you are re...

Some nursing programs look at volunteer experience and some don't. The one I went to looked at if you were a CNA, LPN or EMT. I think this experience will help you be more comfortable interacting with people, because to be a nurse you have to be very...