lisaannej

BSN October 26,2012! 5 months to go!!!

I would look at DaVita's website or Fresenius website's. Those are two dialysis companies I know in AZ. See what their qualifications are? Google other dialysis companies, too, to see what they require. That's where I would start I guess.

1. NEW furniture! I am tired of my old garage sale/thrift store stuff. With that, a super comfy, never want to leave bed! 2. A new car. Again, tired of my hand me down cars!

I understand completely. I will be graduating in October. I've learned throughout nursing school that I really dislike bedside nursing. I am much more interested in public health, research, case management, and even psych, which is less bedside. If bedside nursing isn't what you are interested, find other areas that are?

I graduate with my BSN in 6 months, and I have no idea if we have a pinning ceremony! I think if we do it's along with graduation because my school is just a school for nursing, so it doesn't have to share graduation with other majors. It would be super to be pinned!

The curriculum, which is national, is great. You'll get a lot of learning about each speciality. I go to another campus, so I can't say what is good or bad about Chicago. Yes, the non-transferrable credits is a con, but hopefully that doesn't need to happen :) I like that classes are only 8 weeks long. Yes, you learn a ton of info in that short period, but if there is a class you aren't fond of, you don't have to endure it for 16 long weeks! :) Good luck!

You could start the nursing program, do a semester, and see if it really is for you? Defer your admittance into the other program until then? I like Rob72's idea about incorporating both fields. Nursing really does have so many different avenues besides bedside nursing.

Which campus were you looking at? I think each campus has its own pros and cons.

I am a soon to be new grad and want to work with the geriatric population, too! I am the lone person who is interested in them! Everyone else wants to do ER and I don't see the appeal to that. I've worked as a CNA in nursing homes and now as a caregiver in assisted living, and I love being really be able to build relationships with my residents and their families. I would say, if you could, get your caregiver certification. It's much cheaper and faster to get than CNA. There are a few places you can do it online (except for a few days of shadowing, which you can get hook up with a place) if you dig deep enough to find those places online. That's what I did. Then see about getting your foot in the door as a caregiver. If that doesn't work, I would get either get emails of DON/Hiring Managers of places you want to work and email them your resume/CV or go in and apply, but I wouldn't do that now, I would want until closer to graduation. I hope that helps some!

I'm not a nurse yet, but work as a med tech in an assisted living facility. I pull the med, sign for it, initial bubble pack, give med. If the resident refuses a med, I circle my initials, then document why, and waste the med. I do know of some med techs who don't use the MAR at all, pop the pills into the cup and place in back in cabinet beforehand (likes hours before giving meds), then sign for everything at the very end. Doing it that way scares me, I would forget something, like even forgetting to go back and actually give the meds. I don't really feel like using the MAR and signing at the time of giving med makes me go any slower.

I think it's pretty crazy that your instructor didn't do more in the way of helping you with your "issue" before speaking with the coordinator. I am in nursing school right now, and I am sure that any of the instructors that I have had, if I had an issue, they would have come to me first and really tried to see what could help me work through it. I don't like small talk either. I work with the geriatric population, so it is much easier for me to make conversation with them, but adults and kids, not so much. I've been through fundamentals, med/surg, OB, peds, and now psych. The only rotation so far that they have really stressed talking a lot with your patient is psych. I've noticed in the clinical setting, that a lot of times, the nurse doesn't really make a whole lot of small talk, only enough to build rapport, and get what they need for an assessment. You're only in your second semester. You are going to learn a ton more of who you are, what makes you comfortable, uncomfortable, and ways to get through the uncomfortable-ness. You're going to develop the skills you need!

If you would rather be in the ICU, then I say take that job. I am sure they will give you orientation and training since ICU is so specialized. I think you should go for it!

I'm a nursing student and the couple times I've been to the hospital, I've never told outright, but they always ask what I do, so I then tell them. But I've seen patients in my clinicals and even my friend that I went to the hospital with do the whole, "I'm a nursing student and I know everything" card. Really?? I would never make it seem like since I'm a nursing student that I know what everything means. I'm there for care, so tell me :)

I am finishing up my first semester at the Phoenix Campus. My feelings are mixed right now. The people who schedule the classes are a little on the frustrating side. You have to keep asking them and reminding them to do things, but they always will accommodate you as best they can. When I applied I had no idea it was a part of DeVry and that I would be taking DeVry classes. I have a B.S in Health Science already. I was told that I wouldn't have to take ANY sciences and that I would be starting in NR 222 the first semester. Well, when I got my schedule for the semester, they had me in A&P. I had to ask why, it was because it was too old, over 5 years ( and I am really happy I have taken A&P before because our teacher isn't the greatest teacher) But all my other sciences are within 10 years, so that transferred. I also had to take math and english again because they didn't accept the syllabi. They are letting me start NR 222 next semester though, so I am happy about that. From what I've heard, people who are in the actually nursing classes really love the school. I just want to get the few pre-reqs I have to take over with because I am not so much a fan of the DeVry classes. I'm really looking forward to moving on with the nursing classes though. :)