delgadojbc

Grossest thing that happened to me. The FIRST and ONLY time I wore my hair down, in a half ponytail. Think long, thick curly hair. My poor patient started coughing and then vomiting what I thought was phlegm...turns out he had end stage lung CA and what landed in my curls was lung tissue. My lunch barely stayed down and I almost ran but he was so embarassed he started to cry. I swallowed the chunks and reassured him it was OK and no big deal. Poor little guy passed the next day when the pulmonologist tried to intubate.

I get your annoyance but big picture, let it go. Most old folks aren't going to change 60 years of habit for you. I'm sure its not intentional, just chill unless they get totally dismissive, then assert yourself. You have to shake that stuff off. I've had elderly people make disparaging remarks to me about other staff members due to their race and its OBVIOUS I'm the same race!! They don't even think twice about it....ignorance is contagious, so prevention is key.

I'm required to do total patient care, charting, assessment, the whole shebang on at least 2 patients and work my way up by 1 weekly to 5 or 6. No med passes at all, blessing or curse..not sure yet. I guess I felt I should be more prepared but now that I think back, LVN school was really hands on and RN school seems more about paperwork. I can write a mean journal article review and fill out my care plans like nobody's business but when it comes to clinical, I felt like I needed so much hand holding. I think my precept felt like a senior student 6 weeks from graduation should be more independent and be more confident.

Good point, Marty. I thought I was gonna lose my mind working for an MD office just taking vitals and maybe giving an IM Phenergan once a month...mind numbing. Hope I can step it up, I only have a few weeks and the whole "first impression" thing is now sailing down s@#$ creek

Funny, I have to be very discreet in trying to find fellow "Twilighters." People think I'm a dork. Luckily there are several among my nursing school buddies! Blows my mind to see my imagination, fed from a book and on a movie screen, love it!!

Comic relief, my safe harbor. I feel so overwhelmed now, like..."why the hell did I go back to RN school!!!" "I know nothing!!!" The only thing I know about "LOST" is that all the stars take turns getting pulled over for drunk driving in Hawaii.

Math hates me and I feel the same way but we're civil to each other. Nursing math is its own beast, get comfy with it now!

Virgo, Marty funny! Too bad I've been in nursing school and haven't watched TV in over a year...its all I can do to check my local weather online.

Damn! My biggest soul chilling fear is to accidentally cause some innocent person harm. I let that fear scare me out of gaining hospital experience and now I'm paying for it...

Boo-hoo! My preceptor is required to fill out an evaluation form on me, to give to instructor. Not due until midterm, so plenty of time to get a good one but I wanted some input. My preceptor reluctantly filled it out but said I shouldn't let my instructor read it and just wait until midterm to get a decent one!!

A+, no doubt. I DEVOUR books I enjoy (wish I could say the same for nursing texts) and actually crave reading my favorites more than once. Read the Harry Potter series in two weeks and the Twilight series in one week. No, I'm not 14!! Just wanted to see what all the fuss was.

Cute story! Said my goodbyes to my little 80 year old patient, who is a priest. He blessed me and did the sign of the Cross!

Need some helpful tips. I'm an LVN with minimal hospital experience, which was over 10 years ago. Found my niche in doctor's office setting. LAST few weeks of RN school. Good theory and clinical grades so far but still minimal hands on. First clinical day of last course, where I'm supposed to shadow but learn how to start running the show myself. HORRIBLE DAY! Felt totally lost, couldn't complete simple tasks like priming IV line and setting pumps, couldn't critical think through SIMPLE nursing rationale questions and felt totally useless. My preceptor looked like she wanted to bow out. Feels like all my clinical skills disappeared with my confidence.

I try to avoid telling people I'm a nurse. They usually get defensive and it makes for some awkwardness. I also can't pretend I'm all-knowing, the medical assistant at the pediatrician's office knows more than I do, I've never done Pedi. That being said, I only pull the nurse card if somebody tries talking to me as if I'm ignorant and addresses me as you would a 5 year old.