TennBSN

I am a RN at a large level 1 trauma center in the PACU. As far as I know, ASPAN standards recommend 2 RNs for any phase I patient. A phase I patient is anyone who has general anesthesia. Since it is a recommendation I guess your nursing leaders can ignore ASPAN.

I will be there too. Going to San Antonio after COT. I have not comissioned yet but I have also heard that will happen a few weeks before COT.

I also have IT band problems in my right leg and it comes and goes without warning but my problem starts after a few minutes of running. I can run through the pain for about 2 miles. Don't mention any knee pain to anyone especially since it does not effect you until mile # 5. It will only cause problems for you during the application process. At COT the most you will have to run is a 5K. Recently, I have solved my IT band problems. I went to a professional foot orthotics store and got fitted for orthotics. I have not had any IT band problems since I started using the orthotics (which has been 9 months). My knee pain has gone away as well.

There is no priority between CCRN and CEN. If you work primarily in the ED you should put CEN first then CCRN (because CEN is more applicable to the area you work in). If you work in the ICU put CCRN first. If you work in both areas equally then it really does not matter. In general, CCRN vs. CEN, one is not higher than the other.

I worked in a few different Trauma ICUs for about 5 years and I saw many horrible stories like the one you described. There are a few of the bad ones that I think about every now and then, the worst being a 16 year old girl that was water skiing and wiped out and sustained a head injury. Her brain herniated during the night when I was taking care of her and she died. I was a new nurse at the time. Had been out of nursing school for about a year. I can't count the hundreds of times I have wiped out while water skiing and I couldn't belive something so simple like that killed her. My best advice for you is to talk about it. You are taking a great step by talking about it on this blog and getting the thoughts out of your head and trying to deal with the feelings this tragedy has left you with. Open up to friends or family. The memory of this patient may stay with you for a long time but the feelings you are feeling right now should fade away over time. If they don't you might want to think about a different area of nursing. You can't carry these feelings around with you. If you do, your performance at work will suffer and it will most likely take a toll on your personal life in one way or another. Most healthcare workers have at least one patient they will never forget. Maybe this one will be yours. Just make sure that it doesn't effect you for too long. I hope this helps.

I went to the Nashville MEPS in January. It was not bad. No one was mean to me. The guy that took my blood was so funny. I think I was there at 5 am and I left at 1 pm. The process felt disorganized and we were hearded around from one thing to another. Just remember to bring the paperwork you are supposed to bring. I forgot my social security card and had to reschedule. For the ladies, don't wear a sports bra wear a regular one. I had on a black Victoria Secret bra and the hipster cut underwear. I didn't run into any problems. The girls with sports bras did.

Does anyone have any ideas for CCRN recertification in Category C? Minimum requirements is 10 credits. I have 6 right now (AACN membership and TNA membership). I am at a loss as to what I can do to fulfill this requirement.

I am ICU and I have my CCRN along with TNCC and PALS and my pay will be no different than any other 1st leiutenant. My COT date is scheduled for Jan 2011. My paperwork went to the April/May boards so January COT may be full now. I am hoping to get moved to an August or October COT class but I am not going to hold my breath on that. Congrats on making the decision to join. You are correct in feeling like it is a huge decision. I have moments of anxiety on if I have made a horrible decision or not. During those times I think about the reasons I am joining, then my decision feels right again. Good luck during the rest of your application process.

Travel nursing right now is a really difficult path to take. The jobs are VERY limited. The low number of travel jobs and the high number of applicants per job offer have made it really competitive. Many jobs listings come with stipulations, most of which require a certain amount of job experience. The hospitals require 2-5 years of experience in the area you will be working, some require previous travel nursing experience. When it comes to travel nursing agencies all of them lie. Let me repeat that so I make myself perfectly clear. ALL travel nursing agencies lie. If you are searching for a good agency you will be searching for a long time. Since the travel nursing job market is so bad right now you need to look for the agency with the most jobs. Those agencies would most likely be AMN (a.k.a. American Mobile), All About Staffing (HCA hospitals staffing agency), and maybe Cross Country. You should apply at all three just to get a job. The ER will be much more difficult to get a travel job in. Med-surg will be easier. Sorry I am sounding so down about the travel nursing. I am just being honest. I was a travel nurse for the ICU for 3 years. My last assignment ended last summer. There was few jobs and many applicants and no fun places to travel to. So I moved back home and got a job. It took me a long time to find a permanent position so don't give up your staff job until you have interviewed and have been accepted for a job. But, even then it can fall through. Just be cautious.

I agree that you sould hold on to the ICU job for a little bit longer. Being a new grad in an ICU is overwhelming which contributes to many unhappy days at work. It does get better. I was a new grad that started in the ICU so I really know what it feels like to be in your situation. You say in your post that working in the ICU does not allow you to use your communication and interpersonal skills. This is very untrue for the ICU. You might not be able to communicate with your patient but you can communicate with their family members. You meet the patient's family on what might be the worst time in their lives. They are facing the possibility that a loved one may die soon. This situation would be a perfect opportunity to use your great communication and interpersonal skills. There is no shortage of opportunities to use those types of skills in the ICU. If the patient's family members feel the nurse is kind and caring toward them, they will be convinced that their loved one is receiving the same. Hang on in the ICU. The longer you stay there the more confident you will get with your nursing skills and nursing knowledge. This will make you feel more comfortable at work which will probably make you like the job a little more. One more thing. Some nurses that have worked ICU for a long time have strong personalities. Don't let them intimidate you. With time you will have as much nursing knowledge as they do.

What kind of scrubs do the Air Force nurses wear? Do we buy our own and if so where do we buy them and how much do they cost? If they are issued to us is it one at a time from a scrub vending machine? How can we wear our hair (ponytail vs bun)? What kind of shoes are allowed, any colors not allowed? Is there any other uniform requirements that are military specific? I will be working in the ICU, is there any difference in the scrub uniform from one area of nursing to the next (e.g ob nurses and OR nurses tend to wear specific uniforms for their specialty)?

Thanks for the suggestions. I thing we might go with a line out of the a Police song . . . . "every move you make, every breath you take I'll be watching you". So far I think that is the front runner.

My PACU wants to have t-shirts made with our hospital name and with PACU identified on it along with a slogan. Does anyone have any ideas on PACU slogans? I can't for the life of me come up with anything. Anyone have any ideas?

I don't have the private message privilages yet. Give me a few days to get that going. I reallly appreciate the info. Also, thanks for all of the advice you give on this forum. The COT info is priceless!

Since I am not taking the bonus it will probably be the three years. If I really like being in the Air Force or decide it is time for me to pursue CRNA I will stay in and wll probably take advantage of a resign bonus at that time. I was just informed I was accepted so I have not signed any paperwork yet. I wasn't aware that the April boards were pushed to May. That is news to me. Carolinapooh- Do you have any suggestions on where to live in San Antonio?