millhouse

Thanks for your input!! Very helpful!! :)

Well it's not the end of the world if you don't pass... so don't be hard on yourself if it happens. It is a VERY stressful test and I was positive I failed it when I took it 8 years ago. I got all the questions and it took me just shy of 5 hrs to take. Turns out I passed!! But there were some great students who grad with honors to fail it. Kaplan is the way to go with studying. I took my test AS SOON AS I could schedule it after grad. I think I took it 2 weeks after graduation. I found with my own class that the ones who took it immediately did well, where as the ones who didn't- didn't! I studied about 6 hours a day for 1 straight week. When I say studied, I did NCLEX questions on CD over and over and over. I did not review any info from nursing school. Just he NCLEX questions. I did a couple hundred a day. And then day before the test study (do a few more questions) some in the am and then put up your study material (after all... if you don't know it by this time... you won't know it for the test) and try and relax, eat a good dinner, and get a good nights sleep ( I think I took Benedryl to help the sleep process that night b/c I knew anxiety would keep me awake). Have a decent b-fast and go in with a clear head!! Do your best.. it's all you can do!! Don't freak out if it doesn't cut off after 75... and then after 100... and then after 200!! I was praying for it to cut off, but it didn't'! GOOD luck!! :)

Hahah... they definitely are creepy!! I went in to my class the other day. I was the only one in the building and I was working in my office... I kept feeling like they were watching me! :)

Just wondering if you enjoyed your CNA training? If yes or no.... were there specific reasons you did/did not enjoy it? Also, did you CNA instructor ever do any sort of games or presentations that you really liked?? The reason behind all this is that I just got hired to be the program coordinator for a high school CNA program. Looking to make it fun/interesting!! :) Thanks for you input!

Not sure if you found one by now... but ACEC does them. http://www.aceconline.com/

That's a great idea to contact her just to thank her and to see if she has any suggestions for your next interview process. No sense burning bridges!! It could have been that someone more qualified interviewed after you?? Either way, it's unfortunate that you didn't get the job... but I have always felt in my own life that God will open the right doors and keep the wrong ones shut for me. He hasn't let me down yet!! Keep your chin up and keep on applying!! :) Good luck!

I worked nights PRN and NEVER was able to sleep before the 1st night. Most of the time I would try and lay down and my mind would wander. Fortunately, I could make it through one night with out sleep and then would crash hard the next morning when I got home. Good luck!!

I just accepted a job as a program coordinator and teacher for a public high school based CNA program. This is my first job teaching although I have trained many new RN's over my career. I am very nervous about it. It will be 2 classes a day M-F with each class about 2 1/2 hours in length. Both classes are the same content... but different students. I will do teaching along with lab at the school where there is a nice make shift hospital. Clinicals will begin around January. I don't have the curriculum but I know this course typically is done over weeks/month. How on earth am I going to spread it over an entire school year at 2.5 hours per day?? Any advise out there?? Also, any online resources that you are aware of?? I have looked but really cannot find anything. I have a new teacher orientation for 1 week before school starts. Thanks in advance!! Oh, and any insight/tips into teaching junior and seniors in high school??

This ? is very strange!

Well, I think you should be concerned and should have at least reported it to a physician if your nursing mgr wasn't there. Don't panic though... it will not do you any good. Organisol is a detergent not a disinfectant. It basically disolves dried blood, tissue samples, etc.. So, if those particles were in the water, it may be an issue. Not really sure of the viability of that which is floating around in water though. I would make sure to report it as soon as you return to work. They can guide you better. I'm sure they have someone who can advise you appropriately through infection control. Hope all this works out for you!

Well, I just can't see buying a sprague (which is as good as those isolation stethoscopes, IMO) when you are learning to listen to different sounds. Just because you are a student doesn't mean you are not going to assess your patients heart, lung, bowel sounds. I remember doing clinicals on a pulm special care unit as well as ICU and a tele floor. I remember other students in my class borrowing mine b/c they couldn't hear or decifer what they were hearing from their cheapie one. I bought the Master Cardio as a gift to myself at the beginning of starting the program and like I said, still have it 11 years later. Why not practice with what you learn on? IDK, just my opinion.

As far as the manual BP cuff.... I would just buy a generic cheap one. I MAYBE used mine 3 times in school (during labs) but always used hospital equipment in clinicals. I use it to check my husbands bp on occasion. That said, I have probably used it 10 times over 10 years. As far as the stethoscope... I would get what you want. I can't really see how the school can force you to buy a specific stethoscope, IMO. It sounds like more of a recommendation, rather than a requirement. I bought the Littman Master Cardiology (which only has 1 side) and I love it. I found it easier to use when I was in school. I bought it 11 years ago and it is still like new. It is pricey... but has been wealth worth the cost and deals with wear and tear pretty well, not to mention the quality. Buy what you want with the idea you will be using it long term! When mine plays out (IF it ever does)... I will go for the same type again!! Good luck!!

Wow... that's crazy!! I say, if you want it bad enough you should go for it. I don't know if I coulda done it though!

Well, there is always the question about your strengths and weaknesses. And of course the one where they ask you about a time when you had a disagreement or confrontation with a coworker and how you handled it. That's all I can think of right now!

In VA I started out at 12.15/hr with 7 yrs experience. RN's are in the same pay band as custodians/bus drivers/cafeteria staff. It's a hard pill to swallow. I loved it, but sadly have decided to leave b/c I just can't get over the pay. After day care, gas (a 40 min drive one way) and double my grocery bill for packing 4 lunches a day... I am paying to work there. It's a shame that nurses are not compensated for what we do!!