MissBell

I just called to inquire about my application and they haven't even processed it. I applied June 21st, the woman told me they probably won't get to it until next week. So bummed.

I recently completed an adult-gerontology acute care NP program, and have taken a job with a general surgery group. They are training me to first-assist on the job, as an ARNP I am not required to complete a formal RNFA program. But the job isn't just assisting in the OR, I also round on patients and write progress/H&Ps/consult notes and see patients one day a week in the clinic. As an RN, I worked on an inpatient surgical floor caring for patients post-op, we took care of patients after general, urological, vascular, thoracic, trauma, and GYN procedures, and this experience has been invaluable learning the rounding and clinic portion of my job (my hospital didn't have a med/surg floor, we had a separate medical and surgical floors). Another ARNP I work with was a circulating nurse in the OR, thus she was very comfortable starting off in the OR and learning the first-assist portion, but didn't have the post-operative experience. So we took two different paths but ended up in the same position. If you want to end up as an ARNP with a surgical group, then I suggest you either go the OR or inpatient surgical floor route as an RN. Both would provide a clear a path to your final career goal. Good luck!

I'm working on getting licensed in Iowa and Illinois, and both states require me to get a controlled substance license from the state pharmacy board prior to applying for the federal DEA number. The DEA website has a list of states that require a separate state license here: Practitioner's State License Requirements Hope this helps!

I tested May 26th and I haven't gotten a certificate/wallet card. Some say it takes 2-3 weeks? Did yours ever come in the mail?

I was getting mid 70's to mid 80's on the DRTs.

I passed the ANCC's AGACNP exam last Saturday (hooray!!), and I did the Barkley live review course. I can't recommend it enough. I also purchased the CDs a few months ago and have been listening to them whenever I was in my car. I did all the DRTs offered by Barkley, as well as the review questions you can purchase on the ANCC. I think Barkley's was slightly harder than the actual test questions, and the practice questions from the ANA were slightly easier but more in-line to how the questions are written. I was very prepared for my exam using these two resources. Another book I found helpful was Leik's Adult-Gero Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review. While it is geared more towards FNP, there is enough acute care information to make it worthwhile, plus it was only $30. I think there is a new version that is $50? There's over 600 practice questions, and it's a very good but brief pathophys/first line treatment review. Good luck!

We actually have a journal article thumbtacked to our nurse's station about this very topic. While the name escapes me, the gist is this: Using your example of 1-2 tabs q4h, you give 1 tab at 8am. This does not alleviate the pain, so at 10am you can give the second tab, however, this restarts the clock, and you cannot give any more meds for the full 4 hours. I can write down the journal article next time I work if you would like to look it up yourself. Hope this helps! MissBell RN