RHIA, RN

Thank you. I did ask to join the facebook group so hopefully someone will approve me. Mostly, I am trying to decide if I want to pay the application fee and apply to Frontier or if I will like the learning atmosphere at Wilkes. Good luck with your studies!

I am researching online PMHNP programs at the moment. I would like to ask you all how your program is going. What are the pro's and con's of online education through Wilke's? I really appreciate any feedback.

Wow. I was just requesting my transcript to be mailed for this program. Maybe I should think again. I was planning to apply to EKU and USA.

Med- surg is rough even when you're a seasoned nurse. I remember when I was trying to get through my "mandatory 2 yrs" in med-surg, I was crying by the time I made it to my truck every day for the first 6 months. My anxiety was because I was always afraid I had forgot to do something critical or that I had done something the wrong way. I stuck it out for 2 years and never went back. I never dreamed that I would like working in a nursing home but I took a job at a VA long term care facility and I really liked it. I've worked outpatient clinics too but that gets boring really quick. Currently, I work in Performance Improvement, mostly tracking core measures. One major advantage of nursing is that there are plenty of different ways to be a nurse, med-surg is just one option. Have you thought about taking a coding program? I see jobs advertised all the time for RNs that know coding so that they can coach the doctors on how to chart to help with billing. Also, I read an article that was explaining that insurance companies are hiring 3 times the RNs that they did 10 years ago. I didn't believe it so I went to a Blue Cross/ Blue Shield website just to see. It was true. Numerous vacancies for RNs. Good luck!

@zenman - Is this true in the VA setting? The VA is where I intend to work.

Jolie, thanks for your explanation. I appreciate your help!

It is a staffing problem and it is a school assignment. I figure that mangers will know how to work this out. I am in a leadership class online and the instructor has not responded to emails or phone calls. A classmate and I have different answers and we don't know which is correct (if either). Activity 1: The Situation In the unit where you are planning the budget, it has been determined that patients need 4 hours of RN nursing care hours per day (NHPD), 2 hours of LPN nursing care/day and 6 hours of unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) care/day. This information is based on data from last year, and assumes no change in patient census or acuity for the upcoming year. The average daily census is 32 patients. The Staffing Plan Instructions Using the information from the Situation above, determine the nursing care hours (NCHs) for each category of staff per pay period and enter it into the middle column in the table below. Number of RNs: _________ Number of LPNs: _________ Number of UAPs: __________ Using the figures above, determine how many FTEs in each category of staff will be needed to staff this unit per pay period and enter it into the table. How might the number of nursing care hours needed in each category of care in the staffing pattern have been determined? [TABLE=width: 533] [TR] [TH]Category of Staff[/TH] [TH]Nursing Care Hours per Pay Period[/TH] [TH]Number of FTEs Required in Each Category[/TH] [/TR] [TR] [TD] RNs[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] LPNs[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] UAPs[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] Total nursing staff[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] I worked it out like this: RN 4 x 32 = 128 hrs/ day x 14 days = 1792hrs/ pay period 1792/ 80 hrs = 22.4 FTEs I'm not sure exactly how my classmate calculated it but she came out with 16 FTEs. Everything I have looked up online takes a lot more into the calculation such as productive and nonproductive hours. Our problem is simplified. I really appreciate anyone that can explain this for me.

http://www.anccprep.com/index.cfm is the site I am using. The exams are kicking my butt.

I am trying to decide which route to take myself, DNP or MSN. I was all set to apply to MSN programs but the scholarship program I plan to apply to told me that they will fund DNP students first. :-( I am going the PMHNP route. I saw a job opening that said "MSN NP not to be substituted with DNP". So, now I wonder if getting a DNP is going to make my options more narrow.

Wushu, I am studying for the same exam. I am using it as my clinical project for the last semester of the BSN program. I haven't worked in psych in about 2 years and I feel like I jumped in over my head but I'm gonna go for it! I bought the book suggested on the ANCC website, the practice exams on exam edge and Pearls Review. IMO, Pearls Review is not worth it if you don't need the CEUs. I have until January first to take the exam.

Thank you for the information and vote of confidence, Kathy! The more I read the ANCC book the more overwhelmed I feel.

Thank you Orca, I had read that on their website but I still felt like I might be missing something. It is nice to have some reassurance.

chevyv, did you have a BSN when you took the exam? One of the textbooks that I was using to study (from my associate degree RN program) specifically states that you have to have a BSN to take the ANCC exam. I don't remember seeing that on the ANCC website but I guess I'll go take another look.

ChevyV, thank you for replying! The hours are 2,000 in psychiatric- mental health, 30 CEUs within the last 3 years. I would have to take the test by December to meet that criteria because I have been away from patient care for almost 2 years. I finally received the ANCC study manual yesterday, thank goodness. I also signed up on Exam edge. I really hope all of this helps me pass!

I am in the final semester of a RN to BSN program. One of our choices for our clinic project is to take an ANCC exam. I have thought about taking it before but now I am really interested. I bought a membership to Pearls Review but I am not at all impressed with the material. I know the exam won't be as simple as the material on Pearls. I have ordered the book listed on the ANCC website but it hasn't arrived yet. I was wondering if anyone has taken this exam recently and could shed some light on study materials?