newgrad04

I was a MA for 17 years and I ran into many other MA's referring to themselves as "nurses". By now, I finished school and finally got my RN license. The last job I took prior to graduating from nursing school was in a GI outpatient office that never had a licensed nurse before. They've always worked with MA's. Very difficult, I can tell you. The last MA that left here before I started left a big mess behind, i guess, because she did not really have the skills required to do the job. With no licensed personell available, telephone triage, assessment, injections, prescriptions, patient teaching, .... everything was done by MA's. I don't think that's such a good and safe idea. I don't think I could have done the job the way it was supposed to be done without having the knowledge that I gained by going through school while working there. Now that I graduated and got licensed - I still work in the same office. I love my job, my co-workers (all non-medical) are very nice, and I really enjoy working for my doctors. And they are sooo proud to finally have a nurse.

Good luck! 72 % and 67 % - you should be fine! I don't know if you're referring to the Kaplan Question Trainer or some other program. If it's the Kaplan, don't worry - I had to see for myself that the Kaplan questions are a lot harder than the actual NCLEX. I never made it past 65 % on the Kaplan, and I passed the NCLEX with the minimum of 75 questions. You'll make it. Take a deep breath before going in there and tune everything else out. It's scary, but it can be done. I found that the NCLEX is actually easier than I expected. Good luck to you! Keep us posted! You'll probably have your license in 7 - 10days!!!!!! Does your state participate in Quick results?

Hilarious - I'll have to try that next time I order one!!!!

For all of you that have kids, especially those in high schools: - Not a joke, but so very true - Now I sit me down in school Where praying is against the rule For this great nation under God Finds mention of Him very odd. If Scripture now the class recites, It violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow Becomes a Federal matter now. > Our hair can be purple, orange or green, That's no offense; it's a freedom scene. The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. > For praying in a public hall Might offend someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state. > We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks. They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable. We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King. It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong, We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong. > We can get our condoms and birth controls, Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles. But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, > So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take! Amen

A physician claims these are actual comments from his patients made > while he was performing colonoscopies: > > 1. "Take it easy, Doc, you're boldly going where no man has gone > before." > > 2. "Find Amelia Earhart yet?" > > 3. "Can you hear me NOW?" > > 4. "Oh boy, that was sphincterrific!" > > 5. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" > > 6. "You know, inArkansas, we're now legally married." > > 7. "Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?" > > 8. "You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out. You do the Hokey Pokey...." > > 9. "Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!" > > 10."If your hand doesn't fit, you must acquit!" > > 11. "Hey, Doc, let me know if you find my dignity." > > 12. "You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?" > > 13. "Could you write me a note for my wife, saying that my head is not, in fact, up there?"

A physician claims these are actual comments from his patients made > while he was performing colonoscopies: > > 1. "Take it easy, Doc, you're boldly going where no man has gone > before." > > 2. "Find Amelia Earhart yet?" > > 3. "Can you hear me NOW?" > > 4. "Oh boy, that was sphincterrific!" > > 5. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" > > 6. "You know, inArkansas, we're now legally married." > > 7. "Any sign of the trapped miners, Chief?" > > 8. "You put your left hand in, you take your left hand out. You do the Hokey Pokey...." > > 9. "Hey! Now I know how a Muppet feels!" > > 10."If your hand doesn't fit, you must acquit!" > > 11. "Hey, Doc, let me know if you find my dignity." > > 12. "You used to be an executive at Enron, didn't you?" > > 13. "Could you write me a note for my wife, saying that my head is not, in fact, up there?"

i know it's not even close to christmas, but i think these would be great at any time of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in case you might be looking for a new holiday cookie recipe...the tequila can be either white or gold cuervo, by the way.... christmas cookie ingredients: 1 cup of water 1 tsp baking soda 1 cup of sugar 1 tsp salt 1 cup of brown sugar lemon juice 4 large eggs 1 cup nuts 2 cups of dried fruit 1 bottle jose cuervo tequila sample the cuervo to check quality. take a large bowl, check the cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. turn on the electric mixer...beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. add one teaspoon of sugar...beat again. at this point it's best to make sure the cuervo is still ok, try another cup ... just in case. turn off the mixerer thingy. break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit, pick the frigging fruit off floor... mix on the turner. if the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver. sample the cuervo to check for tonsisticity. next, sift two cups of salt, or something. who giveshz a sheet. check the jose cuervo. now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. add one table. add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. whatever you can find. greash the oven. turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. don't forget to beat off the turner. finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the cose juervo and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher. cherry mistmas

You better believe it. I got lots of congrats and hugs from lots of patients.

Thanks, peaceful! Finally, somebody is telling me that I'm NOT crazy for not taking higher paid hospital jobs!!! As the old sayin' goes: "The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence!". At least at my current job, I know what to expect.

Even as a new-grad and newly licensed RN - I LOVE IT!!!

Oh boy - I would have rolled on the floor, laughing! I wonder what that poor resident was thinking? I guess, he won't go into psych - EVER!

Thanks, guys! I know that I really need some inpatient experience, beyond the little bit that they teach us in RN-school. But with todays nursing shortage, don't y'all think I should be able to get a hospital job if I ever get tired of outpatient? Really, I like outpatient clinics because you actually get to KNOW your patients. You know them for years, sometimes. That's the disadvantage (or advantage, for some of us!!!) of working in a hospital. Yes, the pay's better, but I'm not that much below hospital entry-level RN's. I guess, I'm kinda giving the answer to my inital question myself! Should I stay or should I go? I think, I'll stick around for a while, see how it goes. The only thing I don't like it the salary part. I'd prefer to be hourly. But I'll just have to be careful and make sure I don't end up getting used. That's when it's time to re-think this. I really love my GI-docs and my co-workers. We're sorta like a family, very different environment from where I worked before. Even the docs constantly try to make us feel comfortable and happy at work. Sounds to good to be true, doesn't it?????? Like heaven in the workplace???? Who else can call their boss "Mommy" and "Daddy"? I'm for real, guys, we really do that and they love it !!

:confused: I just recently graduated from an ADN nursing program and I got my license last Tuesday. Here's my dilemma: I've been working in outpatient settings for the last 17 years as Medical Assistant. Many different specialties, family practice, pedi, endocrine, OB/GYN, internal med, GI, ... Now that I graduated, the office I've been working for for the last year of my nursing school wants me to stay and be their nurse. They've never had a licensed nurse before, always MA's. So, they're kind proud to be able to say "I'll get the nurse for you...". I really, really like the job, it's fast paced, lots of phone triage, precerts, medication problems, .... I jsut absolutely love my 2 GI doc's, they've managed to spoil me like hell the last year. Also, the PA is now a good friend of mine and I'd really hate to leave them at this time. I do wanna go into the hospital one day, but I don't think I'm mentally ready for floor nursing. I like the Mo-Fri, they've adjusted my pay (I'm now salaried) to a rate that's maybe 3 - 4 dollars below the hospital, but it's still about double of what I made before. All you "seasoned" nurses out there - what do you think? Am I making a mistake by staying in a doctor's office instead of going on a Med/Surg floor? I know I need the hospital experience, but what do you think my chances are of getting a job at a hospital in a few years, if I ever get tired of outpatient? My ultimate goal is Level I, II, or III nursery. But maybe later???? Let me know your thoughts. I'm torn about what to do!!!!!!!!!!! :confused:

I don't know about any good scrub places, either. There used to be a great one right on the corner of Stella Link and W. Holcombe. It was called "Everything Uniform". Last month, I tried to go there and guess what - the store is gone. That place was really big, and every scrub you could possibly want. Does ANYONE here in Houston know what happened to them? Did they move? As for the tip with the CPanel - sorry, that doesn't work! I tried that already, it won't give you access to the username. You can change signature, picture, ..., but NO USERNAME!!! Any more ideas, guys???