rnjeffrey

CONGRATULATIONS!! If we didn't care, we wouldn't be nurses or on this site. It is an important accomplishment to become certified in a specialty. Some are afraid to try because of the risk of failure/co workers finding out. Once again, congrats!!

I personally just studied on my own. THE IBT was made purposely harder than the sit down computer based exam. Remember, you have 30 days and can use all the internet and book resources you want. You can even have the doctors you know help you. LOL

I am permanent night weekends. Did not even have to ask to work the holidays this year!! 7P-7A rocks..:)

Give it more time. Ask questions when you are unsure. You will start to remember all the things that nursing school did not teach you, but you learnt on the job(trial by fire LOL). Though I am extremely surprised by your extremely short orientation period. If my day and at all the hospitals I have worked at, new graduates at given a minumum of 3-6 months orientation. I guess money is the bottom line now. Good luck..

Did u do a blood draw? If u did, they will want u to testify about that, to include the chain of custody. Gone to court several times for that, as I work in an ER

Hey Bill, Some of us ER nurses resemble that remark, LOL, Actually helps in some situations.

Our local police will not do anything to retrieve the IV user. Per the local district attorney, since we put in the IV for treatment and everyone is expected to pay their bill( haha), the patient is charged for this treatment and they are not stealing.

I do remember that my nurse manager in the ER had to sign my application also. No longer required too

My hospital pays $1.00/hr after certification. After passing the test, they will reimburse you for the CEN test. In the Norfolk area,Va, Sentara(I work for them also), also pays the same. Just remember, passing the test will get you only so far. Remember common sense and experience are invaluable too. Since the 2 year experience requirement is no longer required in the ER(before taking the exam), I have several people who are book smart and with minimal ER experience. They are certified CEN for the money. One made a fractured neck wait 2 hrs in the waiting room,(they patient's family drove them to another hospital where he was heloed to a major Trauma center). So like a diagnosis of a heart attack(usually need history, EKG and labs), a good ER nurse(IMHO) should have experience, common sense and their CEN

I am a military RN who has worked in the ER all my life, it seems. I occcasionally do pelvic exams(with a female provider), of course. We do not allow 2 males to conduct a pelvic exam due to litigation issues. If there is a female provider, we will always ask the patient if she objects to a male standby. We always go along with patient wishes

I beleve that crossing the picket lines is justified at times. Sorry, I have worked in ERs for over 8 years. I took an oath to help out my fellow humans. So if I am working in my ER and do not cross that picket line, am I not endangering possible patients. What will happen to that patient who will go to another hospital and now that they are out of the timeframe to treat a stroke. However, if I was a clinic nurse- I would support a picket line then. Everything is gray since I grew up, no more black and white. Jusy MHO