Raven Sierra BSN, RN

Ditto on the sweat in the gloves. I've actually seen it pooling in the fingers on mine. Ugh... But, OP, if you feel that you're being exposed to bodily fluids (not your own sweat), seek the advice of infection control. You shouldn't be getting expose...

Absolutely agree. I had the unfortunate experience just last week of getting violently sick just before class started. I ran to the bathroom and made it back about 2 minutes into lecture. My materials were already in place, so it was obvious that I h...

This field is very demanding - physically, emotionally, spiritually. The ED can chew you up, spit you out, and move on to the next person. Please - talk to someone you can trust, without violating HIPAA, of course, like a friend, a significant othe...

...just when you thought you had seen it all....wow.

Interesting...could you elaborate on this fitness test? I've got visions of Army basic training running in my head - push-ups, sit-ups, run... I'm curious about this because I've seen various efforts to improve the health of healthcare professional...

One of my favorite frequent flier actors did this little scene for me: Patient: [flopping around in a mediocre, Hollywood-inspired version of a tonic-clonic seizure] Me: "Are you seizing?" Pt: "Ummhmmm" and nods to the affirmative Me: "Ok then. Just...

"Please, please, please - for the sake of humanity's future - don't procreate. Oh, you already did? I guess that explains why human evolution is still just a theory..."

At least we know the heart rate wasn't due to pathological reasons....

I need a ghost like that at my house!!

Will it matter to employers if I don't have a BSN - that is, if I go straight for the MSN? I already have a bachelor's degree in a different field. Not sure yet where I'm going to nursing school, but, if I do the ADN route, are there any concerns to...

My grandfather began talking to dead relatives before he passed away from septicemia. I believe they were a comfort to him. My grandmother just began talking to her mom, her dad, and her mother-in-law, all of whom have died. She insisted they were ...

OP, I understand your concern. I'm starting to wonder myself...and I'm quite a bit older and have worked in a hospital side-by-side with nurses. The thing I'm clinging to is that allnurses is hopefully just an amalgam of all the drama/frustration/is...

Ok, thanks for that clarification. We were always told in the hospital's anti-union propaganda that it was a right-to-work state. But I do see the difference.

I have to admit, this is one of the parts of nursing about which I am apprehensive. When I was a teen, my mom (a BSN) went back to work in a right-to-work state. I heard horrible stories from her at work and watched her bite her nails, hoping the ...

Likewise for me. I'm 30 and married for almost 8 years. I haven't been supported by my parents since my marriage. I just did my FAFSA renewal, and it was optional for me to include my parents' information. Obviously, I did not.

I totally agree, OP. FWIW, "The Mommies" are bad everywhere, including for stay-at-home or work-at-home moms. I just don't get it. I'm a mom. I love, love, love my kids; they are lights of my life. I think most things they do are adorable (som...

Fiveofpeep, I just wanted to tell you that I'm SO happy you found a place that is in your passion for critical care but also is good for you!! Like others said, I think you are such an inspiration. Clearly, you are very passionate about nursing, an...

No peds units for me; I already know I don't do well with pediatrics. to those who can, though! It just gets to me in a way that adults don't; all of the kids have my kids' faces on them. I end up a wreck. Having worked at the ED and loved it, ED...

Glasses' rims too big?? That's crazy...but I guess they've had people try to cheat with those. I will be wearing contacts, then, as my glasses are thick (but cute!). I'm blind when reading without them, though. Not good for test-taking. OP, if th...

Thanks, Jenndavis! Thanks for the info. I wish they had a BSN, but that's ok. I have heard so many nice things about Fairbanks, and DH and I love cold. After being stationed in the South for most of his career (we're OCONUS right now), -45 will ...

Dear Husband and I are crossing fingers that he gets stationed at Fairbanks for our next move. My understanding from the UAA website is that there is a distance learning option in Fairbanks? Does this include the BSN? Also, I realize that the job ...

I completely agree on this. I would add that it's probably worth the money to hire someone who knows good technique to teach the proper technique. You can really mess yourself up if you do it wrong. I love weight lifting; it and running are my Proz...

You will. I found myself thinking, "My shower curtain looks like hyaline cartilage." Ha! I'm in A&P II here. Yes, we covered about a chapter a week in A&P I. It was insane, but you can do it.

Chuckster, thanks for the reply. I guess I should have explained better: the MSN program I'm planning on pursuing won't let me do the MSN part until I've been a nurse for two years. But I think you have a great point about the cost of the BSN vs. t...

Guess so...I remember my first day as a brand-new CNA in the ED. A patient told me she was "allergic to all painkillers other than 'Dulalidid.'" I didn't know what that was (or what it was supposed to be), and so I dutifully told the nurse what the...