NurseDiva08

Hi ATYLER'08...thanks for your reply....your CDU sounds just like the one we will have. Mostly cardiac (which I love). I'm glad that you enjoy it. That's what I was hoping to hear. Your last sentence sums it up for me!!!

Thanks for your reply...ebear is correct. I know that it is like a "sister unit" to our ED that's why I thought I would pose the question in the emergency nursing section...

Hi All, I have been a nurse at my hospital for 3 years in the PCU. I think it's time for a change, and I was offered a position in the CDU which will be opening in June. I know that pts will be there for 23hr obersvation but can anyone share their "day in the life of a CDU nurse"? I would greatly appriecate it. Thanks, Debra :)

Hi Colleen6, I have done the entire paperwork thing, took my boards and passed and I wanted to let you know that there is a second page, it just says "Certification" at the top and you have to sign it. That part does not have to be notarized. Go here: http://www.state.nj.us/oag/ca/medical/nursing.htm it is on page 10. Let me know if you have any other questions....good luck with everything

that's cool....I worked nites my first year as a CNA and I loved it ---- but it started interfering w/school; especially exam days --- so i had to transfer to days and i just figured I'd stick with it.... I went to HFSN in Blackwood....it's through Camden County College....way back in the day I graduated from Rutgers-Camden with a BS in Business and I was an HR guru for 13 years; decided to follow my initial dream of becoming a nurse and made a much needed career change.... I also had a great experience with the nurses on PCU, but for some reason they have that rep......do u know who ur preceptor will be? I remember a nurse named Rae and another one named Lisa and they seemed great to me......

Unfortunately, my promotion letter only states my orientation dates for this week, so hopefully tomorrow I will find out the particulars. I am/was a CNA on the 10th floor (med/surg). I had my clinicals on the PCU a couple of semesters ago and fell in love with it. I always knew I wanted to work with cardiac patients. I had interviewed with both CCU and PCU but the CCU only offered me a night position, so I opted for the PCU days. Which shift will you be working??? please excuse any typos, I'm just so excited to meet someone that will be on the PCU with me.....I don't know anyone on that floor; I did hear that the nurses on the floor are considered "Princesses" = whatever that means....guess I'll be a Princess....lol oh, yeah, i live in edgewater park......but I'm house hunting for condos in voorhees or cherry hill, just so that I will be a little closer to the Coop.

wow that's great.....I'll be working days and I start orientaton tomorrow; but then I have to take the critical care class which i believe is in mid july...between now and then, I think I'll just be on the floor with my preceptor scared to death!!!! are u in burlington county?? I live very close to the riverline here in burlington county......are you doing anything between now and your start date???

Congrats on passing your boards and your new job at the Coop!! I just graduated and passed the NCLEX and I will be working in the PCU at Cooper. Last summer I took the riverline and loved it (I worked as a CNA there)....Cooper has a shuttle that will take you to/from the Camden Transportation Center. It was very convenient and I lost 5lbs...not that I needed to though, lol. Sometimes the shuttle isn't there in a timely fashion, and I would just walk to the hospital. It's about a 3 min. walk - - not too bad. I saved money too b/c I didn't have to pay for parking and I think I spent less than $7/week for the riverline. I am not sure of the cost now though. I stopped taking it b/c of the winter months, and my boyfriend didn't want me walking to the transportation center when it got dark. What floor/unit will you be working on?? Let me know if you have any other questions. Cardiac Nurse Debra :redbeathe

Hi Gompers!! My friend's SIL wanted to stay at the hospital with the baby even though she herself was discharged from the hospital. I believe the hospital was basically just letting her know the policy of visiting hours. The SIL was very upset because she had to leave (being her first baby and all). She was told by the nurses that she needed her rest and that if there were any changes, they would call her. So, she wasn't physically forced to leave or anything like that. Then, after hearing her story, I was confused as to if this was just our little local hospital's policy or if this was a nationwide policy. But now with the info you provided, it def. makes more sense for the mother to get her rest and heal at home, while the baby is being taken care of by the staff w/o too much interference from mother/family. Thanks Again.....this site is awesome!!! Debra

Thank you all for your replies. I have a better understanding now, and it's comforting to know that this is the "norm" for most hospitals. And Woo Hoo!!! after almost a week and a half, the baby came home today!! :balloons:

Hi everyone, I hope this isn't a dumb question, but one of my co-worker's brand new baby nephew was born last Monday, but he was in distress because the cord was wrapped around his neck. He has been in the NICU since then because he is not breathing on his own, and he is not able to keep food down. I was wondering if it's a common practice to NOT ALLOW the mother to spend the nite with the baby if he/she's in the NICU?? I was a little concerned when my co-worker stated that her sister in law had to leave the hospital. Thank you from a 2nd yr nsg student......:balloons:

Nicole, Thank you for sharing your story!! It was totally unexpected. It's amazing how the human spirit works through any obstacle. I can't believe how insensitive mgt. was to your situation; they sound so cold and heartless. Congrats again, on your happiness at Virtua. It's a good thing you found out how unfair mgt. was at Cooper before you were there for a long amount of time. Good Luck in everything you do, and again, thank you for sharing!! I will keep your story in my memory banks for when I apply for work upon graduation. Debra Future RN

Hi Nurse Nicole, Just wondering why you left Cooper after 6 months. I am currently a nursing student at Helene Fuld. I won't graduate until 2008 (ugh!), but I was just wondering what your experience was like working at Cooper. I'm asking, because I am actually intereted in possibly working at Cooper upon graduation. Thanks!!! And Congrats on the position at Virtua!!

daisylizzydog....i too am at Helene....I pm'd you.....

congrats.....which school will you be attending???

LOLOL....thank goodness you were talking about the NET.....lolol....they have a book at Helen Fuld that you can use to help you study for the NET......not that expensive - maybe about $25 no we were not allowed to use calculators....but you should be fine, as long as you brush up on those algebra and decimals and percentage skills....think positive grasshopper.....I will be 36 in may.....but folks tell me I look 28 - hee hee hee.....no children, no husband......just a boyfriend i've been with for about 3yrs....but i've got some stories that i can tell you about that later...lolol Where did you get your degree? I went to Rutgers and grad. in 1993 - and I regret not doing the nurse thang back then..... Anyhoo.....keep the questions coming.....you and I seem to be the only ones on this msg. board that go to any nsg schools in NJ. Smooches :-)

LOLOL....thank goodness you were talking about the NET.....lolol....they have a book at Helen Fuld that you can use to help you study for the NET......not that expensive - maybe about $25 no we were not allowed to use calculators....but you should be fine, as long as you brush up on those algebra and decimals and percentage skills....think positive grasshopper.....I will be 36 in may.....but folks tell me I look 28 - hee hee hee.....no children, no husband......just a boyfriend i've been with for about 3yrs....but i've got some stories that i can tell you about that later...lolol Where did you get your degree? I went to Rutgers and grad. in 1993 - and I regret not doing the nurse thang back then..... Anyhoo.....keep the questions coming.....you and I seem to be the only ones on this msg. board that go to any nsg schools in NJ. Smooches :-)

Hey Shele, Good to hear from you. Not sure what you mean by "math section". You are scaring me now. Not sure of what math I need to take. Is this a pre-req? I already have my BS in Business, so the only classes I needed to take were AP I and II, Micro and Nurtrition.....as far as any math classes, the counselor at Helene Fuld didn't say that I needed to take anything else. So basically I will only be taking the core Nursing courses. Is there a specific name for this course? or are you talking about the NET?? If it's the NET, then I only brushed up on my percentages and algebra. It's a insultingly easy entrance exam. Keep me posted. Hope to talk to you soon....Oh, by the way, are you going into the evening program?? Debra :-)

Hey Shele, Good to hear from you. Not sure what you mean by "math section". You are scaring me now. Not sure of what math I need to take. Is this a pre-req? I already have my BS in Business, so the only classes I needed to take were AP I and II, Micro and Nurtrition.....as far as any math classes, the counselor at Helene Fuld didn't say that I needed to take anything else. So basically I will only be taking the core Nursing courses. Is there a specific name for this course? or are you talking about the NET?? If it's the NET, then I only brushed up on my percentages and algebra. It's a insultingly easy entrance exam. Keep me posted. Hope to talk to you soon....Oh, by the way, are you going into the evening program?? Debra :-)

Hi there.....I am going to Camden County. I really didn't like the format that BCC had where the lectures were seperate from the lab and possibly different instructors. And since I work full-time, nothing really fit my schedule. So I take AP on Saturdays at CC. I like the ease of "one stop shopping" :rotfl: !!Anyhoo....the word around campus is that there is a 10-page paper in this instructors class. But we shall see....it may just be a rumor....but it's making my stomach turn. Are you still trying for that school in PA??? or was it Trenton??? Talk to you soon.....oh, by the way have you taken Nutrition yet? How was that class, was it difficult??? Thanks for your reply.....

hey kim, congrats!!! I too will be at Helene Fuld in the Fall, not know how I will pay for it......since I already have a degree in Business, I will end up having to apply for loans, loans and more loans. Good luck with your decision and hope to see you next year....are you going during the day or in the evenings?? Talk to you soon!!!!

I'm taking AP 2 lab and lecture this Spring '05 - AND I heard there's a 10 page paper....Ugh!!!

hi there....i think there was a problem with my post yesterday b/c i did respond, however, i don't see it now....anywho...i actually applied to helene in june, but b/c the staff wasn't available for interviewing over the summer, i was told that they wouldn't start until september. so you will most likely get an interview within a few days of them receiving the rest of your portfolio.....wouldn't it be funny if we both end up at helene together?? i am single with no children (by choice - but i think it's from seeing what my pregnant teenage girlfriends went through when in was in high school - i must be scarred). i actually was raised in clayton, nj and went to clayton hs (class of 87), so i am pretty familiar with the whole glassboro/deptford area - and for me....financial aid is a joke - meaning, i get nothing!!! i work in HR at Canon in Burlington, NJ and since I am going to school for nursing, their tuition reimbursement plan doesn't apply to me. that's why i am hoping to find a full-time job in a hospital or other healthcare setting to help - but it's hard to get in some places - especially with my HR background.... oh, and i am taking a cna course that starts tonight (every tues and thurs nite) - i figured this would give me a "feel" for what i am getting myself into... i apologize in advance for babbling so much and not using proper grammar or punctuation.....hope to hear from you soon!! Debra p.s. what kind of work do you do at home?? it's so great that you already completed your sciences and you can focus on all nursing.....

Well to put it in a nutshell and not to be too wordy: I already have my BS in Bus. Admin from Rutgers that I rec'vd in 1993 - but I've always wanted to be in the medical industry. I even work part-time as a medical asst. at a dr'.s office (not certified though). I am finally taking the plunge, and thankfully, I only have to take API, APII and Micro - so I am taking those classes between now and next fall (taking API now on Sats at Camden County).....I already applied to Helene, and I had my interview w/Helene last Wednesday - it went pretty well and they said that I should get a letter in the mail by mid October-----all portfolios go in front of this committee that meets 2x's a month - and they determine our fate. I totally forgot about Gloucester County.....is there a waiting list there too?? Oh, yeah.....I have tried to go the BSN/Accelerated route, but all of those programs (like Drexel's Ace) rec. not working at all.....and I def. have to work in order to eat.....lololol.....

I too am hoping to start my nursing program in Spring of 2005 - and I am in my 30's - just out of curiosity, which school are you going to....I am trying for Helene Fuld because they have an evening program. Unfortunately I still have to work full-time while going to school. What courses are you taking this semester???? Thank you for sharing your story.....