FRESH_90

Oh please do get off your high horse. I "cheated" when put on a 24 hour time period to memorize 20 pgs of unfamiliar material. I consider it a sign of devotion to learning at the least that I revisit the material after making the grade to learn it on my own terms. I'm sorry you find it unethical to go against the unfair ruling of a teacher to make ends meet, but I hardly would equate that with some sort of unethical treatment of pts- who are human beings, not test deadlines- or some other sort of "unethical behavior" in the health care field. I realize I'm being defensive but seriously? Come on. Are you sure you've ever been to college? Sometimes teachers are irrational, and you have to find a way to solve the problem. May I also add my version of "cheating" involved meticulously handwriting pages of notes, pouring over them, and then using them as an aid on a test. Its not as if I was sitting in a classroom saying "psst what's number one?"

Just to answer one of the above questions, its a distance learning on campus class with actual assignments completed online with the warning that you not use your notes as this is cheating (silly). I'm 20 and have been aimlessly attending college(s) since 17.

You're right, I never want to put a patient's life in danger! Ever! Maybe my brain just isn't cut out to retain this kind of info. May I just say though... I want to learn the material, I'm not "cheating" (use the term loosely) because I'm lazy. Lol. This morning I was lectured on 20 pgs of notes with contradictory and info with lots of numbers to remember. I must finish an exam over this tonight. I have one day to memorize it all. Hence, I use my notes because I want that A! I go back over it later and try to really learn it. But summer classes demand you learn it perfectly in a day. I'm sorry but I need to refer back to my notes..... which is "cheating." My question was essentially, do nurses get to use "notes" in their profession? Surely you don't remember every detail perfectly every time... =\

I'm taking pre-reqs right now. My Nutrition class is the worst because there are so many side effects (toxicity/deficiency) of vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients and all these numbers about suggested intake and chemical reactions and ... *breathes* just so many details. I take the exams online so that I can cheat and use my notes- I'm sorry but I have to! There is no way I can memorize a hundred different details in such a short amount of time, especially when they are overlapping details (A is true for 1, and both A and B are true for 2. But for 3 only A is true.) It seems this way with most medical/scientific things like pharmacology and the proper diagnoses of illnesses: rather than straightforward details, it's a bunch of overlapping symptoms and rules and numbers. Ramble ramble ramble. My point is... I know I have to learn and memorize something while I'm here. I should have some recall when I attend school to learn something. But am I really going to be expected to run off exact lists of all symptoms of a drug or all signs of a disease at the drop of a hat? Do you guys recall all the medical info you need to treat your patients like it is second nature? Surely you guys get to look things up and make sure you got the details correct, right? You aren't expected to be a walking reference book... are you? I would hope the answer is "of course not," but my dad was a nurse and is now a P.A and he really is a walking reference book. He knows all the numbers and details off the top of his head... sorry but if that's what it's like working in the medical field forget it!

I'm not going to lie, although I was inspired by selfless nurses and the prospect of doing something practical that truly helps people, the main reason I'm entering a nursing program is that it's safe. I'm an artistic person. I'd rather finish my liberal arts degree and move to Hollywood and be a producer. That's not gonna happen. So I picked what is in the family- medicine. And I picked something that will allow me to relocate (travel nursing). And this career will help service my occasional feelings of guilt, because I will be really helping people. Anyway I got outta the hospital a few days ago. I had a pneumothorax. I was in there for four days. My lung was 40% collapsed. I had a chest tube and it sucked a lot. I've since quit smoking (I'm a 20yr skinny male). I heard a lot of throwing up and moaning from other rooms, and it wrenched my heart. I felt so sad for the others. I felt sad for myself, too (now I feel lucky that I'm out and maybe I have hope of it not recurring!) My friend has recently discovered he is HIV+. His T Cell count is 43! He was struggling with a painful skin... thing... all over his body from a fungus in his stomach/intestines. That same fungus has now caused a severe impaction. Also, his kidneys have failed. And all this before he has even progressed to AIDs (hopefully he won't......) Found all that out today and visited him today. The way he looks... I'm so saddened. I want to cry forever and I am so disappointed in life... Nurses see this stuff everyday and I'm already crumbling from my first lengthy hospital stay etc. ... then again I do commend myself for appearing strong on the outside and putting on a smile and trying to help. Do I sound too weak to do this? How do you handle it all?

She was escorted by security and fired because... the patient ripped a tube out? Or because she took him off site? I'm sorry I'm not a nurse and I'm confused as to what exactly the reason for her being fired was.

Taking my pre-reqs right now. Maybe it's just a series of unfortunate encounters, or time spent being treated like a dog in the food industry, I don't know... but I often find I have little faith in humanity. People can behave as if they are so entitled. They can be so rude and tactless and downright mean! Pardon me but I grew up in a family of kind people. I was taught to respect others and to put others before myself. By the way, although when I was very young we attended church, I didn't need a religion to teach me this! It's called being human and not just thinking of yourself. Funny, because I've found the church-going people in my town are often the biggest culprits of cruel and unkind behavior. Anyway, I know part of what I can bring to my future patients (I'm a student) is providing care that comes from the heart. But I'm not going to lie, I think at times it will be a clinical, realistic approach I take with some. I'm going to care more about getting them healthy and doing what is necessary rather than if they like me or get all their "wants"... that is, if they decide to treat me like a steaming pile. Do you ever feel this way? "Hate" was an extreme word to use in this title... but do you as nurses ever look at a pt. and think "my God you are a terrible person and I hate being your nurse!" I'm talking about the people that verbally abuse you and make your life harder when you're trying to make their's better. That's why I say I think sometimes it will be more clinical than warm and fuzzy with some pts. I'll always do my best as a caregiver, but if they're going to do everything short of spit in my face, I don't have the patience to be warm and friendly anymore, and I'm not going to easily forgive them in my heart. I'm gonna make sure everything in my role as a nurse is taken care of, then walk out of that room and try not to think about how much I loathe them for their hatefulness. I don't think what I've said applies to senior citizens (nursing homes) so much because they're not always all their and they've got different circumstances. I'm talking about sane, young to middle age adults that should know better. ...Don't you just get so mad sometimes? Also: what can you do at your job in these situations? Will you get in trouble if you kindly remind them: You're a professional. You have other patients and you will get to them. Or There's no reason to talk to you that way and they should stop? Because I've only ever worked in the corporate service industry, and you are basically not allowed to reprimand a customer or ask for respect. You must always swallow your pride, eat your words, and apologize even if you've done nothing wrong.

I say "low common sense" because that is the label (actually, it's usually "no common sense") that friends and family give me. They say this in response to me making silly mistakes like absentmindedly putting my credit card in the cash slot and having to take it out with tweezers, or sometimes forgetting simple but necessary things. I think it's unfair to label me this. Common sense is subjective. I'm just a head in the clouds person. But I think I'll be okay with nursing because it's real people and I'll always be thinking of that and how they feel.

I just enrolled in my pre-reqs. I am an intelligent person, very intelligent, if I do say so myself. I'm positive I can learn and apply any of the theory and science of nursing. But I'm not going to lie, I'm clumsy and I make lots of silly mistakes. Some might say I am just not very kinesthetic, but I don't know if I agree (I learned sign language pretty well). But for the most part, when doing things with my hands on my own I perform pretty poorly. I must be shown and walked through how to do anything physical (swinging a tennis racket, assembling machinery, carrying a tray full of plates, etc.)- patiently and sometimes more than once. I'm a klutz. I wait tables right now and when I ask questions about how to do something they act like I'm dumb and then sort of mutter something unhelpful and expect that to be enough for me to know what to do. I'm afraid this issue will carry over into nursing (inserting IVs, properly carrying a patient, etc.). I'm afraid they will get frustrated with me, neglect to properly train me and send me out on my own, or I just won't be able to keep a job because people will think I'm an idiot (which I am not). And this is very important, because lives will depend on me. I'm not an idiot- I am capable of doing whatever is needed of me. I just need to be clearly shown anything physical or hands-on first. So I guess my question is, how supportive are instructors in nursing school? Are my fears likely to come true? Do I belong? It seems like nurses are always practical people. Then again, my dad was a nurse (now a PA) and I inherited a lot of klutziness from him, and one of my good friends became a nurse and she is very head-in-the-clouds. Quell my worry? Or tell me to get out now?

I wonder... will an accelerated 15 month BSN be regarded as less desirable than a regular BSN track? Thank you for answering by the way!

Hello. I have a non-nursing Associate degree. I am attending a university this Fall to receive a Bachelor's in English. I plan on taking my pre-reqs while there, and then immediately enrolling in a second degree program at a different school for a B.S.N that will result in me being an R.N. The program is very short: only 15 months. I thought to do this instead of staying in town and doing the ADN here because: 1.) The ADN program in town requires I work as a CNA first. I don't really want to do that. 2.) This way seems faster... I think. I can't quite figure it all out. 3.) I will have a versatile English degree (a subject I enjoy) as a fall-back if nursing falls through for any reason (I hope it won't but you never know). 4.) I've been reading a lot and it seems even nurses have trouble finding jobs sometimes. A BSN might give me a competitive edge.At this stage in my life I don't want to work in an office or teach. Nursing excites me and I would feel so validated and worthwhile helping people everyday. I'd love to work in either L&D or Oncology (hospital). Alternative careers in nursing I'd consider would be working at a Rehab (addiction) center or at a private clinic.Is this plan a good one? To be honest I chose it because I want the quickest and safest path. I have been in this small town for all 20 years of my life. I am so ready to get out you could offer me a million dollars and I'd still be hesitant to stay. The univ. for my B.A is essentially cost-free to attend for me, and I think the 15 month program at the other school is cheaper than doing an L.V.N and then an R.N ADN program.Do you think there's even a reason to go get another B.A first? Do you think I'd be more hirable with a B.S.N vs A.D.N, even more so with a second bachelor's degree? One last reason why doing the ADN here at home seemed undesirable... I ALREADY HAVE an Associate degree. I already went to this jr. college at home for two years. It seems so redundant... Please help and thank you for reading!