cometnurse

If you consult a drug book/ resource, you will find that Augmentin is indeed available in Iv form. It is always best to consult your institutional drug resources or pharmacy with any question about a medication. It is the only way to provide safe care as a nurse, to cover yourself and not cause an unneccesary incident to a patient. I would always confer with a pharmacist regarding safe dosages/practice over a nursing forum where everyone has different experiences and ideas of what is right.

The nurse who told you this should be following the hospital policy regarding insulin administration, not the suggestion of a family member (whether they are health care providers or not). In twelve years of nursing, I have never heard of this before and if I were the patient, I would probably refuse and take my own insulin instead. And using the same syringe for multiple injections is a direct violation of infection control standards and unaccepatable in any setting. Kudos to you for questioning this idea. I suggest you not take this nurses advise and if he insists, let him give in the injections in an unsafe mannor himself and report this to your instructor/supervisor.

Oncology floor. RN ratio 1:3 on day and eves, 1:4-5 on nights. Sometimes less depending on the acuity of the patient. We use the acuity classification system to determine staffing needs.

"There's a blizzard starting so the next shift staff will not be coming in"

I would be a marine biologist of some kind. I would love to be out scuba diving off the coast of some place like Africa or Australia( or anywhere Ive never been) searching for new and unique underwater life forms. I would teach scuba classes too just for fun

I would recommend using any of the NCLEx study books that are filled with questions. the most important thing you can do is to do practice questions. To get the feel for how the questions will be on the test. I used the Hurst review but cannot honestly say whether or not it helped. I do not recall anything specifically on the NCLEX test that I learned through Hurst. I think the most important thing you can learn is how the questions are formatted, how to respond to the questions asked. I do agree to take it ASAP while everything is fresh in your mind. Try your best to relax and realize that you have learned everything you can in nursing school. Learn to read the questions and use the process of elimination to realize the answers that do not fit, and focus on the ones that do. You will do great! good luck and enjoy your new career!

I would not say anything in front of the patient and go out of my way to make that patient feel better. Then I would talk to that nurse and tell her that her comment was inconsiderate, unprofessional and hurtful. I dont care who you are, you do not deserve to be treated that way. And our job entails being a patient advocate, whether it a nurse, MD, or family member that we are dealing with. That scenarios makes me sad. People need to be considerate of one anothers feelings

It depends on the facility. I have only worked at one hospital that actually required Hep B surface antigens to be tested. Most do not require that as a preemployment assessment.

I recently had to get three vaccinations at one time(travel clinic). They gave me two in one arm and one in the other. We do not have a policy stating that you need to give injections in separate limbs. I remember my arm was so sore I could hardly lift it up by the end of the day but otherwise there is no contraindication to doing this.

This year my facility has institited the policy of mandatory flu shots as well. However, if we refuse, we sign a document to that effect and are given mandatory "education" on the subject. Im not sure what the fall out will be as this is the first year this is happening. We shall soon find out.

I passed the CPNE on the first try also in Madison WI, 2008. I memorized that study guide and used the EC flashcards and skill set bag that you can purchase from them. Practice, practice, practice!! I did not attend any workshops or use any other sources, just studied that study guide like it was the bible! Just keep focused and remember to stop and think when you get nervous. You can do it too:yeah::yeah:Good luck and go get it done! You will be so happy when you do!

I remind myself that I choose a career that is a life of service to others. That is the whole point of being there. The Lord with help you as you help others. I also think about my health and reflect on the illnesses and situations of these patients and think "this could be me" or "maybe someday this will be me" and realize that they deserve whatever I have to give. (even the ones that are a pain in the rearsky:coollook:) And when all else fails, I count the days and hours till my next day off:) It realy does help when you have a good team working together. I always try to help others, be supportive, and thankful to them and they usually return the sentiment to me when I need it the most!

I dont have to pay for parking, however, I was told in orientation four years ago when I started, it would be apporximately 10 years before I get a parking spot in the ramp or a surface lot. All the spaces are assigned but there is limited area downtown so half of the employees are taking buses from park and ride areas and such. I walk or take the city bus in the winter (which my hospital pays for the yearly bus pass until I am here long enough to get a parking spot)

I passed the CPNE in 2008. I do feel that I was prepared when I graduated. Obviously, a new grad is never prepared for everything they will come across but I felt comfortable. It also helps that I had been in the nursing field for some time and have worked side by side with other LPN's and RN's (as Im sure you do too). I was not dissapointed with my education. My CPNE advice: Always #1- ID your patient before doing anything at all. I walked into a room and said "Hello Mr Jone" and he answered back and we chatted small talk for a moment. I then proceded to do his vitals and got walked right out of the room because I had not actually looked at this ID band. Thankfully after the instructor came back( she had to discuss it with someone else) she let me go back in the room and start again. By then I knew what I had done wrong and everything else went fine. My heart had dropped, I was so scared I was going to fail that one! And buy the Critical Elements flashcards and take them with you everywhere you go! Recite them by memory over and over and over and over and over (you get the idea). I recited them to myself in the shower, in the car, on my walks, read them on the bus, until I was absolutley certain I had them firm in my memory. If you miss one step of these elements in the PCS at CPNE, you will not pass it. And when you get to your careplan and find out which critical element subjects you will be using, I wrote each and every one of the steps out on an extra piece of paper so when I got into the room, I would not have to think about them from memory( i thought the pressure would make me forget). I just looked at my paper while I was with the patient and crossed them out as I completed them. Sorry, I may have gotten off subject there. Good luck with your education plans. Im sure you will do great Hayley

In my state (MN . My first time licensure for was one year just because I was supposed to be on the odd years and took NCLEX on a even year in the same month as my birthdate but they cut the CEUS in half being that it was for only one year. (12 instead of 24). Also, if you are still going to be taking classes, check with your board to see if it qualifies for CEU'S. Here, every three credit nursing class is worth 10 CEU's:yeah: Congrats on your new license!

I took a community ed class to improve my skills in preparation for a mission trip to central america. It costed about $85 in my area.

I work in an area where I put patients to sleep by the way of moderate sedation. Sometimes after they are off to lala land and we are proceding with the procedure, I find the nurse tech and procedural MD looking at me funny and then teasing me about my singing. It dosent help that we have the radio on in there too. I think singing is good for the soul.I sing alot around the house, in the car, and it seems, at work sometimes too. As long as your not too obnoxious and get a few smiles out of it. who is it gonna hurt. I also had a patient sing some sort of opera song to me (his nurse) and his roommate once. It was quite cute. :) Keep singing, do what fills your heart with joy:heartbeat

24$/hr at one of the Charleston hospitals. I called about a month ago and spoke with a nurse recruiter

It is better to call a code in a situation that you are unsure about than not to and have the patient deteriorate before your eyes. One should never have to apologize for trying to be a safe nurse. Where I work, we have the RRT (rapid response team) to call if it is not a true "code blue". We call them when the patients condition is deteriorating but not at the point of needing CPR, etc yet. The critical care team can come and intervene and possibly prevent any further problems. My hospital encourages us to use this service even if we are unsure of the situation as it is a safety measure to provide the best care possible. Nurses should never be scolded for doing their job to the best of their ability:)

I think working in a diverse environment provides a great opportunity to learn, understand and respect other cultures. However, some hospitals are in areas that are around primarily one race or another. Often times that patients and employees will be more of the race of the area in which they live. That does not mean it is a bad hospital or less diverse, it may just be the geographic location of the hospital and those who live around it.

WAY TO GO :w00t::w00t::w00t::w00t: CONGRATS AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOU NEW JOB

I have to take an ECG interpretation/cardiac intervention competency exam every year where I work(if we dont pass, we dont have a job so I study hard every year.) and I have found that the book ECG's made Incredibly Easy is a helpful resource and also skillstat.com. Its alot to take in the first time you take a class on this subject, but it will get easier. Good luck and happy learning:)

Try not to beat yourself up about it, think of it as an opportunity for education. New things happen all the time and even though what you did seemed harmless, it is not the best practice. Your supervisor was correct in helping you realize that and it is realy for your own protection, not just to cause you an uncomfortable situation. We have a very strict policy about narcotic administration and returns/wastes where I work that was instituted to proctect us. Drug diversion is a problem all over the country and it is best to avoid any sort of situation that can make you questionable. Try not to loose sleep over it though, its done and overwith and now you know what the best practice in this regard for the future.:)