MurrR

My first time out I failed my skills test - I got the dreaded fluid intake skill - and felt pretty awful about it. But! It allowed me a chance to study up on skills and to retake the skills test with more confidence since I knew better what to expect...

Not wearing gloves during a brief change?! Not only hazardous to their health, but dangerous for their patients too! I've heard differing statistics on how much contamination gloves truly prevent, anywhere between 80 to 95%, but I firmly believe tha...

Everybody in my family was completely supportive and one of my closest friends told me after my first day at clinicals, "I just realized - you are never going to have a boring day at work ever again." He couldn't have been more right!!

I would probably say that as much as I care about them and am fond of them, that my time off from work is limited and I prefer not to do the things at home that I do at work.

Seems like an odd habit...why would they want to carry it around instead of handing it off to the people who need it?

In Oregon a CNA II would never ever ever do a blood draw, but you are allowed to hook up a heart monitor, do CBG checks, do some basic tests to check samples for blood, and a few other things. They're mostly skills intended for a hospital setting, wh...

Where I work in a group home, I squat next to the beds. I look ridiculous, almost like I'm going in the woods, but it sure beats the heck out of bending over and screwing with my back. If our beds went up and down, I'd be thrilled.

Would definitely bring this to your consultant's attention. Her behaviour's not only rude to you, but blatantly ignores her own role in the entire affair - pushing blame onto you for losing the script, etc. etc. The consultant should be made aware th...

Good luck and welcome back! :)

In Oregon there are a series of agencies that run group homes. Our "state school" was actually a horrible facility where unspeakable acts of abuse happened before it was finally shut down just over a decade ago. Since then, Oregon has been almost ent...

I have the opposite problem, when I'm put on the spot I can practically recite textbooks, but when I'm on my own sometimes I feel like I forget my own head. I do better when I remind myself to stay focused and not let my mind go on idle while my hand...

It depends on your state, I didn't get a card or letter but they have a list of the BON's website of CNA, LPN, and RN licenses for my state. I just kept checking there to see if I was on it yet and one day I was, that's how I knew.

No, but I also took a resume, a cover letter, and a letter of recommendation along with a copy of my CNA certificate. I also put my license number under my contact info on my resume and cover letter, so that if they want they can punch it into the BO...

Depends - used to have a resident who insisted that everybody call her by her nickname, and if you didn't she'd been known to slap you! I'd rather call somebody whatever they want than get slapped because I think their choice is "inappropriate" Also,...

In my program, you got CPR card separately but it was required to have it before starting your clinicals. The most "rigorous" part is practicing your skills so that you do them letter-perfect for your licensing exam. I took an accelerated class that ...

Depending on the kind of handheld, you may be able to purchase a holster for it online.

I've seen several nurses, of both genders, wearing moisture-wicking long-sleeved tops under their scrubs. They say it keeps them more comfortable and dry than any regular undershirt. I think you can buy things like that at a sports outfitter like RE...

My skills test was administered by a 3rd party company called Headmaster, and they had a study guide for the skills they test on that was specific to whatever state you're in. I printed off two copies and kept one in my bag. I read through skills wai...

I'd talk to your NM to talk to their supervisor - obviously these med students don't have enough to do if they have time to be such jerks to nurses!

Well, since you're still waiting for confirmation I think it wouldn't be a lie to say "Still waiting!" - because you are waiting, waiting for your labs to come back! As for when to tell, I'm not sure, having never been pregnant. I'm not exactly equip...

One of the complaints I heard from many people when I was in clinicals as a CNA at a hospital was that they couldn't tell who was a nurse and who was an aide and who was a tech or a transporter or anything because they all wore such an amalgam of scr...

I would be more worried about these things with a sudden emergency, but also...doesn't your facility have a required safety training? The group home I work at, we're all required to know where the emergency supplies are and we check the emergency kit...

Also, don't think that just because you can't pinpoint the cause that there isn't anything bothering you. I'd see if your employer offers any confidential/anonymous counseling through a third party. My last two employers you could get between 3-5 fac...

I saw somebody had sewn a big pocket on the back of their scrubs top specifically for their stethoscope, reach and round and voila there it was. I also saw scrubs that advertised a "stethoscope loop" but have no idea what it was or meant.

LTCF love to retain people too, at least that's the way it is in my city. There may not be many openings because there aren't that many people leaving their facilities. HH can be challenging, from what I've been told, if you're not used to being on y...