momto2j's

I would think hospitals are realitively safe because the mattress and pillows are pretty water tight so the little critters aren't likely to be able to imbed themselves into soft fabric like a traditional bed. We are noticing tyvec mattress covers in more and more hotel we stay at. Just to be clear, the local 4* hotel is just as likely as the local dive moter inn. DH travels extensively and the risk was enough for us to change the way we did things. Frist, he packs in duffle bags that are put in a plastic rubbermaid container in the garage when he gets home and then both the bag and contents are washed and dryed. Most people bring them home in the suitcase they put down on the bed at the hotel. At least with the duffel bags we are elliminate that risk right away. If I was concerned at work I would carry your belongings in a "plastic" type bag you know like a beach tote or see through back pack. The can't live on the water proof plastic. If you knew that it was an issue and you were REALLY concerned I'd put a change of clothes in the garage and change before you come in then wash and dry your work stuff.

What else is going on that there is a night nurse. That could explain alot. If there is another condition that involves meds, then an unstable BG I would think is expected. For example, IV steroids?? The use of a CGM might be helpful in this case so that you can get some real time data. Generally, when I have a blood sugar reading over 300 I don't use the pump for the bolus because I want to know if it is a mechanical problem or a "body" problem. Unless there is another condition, the nursing staff needs to be working themselves out of a job. My mother was told when I was 10 that it was my disease and MY responsibility. The doc was right. I was the only one that could do what needed to be done. I had help and support but every day I have made life and death decision since I was 10. You patient needs to be empowered to assist and eventually take over his care. I agree that the doc needs to be involved but if you are able to do some good education and establish some way of good record keeping the Doc will have more to work with.

As a 1L (a first year law student) I got the best advice from a professor EVER. "be careful who you compare yourself with" His point was that we all had different strengths and outside responsibilities. I understand that nursing school is a stressful environment but at least you are not in direct competition with your class mates. My law school grades were determined by the final exam alone and if everyone wrote the same exam someone would have to fail because of the forced curve!! The day grades came out was a social experiment like I had never seen. People were crushed by their B's while I was dancing in the street that I would never have to take property law again!! Prospective is vital. While attending law school full time I made sure to have a life outside the building. I volunteered in the family court across the street and worked at a science camp on the weekends. I have faith that my best will be good enough, and if it isn't then it wasn't ment to be. I am going back to nursing school, but this time I have 2 kids and a whole different perspective. I'm not sure that it is going to work but the best I can do is still all I've got, so time will tell.

For our local ABSN programs you had to have your prereq's done before you started and most before you applied. I have a BS in engineering, did a year of law school and almost finished an MSW before life interupted. I never needed A&P or micro for any of that so back to the local JC I go. I would look for a program and then make some of your remaining elective selections based on their requirements if possible.

We used home hospice services for my father. He had lymphoma and from the day we were told the cancer was back until he died was 15 days. We were fortunate that he had a nasty aggressive cancer. I don't think we could have done what we did for much longer. Hospice services vary greatly depending on the agency and often you are not in much of a situation where you can shop for services because of time constraints and needing services quickly. Hospice became our one stop shop. They called for meds when we needed them, coordinated care with the doc, arranged supplies and equiptment. The nurse came once or twice a week. Other than that we were on our own. It was exhausting, and overwhelming. I took 8 weeks off of work and so did my mom. It took both of us to physically care for him. We had long term transdermal pain patches and used rectal suppositories for breakthrough pain. We turned him every 2 hours. We put the bed in the living room so we could "be around" all of the time. We rotated in shifts so one of us could get a little sleep but in the last 3 days there was no sleeping, it was all hands on deck. You will have some down time to read, but in my experience, my brain did not process much during that down time. There is NO way if you are going to be the primary care giver you can continue to go to school. Even if she dies 2 weeks into the sememster, you will miss too much time. If you have family that can come and cover when your gone you have a chance. I would see if you can take the term off and then join the class behind you when they get to where you are. I am sorry and your family is going through this. Use the social worker, go to your PCP and ask for meds to help you sleep if you need them. The last words my dad said to me were "I don't like your attitude" but I will never forget them!!!

Every pregnancy is different. I think you are cutting it really close. If you aren't able to finish the term, how much money are you going to be out? Repaying for classes that you almost finished STINKS. This I can say from experience!! With one of my kids I could have done it and with the other there would have been no way. Good luck.

I do have concerns about the pre-employment physicals. Are they usually given after an offer is made?? I'm diabetic, can I do the job, YES. Am I going to be more expensive to insure ABSOLUTLY!! If it comes down to me and an equally qualified canidate with no preexisting medical issues, guess who I am going to hire??

I have personally used the ER wait times to determine were we were going to go. My son needed a bag of IV fluid following a atypical recovery removal of his tonsils. He hadn't had more than 5 oz to drink in 5 days, was pittiful, weak, his mouth was dry, and he wasn't making urine. I called every urgent care clinic within 30 minutes drive and non of them would do an IV in a 4 year old. He wasn't "sick" he didn't need diagnostics just fluids. So after the urgent care clinics I started to surf to see which ED (there are about 5 choices with in 30 minutes) had the shortest time. Because he didn't need the works we went to the closest ED and not the local peds ED with trauma. He could have waited until the AM but then would have been worse and harder to get the line in and the only place apparently to get an IV with fluids is the ED so our options were limited. The published wait times were nice to see so that I could have an idea what I was in for and how much "stuff" to pack.

I actually did take the HPT in the target restroom with my #2. I had paid for the test but there is no way I was going to be able to wait until I got home. Once I had the idea it was happening I needed to know NOW!!!! Took it in the store and then read it in the car.

I guess I need to call and clarify what I need to have. I had an MMR update when I went to college but that was more than a decade ago?? The Hep series seems that the titer is not reliable, as in the titer number can be low but still have active immunity when challenged??

You have the option to do the titer or do the vaccine. It is a two shot series so it means dragging my 2 kids with me to public health for an additional trip. I am not in a time crunch but trying to get things lined up.

I have had the chicken pox several times. The last time I was 11 and sick enough to spend about a week in the hospital. Fortunatly, evidently that was enough to develop some immunity because I have not had them since. the variceilla vaccine, or immunity is required. So do I just go to public health and get the vaccines or should I go to the doc and have the tider drawn?? I'm guessing the cost is about the same. I still need a 3rd hep b and a TD so I will be there at least once already. WWYD??

I would concentrate on the developmental aspect. Find assessment tools that talk about what is reasonable for a 10 year old. Think about brain development and the capcity of a 10 year old to reason and make choices. Is a 10 year old able to understand the long term implications of choices. Maybe use Eriksons or Piaget and draw some conclusions about what they would think?? I would compare learning to operate a gun to learning to operate a car. Both have deadly implications. Our policy makers have made it clear that a 10 year old should not operate a car even under close supervision.

I just got an ED bill of 1/2 a liter of IV fluid that my son needed on the 4th of July, following an eventful recovery from having his tonsils removed. More than $3000 for a 3 hour stay, an IV start and a 1/2 liter bag of fluid, a PA visit and the nurse stopping by about 4 times. He needed no diagnostic services and any of our local urgent care clinic's would have done but none of them would see a 4 year old. Our insurance paid about 1/2 as "their rate". But I still thought the original bill was excessive. I have yet to get the bill for the second IV that was done at the ENT clinic.

When I was young I worked at the ticket counter for a major airline. This was in the pre-caller ID days. You learned really fast not to answer the phone on your days off. If they talked to you, you had 1 hour to report or your were fired. As long as they didn't talk to you, you were not responsible to get a message. Manditory OT stinks!!!

I am a student but starting to set expectations for working someday :). I understand that a new nurse will need some training and will need to pay some dues. I went in hoping to be able to work part-time. PRN is fine with me 2 shifts a week is ideal but 1 is enough. I don't need benifits. Are there part-time jobs out there for new grads or do I need to set my expecations for a full time job for a while??

If you get a BSW you should be able to bridge to an MSW program easily. For a BSN as a second degree we have programs locally but they are all accerlarated programs and for me that is just not possible, but I am older and slower than I used to be. Be careful, the ADN program I'm starting and all of our local programs require A&P with in 5 years of starting the nursing program. So if you take them now then one year for your MSW then you apply to nursing school and the next available seat is 2 years away that 5 years can go fast!!

If I were you I would get your BSW instead of phyc. Then you can do a bridge program for one more year and get your MSW. Then if you want to pursue nursing you could get an ADN or BSN eithor way you will have and MSW and an RN. Ideal if you are wanting to work in mental health. I think my MSW trainining will enhance my assessment ablitity in nursing.

My son, age 4, also just had his tonsils removed. I think training is the key thing. For this proceedure, they (ENT and staff) do not do a good job preparing parents at all. All I heard was that the first few days would be a little painful but kids bounce right back. Well 14 days and 3 extra IV's for fluids later, lots of vomiting, rectal suppositories and forcing acid tasting lortab down his throat we were finally on our road to recovery. We both survived the experience. I will say that in the experience I had a few good nurses and a few that were completly out of their element when dealing with a kid that was awake and a mother that wasn't leaving his side. I think I can do better than a several I encountered.

I'm also a T1 and I would agree with the above parent that EVERYTHING I need comes with me to the hospital and as long as I am able I am managing most of the decisions. If the patient is suddenly low, then you have access to dextrose for the IV. I would think you would want to monitor closely. The only time I would think to hold the insulin is if you had recently given a dose (like in the last 1.5 hours) stacking bolus insulin is a bad idea and must be done with care. Sometimes after a bolus you really do have to ride it out a little and see what happens because it takes time to work. For example, if you test 300 at 2 hours post meal and meal bolus ( I understand this patient is NPO now but may not have been a hour ago). You may still have the insulin on board to cover the high it just hasn't worked out yet. It is possible at that point you didn't get enough but that is in the "it depends" world. I am new to nursing so my knowledge on this is personal and learn through trial and mostly error. However, I have a question about a situation like this one. As the nurse, if you find a situation like this one and think the patient needs closer monitoring, say for instance your order is to test 5 times a day but right now you need another in an hour to make sure your decision was right, do you have to get a new order from the doc or can you do the retest on your own??

I also have a 2 and 4 year old. I have a BS in engineering, we moved for DH's job just after I finished my first year of law school and DS #2 interupted my MSW studies, so I have also decided to give nursing school a try. I still need A&P so will do that next year and then start the nursing program in the Fall of 2013 when my oldest starts K. I too am concerned how to ballence the program with my family as I am the primary care giver and DH's schedule is a bit unpredictable. So I'm using A&P as a test. But I am in the EXACT same life situation as you are!!!!! Good luck

I am T1 IDDM and have been for 20+ years. Following 2 pregnancies I am almost completly hypo unaware. I am going to give nursing school a shot because I have always managed not to let the diabetes be a problem. However, I have a lifetime of experience and few other medical issues. I am not afaid to try it and if I find I can't do it, quiting is a better option for me any not trying at all. Good luck with your decision.