Burks21

I can confidently say that Parkinson's does not rule out a cardiac cath, having taken care of those patients in the past.

If I'm working back to back shifts, I'll change them my first night. If I'm only working 1 day in a row, they get changed. It's just included in my assessment really. I'm there, might as well do it. You'd be amazed at the number of false alarms you get with frequent patch changes. It's not uncommon to come across a patch drier than my humor.

We frequently use the Fentanyl and Propofol combination for our intubated patients. Rarely due we used Versed. We will occasionally use Precedex for patients at risk of withdrawl from whatever (often think the med just plain doesn't work). Our docs want us to get Propofol off as soon as possible and continue using Fentanyl gtts and IV pushes to keep patients sedated but easy to arouse. It's a fine line.

Clock in 1854 on average. Clock out 0725 on average. Sometimes report takes fooooorrrrreeeevvvveeerrrr depending on who I'm giving report to. "They have a Right AC salin" "When did they poop last?" Shut it! I'll get there!

We used to have a therapy dog come in on day shift to our hospital. He could count to 10, open doors, navigate the hospital on his own, etc. His owner was quite elderly so I'm not really sure what happened. Haven't seen either the dog or the owner for a year or so. He was such a big baby of a dog. Probably weighed 80-100lbs, German Shepard, but a big baby. He loved to just be touched by anyone. We have allowed personal pets to brought in, provided they are clean and the patient is not infectious (MRSA, VRE, etc).

Jumping back in to this discussion. What would really drive my insane is if we switched to how RT is doing it now. 12 hour shifts, "sort of" self scheduling, and every other weekend! F THAT! I like my known rotation and every 3rd weekend rotation. I couldn't do every other weekend, no way. Literally zero personal life (not that I have one now anyways). Here lately I've been picking up random 4 hour shifts, 7pm-11pm. That's by far our busiest time and they need the extra help. While it is super busy, as I often get an admit right away (because I don't complain), my 4 hours goes by super quick. Aaaaaaand I get that Taco Bell 4th meal after work so.....another positive.

If I was looking at FNP I'd go to UoCin or Ohio State. A friend of mine went there (moved there actually, Cincinnati) for his ACNP. Absolutely loved the program and staff.

I'd like to be loan free by 10 years out of school. If my wife were to quit working, which was the plan, we'd be back living the same way we are now for 10 more years and we'd both be in our mid 40's. Seems way too long to live with such debt, at such an age. We live below our means as it is ($40k house, and I drive a rust bucket $600 Cavalier), so that amount of debt just seems insane. We're basically a one income household, as my wife brings home enough to cover the house payment each month and that's it. Around here the wage for acute care NP's range very widely. $90k-$130k. Knowing my luck, I'd be stuck at $90k. Wife has no idea of ever moving so I'm SOL.

Gay or not, all I care about is if my fellow male nurse will help me with turns and get their hands dirty. What you do outside of work is your own thing. I don't know how most women could find a male nurse attractive because of their job. "Oh so you touch other men's junk and get poop on your hands all day? TAKE ME NOW!" Yeah, not so much.

I did my RN to BSN through OU and they really weren't very helpful with setting up my schedule or helping in that regard at all. I've known a few graduates from that program that say the same thing. But on the other hand they also say the education they received was worth it. If I were doing the FNP route, I would not hesitate to go to OU.

We just started something new at our hospital. Step down patients - They call to say the patient is on the way. No report. Figure it out ourselves now. Often the patients are sent up with patient aides. ICU patients - Sent up with a nurse, often not the primary. They try to give report to us while moving the patient into the ICU bed, untangling the mess of wires, and fixing their drips (seriously....5mcg of Diprivan and they wonder why the patient is fighting?).

I'd love to work a 3p-3a shift. My mom did that 20 some years ago and she said it worked perfectly. Even a 3a-3p would work nicely I guess. Other than those two shifts, I'll stick with 7p-7a as well

I have only worked 12 hour shifts and prefer them. I'd rather work 3 nights a week rather than 5 nights. You are right though, 12 hour shifts leave you enough time to get home, shower, sleep, wake up, eat, shower, and head back to work. That's the negative.

Do you mind me asking if you two got an estimate for the total cost of your program? I'm looking at the ACAGNP program but I'm seeing like $80k for the full thing. I just wanted a realistic idea as to what I may have to pay. Georgetown looks to be my top pick but geez....$80k.....that's bit much.

The accusations of sexual assault and the like are a very big concern. I always, always, always bring a female with me. I also always ask the patient if it's OK if I place the foley, which they rarely say no. I don't even bother with asking the young females in the teens and 20's, I know the answer is no. This not only protects myself from any legal issues, but it also puts the patient as ease. To tell you the truth, I'd rather have another male put my foley in if I ever need one! At least we can each understand the situation and be professional (Ok...I probably couldn't be if I were the patient receiving the foley) about the whole thing. My female co-workers never question me when I ask them to help or if they'd do the foley for me. I get enough requests to cath the "creepy old guy who keeps winking at me" and the like. It's an even trade off. Plus they normally say something like "Yeah I don't want a guy down there either unless it's my husband!". You know, the normal off the wall nurse talk.

Politely, yet sternly, tell them that if they touch any equipment again that they will be escorted by security off the premises. I don't screw with that kind of crap because if they hurt or kill their loved one, you darn well know they're going to sue YOU and take zero blame. Thankfully our security team has our backs at all times. Even when I stayed with my grandfather and he was knocking on death's door, I didn't touch a thing. I'm a visitor at that point, not a nurse, even though he was in the unit I work.

The system I work for does something similar. As a new hire into the ICU world you "follow" a seasoned nurse in each of the ICU environments (SICU, CCU, CVICU). It's kind of neat, in my opinion, as you get to see a little bit of everything. Who is to say your recent CABG patient doesn't start presenting CVA like symptoms? That would be on of our SICU main admissions. How about an IABP or CRRT? That would be our CCU and CCU/SICU areas. Our CVICU rarely has an IABP or CRRT but sometimes they do. It's a fantastic learning experience and I highly recommend you take the time to learn all you can in each area. This is a new program to us and from my experience, the new ICU nurses are doing much better than they previously were. Also, as Ruby pointed out, you may have to float to another ICU. Now they won't give you patients you are unfamiliar with but I'm sure they'd give you cardiac related patients or maybe some septic patients and expect you to manage fluids, labs, and possible pressors. The nice thing is, during your rotation, you'll also learn which nurses you can lean on and feel comfortable asking "stupid" questions (remember there are no stupid questions in nursing). Good luck to you.

Not an NP YET but I will be giving it my all later this year. Anyways....basically I didn't listen to my mom. She told me to go be a Chiropractor or M.D., that'd I'd love it and make a great living. As a RN of 25+ years at that time (now well over 30 years), I should have listened. I planned on working at GM like my father and grandfather, make $100k+ a year, and live a great life. Sadly, GM closed a year after I graduated high school and I told my mom, and I quote, "I don't want to touch disgusting people". Here I am now, 6 years later, "Bob can you roll over? I need to shove this Tylenol in your rectum". At 31, with a family, and a wife that doesn't make much money, I'm going the online NP (hopefully acute care) route. The old saying "Listen to your mother" and "Mother is always right" has never rang more true in my life. Live and learn. I do love my job, but absolutely hate the politics and business side of it. You either get your numbers or patient care, not both. Edit: As for the NP killing a patient, isolated incident. We have NP's here that did all online schooling that straight up kick ass at their jobs. If I were dying or my family, I'd call them before some docs. Yes, I put that much faith in them, which is why I'm trying to become an ACNP.

Sounds like you have heard good reviews on this college? I'm looking at applying soon. My ADN degree had a crappy GPA of 2.9. I've worked 5 years before going back for my BSN which is a 3.9. Hoping they take my experience and see that I got my crap together later in life with a much higher GPA.

Totally agree, which is why I'm here. Most of the people I know going back to school are going the FNP route, something I'm not totally interested in (except maybe a dual degree). I'm doing the same RN to BSN program she went to and she hated it....yet I don't mind it one bit. It's very self directed, they basically send you a list of classes and that's it. Everything else you do on your own with no guidence.

Did either of you have much in the way of group work? I'm currently looking for an all online ACNP program and I was looking into Georgetown (I honestly don't mind the traveling once per semester, it'd be a mini-vacation that I could take). Plan on working full time as much as I can but thankfully my family is supportive and can help care for my daughter (she's almost 2...how hard can it be right?). Thank you both for your time and responses.

I am almost done with my RN to BSN degree through OU. I have not had a single group project. If I'm lucky, I might spend 20 hours total over the 5 weeks on each course. Once you get past your first course, you will know the expectations of most of the professors and TA's. It really isn't hard work, just busy work. Currently I just have the gerontology, assessment, and NRSE 4600 left. Find some good article sites. I use UpToDate, which is free to me through work, as my main resource. Awesome articles and you rarely (very rarely) find anything older then 5 years old.

Hi everyone I've been working in a CCU for the past 4 years (6 years total nursing experience) and I'm nearing the end of my RN to BSN program. After working closely with our Acute Care NP's, this is the route I want to pursue. They've changed how we, the RN's, do our job and patient care has greatly improved. I'm looking for an online program. Price really isn't much of a concern because honestly, doubling or tripling my current pay is totally worth the loans. I'm only at $15k in loans right now. Preceptors are of no concern, I know enough people to find those with ease. What I'm looking for are these criteria: - Online only. I do not mind traveling a couple times to the campus each year for skills and the like (such as Georgetown University requires). - Fairly well known. (I was looking at Walden but they're ehhhhh). - Little to no group work (I work nights in Ohio so trying to get with someone who works a different shift in California seems darn near impossible). - 2 year program, 2.5 years at the most. - Prefer rolling admissions so I can start 2017 and not 2018, but definitely not a MUST. Any help is appreciated. I've looked into Maryville, Walden, and Georgetown University programs so far. Leaning toward Maryville (have a coworker in it, she says it's "OK"). Just want to exhaust all my options. My ADN GPA was....well...not fantastic but my BSN GPA is a 3.9xx. So I'm hoping these schools see me as someone who screwed around during ADN school but got my crap together in life, which I did.