poopprincess

You are going to learn so much! I did it for 8 mo and I didn't realize how much I knew until I left. You will work with central lines, IV's, G-tubes, feeding tubes, pts. on artificial nutrition, ventilators, total cares, extensive (unstagable wounds), codes, telemetry, cardiac drips, heparin drips, and multi-system organ failure. It is very fast paced and the pts. are SICK. Most people don't realize exactly what LTAcs do. I can't tell you how many people thought it was just LTC and it if not even close to that! I like my new position but it was mistake because the pts. aren't as sick. I feel as if I took a step back, but it is making me look good because I have a lot of knowledge and skills compared to the other nurses. Hoping to transfer to ICU in 6 mo. Anyways-it is stressful and chaotic at first but stick it out for at least 6 mo. You will be able to go anywhere afterwards, but then again you may want to stay. Just don't make the mistake I did and not realize the skills you build there. I down played myself majorly in my interview because I was a new grad and didn't know just how far I had come. That was my only position as a nurse and I didn't have anything to reference until now. GOOD LUCK!

I failed it. Twice. Luckily my school only used it as a measuring tool and I could still graduate. I took Kaplan and passed NCLEX 1st try with 75 questions. So IMO, not a good predictor. **During the program ATI counted as 10% of our total grade. I always made 2-3 on those. There was something about that stupid comprehensive predictor that I just couldn't get! lol

Yes it is spit! My bad. Thank you for correcting my typo. :)

Mr. J is sitting in bed being Mr. J.

I've given vanc through an PIV. If that is their only line then I use it and just monitor it as I would when infusing anything. Sounds to me like you came across an anal nurse who pitched a hissy for no reason. Sorry that you are so stressed out over it, I hope it gets better.

I dilte most everything, unless specifically stated otherwise. Nothing that I ever give says not to. We have 10 cc prefilled syringes so I squirt out the amount of med I am drawing up and draw the med to equal 10 cc. I basically do the exact same thing turnforthenurseRN does. :)

Anticholinergics inhibit nerve impulse activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. If you remember your A&P, the PNS acts on digestion, urination, salivation and lacrimation. PNS 'rest and digest' which is opposite of sympathetic 'fight or flight.' An ex. of their use may be bladder spasms. Major common side effects are that they dry you up because they inhibit the PNS. So the way that I learned to remember it was: Can't see Can't pee Can't sit Can't s*** Maybe not the most professional rhyme, but it helped me numerous times on my nursing school exams. Hope this helps. :)

My favorite is when I go into their room and they pooped and stuck their hand in it because they 'weren't sure if they had gone or not.' I really do earn my user name. lol Usually I don't worry about it. I always wear gloves when touching any of the patients. I work with a lot of respiratory patients who are incontinent and have a ton of infected wounds. I'm more concerned with my own hands than theirs. :)

The grass is not always greener on the other side. It also may just be anxiety that makes you hate it. Most new grads hate their jobs in the beginning, I did too. Seriously, the learning curve is so steep and it's stressful. Plus school pretty tells you that giving a freaking bed bath wrong may kill someone. j/k Anyways-chalk it up, get as much experience as you can and look in about 6 mo. or so. I would consider this 'resume building' and if you still hate it in 6 mo. then move on.

I have a family member who prefers the NP to the MD. I think they def serve a purpose in healthcare. As long as they are experienced I think they are great. The only thing I disagree with on the "NP craze" are the programs that allow nurses to go straight in without any bedside experience. I think that nurses having goals to further their education is a wonderful thing, as long as they understand what they are getting themselves into and they see it as a true calling. Sure, you can get some sorry NP's, but you can also get some sorry MD's too.

Have fun! I would be excited to get to do something different as well. I hope you find yourself a hot paramedic! LOL :)

I do want to add if you do choose to leave it out I would at least put in a cover letter or condense on your resume to at least show the floors you were on and which hospitals you were at. The reason is because hospitals are partial to students who did their clinicals there. Also, ex. if you were on a tele/CVSU floor then they may be partial to at least interviewing you because you did your clinicals on tele, and are familiar with what you are applying for. I do agree that you really are selling yourself in the cover letter, but you sell yourself in your resume too. Especially if you attend any job fairs where you may have 8-9 different floors that are hiring. The hospitals in my area didn't tell us which floors would be present so I had a very generalized cover letter at the job fairs. I called HR to try to find out and they wouldn't give me the info. What got the NM to pay attention to my resume was my clinical experience. When there are 250 applicants for 3 spots, having that experience on paper for them to see gives you an upper-hand. I guess it depends on the situation. If you apply for a single position directly then the cover letter is a great selling point.

I think that the 'Anticipated 2013' is good advice. However, I am on the opposite side of the fence concerning clinical experience on a resume. I put it on mine and I have successful in landing interviews and my current position with it. As a new grad, I layed each clinical out as a job and put the things that were unique to that rotation. Ex. in psych I was able to be in ECT. I put in IV's, maintained an airway after the procedure and re-oriented the pt. Not everyone gets to do that, so I put it on there. I didn't have any healthcare experience going in so my clinicals were all I had to make me shine. I used that and all of my volunteer exp. I landed three interviews after school off that resume so it worked in my favor. Now that I have a full-time position, I condensed all of my clinicals into one and picked out the most unique experiences. Then I added my other non-healthcare jobs and used all the transferable skills to sell myself. Once I land a new full-time postion and I have a variety of experience I will remove it completely. I guess it's up to you, but for me it has worked out just fine using them.

Hi! I had an interview at a hospital that I have been trying to get into for a while. I am super excited and I really hope that they call me for a second one with the NM. I previously found out they were hiring by over hearing a conversation amongst my co-workers. I got the name and email of the NM by texting a friend of mine who works at the hospital. She looked it up in the employee directory for me and sent the info. I sent a cover letter and they wanted the interview. It went well and I feel like my personality was able to shine. I prepared for a wk. for this. I studied info as if I was taking a final. Those of you looking for a job, don't be afraid to be pro-active if there is something that you really want. I was nervous about sending my cover letter to the NM because I didn't know if they would be receptive or not. It def. worked in my favor. I don't have a position promised, yet. But I got my foot in the door and that is a start. WOO-HOO! Let the waiting game begin.

CONGRATS!!!! I am sure you are excited. I wish you the best of luck in your new position. :)

I would take it. Never worked LTC, but I know from posts on here that you have a decent ratio. Also, supervising CNA's in part of a nurses job. They help us, but we are ultimately responsible for the pt. Last, this is not the job the market to be too picky. If you were strictly managing and not practicing as a RN that's different. You have to walk in the shoes of those you supervise. Just keep in mind that it is not easy to get a job as a new grad and any experience is better than nothing at all.

Take it as constructive criticism. If that is the only thing that they said then you are doing fine. I know that it is frustrating that they didn't say anything positive, but nurses tend to be very direct people. At my place they don't sugar coat anything. Nerves were an issue with me too. It is a problem with all new grads. Patients don't want a nurse who doesn't look like she knows what she is doing. Ask questions, never guess, but fake your confidence until you get more experienced. Concerning your preceptor, address the speed issue with her without being defensive or blaming her. Ask her what she thinks that you can do better to help get your speed up to par. Show her that you are willing to work on it and see if she has any good tips to help out. Time management is one of the toughest things to learn, IMO. If you are the first person that she has ever precepted then most likely she wants you to succeed just as a much. Afterall, you are a reflection of her teaching....

It's OK. Really, it is. No one wants to make mistakes, but everyone does. If someone tells you that they don't they are either lying to you or they are just scary because they don't realise their mistakes. It's a scary feeling-heart in your toes when you realise that happened. Plus, being accountable for mistakes is never fun. It's tough on the ego and you already trying to prove yourself as a new grad. I can almost guarentee that you are probably just flat paraniod after this, from reading your post, you appear to be super careful. Just keep doing what you are doing and learn from it. Unfortunately, mistakes are how you learn how to prevent it from happening again. You get little methods in place. My first mistake was in orientation. I had been a nurse for only 2-3 weeks! Luckily, no one was hurt. Just learn from it and move on. It's not worth the stress because you can't take it back. You can prevent yourself from making the same mistake again though. If you were my nurse, I'd request you the next day because I bet you will be one of the safest on the floor from obsessively double checking everything. :)

I work in LTAC, not Kindred, but my place is pretty much exactly the same. Our TCU (vent pts.) don't have the A-lines and such though. Those are in our ICU. However, LTAC is def. a great place to learn but you will work your butt off. Almost of the pts. are total care, turn Q2h, Peg tubes, feeds, TPN, post-op complications, CABG or abdominal surgery, ICH, staples/suture removals, ostomies, central lines, PICC lines, trach care. Vent weaning is what most of them are there for. There is halo traction, infections, tele, tons of wound care-complex wounds, wound vacs, renal failure and much more. We do draw our own labs, and many of these pts. are renal, so once you get it down, you are good to go. I have learned not only how to stick someone, but how to feel for a vein that I can't see and still get it. I'm no pro, but I'm making progress and can sometimes get a hard-stick. These pts. are SICK. People tend to underestimate just how sick they really are. Also, there is not a Dr. in our building at night, so nurses run the codes. There are protocols and the charge will call and inform the MD on call of what is going on, but they are not physically there. They will come in later if there is a code, or if a pt. needs a procedure done (bleeding trachs). Really, Esme just nailed it in her description. The respiratory thereapy team is great and they are a wonderful source of info. I ask them a gazillion questions all of the time. As a matter of fact, I get to take care of the sicker pts. because I actively seek out new info and prove I can handle it. I am a new grad and this the only nursing job that I have ever had. I wanted to quit in the beginning, but I am glad I stuck it out. I wouldn't leave for a med-surg position in the hospital, but I would for ED or ICU. Your wound care experience should serve you well in this position. There is a lot to learn and you will be busy. The ratio is by no means an easy one. We also get 4:1 vents or 6:1 if med-surg. The med-surg pts. are sometimes harder than the ventilated ones because they are more demanding. They usually started in the ICU/TCU and were moved once their acuity lessoned. They tend to get lonely and become quite needy. Also chronic pain is an isssue with many of them. There is also hospice or unexpected deaths. I will tell you that sometimes the death is bothersome because they pts. are there for a long time so you really get to know them and their families. It's not always easy to shake it off if it's someone you knew well who was progressing and then BAM. Anyways-GOOD LUCK to you! CONGRATS. Take advantage of the situation and learn all you can. Everyday is pretty much resume building. I actually have grown to like it, I do want a full time position elsewhere, but even if I get one, I'll stay here PRN. You see it all.

3 years

Bartender. :) Became a nurse at 29 yrs.

First, tell the employee who told on you to **** off. Just kidding!! Seriously, it's absurd that you have to have a meeting over one under your breath curse word. Good grief. People need to mind their own business. Tell your manager that you are sorry, and it won't happen again. Just own the behavior and reassure her that you have learned from the experience. Then move on...

I had no idea that was there.....Gonna check it out.

I love my 12's. I work nights so I can flip and be normal on days off. I like them all in a row to get it over with. I do have to say that I usually have a sleep hangover at the the end of my run. I still prefer it though. I used to work nights 5 days a wk. bartending (get home around 2-3 a.m.) and it was horrible. I hated it. This is totally doable. Sometimes the schedule can suck though when I work three together get one day off and have to do it again because of the new schedule. That will make me ill as a hornet and I started looking for people to trade shifts with.

I like 12's. It can be a pain on the days that I work, but I have so much more time with my son (4 days off). It is much easier for me to work nights (not a set schedule) though because my husband is home most of the time (in school) and he picks up all of my slack. If I didn't have him I would probably just work weekends. It's still way better than the 9-5 in IMO.