CandisRenee

We had our test over ABG's and I totally blew it. I thought I understood the concept, but apparently I didn't. I'm not sure how to determine if a value represents a metabolic or respiratory process, such as alkalosis or acidosis. Additionally, I'm not sure when to make a determination that compensation has occurred or not. For example (taken from I site I am using to quiz myself): pH: 7.51 HCO3: 30 mEq/L PaCO2: 26mmHg Ok, I get that the pH is alkalotic. And I get that the HCO3 is high, which would indicate and excessive amount of bicarb. Bicarb means alkalosis. Is this respiratory or metabolic and why is it the one it is? How do you know tell? The PaCO2 is low, which means less CO2, which means less hydrogen ions, so alkalosis. But what does that mean for my overall picture? And in my lectures and on my exam, we had to understand whether or not the PaO2 was high/low. Why does that not seem to be a factor in the websites and android phone apps that I have found dealing with this? What will I see and have to understand in the real world? Any help would be appreciated CandisRenee:confused:

I switched from teaching to nursing. After NCLB came into the educational arena, teaching became mostly busy work and teaching to the state test. In high school, many students do not want to be there and the hope I had of "inspiring young minds to stretch themselves and reach new heights in learning" were way off base from the reality of teaching. In reality, you have two-three students per class that really want to be there and don't give a good gosh darn about learning and doing well in your class. Then you have about 2-3 that don't care one way or the other whether they come or not and if they do come they won't bring books and certainly won't participate. They are usually too busy talking or acting out to be bothered with what is going on in the classroom. If you can get them to calm themselves and let you teach, it is a good day. The other 14-20 students fall somewhere in the middle. Some try intermittently, some try but just don't get it, some try in class, but won't do their homework...it's a big mish mash of what you will get from year to year. And throughout it all is the pressure hanging over your head that somehow you have to make sure these hormonally challenged, distracted, and apathetic children/teens get enough of the content drilled into their heads that they can pass the standardized test the state gives to measure whether or not they are making adequate yearly progress. And guess what? If you have a large number of students who aren't making sufficient progress, you lose your job. And now they are starting to tie tenure to whether or not you can get the kids to pay attention enough to pass the tests. That is fine, I am all for holding teachers accountable and making sure that they are doing their job. The only problem is that they get little help from the state, administration or parents. And if you live in an area that has a history of lower socioeconomic statuses then the kids most likely started school behind to begin with. And the state is not willing, in many cases, to put into place adequate head start programs to give these behind 5yr olds the background needed to be prepared for first grade. Then you start a vicious cycle of constantly being behind and it just continues from year to year, widening the gap between what is expected and what they actually can or will do. I don't mean to rag on teaching, it's just that I really had this dream of making a difference. And perhaps if I had given it more time, I could have learned how to make a difference within the system I found myself. However, there are many negative things to teaching, as with any career. I think the previous poster was right in asking you to identify just what you are unhappy with concerning nursing school. Is it just the requirements of actually being a student, or is it the actual act of delivering patient care? I think if you can answer that question, you will be well on your way to making your decision. And if you do decide to go into teaching--great. I hope you enjoy it and I'm sure you will do well at it--especially if you are on the ball enough to do well in nursing school. Just a word of caution: go into with your eyes open, recognizing that there are drawbacks. Be ready to work the system and think of it as triage...take the students as you find them and help the ones that want your help. That's where you can really make a difference. Candis Renee