Christi321

Thanks for the answers so far, I already feel a little better:). I know that it can't be quiet in the room all the time, obviously the nurses and doctors have to do there job and if you are taught right about the hypnobirthing you use those outside sounds to go deeper. I guess I probably won't be a pain in the ass because I am the type that if it makes the doctor feel better I have an IV, thats fine. I totally understand the type of patients that are frustrating and I think its stupid that if they are planning on no interventions that they don't at least learn the different possible interventions so they can make informed decisions and not automatically say no if something arises within the pregnancy. Thanks again for all the replies and hopefully I'll see more!

hi, i am an emergency room nurse who is going to have her first baby sometime around december 20th. i have always kind of been into the natural birthing and read many books about it. i have been researching hypnobirthing and it sounds like it works quite well (if you prepare beforehand). i was wondering if any of you have seen anyone do this and if it works? also i was wondering if there will be a lot of opposition to this natural kind of childbirth in a hospital setting? this is my only option, there are no birthing centers here and it is illegal for midwifes to assist in homebirths in my state. i've read a lot of the threads on here about natural births and it sounds like most of the patients doing this end up being viewed as a pain in the ass. i don't have a birth plan, i and my husband know what we want and that is to mainly have our baby in peace and not be viewed as "weird" because i don't want any unnecessary meds/interventions. i think it will help that i am a nurse and i am aware of the many situations where interventions are needed and i'm not opposed to this. sorry about the book...just wondering what the thoughts of l&d nurses are:) :monkeydance:

Update #2 Ok, well they ended up hiring a lady with ER and Telemetry experience that their boss reccomended. I found out on a Friday and was pretty upset. I thought I would be stuck on Ortho/neuro forever. Then the manager called me on Monday and told me he was really upset that he couldn't give me that job and that he was going to make a job up for me in the cardiac surgery area and also have me float to cath lab. He pretty much said I am an experiment for him and he wanted to see if he could make the perfect cardiac nurse. I went in to shadow for a open heart surgery, which I later found out was to see if the main cardiac surgeon approves of me or not (which I think is kinda stupid). Anyways I got the job and I start on Monday. Now the tough part is going to be switching from only working night shifts to early in the morning. Thanks to all of you who told me to go for it..ended up getting a job I think I will like even if I didn't get the one I applied for! Christi

Hey everyone, Just an update. They called me back the next day for an interview. I interviewed today and am really excited about how it went. They were ok with me not having experience because they said sometimes it is easier to teach new nurses than people that have been nurses forever. The orientation would be long and they are willing to teach me everything I need to know to perform the job well. The interview went really well and he said that I have the job unless someone with all the right experience walks in the next day or so. After being down there I am way more excited for this job than I was even before I applied. After hearing what all the job entails I am really excited for it and excited to learn. Thanks to all of those who told me to go for it and cross you fingers for me! I'll let you know how it goes. Christi

Hey everyone, Thanks for the replies...I am applying for the job and am crossing my fingers. I do realize I do not know even close to what I need to know for this job, but I was pretty much thrown on my own after a week on the ortho floor and I survived fine. I realize this isn't as critical, but I am saying I learn fast and I am not afraid to ask questions. I am at least going to try, if I don't I will wonder whether I could get it or not. Thanks for all the support and I will let you all know what they decide. Hope you all have great year! Christi

Hi, I graduated in May and the only place I could get a job was on ortho/neuro. I picked the night shift because I am not a morning person, but I think I made a mistake. It really depends on how good the hopsital you work at is staffed I would think. We usually have about 9 patients and I've had up to 10. I find that I usually don't get a break and I end up running around most the shift. Since it is usually an older group of patients we always have 2-4 confused patients, which is very time consuming and 1-4 new surgicals, which is also time consuming. Another thing you might want to find out is how they do breaks. On our breaks we have to stay on the floor and still answer call lights. Believe me..they know when you are eating and the second you sit down to try to eat your food warm, half you're people will call. Needless to say my six months is almost up and I am applying for another job:) Hope that helps..and sorry if it sounds like I'm just complaining..just saying how it is. Good luck in whatever you choose! Christi

Hi, I graduated in May and have been working on an ortho/neuro floor since then. I am really wanting to try something more critical. I am applying for a job in a cardiac cath lab. I was wondering if those of you who work in this area could tell me what information I should brush up on since I've been mostly working with knees/hips the last 6 months. Also if you could tell me what all your job entails? Lastly, I was wondering if I have a chance at this job since I am almost a new grad? Thanks a bunch and happy holidays! Christi

Jess, Don't feel bad about having low scores. Seriously I was scoring mostly from the 50's-70s and some 80's. All my classmates that have passed the boards also scored this way. I would reccomend the last day you have the course to retake the pretest to see how much progess you made (mine was still only 83%). I thought the questions were the most similar to the boards, but I wouldn't say exactly the same. The boards were totally different than anything I have ever seen before. Its all about taking your time and thinking through each question. Also STAY CALM. I believe this helped me the most. I did have to go to the bathroom three times but everytime I went in I looked in the mirror and was like "I'm passing this." I think that believing in yourself helps too. And don't feel that you didn't study enough because you can never know everythinig and this is how I felt..don't waste your time with that. Good Luck to all of you and believe me..if I passed you have a very good chance of passing too:) Christi

Sorry to here that you didn't pass Kristen. Thats great that they let you work. Thats why I was so nervous bc I can't even start working until I get my license. I took 90 questions and 2 1/2 hours. I was pretty sure I failed..pretty much positive but I actually passed. It sucks waiting and it blows that some have to wait more than 48 hours. Keep your head up and good luck. Remember there is always hope if I passed:) Christi

I wrote earlier and said that I liked the learningext.com review but couldn't say for sure till I took the test. Well I took the test on 6/21 and found out today I passed! But having taken the test I would reccomend it. It helps you use your critical thinking skills. So this paired with something with content review (like saunders) I think works very well. Two days before the test a friend told me to look at Kaplan RN success for ways to think through questions. I know this is cheap, but since it was only two days before I took the test I went to Borders and read threw the ways to think through a question. I found this helpfull and made me feel more confident because it emphasizes that its not about what you know (bc you can't know everything) it's more about whether you can think through a question. I didn't practice the questions..so I would recommend doing what I did (it's cheaper). But if you use those ways during the nclex review I think it would help a lot. Good luck to all of you! Christi

1. 90 questions..took 2 1/2 hours...take you time... 2. I used Saunders and NCSBN's online course..I found that this helped the most and was most like the boards 3. We took the HESI but they had us do it before we even studied at all. You are supposed to get at least an 800 and I got like 750 or so... 4. I had to wait exactly 48 hours..no less, no more 5. I was absolutely positive that I failed...I still think I did..but I guess I should get over it now:) 6. Yep..thank god...I would not want to take that test again.... The best thing I can say is stay calm!! Christi

I just took my boards in Nebraska and I had around 90 questions (was trying to not concentrate on numbers) and it took me about 2 and half hours. After it got to 75 it didn't shut off I had a buttload of priority questions. I don't know if thats good or bad..but I can't say whether I got any of them right. I think there was only two questions in the whole thing that I know for sure I did good on. SOOO..what do you do while you wait so that you don't pull your hair out? (besides drinking..want to do it but know I will get too emotional) good luck to all of you, Christi

I have not taken my boards yet, I take them in two days:uhoh21: . But my teacher strongly recommended to use the learningext.com prep course. Most of my class also used it and so far everyone that used it in my class has passed easily. The questions are very very difficult and I have heard more difficult than the boards. The reason this course works so well is it gets you to use your critical thinking (which is the most important thing when taking the boards). From everyone who took the boards they all said the same thing, its not about what you know as much as it is about how you can think. Like eliminating the answers that are incorrect and narrowing it down and ultimately being able to pick the right answer. If you can study intensely I would suggest doing the three week course bc I paid for the seven week one, but really only used it the last three weeks and got through it fine. Also my teacher told us not to spend our time on the lecture information, unless it is a section that you need help in. Do the questions because you will get more out of using them for practice than trying to cram your brain right before boards. Sorry this is sooo long:rolleyes: I'll let you know how I ultimately feel about the course after I take the boards..and pray for me! Christi p.s. Don't feel stupid if you score anywhere from 50-80%, most of the people that passed the boards scored that way:)

First of all congrats to all of you who passed...you can finally relax after all that school and then all that studying Do you guys have any advice on the best ways to be prepared? I am currently taking an online class through ncsbn and have been using Saunders..mostly the CD. Have any last minute things I should make sure to know? Do you think a lot of the questions could be thought through or did you need to know a lot of content? I just need some advice and some confidence to pass:) Congrats again and would love any help:) Christi

Hi, I will be a new grad in April with a BSN degree. I am applying for an ER fellowship program at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Through this I would have nine months orientation and be an ER nurse after completion of the orientation. My question is whether any of you guys can tell me what qualities people look for in an ER nurse? Also maybe some different questions that you were asked when you interviewed for an ER position? Also I was wondering whether they look at grades more or experience or more of the interview? Thanks, Christi