RNfor918

Cheers, ladies! Let the journey begin :)

I got in! EKU Summer 2017 start. Yay! Hoping to connect with others. Need to decide between EKU and Washburn!

Is this patient focusing on one specific staff member, or is this language and verbal abuse directed towards others? I ask because I wonder if the patient has a specific issue (transference or something) with that specific staff member. Either way, the behavior is NOT acceptable. It could also lead to escalation. I would discuss the behavior with the patient and set firm limits. A staff change may also be therapeutic. If staff is being harassed relentlessly by a patient who is using such vile language, they cannot be therapeutic with them anymore either. We are all human.

I know this is an old thread, but here in my area we have openings for psych NP's all the time. No shortage here. This includes all kinds of settings- acute, outpatient, residential. I'm always seeing postings, and none are less than 115k for a Masters level NP. DNP's are paid about 20k more. Best of luck

Hello, I'm in the same boat angelhearty15! I applied for EKU's post MSN PMHNP program at the very end of December 2016 for the summer 2017 start. All my transcripts didn't make it there until mid-January. My app is now pending review. I am so hopeful for acceptance!! Good luck all, and congrats on your acceptance to the program mama_rachael!

Now THAT I did not consider, thank you for the heads up. I will be sure to check with the schools.

I really can't imagine feeling prepared to work as a PMHNP prior to having RN psych experience. Could you do it? Probably. You could you apply and be an intelligent person who breezes through school and passes your exams. That said, there are things you will not learn in school that you will learn and see through time on the floor. You can read about EPS and rattle off what its presentation looks like, but would you really recognize it if your patient described it or presented that way? There is a difference between meeting requirements and pushing yourself through, and truly being prepared to provide the best care. Another important question to ask yourself- how do you know you will even like nursing? Nurses and teachers have some of the highest rates of entering then exiting their field of study. It isn't for everyone. You are shooting for the moon before reaching the stars. If you are already in debt, what would taking more debt on mean if you ended up unsuccessful in the field? I'm a risk taker, but this is a big gamble. Could you do it? Yes. Would you be responsible doing it? No. My humble opinion. Best of luck whatever your decision is.

The state I live in has no restrictions for online programs. I am aware that some do. Mine has none. I can attend anywhere that is accredited.

Central office still has my appeal and I've received no word back. Has anyone else gone through an appeal, and if so, how long did it take from the time it went off to the time word was received back?

I know this is an old response, but tseabury12, I'm wondering if you could let us know what you ended up doing? How competitive is EKU- curious on your application GPA if you don't mind me asking?

My experience has been that they do NOT. However, we do have something called NNEI and EISP- google those. They are scholarship programs which are basically like grants. You then incur a 3 year service obligation to the VA. They are not retroactive in nature, so you must apply for them before taking on school debt and have the VA actually pay for the education as you go. The emphasis is on getting RN's BSN prepared.

You sound like a RNII based on the small amount of info in your post. When you are hired, the Nursing Professional Standards Board (NPSB) reviews your application, credentials, experience and any other information you submit and make a decision on where you fall- a Nurse 1, 2 or 3. You are also assigned a "step"- for example, Nurse 2 step 5. This details your salary. You should have been given an offer letter with full salary before you accepted the VA position. Nothing should have been a surprise, so I'm somewhat confused? Working with Vets is wonderful, and you do have the opportunity to submit an annual proficiency to apply to a higher level (such as nurse III). In addition, you will receive a "step" increase every other year automatically. For me, its about 2k every other year. We also get periodic cost of living raises- very small amounts. Best of luck

I'm interested in your recommendation of good online post-MSN PMHNP programs (adult concentration). I've applied to EKU and Washburn. I'm interested in 100% online programs with no travel. Setting up my preceptorship & internships will not be an issue in my local area. Any other programs besides Eastern Kentucky University & Washburn? Thanks all, Happy New Year Katie

I read another post from 2010 that said Phoenxi VA has no dental benefits. I start work there on 01/03/12 and have already been given enrollment info for health, dental, vision, etc. Phx VA has dental benefits. As for medical, Phx has 2 high HMO providers- one is $107/biweekly, the other is $75 biweekly, and the dental runs about $20 biweekly for a PPO provider. Benefits are good, but seem to be costlier here in Phx than other areas I've looked at. Google "Federal employee benefits" and you will get a lot of info about what is offered where, prices & plan details. Overall- the benefits seem extensive, and you have your choice of plans

Grey's Anatomy scrubs are the best I've ever worn. So soft, keep their color, and come in petite sizes! I'm 5'1 and these are some of the only scrubs I can buy without getting the pant hemmed. Cherokee & KOI make petite bottoms as well, but I find that these scrubs aren't nearly as comfortable as Grey's Anatomy

I start a new job with the VA this coming Tuesday 01/03/12. I applied for this job in early August 2011. I didn't hear anything back until October when I formally interviewed. From my application date until now, I will have spent 5 months in the process. Things have been disorganized- I've had to resubmit things multiple times. My physical exam was rescheduled 4 times. Things move slowly, especially around holiday time. This is not uncommon- seems to be what goes on all over the US. I read the posts on here before I even applied so I went into it kind of knowing what to expect. I've heard this is one of the best places you can ever work. I will know for myself soon :) I precepted as a student at the VA on the floor I was hired on before I sent in my app. It also helped me in the hiring process I'm sure. I really loved the nurses I met while I precepted up there, and Vets are such a great population to work with. Best of luck, don't give up.

If you suspect harm may come to a child, you should call your local Child Protective Services hotline. Protect yourself, protect the child. That being said, to simply answer your question, real cases of Munchausens are extremely rare. What is going on might be more of a personality disorder issue- or something else. There are certain diagnoses that raise my red flag when I see them- simply because they are so few and far between. DID, Munchausens, Reactive Attachment Disorder to name a few. In my personal opinion, these are highly overdiagnosed diorder that I'm seeing a lot or right now. While they are real disorders, they are also extremely rare. Psych disorders seem to be diagnosed almost in waves. ADD/ADHD in the 90's, autism spectrum disorders in the 00's............ Bottom line in your case, consider the child's safety first and report as needed. You are a mandated reporter. Leave the diagnosis to a professional

I would suggest meeting with primary instructor to go over your semester with them. Sit down with them and see what went wrong, and where your strengths were. Determine if what happened is fixable. I know somebody who failed their first semester of nursing school, but past then next 3 in an RN program. They just needed to learn how to take the kind of tests that are given in nursing school- critical thinking based. However, sometimes nursing isn't for everybody, and that doesn't make you a bad person. Find out what you liked about nursing and focus on your strengths to carry that over to a realistic career. If you do give it a 2nd go, something I did in nursing school that I'd highly suggest is meeting with your instructor after each exam to review how it went. It is not only a great review of the material (and I also noticed that many questions from the major exams also showed up on our final), but really shows you what kind of a test taker you are. When you find out how you test, you can determine how to best remediate and focus on answering questions better as your semester goes along. Again, I would highly suggest asking your primary instructor for a meeting to sit down and determine how to proceed. Don't give up or feel discouraged. You are in school because you don't know it all yet :) Failing a semester doesn't mean you won't make it, but it does mean you need to work at pinpointing your struggles so you can best fix them

The best nursing shoes (for school and anyone else) I have ever found are the Nike AS V Walker shoes. They are all white so they will work for school, and are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn as a nurse. FYI- they tend to run on the small and narrow side. I usually wear 7s in sneakers and 6.5 or 7 in dress shoes/sandals, but I buy 7.5 for the AV S walkers. They are hard to find. The first pair I bought at Famous Footwear 2 years ago, but couldn't find them recently when I went back to buy a 2nd pair. I just bought another pair at nike.com. They run $62 for the shoe, $8 for the shipping and around $6 for tax. Mine lasted the full 2 years of nursing school when I had them. When they got dirty, I'd just throw them in with my white's and they came out looking like a dream. Best nursing shoes ever- for students & any nurse. I've worked 16 hour shifts with no foot pain, back pain, ANY pain. It is like waking on pillows- so light & comfortable. I'll cry if they discontinue them.

Two girlfriends of mine were hired at Banner Hospitals in Phoenix as new grads in the past 6 months. One of them has worked as an LPN for 6 years, the other was a medical assistant for 7 years. None of that experience counted towards salary. They told me that Banner starts ALL new grads, BSN or assocates degree nurses at $25 something per hour base pay, non-negotiable. A behavioral health hospital in Tempe hired another friend of mine in September for $23 hour base pay as an RN. This person had worked as a psych tech for almost 15 years before that. My best advice is to focus on what you are willing to do and how far you are willing to drive-salary aside. It is extremely hard to get a job as a new grad right now, let alone even an experienced nurse. Some people are very lucky and have connections that help them get started. Things like getting hired on with your current employer where you worked previously to becoming a nurse helps. For students- doing your very best at clinicals as if you are on a job interview at all times and going above and beyond helps. I can tell you that the students who held up the desk while I was in school still don't have jobs (shocking, I know). Show your skills & dedication at all times. Any job to get your foot in the door at any salary is basically what you are looking at, unfortunately. It is what it is.

A patient was admitted through the ER straight to mental health after he walked into the ER stating he attempted suicide via OD. He had drank a bottle of Boones Farm and took member enhancement pills. I had to research "extenze" pills on our computer after we obviously did not have this in a drug book or anywhere else close at hand. You should have seen what came up- I was worried I'd get fired. During his admission to mental health, the patient asked in all seriousness if "we could provide him with Extenze pills in the hospital because he didn't want to lose the growth progress he had already made". He then stated he was never actually suicidal, but told ER staff that he was because he heard that the hospital will provide you with the meds you need for free and he didn't want to pay for another week of the enhancement pills, and his insurance wouldn't pay for them. He also asked for a sandwich and a menu for the week.

Americans with Disabilities have reasonable right to accommodation (research "Americans with Disabilities Act"). What you are asking for is not reasonable. An example of something reasonable would be the use of a calculator for a nurse with a Specific Learning Disability in Math who struggles with dosage calculation. You have to be able to perform the essential duties of your job- the employer cannot change essential duties for you. Medication administration is an essential function of your position, and making a med error could result in a patient dying. Having a documented disability would not be an acceptable excuse. Why not focus on your strengths and seek out an area of nursing that works with your abilities and talents rather than struggles?

An update on this- I did resign from this position. I think my post was a vent when I already knew what needed to be done. I had been playing a lot of "what ifs" with myself- "what if I need to be the one to help change this place" "what if I am not being strong enough and all places are like this", etc. In the end, I couldn't keep going to a place that gave me such a pit in my stomach. I feared for the patients and my license constantly. No money is worth that fear. Whew- its over.

I joined this forum today wanting to vent my frustrations, fears and warnings about a local behavioral health center. I'm afraid to say the name. At this stand alone behavioral health center, we have adolescent, adult SMI and Chemical Dependency units. This place is flat out dangerous. I fear for my RN license each shift I work. Has anybody ever felt like this working in a local psych facility?