momofmen

Hi All! I'm teaching PN students on a small LDRP unit. I'm looking for resources for some cricial thinking exercises or case studies. Any suggestions?

I am just starting a nursing job in the community and am very excited for this opportunity. I also work part time on the surgical unit at our local hospital (and a few shifts on maternal child?. I have been a nurse for one year. :) Do any of you do community nursing? What do like about your job? Any advice for a newbie? I am an RPN--we can work to our full scope in the community unlike our hospital which has to catch up.

I got it!!! Very excited to start community visits as well as palliative care.

I had a job interview last week for community nursing which I would love to get! I work pt on Surgical and casual on OB at our local hospital. I applied to the community nursing after two coworkers (who also work there) suggested I apply. Then I found out that I can also do bridging to BScN with this company---now I want it even more! I know they called my references (including the discharge planner/charge nurse) on my floor. Now I'm just *patiently* waiting to hear back......hoping for good news. I did call but the guy who interviewed me said they are transitioning managers so that may be why it is taking longer... How long have you waited after an interview? :)

I am a newly graduated RPN (Ontario) Our program is 2 years with a 320 hour preceptorship at the end. While in clinical and even during consolidation we do try to learn lots of skills. We had to pass a licensing exam to be able to practice in Canada. We are trained in everything from giving a bed bath, walking a patient, inserting catheters, initiating IVs, giving meds by po, INH, sub cut, intramuscular, IV, topical, initiating and monitoring blood transfusions, chest tubes, NG tubes, and so much more. We do our assessments and call the doctors PRN and get critical levels from the lab. As an RPN on a busy surgical unit I am part of a team. The RPNs work alongside the RNs. The nurse with the most experience (34 or 35 years) is an RPN and she is well respected. While the RNs do take the most unstable patients and the ones directly from the OR, we are more than capable of taking our own patient load--often 4 or 5 patients. I am thankful for the team that I work with especially as a new grad who desires to learn and grow as a nurse. I love my job! :)

I work at an acute care hospital on the Surgical unit and in ltc--RPN wages are $27.85 plus 14% in lieu of benefits plus in ltc care an extra 4% vacation pay paid twice yearly. I am a new grad--the wage increases over time by a few dollars an hour.

I am a newly graduated RPN in Ontario. I have been working part time on a busy surgical floor in a small hospital since I graduated. (I had a temp license until I passed my exam). As RPNs we have our own assignments, do our own assessments, call the doctor as necessary. RNs take fresh post ops but once their first vitals are done and they are stable, we can take over care Our hospital is a bit behind in what they allow RPNs to do. The cno (our governing body) says we are allowed to initiate blood transfusions as well as hang IV meds. Although we learned these in lab, this hospital does not allow us to do them. We do monitor blood transfusions though. They are slowly making changes to work towards full scope. The RNs and RPNs work together as a team and there is no "I" in team not matter how you say it!

Waiting...waiting...waiting....

No results yet...apparently cno doesn't even have the test results yet.

Hi, We are all waiting for our results from the September 10. An RN told me that those in her class that failed received letters the week before those who passed. Did you have the same experience with the CPRNE?? :)

Yup...waiting here too! How did you find it? It seemed like a very long theory test to me! You know--those questions where two answers are correct but only one is right?? lol

I graduate in June and am job hunting. I didn't get the first job I interviewed for. I asked what I could have done differently. He said I just needed to go more in depth in my answers. There were only three questions-behavioural type. I googled and found a few resources. Do you have any suggestions of great places to develop good interview skills? :)

I had my first job interview today for a casual position. I will graduate June 5. How bad is it if you didn't ask any questions at the end of the interview? He asked and I totally blanked...of course, I know I should have asked about orientation and training....I'm kicking myself for not remembering that. Kimberley

Thanks! I will check into that. :)

How did you pick the courses to take?

Hi, I am in my last semester of the RPN program at Algonquin in Pembroke. I plan to do the BScN program next. I want to do some of it online in ON. Is there a University where I can do courses that will go toward my degree? I know Nipissing has a program but they don't have a facility in Pembroke where I can do my clinical...yet. I figured if I got a head start on some classes, it will lighten the load when I am ready to go full time. I am a mature student by the way! :) Kimberley

Kim Morgan~ married, mom to three (two in college, one still at home) Practical Nursing Algonquin College, Pembroke, Ontario September 2012 Two years June 2014 A feeling of accomplishment after the first year! So much hard work, so many late nights. so many sacrifices but oh so worth it! So thrilled to have this opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream!

I also think being older is a good thing. We lost students because they were young and immature and college was much harder than they were prepared for. That being said, there are some sweet wonderful young ladies in our program who will make great nurses. I would have to say about 1/3 of our class is married...some with children some not. I am very excited to graduate next year and fulfill a life long dream. And I plan to bridge to RN within a few years. I would like to take courses online through Athabasca and then I can enter the third year of the BScN at Algonquin (through University of Ottawa). Anyway, if nursing is your dream: go for it!!

We started with 49 and after the first year we are down to about 27 or 28 for second year. I am at Algonquin in Pembroke.

Definitely not too old! I am 45 and have just finished my first year of RPN! We have two kids in college and one still at home. It is busy but I love it. And just to encourage you further this year's graduating class had a lady who turned 52.

I am 44 and will start the practical nursing diploma program in the fall. I will graduate in 2014 at age 46! I have wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl. With the support of my family, I am going to fulfil that dream. We have one son going into third year of college, a daughter going into first year and a son who will be in grade 11 (home school). You are never too old to fulfil a dream. Make the choice...start working on any requirements...and go for it. :) Kimberley in Ontario

I have been accepted into the PN program conditionally. I just have to complete chemistry and biology by August. I am 1/3 of the way through chemistry and should finish by the middle of March. Biology should be done by the end of April. I am registered in both (online) but have chosen to concentrate on one at a time. (I also work full time at home and have two homeschooled kids at home in grades 12 and 10.) So yes, you can get accepted! I did have to write the HOAE which all PN applicants in ON have to write. Good luck! Kimberley

I got a call on Monday saying I have been accepted for September 4, 2012 at Algonquin College in Ontario. I am 43...this is a life long dream for me. :)

I was accepted! I got a phone call tonight but a letter should arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. I am very excited. I know the next few months will be busy getting ready and finding a part time job. I currently do home daycare but that won't work with college classes. I took Medical Terminology in hopes of finding a patient info job at the hospital but not haven't heard back yet. They will probably be hiring in a few months. Here's hoping you get your acceptance letters too!

Okay..now I am stressing...I put Practical Nursing as my first choice and Administrative Assistant-Executive as my second choice but I really only want PN. When I looked at the college site today they have listed the Admin program first then PN second. Also, when I took the HOAE last week they were ordered that way but the examiner said she told the admissions that PN was my first choice (I had taken two other tests previous). Now I am stressing that I will get in to the Admin but not the PN. I did see the examiner yesterday at the grocery store. She told me I had passed the HOAE and with my marks from the other tests, I would (probably) be getting an offer. Okay I'm done now. Just waiting (patiently...NOT) until Monday. :)