TZRNER

I agree with the ENA book for the CEN with LOTS of questions. I did they questions and the two free online tests that come with the book and Just passed the CEN 2 weeks ago. I found I needed to know what the CEN's rationals were when I got a question wrong which in turn helped me answer other questions correctly!

Love them...they are super soft and wash up great!!!

I have a question for anyone that works registry. Our hospital has a 3 tier/level system for registry requiring different amount of hours, weekend shifts, and holidays occuring to pay. I have worked the top level for 3 years. I am required to work 64 hours including 3-8 hour weekend shifts and one summer and one winter holiday. I have always managed to get these without a problem. We use sign up sheets and you just sign up for what is open. Well for the last 3 months there haven't been enough weekend shifts to sign up for...usually I work 2 12 hour shifts and that is okay by them. Now they have 4 agency contracts due to the short staffing issue and I have 12 hours this month and they are threatening to drop my level down which would mean less pay. My contract states I must give AVAILABLITY for the required hours....they are now saying I must work what they have open even if it's midnights, days or whatever. So my question is how do you get your hours and how do they get assigned? I am almost ready to drop down to the lowest hours/pay as to not have to worry about any weekend or holidays since I am so mad.....I love my job, but they are making the scheduling harder and harder.....We have a schedule nazi and I believe they are trying to strong arm us into working when they want us to. isn't the point of registry to allow yourself more flexiblity?

You leave your nursing notes (hand written) in the patient room and chart on the patient in the room.

We are a 25 bed ED each nurse usually has 4 patients the entire hospital uses computer charting, but the ED still does paper charting...ie nursing notes we write out everything we do. Well of course some nurse don't write as they go and try to play catch up before calling report or even after the patient has left. Well I for one always charted as I did or within a few minutes....Anyway now we are to start ONLY bedside charting Monday. I can see this working more so on a floor, but sometimes in the ED I am running back and forth starting lines, do EKG's, answering phone calls, giving med's and if I had to stop in that patients room write out vitals, assessments, whatever those few min's could delay my care of the next patient. Also I like to get a minute to sit and collect my thoughts and chart without the patient or family asking questions. Also the notes are to be left on clip boards in the rooms. not sure I want the family/patient always reading what I write...ie patient complains of abd pain with vomiting is eating chips, laughing, and talking on cell phone, pt states pain 10/10...SO to get to my point....is there any evidence based practice on where or how to chart when using the old fashion paper...we are 2 years from computer charting in the Ed as they are going to get a new system. This has basically came down from the CEO of the hospital do to a bad outcome of a young patient that died and a lawsuit to the hosptial. Any input would be great....I just want to give the best care to my patients!

Yep, my mother in law told me years ago to do it she worked at a police station and when I became an ER nurse I have heard and seen it used...hope it becomes more popular.

And what about the people who come in c/o feeling weak for a week with stable vital signs, so they wait out in Triage for 4 hours and come back and tell the nurse they had open heart surgery last week and didn't tell the triage nurse because they thought they should have known they were here last week.

Welcome to the ED!!! A good Preceptor is worth a million dollars! I had a great one and one day she was sick and I got put with a Terrible one and wanted to quit!!! Learn all you can and never stop. Everyday I see/learn something new and it's been two years! Always ask, don't pretend to know! No question is dumb! Relax and enjoy!! I still love to go to work everyday!!

I work in an ED and we have alot of MRSA in the regular population. 1 years-80 year healthy otherwise. We now have a MRSA decolonization protocal pt get's cultured, given 3 rx's one goes in the nares, ones a body wash , and the third is oral/po...I forget the names right now, but after treatment they are to get retested.

My advise would be the CNA class also ALOT of people going into nursing do not know what a nurse does. My nursing class started with 100 and ony 38 graduated all of which passed NCLEX. It takes alot of hard work. It's not always fun and clean, but to help a sick person is so rewarding!

"I am having Chest pain can I get a room with a TV" If those said 75% that are non emergency visit did not think they were coming to a hotel the truely sick could get treated emergently!!

One of nurses left the NICU to ED and at first hated it...swore she was going to transfer back after 6 months....it was a hospital to hospital transfer in network.....She hated the patients could talk.....: ) anyway a year later she loves it and has no plans to change. You'll be fine...and us non NICU nurses in the ED will love asking you to stick our little newborns!!!

My background is I graduated in May 2004 and have been working in a level 2 ER since....I am going to stay there registry and go to a trauma center after I have 2 years experience. How is the CCRN? I've heard at work that no one passes the CEN the first time...Could be they don't want "a new Nurse" having more certificates then some of the old set in there way nurses..Our hospital gives an 8% pay raise for either TNS or CEN.

I have taken BLS,ACLS,TNCC,PALS,and ECRN. Now I want to take either TNS or CEN. Those of you who have taken one or both which would you suggest and how did you prepare for the test. I most likely will have to pay for it on my own since I just went registry so I want to PASS. Thanks in advance.

Wow what a wide range...I am a new grad....graduated in May 2004... Base is $23.80 w/diff of $2 more 3-11 and and extra $1.50 for weekends. I am in Illinois suburb of chicago.