Hacness

Yes I am having a tough time transitioning from a 12 bed neuro ICU at a large state teaching hospital where the ratio was never more than 1:2 except in very rare circumstances, like once in the year and half I was there, to working in a 10 bed ICU in a small community (for profit) hospital. We have no admins and 9 times out of 10 no techs. More often than not, the ratio is 3:1, if not 4:1, sometimes having a vented patient on one side of the unit and other patients on the other side, with no RT in the unit listening to the vents. Often one of the patients is a step-down boarder, which is manageable when they are independent, but many are total care and with no techs it's impossible to provide good ICU care to the really sick patients when the unit is flooded with boarders. Usually there are only two or three nurses on the unit, even when it's full or it's not full but admissions keep coming in. As I said I'm having a rough time with this transition and often feel that it is not safe for patients. Was I just spoiled where I came from and I should just get used to this because it's how it is? Should I move to CA?

I thought actuality being enrolled in and having started the BSN program would look good to employers, rather than being admitted and not having started yet. That is the reasoning behind concurrent enrollment. Also just to get it done faster. But I would love to work in an ICU someday and if I can land and ICU tech job that would only delay my finishing a BSN by less than a year, seems the thing to do. What do you think?

I just finished up my first year in an Associate Degree RN program and I'm grappling with a decision that I think might influence my ability to get a good job after I graduate next May. Those of us in nursing school now, especially in 2 year programs, are quickly realizing the we kinda missed the boat on the grand nursing shortage and it's becoming a well known fact that many employers will only hire BSNs, or at least 2 year graduates who are enrolled in BSN programs. So we are having to think about how hard it's going to be to get a job more than new grads did several years ago. Here's the background: I have been planning to concurrently enroll in a BSN program during the last year of my 2 year program for a couple reasons. 1. I know I eventually will have to do it, so why not now while I'm still in school mode. 2. I'm hoping that being enrolled in a BSN program will help me land a better job after I get my RN, even though I won't have the BSN yet. These plans are now not absolute because I have an option to take a PRN ICU tech position at a local hospital which I would love to work at as an RN after I graduate. Here's my question: What's going to look better for a potential employer for a new grad from a 2 year program - close to a year of experience as an ICU tech and plans to enter a BSN program, or no experience (other than being an EMT many years ago) but enrollment in and partial completion of a BSN program? The thing is, I know my second year is going to be every bit as intense as the first year, if not more, and here I am talking about either taking a job or adding BSN courses to that. Obviously I couldn't do both, so this is why I need to decide what is going to be better for my career in the long run. Thanks for the help!

Hi - I was recently accepted to the ADN program at LFCC. I had applied to the Fauguier campus since it is 10 minutes from home, but I got accepted to the Middletown Campus because they are not accepting students at the Fauquier campus at this time. I'm worried about this for 2 reasons. 1. It's an hour drive each way and gas and daycare are really expensive. 2. Makes me concerned about the quality of the program. Another allnurses user elightened me to the reason there is a problem at this campus, I'll copy the text from the VA Board of Nursing minutes below. I was just wondering what other people think about what this says about the program. I am planning to attend of course and I will drive to Middletown if I have to, but I hope it works out that I can attend Fauquier and if I do, that the program is good. I looked up their pass rates and they have been rising at both campuses over the last 5 years and were in the 80's last year. Doesn't seem bad. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Education Information Conference Committee dated January 18, 2012 that references the following: Repeat Initial Approval Survey Visit Lord Fairfax Community College, Fauquier Campus - Associate Degree Nursing Education Program, Warrenton Action: Recommend placing the program on conditional approval and withdraw the authority to admit students until such time the Program Director submits the following: 1. Evidence that current students will obtain the required amount of mental health clinical hours as evidenced by signed clinical contracts, dates and time of each clinical experience and where each student is assigned; 2. Plan of action that addresses how the previous graduates who have not passed the NCLEX-RN exam will obtain the required mental health clinical experiences beyond the long term care experience; 3. Evidence that there is a sufficient number of faculty to prepare the students to achieve the objectives of the program; 4. Provide a completed preceptor packet to include the performance of skills for which the student has had faculty supervised clinical and didactic preparation [18VAC90-20-95.D.3.]; In addition, a Board representative will conduct a site visit to verify compliance with the mental health clinical experiences.

Oh, I live in Fauquier County.

malibu0827 - thanks for the info. the letter i received did say that the problem had to do with the mental health course, but it was pretty vague. i guess students at fauquier were not getting adequate mental health clinical time and failing their boards as a result?? hmmm, not good. this is a bit concerning, but i called the office yesterday and was told that lfcc believes they have done what is necessary to rectify the situation and they are just waiting for the next board meeting, which is july 17th. the woman i talked to said that if the board is satisfied at that time, then students who would have been accepted to the fauquier campus will be able to attend there in the fall; if not, then it will be middleburg until the issues get resolved. maybe if it turns out that students can go to fauquier, there will be more spots available at middleburg and they will go to the waiting list. sorry you are on the waiting list. they were not kidding when they said it was competitive. my letter stated that i had to accept the offer by may 15th. i have a b.s. in forestry from va tech with a 3.4 gpa. over the last two years i took all the non-nursing courses i didn't already have and i have a 4.0 in those (a&p i & ii, micro, sociology and dev. psych). i got an 89% on the teas. i have a friend who also go accepted with similar background and grades and she got a 92% on the teas. she's declining the offer because she got accepted to marymount's bsn program. onebusycat - lpn program is still on at fauquier. i got accepted to that too, but i turned it down in favor of the adn at middleburg. at least there's still a chance i'll be able to go to the fauquier campus, although i am a little concerned about these problems. what does it say about the rest of the program?

Hi - I was accepted to the ADN program at Middletown. My first choice was Fauquier, but apparently there was a problem with one of the courses and the program (Fauquier) is being reviewed by the VA Board of Nursing. They will not know if they will have the ADN program at Fauquier campus this year until the Board meets in July and makes a decision. Anyone else know anything about this? I don't want to drive to Middletown, it's about an hour drive. I will if I have to of course. More than that, I'm a little concerned about the accreditation status/quality of the Fauquier program in light of whatever this problem is. Thoughts?? Thanks.