crichards00

I also interviewed and accepted! Congrats to everyone.

The CCI director has started making phone calls about interviews. I got mine today to interview! HR will call directly to set up the interviews.

I've been working as an aide in SICU of an urban level 1 trauma center. You will learn SO much! I start nursing school this fall and I feel like I've got such a great foundation. Our responsibilities include: turning, bathing, drawing from art lines or cvp, stocking-fun extras we do: pulling lines, changing dressings, assisting in emergent surgeries, chest compressions, oral care, bowel care, patient/family teaching, pt transfer/discharge. Nurses, residents, attending MD's are all very willing to help teach whatever we want to know! I suggest going for the ICU job!

I work as a PCT in the SICU at a level one trauma center. I love working there, but here are the pros and cons... Pro's: experience with RN skills: drawing from arterial lines, packing wounds, central/arterial line changes, dressing changes, etc. Running your own codes-exciting and fulfilling. Not sure about your hospital but at mine we run our own codes which means I get to do compressions Professional acquaintances: MD, PA, NP, RN, CRNA-great if you are looking to network or just make some friends! Cons: staffed at 12:1 patient:tech :/ better than what you're used to but still not desirable There are still plenty of tech "abusive" nurses who won't start their bath or clean poop until you're available. I feel like this would be a problem in any unit. Busy busy busy. I have not worked on any other floor so I wouldn't have anything to compare it to but some days I don't even sit down in my 12 hour shift. Yes I miss lunch sometimes. Hope this helps! Good luck in your interviews.

Actually CNA's DO hold a license that you CAN lose! It's called CERTIFIED for a reason.

I'll try and keep this short... I was in my junior year of the microbilogy program when I decided I wanted to be a nurse! I've been working my butt off to turn out A's in my pre-req's for NS. I've finished A&P, chem, micro, psych, english and nutrition. I'm enrolled for math and patho right now. Cumulative GPA 3.7. I'm currently working full time in a level 1 trauma center hospital in SICU as an aide. I learn SO MUCH everyday I'm there. It pays the bills but I have a husband and baby at home! (He works and goes to school full time as well!) I want to be an RN on this floor SO BAD. I've met with area nursing school reps who tell me that my chances for getting in for fall 13 are slim to none! WHAT?! Ugh! Whey tell me I'm under-qualified or my classes aren't going to transfer or some point system discrepancy. I know that I am young (only 20!) and impatient, but it's killing me to see these opportunities pass me by.

Unit T-shirts with the hospital logo that we can wear instead of scrub tops

I work full time as a PCT in the ICU and go to school full time. I have a husband and baby too! I feel ya! Go for that job, it looks so good on your resume.

My course was one week long! 5-10hr class room days and 2-12hr clinicals. Very quick & easy

CRRT is automatically a 1:1 in our unit

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value. Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet. Cranky Old Man What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see? What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me? A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise, Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes? Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply. When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!' Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do. And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe? Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will, With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill? Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see? Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me. I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still, As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother, Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet. A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap. Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep. At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own. Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home. A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast, Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last. At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone, But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn. At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee, Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me. Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead. I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread. For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own. And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known. I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel. It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool. The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart. There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart. But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells, And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain. And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again. I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast. And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see. Not a cranky old man . Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!! Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too! I say first impressions can be meaningless because there is so much more than what meets the eye!

Did you do the CCI program?

I am looking into Westminster still.. NP is a strong secondary option for me. However, I'd prefer a BSN--> DNP program which is not available at the U . You are a nurse at University Hospital.. yes?

YOU have to do what is best for YOUR family. It is unfortunate for the hospital yes, but this is a situation that I'm sure happens a lot! Maybe not specifically but plenty of people get on their own after orientation and decide the position is not right for them or that it is not a good fit. Give your notice when you are ready to leave and explain your situation. I don't think your nurse manager will be happy, but I'm sure they will understand. :) High five for getting hired as a new grad btw!

We (SICU unit) are staffed based on the acuity of our patients. Our ratio is 2:1 and if we have any 1:1's then that increases our need. We are a 20 bed unit and typically have 2-4 1:1's (ECMO, VAD's, CVVHD, etc) we keep an average of 13 nurses plus one charge plus 3 in management who can jump in if necessary. There is usually 2 aides as well. if we are overstaffed (rare) we send our RN's to other units who are not. If we feel we are understaffed, we call resource and they will send us who we need.