WikkedCat

I would agree with gauge14iv...get your app and resume out there to anywhere you want to work. We just had a grad we were going to hire find out at last minute that she still lacked a class. People change their mind, or just don't show up. You probably can get in, but you will have to make the calls as well to the managers. Just be ready for last minute calls. GOOD LUCK to you, I think that you were definitely given a bad deal here.

I would be interested to know what type of facility and orientation you received. Did you have a preceptor and a formal internship program? Just curious.

Am a supervisor in a Level 1 Trauma/Neuro ICU, and we hire new grads to our unit. I think that if your facility provides a good internship program, you can definitely be successful, which should include specific time frames to work with your preceptor in the area you are going after. Remember that truama is 24 hours a day, so there isn't any type of predictable down time, nights and days pretty much are same. New nurses in our unit have typically done very well, and when it didn't go well, it tended to be more that they really weren't cut out for that area versus not getting proper introduction and education. I think that if you have the desire to do it, and have the drive to do truama, you should definitely go for it! GOOD LUCK!

I am a supervisor in a neuro/truama ICU, and I have done this for 16 years. The challenge of the neuro patient is the unpredictability. You can have 2 patients with the exact type of injury and yet you will have 2 completely different pictures, which means you are truly providing acute intensive care. The neuro nurse will know the exact moment that there is a change in the patient, positive or negative. Neuro patients don't follow a "recipe", every patient is a new experience and your skills at the bedside are honed and improved with each new thing you see. I am still learning neuro, and I don't think I will ever get to a point where I think..I am there.. I know it. So..to answer the question, I love neuro/truama, and anyone who likes the idea of always starting every day with new unknown possibilities, will love it too. It's not for everyone, it is highly stressful and the human factors (families etc) can drain you emotionally, but the satisfaction as a nurse is awesome. GOOD LUCK!!

Usually each facility should have policy in place to define conscious sedation and who can administer what. At ours, any use of diprivan for procedures can only be administered by those certified to push anesthetic agents, (which is usually anesthesia or CRNA). In ED, physicians are present when other sedatives/pain meds given for procedures, and documentation is specific for that.

I have started studying and from what others have said, the recommended textbook is what majority of test takers use. Studying all the neuro-anatomy first, and then all the pathology/conditions is what I have read is the most successful. Good Luck.

I live in Plano, and I work at Baylor in Downtown Dallas, and if I could guide you in any direction I would say North of Dallas is probably where you should think of going. School districts for Plano, Allen and McKinney are great, and if you have kids that is important. Rockwall is also a great city, up and coming and growing. Hope that helps!!