Heymickey

Can't make a wrong choice when it's a Littmann! I plan on getting a middle-of-the-line Littmann... right now I have a lightweight, and I will be trading up, soon. It's good enough to pick up mitral heart murmurs. I've seen some new models, with a different shap; no longer that round shape. Those sounds real good. A master classic II would be good enough, I think.

I'm doing better. I still don't understand how you people work three days in a row. My social life slipped away a long time ago, and i'm trying to find my way back into the gym. Today was actually a good day. Thank you all for your words of encouragement, it's just so frustrating, and at times, I wonder if it's really for me. I see other nurse work so efficiently they function like robots. One nurse told me it takes years before I can function like a robot. The thing is, I don't want to be like that, i just want to make it through. How long was it before you guys felt confident in yourself, as to be sure you knew exactly what you were doing, and have no problems with your shifts?

Forget it, I must be bipolar, because I am feeling a little better. As you can see I am a very impatient person, and a perfectionist. For better or worse, nursing is stuck with me for the time being. I just got off my shift, and I have plenty of energy left. I had the best night! Even thought it was busy as @#$%, We pulled through. We finished late, we all had to catch up on charting. We got a huge scabies scare (among other things)! (Better quarentine the ER.) I feel better. You know what? I made a med error the other day, and I felt like a complete loser. It's better, and I will not forget. I never forget my mistakes. Hey, I just found out last night, I was got two awards for service and something else at the hospital (some pillar-thing) ... whoo-hoo! browsing, I'll PM you in a bit... got a hot date in am!

No... seven day schedule is working 7 days in 2 weeks... sorry, I didn't clarify. No way can anyone work 84 hours a week.

Sorry for the late reply... I just woke up. I think I misled everyone into thinking I work in critical care. I work in a regular med-surg. I don't work in any other field because I intend to go back to school ASAP. I don't think I sound over confident at all. Not even confident. The exam I felt real good about. I knew I passed that right away, the critical care course also... I was doing very well in the beginning. I was happy. To clarify the seven day schedule, that means we work seven days in two weeks. It's been rough, but since the new schedule just came out, I am thinking it may get better. I used to work random days: one day on here, two on every now and then. Never more than two days off. Now it's going to look a little more structured. Most of the RNs here work the six day schedule. (Three days a week.) I am sorry for being so vague about everything. I think I was just a bit tired. As for the certificate, it says I completed the following course "Critical Care Nurse Training Program." Again, I'm not even sure what that is anymore... I don't think it's an add-on. If I go to the BRN, I can't find anywhere where it says I've even completed the course, but maybe it might not be up yet. Some people haven't even received their certificate yet. It also says in small print "Provider approved by the State of California, Board of Registered Nursing CEP #144. This certificate must be retained for four years from date of course completion." I'm even more retarded now. I can't even communicate on a message board.

I got hired at a local hospital February 15th. Passed the boards April 13th, but didn't find out until about June 1st. I got my CCRN cert... I'm not even sure what that is anymore... I don't think it's an add-on, but it's worth 72.0 CEU's. [it says I completed the following course "Critical Care Nurse Training Program." Again, I'm not even sure what that is anymore... I don't think it's an add-on. If I go to the BRN, I can't find anywhere where it says I've even completed the course, but maybe it might not be up yet. Some people haven't even received their certificate yet. It also says in small print "Provider approved by the State of California, Board of Registered Nursing CEP #144. This certificate must be retained for four years from date of course completion."] [i work in med-surg] I feel like I've been struggling more days than not. I work nights, 7 day schedule [7 days in two weeks] and 12 hour shifts. I am tired of feeling like I failed. How come I'm the only unrested nurse? I have trouble sleeping at night. I still get occasional patient-crashing nightmares. I don't feel like I have a handle on nursing yet, like I'm missing some sort of logic. I rememebr finishing the NCLEX feeling reeealll over-confident about the test. 75 questions... no trouble at all. In fact I took the CCRN final exam the day before and passed both. Now, I feel like I completely suck, like I have no logic in nursing. I feel like I screw up a lot. It's not the staff, either. I get along with everone. People that don't knwo me think I'm really good, and when I start to tell them about my problems... they tell me I'm exaggerating. Here I am, still awake. I called in sick to get a grip on myself. I've made two mistakes already!!! One was forgetting to document that I called the MD for a Temp of 101... (Who the hell orders Tylenol 650mg Q4 around the clock, anyways? It barely made the 4 gram rule.) The second one, I don't even want to talk about. It's not like anyone was hurt or no one died from it... it just got me even more frustrated. Crap, I feel like I want to give up already. The thing is, I feel like I am missing the logic and I will never catch on. My friend became a charge nurse after 6 months. Another, after 10 months. I've been in nursing for almost 6 months already. I suck. Ugh! (Get the Ativan ready... 2mg IVP Q4H PRN agitation.) --- I had to clarify some things, so I edited the post. I apologize for the confusion.

I graduated December '04 from Cerritos, got my CCRN, then passed the boards in April. I'm unable to register for any classes at Cerritos (lost priority registration). Same situation with every single city college I applied to. I'm looking into Cal State Dominguez, as they have open admissions, so just anyone can take classes there as long as they petition and there's room. I'm really loving this nursing thing. I wish I was in the ICU or CCU, but I am staying in med-surg because I want to get back into school already. I miss class! Anyways, I am having a hard time scheduling work and school together. I feel bad for the person doing schedules because I'm always asking for a changes in the schedule (I feel reluctant to ask for changes yet again). How do you guys feel about returning to school and working full time nights? Is it okay if I push to December or January? I am planning on improving on my grades until I can apply for a Biology BS program. Was it possible for you guys work as full time nights and make it through? I feel totally lost!

I agree... I worried about pulling through the first semester. NCLEX study books, even though our school just handed them us, I never considered picking up. It wasn't until I graduated that I loaded myself up with Kaplan. You can't lose with Kaplan!

Yeah, I always try to stick with the patient's home schedule. It would be torture to give 40mg Lasix BID and have the second dose at 2100. At my hospital pharm would give you a hard time changing the schedule, so I just pass it on to next shift. And, during 24 hour chart checks, I circle and change out the times, too. BP ranges differ from pt to pt. For the last two days, I was freaking out with giving Clonidine 0.2 on a pt whose BP was 93 systolic!!! He's in for Opioid Withdrawal, and it's for chest/esophageal (in that area) pain associated with withdrawal. BTW, is Clonidine also the samemedicatio n that comes in that yellow gel pill? You are not supposed to crush it, and it's also supposed to relieve spasms in the chest... It's been bugging me for months, now, and I can't find that medication anywhere.

We used to have a filter. It was always like that. All the sudden, the filter's taken away and we all shrugged and continued on. Probably a few months later, pharm brought IV Protonix up along with 10cc of NS. We were all looking for the 50 or 100 bags... Would you believe... IV protonix mixed into the NS to be pushed over 2 minutes?

Hi, For anyone who is interested, tomorrow's the day. I've cut my studying time to about 4 hours for the past few days; just taking two tests a day and reviewing them. I've tried to take my mind off of the books by working on my bicycle (my obsession)! Today I took the Kaplan Test #7 and I scored a 60%, so I hope that is good enough for NCLEX also. My Nursing 3000 CD, I have scored between mid 60's to even low 70's, and I am very nervous but feel somewhat relaxed compared to how I was a few days ago, or even a few weeks ago. Thank you for all you responses! Wish me luck!!! Mickey :angryfire

Maybe I'm too new at this stuff to be posting, but I don't have too much of a problem with IVs. It's prob my fave nursing procedure! I've put in quite a few IVs and after a while, I got the hang of it. Either way, I'm just trying to help!!! :) When I start an IV, I put the tourniquet as close to the IV site as possible. I've read that you put it 8 or 9 inches above the site... Well, to get them to REALLY distend, put it as close as possible. I always aim for teh back of teh hand. I think they show the best here. Also, if you follow the thumb down, it seems that that vein is almost always possible to get. I never try to hit before a bifurcation; it seems to always go the wrong way, and also, I don't hit before those vein bumps. I don't know what they are, but they don't seem to let you flush. On dark skinned people, I put alcohol over the vein, then I rub the vein distally with the swab. That gets them to begin to show, and if you flick at them, they really start to show. Also, I hang the patient's arm down a little and have them make fists a few times... If you can't see anything by now, you can at least feel them, so you can try a shallow blind stab. When it's in, you can just feel the needle want to go a certain way. And if you felt like you went through the vein, sometimes you can save it by pulling it slowly backwards. Also, if you had flashback and you advanced the catheter in, and all the sudden you can't flush, maybe the tip of the cath is against the vein wall, so back it out a little, you should be okay. For rolled veins, it might be easier to pull them down and enter from the side, that way, they have very little place to roll... Hope this helps!!! Oh yeah, and watch how deep you go in a blind stab!

Well, I tried to relax a little, and I managed to study about 4 hours, also. I feel a little better. I scored a 67% on the Nursing 3000 CD, and I don't feel too bad. 3 days left! Please, everyone, pray for me!!!

Cerritos College has an excellent ADN program, and I can not stress that enough! Kaplan is an prep course that claims a 95% passing rate for those who follow their instructions. They teach you a different approach to the NCLEX, with lectures, videos, online movies to watch, and lots of test questions. NCLEX is the test to get your RN license and you can take anywhere between 75 questions to 265 questions over a period of 6 hours on the computer. It shuts off after it has determined your "level of competancy" Everytime you get a question right, the next question may be harder, and every time you get one wrong, it gets easier. So you don't want to see lots of easy questions! Kaplan says to shoot to a score of above 65% in their class in order to pass with flying colors, but on the actual test, there is no passing percentage. (Actually, it comes out to roughly 50% of the hard questions right.) crb613, thanks for the advice. :) (Cramming's always worked in school!!! :chuckle ) I'll break up the study sessions a bit so I can go running or something in between. Your right, either I know it or don't, and I know I KNOW it, but the logic is a little hard for me.

Hello, I graduated with an ADN from Cerritos College this past December, enrolled in Kaplan, and I just lost access to their online videos an less than an hour ago. I have been studying between 5 to 7 hours a day with an additional hour or and hour and a half these past week and a half. Prior, I have been studying about 3 - 5 hours a day, but more on the side of 3. Throughout Nursing school, I took notes on the computer, and studies with three other friends. I had very good study habits, but all I could manage was either a B or a C in class. (Most of the time, I'd go into teh final with a solid B and completely blow it, managing to pull through with a very high C.) I don't know who to write to, and I feel like I am falling apart. I drove to Irvine everyday (about 30 miles to rewatch all their Course Videos, and I finished two days ago. I would sit there with a thermos full of coffee, and I would smoke cigarettes (never, ever before to stay awake). I've been told I need to rest, but whatever, they are not taking the test. When I was taking teh Diagnostic test in January @ Kaplan, I was one bar below borderline, and after the Kaplan, I was borderline. On the CD, my first test I scored a 55%, 2nd, scored a 51%, and on the 3rd test I JUST SCORED A 39%!!! I have been told that the first two test are very easy, so I feel really stupid. I have also been practicing on teh Nursing 2000 CD and the Nursing 3000 CD. There, I score between a 60% to a 65%. When I watch teh Kaplan Videos, I keep track of how many I get right and how many I miss and I get roughtly between 65% - 75% correct. My Kaplan book is all marked up from reviewing countless times. I don't know what good it will do to write like this. It won't do me any good, actually. I've had nightmares about me waking up on teh day of the exam and telling myself I am not ready. I dreamt a two nights ago that I got pulled over by the police and was arrested for having too much caffeine in my system that my hands shook uncontrollable. I need Xanax!!! I was sooo confident in myself until I finished this test. How could've I had a 39%??? I'm also enrolled in a CCRN course (which I felt very confident in), but the final is on the day after the NCLEX. I know I can't possibly study for it. I don't know what I expect to hear... I'm just not feeling so confident right now. I can't hear, "You'll be ok," because that's false reassurance. All my friends have passed so far. I don't know what to say anymore. I can't reschedule and I don't want to, either. To postpone it longer, well, I'd feel l like I've forgotten everything from nursing school. On test two of Kaplan's CD, I scored the majority of the categories in the high 50's to as far as 100% (Analysis), mostly in the 70's and 80's, with a low score in management of care (8%) and safety (33%). I figured they were low because I haven't touched those pages since February because I reviewed them so much.