RNdancer

I was lucky to view 2 autopsies during nursing school, and I'll never forget them. I actually kept the obit from one for a while, it helped me process what I had experienced. The smell is like nothing else, and I brought a jar of baby Vicks Vapor Rub with lavender that day & passed it around. (I think I saw it in a movie, and it was very useful advice) The first autopsy was of a young person who had an accident with farming equipment, causing a crushing chest injury. At first I was horrified, but then my love for anatomy took over. Once the skin of the chest was pulled back over the face, the remains became anatomy to study & it helped me to focus and soak up as much education as I could. The coroner was quizzing us & narrating everything he did and giving us the rationale. When he opened the stomach, we could see rice was part of their last meal. When the chest & abdomen were empty of organs, the coroner had made some incisions (I can't remember where or why) and a white fluid was oozing out on either side on the spine at multiple locations. He quizzed us but we couldn't name this fluid, which turned out to be lymph! The second autopsy was of a police officer found dead at home. Drug overdose was suspected, and I saw later confirmed in the newspaper when toxicology came back. In our rural area it was a big deal, and I am surprised they trusted students to sit in on that one. Though it isn't really gruesome, I did get the opportunity to complete an independent cadaver anatomy dissection class. It was completely independent study and dissection with no professor present. Our A&P professor was a foreign physician who decided not to practice medicine in the states. With their credentials, we had plenty of fresh cadavers for our A&P program. On the first day, we brought out the cadaver and we received a speech about what a privileged it is to have this opportunity that the deceased had given us by donating their body to science. Our second piece of instruction was to use the scalpel only once, which was to cut into the skin. The rest of the dissection was done with scissors and blunt tools to clean away tissue. It was way too easy to accidentally cut a vessel or nerve. Like I mentioned, the class was independent study so you could come and go as you pleased, dissecting when could fit it in around your other courses. There was only one other student doing the course that semester and we worked together, so we didn't get creeped out in the small room alone. The A&P students would sometimes flip the cadaver to look at the back which had already been completed, but then fail to flip it back over. This would leave me and another 5 foot 2 inch student to flip over a 200+ lb cadaver when a group of 8 to 10 students could have done it

No, just taking one class for my first session, to ease back into the student role. Also my student loans wouldn't cover two classes this session, but a new financial aid year begins soon. I'll take two at a time from now on, and if I can keep that up I will be done in 12 months! Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

Oops, looks like I can't list the instructor. I'll PM you. Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

************** is my instructor. I've printed off the example for the time management project but I haven't started yet. I work 3 shifts in a row, including the first day of class, so I'll have to start on Tuesday. Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

Don't let that scare you. Everyone is a different type of student, have different things going on in their lives, and balances their work/school/family life differently. Transitions in Professional Nursing is usually the first class they put you in, and it actually teaches you how to be a BSN student (using resources, communicating professionally, figuring out how to juggle school/work/life). I love that all the students are just like you, working nurses with lives. They design the program with this in mind to help you succeed. After all, if they didn't then they wouldn't get any more tuition from you! Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

Just checking in. I've signed on and taken at look at the Transitions class, looking at the lessons and assignments. It definitely looks manageable if you plan your time accordingly. I'm starting on my lesson one assignments, but can't post anything until Monday. Next semester I am taking Humanities, so I'm keeping an eye on all those attending it this session. Side note: I became an American Nurses Association member shortly before applying to Chamberlain, and found out that I get a 10% discount on tuition, and my application was of no cost. I pay the monthly dues for my ANA membership, instead of paying it in one lump sum. Sent from my iPad using allnurses.com

I'm all for support! I'm glad to find others in the program. I also ordered my books today, I hope they get here in time to do a little reading. I wonder if the syllabus is available before class starts, so we know where to start reading. It's been 6 years since I've been in school, so I'm nervous about writing papers again. I struggle with the formatting and citation.

Thank you all for your input. I agree with many posters, that I will never pump in a bathroom as I wouldn't eat my own lunch there. I'm glad we now have a federal law that protecting a mothers need to pump in the workplace until the child is 12 months of age. If I had to rely on state law, I would only have that protection if I were a state employee.

Hello fellow RN-BSN students or prospective students! I thought I would start a new topic for the March session. I'm a new Chamberlain student and will be taking NR 351 Transitions in Professional Nursing to ease back into the role of student. Please join in the discussion! About myself: I have taken some on-line classes a few years back, mostly generals towards my BSN, and I found it difficult to juggle the load and work. I was taking 2 classes at a time in the traditional semester setting. I'm hoping Chamberlain's 8 week sessions work better for me. I did have some time management issues, but I'm optimistic now. I have my own office in my house and I've prepped it to be a place where I am comfortable and want to send time there. I need 11 courses to complete my BSN, and hope to do it in 12 months if I am able to manage 2 classes a session after this first class. I currently work full time in LTC, 12 hour day shifts. I am trying to get back into a hospital setting and have 3 years of Med-Surg experience but I am finding it difficult. I'm from the Indianapolis area where hospitals are now preferring BSN applicants. A local hospital network requires new hires to earn their BSN within 5 year I believe. My main goal is to be a FNP, but a BSN is my first stop. I don't have my books yet and that's making me a little nervous. I need to contact financial aid and see what the next step is. The student loan process is new to me as I earned my ADN at a little (and affordable) community college entirely on grants!

Hello allnurses community. I'm looking for some insight on my situation. I did a search but did not find a thread similar to my situation. I'm an RN working in LTC and looking to go back to a more acute setting. I have submitted applications to inpatient acute care jobs and even some outpatient clinics in hospital settings. I have a 5 month old baby and I absolutely need this new job to be compatible with continuing to breastfeed my child. My current job supplies me with a private room to pump, although I have difficulties making the time to do so as I get behind in my work. I'm not sure if I should bring up my need for breaks and a private room during my interview, or if I should only disclose this need once the job is offered to me. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires employers of 50 people or more to provide breaks and a private area to pump, but I honestly don't think most employers are aware of this. I think I may find some managers who will tell me I may have trouble working pumping into my day. What are your thoughts?