Heart4RN

"It's not like I don't already have a BSN from another university" I'm responding to this comment you made. If you already have your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), why are you in an ADN program? Do you mean you have a bachelor's in another field? It's to bad that you hate it, maybe you really haven't given it a chance. I agree with some of the others that you should graduate, take the NCLEX, find a job in an area that you are interested in and give it a chance. You just never know you may just change your mind.

NOC's means night shift. As for if it gets any better...I really don't know.. Some nights are better than others and others are just horrific but I make it through and my patients are still alive at the end of my shift. That's a blessing I guess?!?!?! And I'm told by everyone that it does get better. After a year your not so frightened and stumbling over your own feet, is what I have been told. And also that you just start building that foundaion and continue to work from there. I personally don't know...but I sure wish it would get here because I hate the constant roller coaster ride that I feel like I'm on. lol

:bluecry1:Hello! I've now been an RN for 7 1/2 months starting on a telemetry floor where we recieved all kinds of patients to just recently being transferred to a Cardiac telemetry floor where you see some of those same patients but definitely more specialized. The floor is great and the experienced RN's are wonderful with my transition. (I was a bit apprehensive at first.) My problem is I HATE going to work!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm fine once I get there but I get myself all worked up, practically in tears because I don't want to go. I still feel like I don't know anything and I'm just winging it when I get there. The one thing I hate the most is work NOC's, it just totally screws my whole week up and instead of working 3 days I feel like I'm incapacitated for 4-5 days!!! What can I do to turn this around and make it beneficial? I love working with the patients but I just feel like I'm in there drowning and there is no escape.. HELP before it's to late, PLEASE!!!

I'm in the same program with Stephanie and really interested in the different theories. We talked at length about Watson and I agree with your above statement. Her theory has been very difficult for me to relate with. I have an overall general understanding but it just seems so far out there. As for my #1 pick, I really appreciate the Basic Principles of Nursing Care by Henderson. I think more so because I'm a new nurse and those basic principles of care apply to "any person regardless of diagnosis or treatment".:redpinkhe

My work pays a 3% difference for BSN over ADN with a $1000 more sign on bonus. For some of us the 4 year program is out of reach for the moment and we need to get our foot in the door working and then go back for a BSN degree that can be done in conjunction with work. That'"s what I"m doing, that way I can pay my bills, feed my family and still get what I want. It seems to be working for me. May have been the longer road but it worked in the end.:heartbeat

This subject has been beaten and then some, it's really a mute point. MA's have been working in doctors office's for years and years like this with no medical background. And in the last 20 years or so have developed training schools for them. All the skills we learn as nurses can be taught to monkeys and I agree there is that critical thinking aspect behind it. But in the office that's the MD's job not the MA, unfortunately they are the monkey. I myself have been that monkey for 15 years with the last 1 1/2 in nursing school. Also it's the doctor who identifies the MA as the nurse, as a majority of pts are older and easier for them to remember. And if the pts are peds do they really know the difference? They just know that someone is coming at them with a needle for some injection. Like I said it's a mute point and something that will not be regulated. MA's are paid squat for what they do and the doctors like that. They do't want to pay an LVN or RN to do what they can pay the MA to do. :monkeydance:

i am a medical assistant and went through a program. for financial reasons i would never recommend someone go through one of those 6-9 month programs as all the class work you do does not transfer over for future schooling. but how do you think medical assistants came about and who trained them? the doctors who hired the people are the ones who trained them and some still do today. there is no specific training that is required to be a medical assistant as is there is no requirement to be a medical assistant. like the instructors say in nursing school, "i can train a monkey to insert a foley, iv, etc....but to understand the theory and be able to apply it is a whole other thing. medical assistants don't have the content to be able to assess a patient or make a nursing diagnosis, but if they have been in the field long enough and in a certain specialty they do learn from their physician what to look for. here is a quote from medical board of california: "medical assistants are not licensed, certified, or registered by the state of california. however, the medical assistant's employer and/or supervising physician's or podiatrist's malpractice insurance carrier [color=lime]may require that the medical assistant be certified by a national or private association. [color=lime]a medical assistant must be certified by one of the approved certifying organizations in order to train other medical assistants. (title 16 ccr 1366.3)" i do agree though that she should never state that she is a nurse, as she is then putting everybody in jeopardy. the patients who aren't knowledgable of the differences, especially the elderly, just clump everyone into one category "the nurse". when i have a patient refer to me in that way i always correct them with "i am the medical assistant for dr. so&so, we don't have a nurse here".

I'm starting my 3rd semester of a 2year ADN program and have been a medical assistant for 14 years, worked in medical office, clinic and hospital settings. I have seen the great communication between MD's, RN's, FNP's, PA's, CNA's, etc. and horrible communication too. It all boils down to COMMUNICATION! Doctors that have been practicing for 30 years discussing a patient or situation with another doctor that has been practicing out of residency for a year, nurses with nurses, doctors with nurses and vice versa. I've also seen the other aspect of it when the person gets their head bit off. Again, it all boils down to communication and not being afraid to ask the question. In this field we, meaning ALL medical professionals, are in a constant learning environment. You may learn something one day and the next day, or even the same day, it may change. That's why flexibility is a huge attribute in a person that chooses to go into this profession. This ability to discuss a patients condition or how to do a bed bath whether with your preceptor or, when on your own, another RN shows that you are open to new ideas and criticism if you will. I think I lost track of what I was saying but you get the jest of it. :lol2: May God Bless!

I think you are a bit cynical!!! Student nurses are people to and may have worked in another environment with experience like this and their input is just as important. Maybe your wording of "Why would you want the advice of student nurses on this" could have been different. As a matter of fact, I think you were in that same position at one point in your life. Sometimes we need to think about what we say before we say it and where we originally came from!!![EVIL][/EVIL]

please tell me that im not the only one that thinks this is a bad idea!!!!!!! as an ma i think it's a very bad idea.

And depending on your certification. LVN's in California have to go through IV certification before they can do anything with the IV even then they can't do pushes.

Number one reason why RN's are not hired for medical offices is because their skills are over and above what are needed. Most of the time when an RN is employed in a medical office setting is because the MD may be an oncologist or some other specialty MD, or in a community clinic that the staff needs to be over seen by an RN. Plus doctor's don't want to pay the MA's adequately as it is, there is no way the doc is going to pay an RN just to basically process a patient and run a few lab tests that MA can do for half the cost if not more.

I have been an MA for 14 years and have completed my first semester of the RN program. NEVER should a MA refer to themselves as a nurse! MA's are taught only the basic skills to help assist the doctor in a medical office setting along with clerical skills. As an MA we have a scope of practice that we are bound by and have to follow. There is some leniency (sp?) because we work directly under the doctor and have the ability to be taught a tremendous amount because we basically fall under the MD's malpractice. MA's were first taught by the doctor eons ago, as there were not programs for them. As an MA they also can be specialized but these again are teachings by the MD, such as working in ortho, or ob/gyn. The pay scale differs from area to area and experience. I have NEVER heard of an MA even with more experience then myself making more than a graduate LVN/LPN. The other thing is that MA's DO NOT have the assessment skills that "Real Nurses" have. MA's do not have to be certified nor registered. They do not have to have a certain amount of CME's to continue with anything or are they mandated to keep up on medical information. Depending on their place of employment they may need to keep up on their CPR, such as myself in the clinical setting that I'm in, but other than that nothing! Don't get me wrong. The experience of the last 14 years has been great and very invaluable! I was able to assist in minor surgeries in the office (rhinoplasty, septoplasty, etc). I wouldn't change a thing as it has helped me to decide where I want to focus as a RN.

As a Medical Asst who has worked in the hospital and in MD offices I would agree with all of you. The one major problem I feel is that the people who bark down the orders have NO medical/clinical background whatsoever!! With that in mind how can you manage a facillity and keep all happy. Yes, there are some people who do have the medical/clinical background but there is always a higher up that is looking at the almighty dollar that they should be making instead of looking at the quality of care that the nurses can give, are willing to give, should give. If it weren't for the worker bees working together, sometimes stabbing in the back (I understand that) that person on top might not be there!

as of right now, i have finished my pre-reqs by going to school part-time and have continued with work. i am only looking at 2 1/2 years to go through the bsn program, which is half a year longer than the adn program and that is another aspect that i am tossing around. also i have two girls and i want to make sure that i am there for them in all their endeavors, but i also want them to learn never to give up. especially since they have seen me go through the struggles that i have with going to school and working. i appreciate your input. thank you!!!!! :)