spade11

Clearly I wasn't planning on using google as my sole source of information. I was using it as a starting block. Working in the OR, at least in my hospital, I don't have access to NPs. I work with MDs and PAs, neither of which can help me in this endeavor. So I came here to ask questions, if I could've asked questions elsewhere I would've.

Hi, I'm not sure if I put this in the right place, so I'm extremely sorry if I didn't. I do have a quick question and google is starting to make my head hurt so I'm hoping someone could help me here. Working in the hospital is really not working out for me. In my personal life I've had so many unfortunate bumps in the road and the few work environments that I did choose to be a part of we're not the best of places. I've always put myself in high stress jobs from the beginning (ICU, OR) and now that I've gotten older I've realized that those weren't smart decisions on my part. I want to go back to school to become an NP. My ideal situation would to be working as an NP outside of the hospital in a doctor's office. My road block at the moment is that I don't even know where to start. At the current moment my father is battling cancer harder than ever (this has been my achilles heel all throughout my nursing career, only now it's taken a turn for the worst.) I was wondering if there was a way that I could take core required classes online so that I could be home with my father and then transfer to a school or is there a reputable program online where I could enroll and just clearly have to go in for clinicals? Would that be frowned upon? I unfortunately don't have the money for a big name school. I know I don't want to go into Pediatric NP, Geriatric NP, Mental Health NP, Women's Health Care NP, Neonatal NP or Occupational Health NP programs. This leaves me with Family NP, Adult NP or Acute Care NP programs, I think. Trying to find specific information on each is harder than I expected. I hope someone can point me in the right direction

That is the first and last time I make a bet with my attending...

Hi Binggrad, To be completely honest, there is absolutely nothing in the SIM lab that can REALLY mimic what real life is like. Your fundamental labs ARE important. You learn a lot of basic skills that you will carry with you throughout your nursing career. As for the SIM labs--honestly, I would've rather had more time in the hospital. But definitely do the SIM lab questions!!! Even if you don't write down a lot, read about it! The lab will flow much easier and you'll make connections really quickly. :) I thought of the lab as a reinforcement of what I read about the previous night. It also depends on your instructor. I had tried to ask for help with jobs but got absolutely no where. They may tell you that the Wasserman center will be able to help you---they DO NOT. They are not equipped to deal with hospitals, nor do they have the contacts. My biggest suggestion in the job search area is that even though you're doing accelerated, get into an externship program outside of school! This means more legwork (well computer work) on your end but it is worth it and you make connections with hospitals a lot faster. I know SO MANY nurses who didn't bother to get externships and now they're struggling. You'd apply before the end of your last Spring Semester...going into your last summer semester. The programs that I know of allowed you to work at the end of your Summer Semester (when there was a small break) and then part-time during your last semester. If you have a heart set on a specific hospital, I would even suggest volunteering maybe once a week if your schedule allows it. Granted, this all depends on the availability of time you have and would be conducive to your life.

Hi Everyone, I see a lot of posts about different Nursing schools that have specific questions. I thought it might make it more organized if there was a specific thread where people could come to ask questions about NYU and even see previously answered questions or questions you may not have even thought of yet. I would encourage any NYU Grad's that have information or answers to questions to chime in. I, personally, find comfort in people's experiences and their ideas or 'tricks' to help you get through. Also, not all questions are answered about NYU. So, why not graduates help answer some questions. Unfortunately, I had no one to ask when going into Nursing school so it was pretty much trial and error. If I could help anyone that would otherwise be in my previous position, I'd be more than happy to. A little bit about me: As per the Title I did go to NYU's Nursing School. I was a traditional student (right out of high school) I attended from August 2007- May 2011. (I'm 24) I've had my license for almost two years now. I can answer questions ranging from classes to teachers to simulation labs to hospitals to externships to scholarships to life at NYU to ways to get involved in the College of Nursing as well as ways to get involved at NYU in general to being a New Grad. And I'm sure if I can't answer a question fully there is someone else on these boards that I am sure will help you. :) You're also more than welcome to PM me. My Best, Chris

"These must be designed by female nurses to slow us down to ask about and question our orders. Just like men designed high heels for women to make it harder for them to run away."

"This is the LAST time I buy something from E-Bay, even if it was only $1.99 with free shipping."

I have both. My reasoning behind it originally was because I had to take time off from work and I wanted to show that I wasn't 'letting go' of my career/not thinking about nursing. I don't ever want to work in peds, but when I went for an interview for an Adult OR job they commented that they were happy I had it, they had said 'it's always good to have.' Plus, it's not going to harm you by having more.

CONGRATS!!! I've never heard of the trick being inaccurate :)

I want these. Meanwhile her facial expression is what I usually have on my face when my feet hurt so bad and I'm told that I have a new patient on the opposite end of the floor---farrrrr away from my other patients. hahaha

Sharper Image should get on this project of making the most epically comfortable Nursing Shoes ever

You can learn in a class that big. (Though the number may not be for everyone) You have some great teachers. Don't be intimidated by the number. Also, if you have a question--ask it. I promise you someone else is thinking it. Email the professor if necessary--go to the class early to ask a question directly to the professor if you don't want to talk in front of a lot of people. The professors I had at NYU teach at NYU. There was never a conflict AT ALL with getting in touch with any of my professors at any point in time. In fact, I still keep in touch with them and I graduated over two years ago. Honestly, it's your personality and what environment you think would be most conducive for YOU to learn.

It sounds harsh, but the test sucks. (Not necessarily from being hard, but from the pressure you put on yourself.) Know that you have worked extremely hard for this! You put in the time to go to school and to study. The scariest part isn't the actual test, but sitting for the test and waiting for results. I took my exam in July '11. I was four days away from my exam and 8pm four days before the exam I changed my exam time to the next morning---I couldn't look at a single book anymore. I didn't give myself time to think and after I switched the time, the exam time and date I was originally scheduled for was already gone. It was the best decision I made. No more second guessing myself, just going for it. When I was traveling to get to the test, I made a playlist of my favorite 'pump me up' songs. I remember listening to Katy Perry - Firework on repeat. When I was a competitive swimmer a thought we always had before we would race was 'What the mind believes the body will achieve.' While it doesn't really correspond literally to exams as it does physical activity -- just believe in yourself. I wish absolutely everyone the best of luck with their exams.

Thank you everyone for your amazingly kind words. I haven't given up and now have a job in NYC as an operating room nurse. I'll be starting in a few weeks! My fingers are crossed and I'm so nervous but, I didn't give up and now there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Hey, I'm a slightly seasoned nurse (2 year anniversary this July) and have accepted a job at New York Downtown in the Operating Room. I know that there is a merger with New York Presbyterian and Downtown and therefore Downtown will become it's six campus. (There's not really a lot of information about it online--or I'm googling in the wrong places) Anyway, I have had to take a break from Nursing due to a family illness and I feel a little bit rusty in the Pharm department. I'm going in this week to take the Pharmacology exam. I was interviewed and offered the job by a woman who is an NYP Recruiter, but is onsite at Downtown at the moment. The woman had told me there were no study guides or materials that were going to be available prior to the exam. I was told it was multiple choice with dosage questions mixed in and that if I failed I'd be able to take it again. (I'd rather not fail) I'm curious if anyone has taken the Downtown pharm exam recently? Do you have any suggestions? Should I use the NLN Pharm exam as a study aid? Any guidance would be truly appreciated :)

When I chose to become a nurse while applying for college I knew it was a good idea. Once I got the opportunity to be a student nurse extern in the CVSICU I knew nursing was the best career path I could've chosen. This was what I was meant to do. Especially in the ICU -- I loved it. Being hired out of college into the same CVSICU in NYC was miraculous and I really loved going to work (Just not weekends haha) My favorite thing was having patient's family members check when I got in to see if I was going to be with their loved one for the day. The biggest smile I've ever had was when a patient I took care of while intubated and sedated was extubated and the first few words out of his mouth were, "Thank you so much, you're an amazing nurse." When I was in clinical's I had worked with a patient and over a year later I was in the cafeteria and her daughter came up to me and asked me if I took care of her mother. Her mother was sitting at the other table smiling. She told me her mother wanted to thank me so much, to tell you how kind you were. I made that impression? I did that? Of course I was a new grad and was put in the line of fire by most of the nurses I worked with. I was 21 and my first job was in the ICU. Needless to say, I wasn't very popular. People used to make plans in front of me for drinks or dinner and never ask me. I also knew from other friends around the unit that many people did talk about me and how I was too young to be here and it wasn't fair that I didn't have to pay my dues. I didn't care what they thought, I was just going to be a nurse that's it. The last week of my orientation, I thought one of my colleagues was helping me and got me a new insulin bag because my morning load was crazy. I thanked him so much and he hung the bag. I needed to go into a meeting later to talk about my progress on and since my patient was on an insulin drip, I checked the blood sugar--titrated the drip. Hung antibiotics and went to the meeting. I have a weird memory--or a really good memory. I can recall exact details of an event that happened when I was 2--down to what I ate, what I drank, how I felt and what I was wearing. (My mom is always amazed) During tests I usually closed my eyes because I could picture where the answer was in the book--what graphs were around it or pictures, what was talked about before and after, etc. I have movie dialogue committed to heart. Lyrics that go back to when I was a child -- all those disney animated films. I love music so today is even worse--I know far too many songs. The big picture--I'm very accurate with remembering events. Before I went to the meeting I adjusted the insulin based on his blood sugar from 3 to 2. His blood sugar was 148. I also knew that the limit on the pump was 12 units per hour. Then you'd have to click like a billion times to override the limit. Up until this time I never made a single medication error with any patient, while in school or working. I left the meeting and checked my patients blood sugar and it was 54. I checked him first, he was asymptomatic. He also had TPN running through so I knew if I turned it off for a about a half hour, it'd come back up. I looked at the pump and it was running at 13u/hr. So over the limit. Using my own nursing judgement I turned off the pump, watched the patient, and went back in, in 15 minutes to check his BS again--it was cropping back up, so I waited another 15 minutes and it was back at 140. Cool. So I could start the drip again and no harm was done. Well, a nurse came in and turned on my pump--I don't know why. She came out yelling that I was trying to hurt the patient by putting it on 13units. I also ran the medication 4 times as fast. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HIM?" I remember she said. The nurse that got me the insulin came in at that point to point out the bag was expired -- even before he hung it (yes, I know it's my fault and my responsibility because I was supposed to check. I guess I thought we were helping each other. My bad) So 3 med errors on the second to last day of orientation? The rooms have cameras, I asked to see footage because I knew with 150% certainty that I didn't do these things. They said it was deleted already. Interim wise - my father was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer the day before I was hired. I was dealing with it, but it wasn't easy. After those med errors, all of a sudden I was an unfit nurse despite not making a single mistake previously. And these errors being VERY questionable. I knew my job was gone. I was crying in a conference room--hating myself and thinking that my dream of being an icu nurse and then being an anesthetist was ruined. Two of the educators saw me take a klonopin (I was no longer working) and had them because of what was going on with my dad. They automatically wanted to take me down to the psych ER. I was never so humiliated in my life. Naturally I wouldn't go. That was Dec '11. I went back home to take care of my father. Radiation daily, chemo, doctors appointments, making sure he was okay in the house. Made sure he ate properly...cooked things that he craved. Kept him company. I've been working per diem since. Mainly outpatient places, but I've managed to keep up my payments on my loans and even went on a cruise. So as time passed and he was getting better I set out to find another job--a full time job. I've been looking for something, ANYTHING for the last three months. I'm at the point where if I talk about working I cry, I get so agitated and when I'm not doing something work related I can only thing about work. I can't pay my loans anymore. My parents are unable to help. No one wants someone who worked for 5 months as an RN in the icu and 4 as a student nurse extern (Bull-S that we couldn't do anything--I had my own patients at the end and was pushing fentanyl.) I haven't had a year in an acute care facility. I have 5 months. Then 4 months as an OR/PACU/Pre-op nurse in an outpatient facility. I was per diem there but I worked up to 65 hours a week and it was like I was full time. Other per diem jobs were day jobs to week jobs. When applying online there's no way for me to explain my situation. I can't get anyone on the phone. I feel like I'm old and washed up at 24. I know my information, I study even when I'm working--someone just give me a chance to show how much I'm capable of. I need a purpose, a feeling of worth. I honestly feel like a waste of space and that I contribute nothing to society. Yes, it is depressing. I even applied to a clothing store for something and they said I didn't have enough experience. A surf shop? Really? This year so far, my dads cancer showed up again, my beloved dog died, my grandfather was put into hospice and my aunt is in hospice and only has a few days left. I need something. I've started looking in NJ, Connecticut, Long Island and California. (California because thats where I dream to live) Does anyone have any advice? I have my BLS and PALS, I'm getting my ACLS in a few weeks.But I don't think that makes me any more desirable. I'd take the CCRN if they'd let me. Are there any other certifications that look good? I graduated with a 3.8 and a 3.97 in sciences from nyu. (not that a school matters at this point) I don't know where to look. Any suggestions? I don't want to quit nursing, but am at a point if something doesn't show up soon I'll be applying to a masters/doctorate program in psychotherapy.