silhouettedreams

Hello! I hope that it's not inappropriate that I'm posting this here (someone correct me if it is). I'm a med surg nurse, and a week from today I'm being induced. I'll be 37 weeks along, and my baby has IUGR and SUA. Other than that she looks OK. She's been doing well on her stress tests and her biophysical profile always comes back 8/8. Our growth scan this week shows her at 3 pounds 11 ounces. I was just wondering if anyone would mind telling me what their experience is in cases like this is? Will she be whisked away to the NICU immediately after birth? With such a low birth weight, how will her blood sugar and body temperature regulation be? Will she need to be vented? About how long will she likely be in the NICU? Will she be able to breastfeed, or will she need tube feeds initially? I'm so nervous. My husband keeps telling me not to think of this as a nurse, but it's impossible not to. I know every case is different, and every baby is different, but I was just curious to hear what you've seen in your experience. I really appreciate any responses!

Hello! I've seen several posts about FNP vs AGNP, and this is (somewhat) another one of those posts. I hope to start in an NP program in Fall 2018. My hope is to work in the hospital setting, and I love the idea of being part of a hospitalist group, but I am not entirely opposed to working in the primary care setting if I have to. The two programs that I'm stuck between are Michigan State's FNP program (which they told me doesn't prepare you in any way for the hospital setting), or University of Michigan's Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program (which is highly focused on the acute care setting). Does anyone have any knowledge about the marketability of an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner?

My unit has a brain sheet that we all use. It's pretty generic, and I just write that stuff in wherever I can fit it. Lol. You should be able to find a brain sheet on Google, or build your own once you have an idea of what things you'd like to write down.

For the most part, I try to avoid these situations or ignore them. If that's not possible, I nod along and provide minimal responses. Staying busy helps to avoid it.

Hello! I'm new to med surg, I worked in psych for two years before now. I can tell you a few things that I've learned since I started in med surg! I always go into work twenty minutes early to look at charts. I don't get paid for that twenty minutes, but it's worth it in my opinion to start my day organized. I write down pt name, room number, code status, date of admission, reason for admission, pertinent hx, diet, if they are on tele, if they need accuchecks, if they have a central line, if they are Q2 turns, any special treatments they might have, times when they have meds due, and any other relevant info. I look at all of their orders, and write down anything relevant to my shift or the next shift. I look at recent VS and labs. If I have time, I'll look at the most recent physician note. This sets me up for report, and sets me up to ask any questions I need answered by the dayshift nurse. After report, I'll take a vitals cart and start assessing my pt's in order of priority. I'll do a head to toe assessment in this time, and take along any meds I can give at the time. I check the date my IVs were inserted, and the time my tubing was hung so I know when they need to be changed. After my 2000-2200 meds are passed I begin dressing changes, walks, other odds and ends. I do focused assessments between 2300-0000. After those are finished I begin charting. Around 4 I start another round of focused assessments. At this time I clear out IV pump volumes, empty drains, make sure my IV bags will last until dayshift comes on, odd and ends. AM meds start at 0500. From 0600-0700 I try to toilet everyone and wrap things up, finish charting, etc. I try to write down relevant notes for report so that I start organized and don't miss things. I also try to set things up for dayshift as much as I can. After report I occasionally stay late to finish up charting. Of course, admissions can mess up my time frames for these things, but I adjust and prioritize as needed. My biggest advice is find a few coworkers who are willing to take you under their wing, and ASK TONS OF QUESTIONS. If someone is doing something you haven't seen, ask to tag along! Ask people how they would handle things. Use your coworkers as a resource.

I'm not the original poster, but I recently made the switch from psych to med surg! I worked as a psych nurse for two years, I've been working in med surg for four months now. I applied for every possible med surg-ish job at the two hospitals in the area my husband and I planned on moving to. It took me about a month to start getting calls back. I did two interviews, and was offered both jobs. In my interviews I really focused on what skills I learned in psych that could be useful in med surg, and emphasized the fact that I kept myself up to date on med surg nursing by reading a med surg textbook and ECG textbook in my spare time. At the job I decided to take, I was given a ten day orientation period. That seemed crazy to me, but I was surprised how much I remembered from school. I'm constantly learning new things, and I ask a ton of questions. I really enjoy med surg, I'm glad that I made the switch. It's totally possible. Good luck!

Wow, thank you for all the responses! I really appreciate the feedback. Yes, they are easily hand washed. No, they do not dangle in my field of vision. In fact, they help hold my thick bangs back from falling in my field of vision. After all of your comments, I plan to ask my new supervisor about her opinion on my hair flowers. Thank you again for your feedback!

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Hello nurses! I was hoping to gain your opinion on something. I am a young nurse, who has been in the field for about a year now. I have a bubbly, bright personality. For years now I have been wearing clip in fabric hair flowers daily, in my bangs, and have continued to do so as a nurse. My patients think that it's cute, and I often get compliments from them. I am often called "the nurse with the flower". I continue to wear them, mostly because my patients and their families seem to appreciate it. However, at times coworkers act as though they think this is odd. I am starting at a new facility soon, and I wonder if I should continue wearing my "signature" hair flowers. As a nurse, would you consider it unprofessional to wear hair flowers? Is it silly? I appreciate your opinions.

I've noticed that there are several Facebook groups for various graduation classes of the nursing program (LCC Nursing Winter 2014, etc). Does anyone know if there is one for our class yet? I haven't noticed one. That would be a great way to share lecture recordings and form study groups.

Hey Evan, all we have to do is send an email to that address, right? I did but I haven't gotten a confirmation or anything yet. I'm just mildly alarmed by that whole "if we don't get your response by the 26th" bit, haha.

I JUST GOT MY ACCEPTANCE LETTER FOR THE TWO YEAR IN THE FALL! I'm seriously bouncing off the walls I'm planning on attending the meeting on 5/2/13. Best luck to all of you still waiting on letters!

I've been stalking the list on the Accepted Student Information page as well, lol... Ugh, really? So not looking forward to another week of obsessively checking the mail. I've literally been DREAMING about getting that letter this week, haha.

I'm at 142 points, I'm about to start pulling my hair out if the letters don't come soon. lol. I thought I was going to be at 152 but I took micro with the worst professor I've ever had and got a 3, that pulled my GPA just below the 3.75 mark. Definitely freaking out... Good luck to everyone, hopefully letters are out soon!