LPN2RN05

I have been studying the nclex questions on the cd to get ready for the HESI..since they are formatted the same!!

While the numbers aren't good the pulse pressure has really increased in your last set of numbers...I believe this is what would be concerning me more than just the numbers themselves...the pulse pressure is to large!!!

Concept will help you get through patho !! If you understand how the organs work together..then you will understand how when malfunction occurs and why.. I realize this seems broad but if you do it this way..you will be able to use this information forever. Keep in mind, and when you come to a organ system malfunction, review in your mind how the organs work...for instance Renal failure...this is a prime example of how one organs malfunction effects the rest. Lungs heart liver...then you will understand why we look for certain labs to see the proggression of the disease. I realize this is broad but this is what really helped me get through patho, and understand the basic reasons for the labs ..what labs to look for instead of just trying to memorize..which only goes so far..and usually doesnt stay in your head. Thinking broadly I listed them in order of primary function lungs cardiac renal hepatic so if you have cardiac then you go lungs, then renal (backflow) then hepatic or if it is renal then go lungs, cardiac, then hepatic etc... this kind of helps with progression and what to look for with assesments and labs etc. this also occurs when you are dealing with ICP, there is an order of events that occur..and you can generalize it when it is too specific in order to remeber the key components.. during an increase. Hope this helps....it worked for me anyway.

Oh Lord!! This was my gripe for so many years!! Having been a CNA for seven years I know excatly what you are talking about. Unfourtunatly, just as there are bad cna's and good cna's there are bad and good nurses too. Bottom line we are a team... I made a commitment to myself that I would never be a nurse like that..if someone needs help, then I help. Whether a call light has been going off forever I will answer it! Truth be told though, when I was a CNA I did not realize all the paperwork that had to be done, or the thinking process that was involved doing most of that paper work. Now I know, the concentration that is involved..now I understand. But even so...one person cant do everything and that includes a CNA..the CNA is a vital link in nursing!! Love your CNA's people!!!!!

I know there is always discrimination anywhere you work, unfourtunatly these cases of men being discriminated in Nursing makes me want to puke. After all these years of women trying to be equals in the work force, to not be dicriminated in the work force, and then to turn around and discriminate a man, is utterly shameful. I would never stand for it in my workplace. I would as a woman speak up if the discrimination occured. If a majority of women did this, it would not occur, that is the bottom line. One voice out of many will not be heard. It is the fault of those who say nothing, to allow it to persist in our field.We need all the wonderful nurses we can get...male or female! Dont let it happen where you work!

There was a similuar discussion on another thread that I posted on conserning this very issue. I work in Alaska and in a long term care facility CNA's pass the medications after a 4 hour course on correct ways to pop the meds out of the prepack,,they teach nothing about the medications themselves..except for digoxin..like taking pulse etc. I was a CNA doing this very same thing for about four years. I looked up my meds to see what I was giving, but honestly I knew I did not have the knowledge base. Although I was accurately passing medications and only had had one minor med error (Thank God) I knew that I was taking a Nurse position. It upset me that not only was I expected to do this among other nursing skills, but I was not getting paid for it, and working outside my scope of practice, because of a loophole in the state law. So I went into nursing..took my pharmocology and then it hit me hard. the realization of when I was a CNA...I had not clue. Now that I am a LPN..I am having a hard time finding a job..(guess why)..all that learning for nothing... I had to recert for my CNA lisence so I can get a job in this town!!!! Thank God that I am almost finished with my RN..because LPN just arent wanted. Why pay an LPN if you can have a CNA do the same job for less money?? Pretty much sucks!!

Thanks Grimmy that is awesome advice!! :)

I agree the turn over rates are much slower in small hospitals. But unfourtunaltly these two hospitals cannot absorb 13 students who are graduating in May. What's more than that, they will hire travel nurses because the majority of nurses in this town were home grown..which means they dont have alot of experiences with OB, Trauma, etc. It is true that most of these high risk patients are flown out..but still they need a nurse who is experienced. I really want to get this experience..I just wont get it here..not on a daily basis anyway. I am concerned when it comes to internship that I will be locked into a commitment that is low paying. Certainly I do not expect high wages for being entry level, but I would like to have competitive pay with a good learning program.

I had the multiple questions on my LPN so I am sure they are available on RN test too.

That was helpful to me as well!! Thanks for the advice! :)

I am curious what you all think about internships that are sometimes available through hospitals. I am an LPN on my last semester of RN program and I am trying to think ahead. While I would like to stay in town there are only 2 hospitals here! Whats more than that because they are a small community they are wanting experienced nurses...I am starting to think I will have to move where there is a greater need, but even when looking for a job I see they (down south) want expeirence as well. I want to become an ER/trauma nurse... what am I supposed to do?

Wow!! Good question! I used to be a CNA in a long term Care facility and I was required to pass medications after recieving a 4 hr medication class which pretty much told me how to pop them from the med packs, sign them off correctly and adminster them. I looked up so many medications it was scary because I wanted to know what I was giving. I became very proficent at doing this accurately and quickly and on several occasions had to adminster to three floors since staffing was so bad! Did I have the knowledge base to give these meds? No way!! This is just one of the reasons I gave up being a CNA. Since I was experienced and profecient giving meds..i had no knowledge base and I was doing an LPN job and not getting paid for it! It was frustrating both ways..for the LPN who positions were filled by CNA and for CNA expected to work out of thier scope. This way made possible because of a loophole..a loophole in the state law allowing me to do this UNDER the nurses lisence..that means if I made a big mistake..the nurse would suffer the consequences! Yeah that is scary..since these facilities do not like it when a nurse says no..not under my lisence. I'll pass my own meds thank you!!

I love male nurses..the ones I work with are wonderful! Seems to me when you have all female nurses on the floor sometimes the bickering and talk are too much..having a male nurse around seems to calm the female nurses some how..changes the dynamics. So just hang in there I am sure you have alot to offer and it is typical in this feild to not recieve appreciation! :)