BigRed86

In depth lectures on ECG fundamentals: A rhythm interpretation simulator: ECG Simulator | SkillStat Learning - Fast, Fun and Effective!

You are new and things like this will happen. It is also completely normal for you to worry about this incident. I wouldn't beat yourself up though; no harm came to the resident. Take it as a learning experience. Trust me, we've all made silly mistakes like this. Here's some tips that will help you manage your time and provide safe care. When you get your list of residents gather and write down this info about each one: - How they transfer (Full lift, 1 person, 2 person, sit-to-stand lift, walker, gait belt) - Continent/Incontinent/Toileting habits - Any tubes/lines they are connected to (O2, IV, G-tube, etc.) - Thickened liquids/diet restrictions - Bath day? - Orthotic/Prosthetic devices and their scheduled application/removal If you've never worked with the resident before ask them how they transfer/how they receive care. Always promote independence. Never assume someone can't do something for themselves. At the same time you have to identify the resident's limitations and know when to provide assistance, this intuition will come with experience. Always, always, always ask for assistance if you are in doubt about the care you are about to provide. I'd also suggest you ask your supervisor for a few more days of training. I promise you that things will become easier with experience. Hang in there!

I would absolutely recommend either getting your CNA or, if you are able to, challenge the CNA boards after your first semester to obtain a CNA license. I was required to have my CNA license for acceptance to the nursing program. I obtained a CNA job in a rehabilitation and traumatic brain injury hospital (LTAC) and worked there for 8 months before obtain a job as an ER tech. Getting a hospital CNA job without CNA experience may be challenging, even if you are in nursing school. Hospitals want experienced applicants whether they be CNA's or RN's. Even obtaining the ER tech position was not easy. I volunteered in the ER for about 4 months before they offered me a position. I will continue with this ER tech position for the 1.5 years I have left of nursing school. Overall, both the LTAC CNA and ER tech positions provide me an "experience knowledge base" from which I reference often, especially when taking these weekly nursing tests. Every shift I work I always learn something new. I assist with nearly every procedure. I've watched literally 100's of procedures and after awhile things start to click and you understand 'why' specific interventions are done. Beyond learning by watching, I've made many connections that will greatly assist me in meeting my career goals. You said you'd only have your CNA for 6 months, but I'm sure you can recoup your financial investment in that time. You will also have 2 years of nursing school in which you will be unlicensed. I'd highly recommend working at least PRN during this time. Working as a CNA in an acute care setting will help develop and refine your critical thinking skills. You will also encounter a myriad of professionals to network from (these can be great sources of reference letters). Your CNA experience may very well land you an RN job after school. And as previously mentioned, you will become proficient in the patient interaction department. I'd say go for it.

I volunteer in an ER which provides me the opportunity to watch a ton of procedures but I haven't yet witnessed too many major traumas. A while back a man presented to the ER with some fingers half "degloved" (skin peeled back from top half of a few fingers and hanging with bone exposed). The bone structure was still intact. I figured this would be an awesome chance to step in and watch the stitching procedure. Things like this typically do not bother me. I work as a CNA in an SNF so I'm no stranger to body excretions or other less pleasant aspects that come with the job. Anyways, so I'm sitting there watching the procedure as the doc injects the numbing agent and I can see the skin flaps and bone structure under the skin and a small artery squirting. All the while the patient is screaming and squirming from the needle sticks in to the exposed flesh. I began to feel a little light headed, skin turned a little pale, and began a cold sweat. This unpleasant feeling lasted for a few minutes and I stuck it out through the whole procedure. I felt squeamish throughout the entire procedure but I stuck it out because I want to learn. I've never had any issues like this and I'm wondering if this is normal? Can a person become accustomed to traumas? If you've ever experienced a situation like this please share how you overcame these types of squeamish situations.

I'd like to point out that being self employed can be extremely difficult, stressful, and time consuming. Statistically speaking the odds are stacked against the success of your business. 95% of all small businesses fail within the first 5 years. You must use this knowledge to thoroughly plan, and then plan some more. You need to be aware that if your business fails that you may have very large debts and even if you form an LLC or S/C corp you can still be held personally liable for these debts. Being a great web designer can get you a long ways but running a business is what most people fail at. Their business fails because they simply do not have the knowledge or resources for long term growth and profitability. BUT, I'd say you are in a good position to start your dream company and I think you should go after it if you fully identify the risks and set out a thorough plan. Contingency planning is also important. If it doesn't work out you'll have nursing to fall back on. Make sure you are able to keep your license current at least until you surpass 5 years in business. My advice would be to find out your start-up costs. Then take that number multiplied by 1.5 and then save that much money to start your venture. Do everything you possibly can to minimize your debt load. Since every business needs a website you could barter services with an attorney, an accountant, a tax professional, and other services you will need. Try to establish a good relationship with a credit union. Start with small loans, pay them back quickly, and you will eventually have nice lines of credit to utilize when you want to expand. Best of luck to you. Follow your heart and don't let anyone deter you from your goals.

I'm starting this fall and know exactly how you feel! I've been reviewing my A&P powerpoints and practicing simple dosage calculations. I invested a huge amount of time in learning A&P and scored the highest in my class, yet I find that some of the information is starting to fade already. So, I figured putting in a few hours of study time per week now will help solidify that essential knowledge that A&P is supposed to provide. Hopefully it will make nursing school a little easier if I can lean on a solid anatomy and physiology foundation. Other than that I say don't go too overboard with studying. Like other posters have stated, let's enjoy this small amount of "free time" we have left!

The graphs posted above were part of my A&P class and will surely be part of nursing school. Having the analytical skills gained through taking math classes will help you understand those graphs. You'll see how one variable effects the other and be able to deduce a correlation between the variables. You'll then be able to conceptualize and visualize what is going on in the body. This is important in the cardiovascular system and other systems as well. Many people struggle with CO (cardiac output) and Frank-Starlings law of the capillaries/heart. I think a lot of the problem is people go in to a math class saying "I hate math." This negative attitude sets the stage for the entire course and I believe it is the reason some people fail. I also realize some people don't grasp the concepts as quickly as others but with so many resources available there is no reason to fail a math course. Resources: tutors, youtube, khan academy, internet calculators, supplemental workbooks, etc. No one should let a math class stand in the way of his or her goals. Go in with a positive attitude and realize math is involved in everything you do. A better understanding of math provides you a better understanding of the world. I think of math classes kind of like "strength training" for your brain.

This is some fantastic advice. I'm following the exact same plan and just starting nursing school in the fall. During school I'll be volunteering in a small hospital's ER 4 hours per week in addition to picking up one paid shift at a LTAC rehab facility per week. Hopefully the volunteer position will turn into a paid PCT as well. I'm sure many people already do this but I'll share anyways. My resume is on my computer desktop and I view it as a "living document." In other words, if I achieve something or my skills increase, it gets added along with the date immediately. This way I never have to think back and I can refine it as my knowledge base and experience grows. I never thought about setting up an informational interview. Great idea! This is something I will be doing in the 2nd semester. Thanks!

Doing those complicated algebra problems over and over is tedious and can be frustrating. But at the same time it teaches you to analyze a somewhat complicated problem, break it down, and figure out the answer. Usually somewhere in that process you'll be using more simple calculations such as solving for x. All those seemingly pointless problems are training you to think analytically, which is definitely part of nursing. All that practice will also help with dosage calcs and help you realize when you calculate an unreasonable answer. I know how you feel though, I took an accelerated statistics course online this summer. Talk about time consuming and a lot of complicated formulas!

I would also like to add that many nursing schools put a lot of weight on A&P grades for acceptance to the program. I also noticed that the people who showed up, participated in lab, and attended group studies are the same people that attained an A/B. Those same people were accepted to the nursing program. The others that didn't take it as seriously are the ones who received the "we're sorry you were not accepted this year" letter. Also check out some of the professor review websites. Choose a professor that has quality reviews and that can make all the difference.

Many schools will offer A&P in a two part series. ie A&P I and A&P 2. Other schools may offer an anatomy class with dissection lab and then a separate physiology class. Then, each program may have different requirements for nursing prerequisites. One nursing program may only require A&P I while another may require A&P I and II. The ADN program I am attending required one course of A&P and that is it. As far as the difficulty of A&P, that really comes down to how well you can memorize and retain structures and functions of the body. You will have to find the adequate amount of study time and methods that work best for you. Personally, my study method for A&P was to show up to every lecture/lab, read the textbook, study the powerpoints, utilize the videos on the textbook's website, utilize open lab to study models/dissections, and group study. It is important you actually learn and retain the material because it will be utilized throughout nursing school and on the job. You will do just fine if you show up to all lectures/labs and put in plenty of study time. Good luck!

I would NOT buy a desk and chair brand new. While these items are important the long term cost of buying them brand new just really isn't worth it in my opinion. For example let's say you spend $250 on a brand new desk and chair. At the current interest rates you would probably end up paying close to $500 by the time your loan is paid off. Not a very good investment in my opinion. I would say get on craigslist and find a nice, gently used leather swivel chair and a plastic 6 ft fold out table. If you add in the $8 I spent on leather cleaner and the cost of the table and chair I came out with the set for around $50. I saved around $400 by the time you throw the interest charges in there. Now for a nice laptop. I purchased a middle of the road, brand new, laptop that came with a warranty. This was a necessary purchase and I can justify the added interest cost for the peace of mind of having a reliable computer to get me through school. Budget wisely and be frugal as all of these loans will one day come due.

I'm very interested to see how this turns out for you. I have a feeling I will be in the same boat as you when I graduate school and begin looking for a job. I am also color "blind" in the red/green spectrum, at least according to the Ishihara test. On most of the plates I can see the outline of the numbers but might confuse a 1 for a 7 or a 5 for a 6. On some of the plates I fail to recognize the number but can look at individual tiny dots on the plates and tell you their exact colors. So inevitably I fail these tests too. I think it is partially my perception of color and partially a brain processing issue. In other words, my brain will not process the number pattern. If someone can please point to an example in their nursing experiences where they are required to distinguish a number from a group of multicolored dots? I doubt you'll ever see that in practice. So, if you can distinguish skin abnormalities/changes, read test strips, and see color coded labels/tubes then I don't see why you should ever have a problem. If you ever question your ability to perceive a color then I'm sure there will be someone around to verify. There are many legally blind, hearing impaired, and other nurses with disabilities. There are also pilots, police officers, surgeons and a multitude of of people in other professions who are color deficient. My cousin is color "blind" and he has no problem working as an ICU nurse. Let's take a hypothetical example of a nurse who is visually impaired but has corrective lenses that only corrects his or her vision to 20/25. Do you think he or she should be denied a job because of this? Let's take another example of a nurse who has back problems and can't lift patients. This nurse needs assistance for lifting/turning most every patient. The employer accommodates the nurse without question and the nurse can always ask for assistance. Just as you can ask for assistance in differentiating a color if you are unsure. I would also be interested if the ADA would apply to your situation. Is it discrimination to deny you a job because you can't pick out number patterns on a multicolored dotted plate? Unless you truly can't differentiate any color then I don't see this "disability" holding you back. I would ask for a different type of test.

That is awesome! Congrats! I can not wait to get started. Yes, I received that form. On one side of the form it says: "Health Requirements for Nursing Students" and on the other side is a health exam form that is to be completed by a physician, PA, or ARNP. If you didn't get that form I'd just pick it up when you turn your enrollment sheet in. Is anyone going to take any additional classes besides dosage calc and intro to nursing? I was thinking about taking eastern civ and humanities 1 online to fulfill a few BSN requirements. I also thought about taking pathophysiology online BUT I'm not sure if now is the right time. It might be better to gain some essential nursing knowledge before diving in to patho. But then again taking pathophysiology now would probably help tremendously throughout the entire program. Anyone else considering taking pathophysiology this fall?

djaltic, I bet yours will come tomorrow! Post back and let us know when it does. I live a few miles north of Ottawa so it will be roughly a 5 minute commute to campus for me. Jflem5, so you've decided on NCCC instead of JCCC? Is the JCCC program bi-level like NCCC's? I know they are both great programs but what made you choose one over the other?