TooManyCats ASN, BSN

I am an RN with a little over three years ICU experience. My dream job is to work APN in an ICU, but it just doesn’t exist where I’m at. I have zero desire to teach or go the FNP route. I would love to advance my career and education in the next coup...

It truly sounds like she overreacted massively. This was a silly error that in the real world no one would even notice, and as a student nurse I think it’s smart judgment to not administer a medication unsupervised **even if you are turning it back o...

For the most part I like students, especially if they have basic skills and knowledge by the time they reach me. I will say that I hate that professors assign them to train wreck patients and I have to teach while fighting tooth and nail to keep some...

I went into ICU right out of school. I had a long and supportive orientation, a critical care residency, and did great. My current place of work will hire new grads but something about our orientation process just isn’t right, maybe it’s the lack of ...

Having book smarts and being a great test taker are useful skills, but critical care requires a certain level of intuition and on-your-feet thinking that can’t be taught. It’s really not for everyone. there are lots of nursing positions that *are*...

So we’re you looking to the MAR or your brain page for med due times? Or relying solely on your paper and the Pyxis? When you scanned it did it not give you a warning that medications were given too close together? You have them three hours apart, wh...

The oncoming nurse was inappropriate in handling that. You notified the provider, they declined to treat. Some people hang out higher, not everyone needs to be treated at 180. You could have asked for call parameters, maybe could have pushed for a PR...

I had some job hopping during my first year due to a move and a miserable work environment. Still in ICU, and I’ve found a great fit. Apply early, be prepared to explain the move... and make sure you’re getting a 2-1 ratio (for the most part). Being ...

We secure our OG tubes to the ETT using paper tape (our unit doesn’t have Transpore on hand). Occasionally we will get an intubated patient from OR or from a previous unit with an NG and we will leave it, but I prefer OGs because of decreased skin br...

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but has anyone actually done it? I recently found out that we're in a now or never situation to have a baby, and we had always planned on having one more. I am planning on starting my two year program thi...

I work in a combined surgical and medical ICU, with 32 beds. For the majority of patients, we bedside report, go over lines/drips/vent settings and introduce ourselves. Then I spend a few minutes going over orders and labs. After that I go and assess...

You'd be surprised how picky schools can be when it comes to shoes. Ours were ALL black, no hits of white/color, no mesh, all leather or non breathable material, no clogs, the list went on. Contact your school. I will say, I wear chucks almost exclus...

I work a cardiac heavy icu and recently switched from a Littman classic ii to the cardiology iv and am really happy with that decision.

You might also want to look into your states laws regarding medication administration. The facility might be fine with a tech doing it, but the state might want a qualified medication aid, and even then you'd need an LPN at minimum for injections. A...

I applied at South Bend only. I assume we'll get letters next week.

It doesn't exist anymore. It did when I started in 2013 (yes it's taken me THAT long to finish my prerequisites), but at some point they ditched it.

I have finals this week so grades will be in soon! Only a few more weeks. I think I read that the 15th was the grade cutoff and letters will be sent out as early as the 25th.

I have both a tablet and a Macbook Air. I **NEVER** use my tablet, it's somewhere collecting dust, but my Macbook looks like it's been run over by a truck it's used so heavily.

I expect we'll have to buy new, especially lab books. In my anatomy classes our lab book needed to be filled out and submitted a few times per semester, so we had to purchase new there as well.

I didn't read all the comments, but it seems sort of ridiculous that you would be asked to leave the hospital and class simply because you're a male doing what you are supposed to do during your OB clinical? If they're not going to let you do clinica...

I think it does a little bit, but its not going to make or break you. Getting a degree from a highly reputable or known institution in any field is going to give you a leg up. However, I think it matters a lot less in health care than it would in a c...

I'm in a similar boat. I have a 3 year old and 5 year old AND one on the way, and we utilize school for the older kids, with a nanny in the mornings if I have school before I can drop them off (7am is the earliest I can drop them), and an after schoo...

Your score is insane. I would be BEYOND SHOCKED if you didn't get in. I saw a couple of Spring applicants get in with scores in the 120s. I would expect them to be a little higher for Fall since there are more applicants, but 150 is crazy good.

Can you take all four in the Fall or is that too much with your work? If you have to take a Summer course I would make it Psych, five weeks is FAST! It sounds like you're stressing more than you need to. You are so young and there is no rush at 22 to...

I took a back to back A&P I and II course, 8 weeks each class. We started with 20+ students, with one only intending on taking the first half. So of 19 students that set out to finish the semester, we had 5 at the final exam. Granted, accelerated...