WavyGravy

It's weird. You admitted that your experience is an anecdote. So it seems like you are aware that this in no way whatsoever discredits the extensive research that supports the exclusive breastfeeding recommendations... but then you use your anecdote to attempt to discredit it. Do you really think that these huge medical organizations( AAP, WHO, CDC, USPSTF) know less about the benefits of breastfeeding over formula than you? I'm not sure what the point of bringing up the stability of a child's home was. I don't know of many newborns that have the option to be breastfed by violent drug addicts or formula fed in a stable two parent middle class household.

Prophylactic erythromycin is administered to all babies after birth to prevent blindness due to gonorrhea or chlamydia. It's already mandatory. I'm not sure about the whole country, but in NY doctors can get in trouble if they don't administer them after birth. They don't even need to get informed consent.

I'm near the end of orientation for my first nursing job ever. I keep hearing from different people(my educator and some of my preceptors) that I need to be more confident. I definitely was very nervous at the start of my orientation, but I feel much better now. The problem is since I've had 6 different preceptors in 5 weeks, I don't think any of them noticed! Like my recent shift, I assessed all of my preceptor's patients and charted the assessments in the morning completely by myself. I felt confident and was making small talk with the patients, but since my preceptor wasn't on the floor she didn't see any of it. But later on, while I was rounding on a patient her mother asked me how long I've been a nurse because I seemed "a little nervous." I know how bad it is to appear nervous to patients, but I honestly didn't feel nervous at all. I don't know how to fix something that I must be doing unconsciously. I've seen psychiatrists for bad anxiety in the past, but I don't have one currently. One recommended taking an SSRI, but I didn't want to risk the side effects. I have a prescription for PRN clonazepam, but I don't want to be sedated at work. I was thinking of trying to find a new psychiatrist and asking for a long acting benzo and/or propanolol for anxiety. I just don't know what to do. It was really disappointing to go from the high from feeling confident to finding out I still appear nervous.

Thanks so much for posting that video. I'd read about it but being able to see the confidence intervals made it so much clearer.

I know that this is supposed to be a myth, but it makes a lot of sense to me. I know that it is definitely a myth if the NCLEX ends in 75 questions, because the person is so far above or below the passing standard that getting the last one right or wrong doesn't make difference for the results. But let's say you pass the NCLEX in 120. After answering question 119, the computer is very close to passing you, but it isn't quite sure yet. How could answering the next question wrong(and putting less space between you and the passing standard) make the computer sure enough to pass you? Or let's say you fail in 175. After answering question 174 the computer is very close to failing you, but you still have a chance to bring yourself above the standard. How is there any way that answering the last question right(and bringing yourself closer to the passing standard) would make the computer sure enough to fail you?

I definitely get cold feet at times as well! I think it's completely normal when you're facing a big change.

I did A&P 1 and 2 and micro over the summer, and did all of the other pre-reqs as part of my first undergraduate degree(Psychology with a minor in Biology).

Most of the nurses I know are skeptical for direct entry MSN programs because they all believed that a nurse should work as an RN first and gain experience before getting a graduate degree, but that doesn't sound like your program so I think you are in good shape.

Your grades look really good, but organic chemistry is rarely a pre-requisite for a BSN program. The only program I've seen that required any orgo was a combined accelerated BSN and CRNA program, and even that was only one semester of orgo with no lab. My biggest advice is to ask the people you want a recommendation from as early as possible. You should try to give them 2-3 months to write the letter.

I love summer science courses! Obviously it depends on the professor, but I found them to be very manageable and easy. I took microbiology, A&P 1 and 2, and the labs for all 3 last summer in 11 weeks. I took one class at a time, so it was really easy to only study one things at a time.

I always knew I wanted to go into healthcare and chose nursing because it is a great job, but it's still possible to have a life outside the hospital.

Not passing the NCLEX and not finding a job.

I don't think I was too big of a stalker, but I'm sure I annoyed some of the faculty members. Haha

I'm extremely privileged to have a supportive family, so I don't have to worry about loans for my BSN. However, I know I want to get my MSN at some point, so unless I can get a job with tuition reimbursement, I'm going to have to take out quite a bit of loans for that.

I'm putting off moving out of my parents house until after I finish nursing school. My mom is really insistent that I stay home to save on expenses even though I would much rather live on my own, but I'm grateful all the support they've given me.