speedykicks

I am doing one with the VA Valor Program. I am in a psych unit, but a fellow classmate is in the ICU and she is getting to do a ton. We are paid well, too.

It isn't correct to say the cops won't press charges. It is the DA who decides whether to file charges against someone, not the cops. I think you mean the police won't make an arrest or write up a report. Most police HAVE to take a report if you ask them to. Tell them you want them to write up an incident report if they refuse.

I have shaky hands. I have a tremmor almost all the time, but espicially when I try to do a fine motor skill. My hand shakes when I sign a check, it shakes when I put toothpaste on my toothbrush, and it espicially shakes when I am nervous about doing a new skill. So, I do use the trick of resting my wrist or fore-arm on a patient. I also just try and chat up the patient so they aren't just staring at my hand while I do the task. I also got a Rx from my doc for a beta blocker. I find my Xanex doesn't help with the shaking as much as the beta blocker does. I also ALWAYS take a time out at around 10 a.m. to eat a snack and drink some juice or I REALLY shake around lunch time.

I don't know about websites, but what really helped me with the endocrine system was making a concept map. I had hypothal. as my center square, the anterior and post. pit under it and went from there. It *really* made a difference.

I am getting ready to start the second semester of nursing school - and I've heard that it is the hardest of the four. It will include Peds and OB and our first Med/Surg rotation, as well as pathopharm II. While I know we all have different programs, I wonderd if others who were in a four-semester BSN program had thoughts on which semester is the toughest and why?

thanks for the encouragement. next semester we have three short clinicals - OB, peds and med-surg. I am looking forward to them - espicially peds.

Ok - I feel like a bad person who shouldn't be a nurse, but man am I really hating my clinical in the LTC facility. I am keeping that to myself and am really positive-appearing while I am there and trying to learn, but I am counting off the days. I really focus on the care and dignity of the folks there, but it is not an area of nursing I will want to pursue. I feel guilty about it and luckily, the sheer enthusiasim I have about nursing school and our first clinicals has carried me through the first few weeks, but I know I will be super happy when it is over.

yeah - eating out isn't the same. When that $50-$70 tab comes, you can't help but think "there is a medical dictionary for my PDA" "There goes two days I sacrificed working instead of studying and I ate it in one hour" "There goes five - seven pizzas on nights I am too tired to cook something" "There goes 65 cans of spaghetti -os" ok - not really on the spaghetti-os, but you get the point. I actually crave beer now, never used to. But even though I could afford one or two a week, I never have the spare evening. If I drink a beer and try to study, I fall asleep. Poor poor me. However, I didn't take classes this summer, just worked full time. Still I was climbing the walls. You become conditioned to the pace of study, test, reward (good grade on test), study, test, reward. It gives life a certain cadence that is notable when it is not there. I didn't know what to do with myself on the weekends. I was glad when the semester started back up.

oh I know how you feel! I ordered some carry-out from my favorite Mexican food place on my way home, in anticipation of a long night of studying. I must have looked pathetic watching in envy as the server carried a tray of drinks to a table - man that cold beer looked good. I even thought to myself "you people do not appreciate what you have" as they nonchalantly lifted their beers to drink and chatted with friends at their tables. I miss: watching football playing the occasional video game taking my dog to the dog park sitting on the couch on a Friday night and doing absolutley nothing I will still find time to watch college basketball, though. Some how, some way.

Oh and one other thing - our instructor brought us treats this morning at our pre-conference - donuts. I know that sounds silly, but we were all so nervous and when she made that nurturing gesture, we were all so relieved. It really sent a message that this was going to be a caring, good experience, not scary.

I think letting them pair up the first time is ok. After my partner and I paired up today on a few things, we both felt more confident and, on our own initiative, went our separate ways. Nursing students know they have to learn this stuff. I wouldn't let them pair up past the second day of clinicals, though. I really don't think you should worry about chit chat. Chit chatting isn't something nervous people do while giving a bed bath - it is something jaded and bored people do while giving a bed bath. We are all so attentive to patients right now - I can't imagine us chit chatting over them - if anything we are getting on their nerves with checking in on them so much.

I agree on pairing up. I am a first semester student and did my first shower today. I was scared to death. I am *really* glad our instructor made us do it. After it was over I was 500 percent more confident then I had been. Pushing us out of our comfort zone was the best thing she could have done. I expect she will keep doing it :chair:

Read your school student handbook. I don't think alcohol is a problem unless you drink or are intoxicated at clinicals or at school. And drug addiction or alcohol addiction isn't an automatic boot in many schools. My school has a program where you can go to rehab and work a plan and remain in the program.

thanks - roman numerals - duh! I appreciate the help everyone.

First semester nursing student here - preparing for a med cals exam. I can't find the answer to this anywhere in my book - can someone please tell me the conversion of gr V and gr X into mg? Also, while you're at it - what does the code "SR" indicate?? thanks a ton!

My school has a nice approach to med tests. We get to take it three times. If we don't pass the third time, they tutor each student individually and let them take it a fourth time. Basically, they will work with you until you learn it. They said after the post-tutor failure, they might start to talk with you about if nursing is a good fit.

well, the good news re: HIV is the prophylactic treatment is extremely effective in preventing the disease if given within 24 hours of exposure. Now sure there is such good news with Hep. c.

I start nursing school this fall. I am concerned about the slight ever-present tremor in my hands. I know I tend to shake when I get nervous, so I already got a prescription from my doc. for a beta blocker. However, in the past month or so I started to notice that my hands slightly tremble even when I am completley calm:( I was applying some antibiotic cream to a scratch on my partner's leg with a q-tip and noticed that the q-tip was shaking noticably - my partner noticed too and said "what is wrong with you?" I have always been this way - so I am not concerned there is a larger health issue. However, now that I am going to be coming at people with needles, it is freaking me out. Am I doomed to be known as "shakes the nurse"?? Anyone else out there deal with this?

Doggie - good of you to eat a little crow after the LPN uproar and stick around with words of encouragement. Faith - I do think furthering your education beyond LPN can provide you with more opportunities, which is the jist of what Doggie was trying to say, I think. Even my most ardent supporters have said this - it is kinda like going into the military - try and go in with the highest rank you can, balanced with what makes sense for you $ wise and time wise. However, look at it this way - LPN is not a waste of money no matter what. If you don't like life as an LPN and you work somewhere where LPNs are treated poorly, you are just that much closer to becoming an RN. There are so many LPN-to-RN programs that are online, flexible, etc. if you do find you want more education in nursing. That is what I love about nursing education - you can take it in steps if you need to. And do get your partner on board - at some point you need to say "this is what I want - I've heard your concerns, but I am not being unreasonable and it's time for you to get behind me on this." Keep ya head up!

I start nursing school in the fall and I've had my share of nay sayers. I currently work as a grassroots organizer, so my co-workers are starting to pay attention to the decent (depending on your perspective) salaries of nurses compared to the work I am doing and that - coupled with the flexibility, demand and relocatability of nursing - has convinced some that I might be on to something. One of my co-workers said behind my back that I was not cut out for nursing - but she doesn't really even understand all of what nursing is about and I know in my heart that I have many skills that will make me an excellent nurse. I use other's doubts to motivate me - that works for me very well. I love it when someone tells me I can't do something. I imagine some day they will be surprised to find me the nurse who is on duty to provide care for them or a loved one and I will gently get to prove them wrong. However, I must say I am lucky to have a few believers around me - and that is crucial. I have a few people who I respect very much who think I will be a fantastic nurse. An old mentor of mine was an RN, MSW and nursing instructor and she really encouraged me to pursue nursing when I first brought it up with her. There was one caveat to her encouragement - she said get a masters and pursue something beyond hospital shift work. "My students who go on to masters programs write their own tickets", she said. I agree with the poster who said you can make what you want out of a nursing career. People are often secretly jealous and threatened by people who have drive and determination - follow your inner fire on this one.

it seems to vary a lot from place to place. in my area, you can get a job as a tech after semester 1, you can also sit for the CNA exam after the first semester. The job listings often read "CNA/or nursing student with at least one semester completed" I am hoping those positions are pleantiful, because that is what I want to do for part-time work after the first semester if my other non-medical job falls through.

Oh I am glad to see this thread. I start my BSN program in the fall and I am very excited. I already have a BA in Psychology. But a masters in nursing is what I have my eye on - I am so focused on that goal that the BSN is really just a step for me - not the goal. I hope I can keep my eye on the prize. I have my *heart set* on the Johns Hopkins NP/Masters in Public Health program. I haven't seen much discussion at all about graduate education in nursing on the student forums, so I am glad to find this thread. I know folks are excited to become RNs/nurses - but I would like to talk to folks who have slightly different goals.

"But immigrants can get food stamps? I just don't get it. " This is just not true - some immigrants can get some food stamps for their children, if the kids were born in the US, but believe me - the plight of the immigrant person today is far greater than that of any US citizen. The system doesn't work for them - at all. And it was federal welfare reform in 1996 that changed the types of education people could get while receiving welfare benefits. Once upon a time , folks were encouraged to go to school. Now it isn't allowed - only job training for low-wage jobs, OR of course, you can get bonuses in many states if you get married. The long and the short of it - the government does little to nothing to promote the advancement and education of the nation's poor - most of whom are women - but rather focuses their energies and $$$ on pushing folks into very low paying jobs and marriage - which is of great value to socitey, but NOT as an answer to women's poverty.

Hoosier, Docs do indeed perscribe beta blockers for nervousness. However, you only take them as needed - not all the time. I have a friend who uses them - she takes it a few hours before her presentation and no more stammering, red face, shaky voice. I have to use these - I trimble so badly I could never work with needles. I am counting on them to get me through.

The rates on loans will be adjusted again at the end of June and rates are gonna shoot up - those of you thinking of consolidating need to do so now! Also, fixed rate loan cosolidations may be gotten rid of soon - all the more reason to consolidate now if you are even thinking about it. You can always pay more then your min. amount, but lock in those low interest rates! I like Nelnet.com, btw.