utahliz

You will find widely varied answers to this question. I had a previous degree in chemical engineering, so I had many credit hours of chemistry for chem majors. For my BSN, I had to re-take chemistry, so I took 8 credits of freshman chem (basic inor...

My best recommendation is to try other schools next year, if she's able. But I wonder what they are concluding from the interview and what feedback they offer from the interview itself. The thing is, it's a bit of a crapshoot to get in. There are ...

Contact the schools to find out for sure. Nothing beats hearing it from the horse's mouth, as well as establishing a relationship with the school prior to submitting an application.

Has she asked what would make her a more competitive applicant next time around? It may be something readily correctable that she is unaware of. Or it may be concerns about how long she has been a nurse, and her challenge is to change preconceived ...

You may call compressions on a sternotomy patient unfortunate and gross and do it because your policy does not prohibit it, but ours does.

I had a direct-return open-heart last night. Returned on dobutamine and Levo, weaned the Levo off almost immediately. Treated a marginally-low K, around 3.9 I think, with 20 mEq per orders. Gave a boatload of blood products for an apparent clottin...

I have a nursing school classmate who is in a CNM program now, and apprenticed as a home birth midwife before nursing school to see the other end of the spectrum, which is closer to where she really hoped to be able to practice--offering the option o...

We treat albumin as a medication, not a blood product, though we get it from the blood bank. We never require signed consent, though if I had a Jehovah's Witness pt. I would ask them what their wishes were. Though albumin is derived from blood, it ...

I used Dr. Laura's DVD's--love, love, love them! and the older edition (2nd) of Pass CCRN, just for the questions. I hear that the new edition of Pass CCRN has many more questions. I have 1.5 yrs experience in a busy SICU, and wanted to prove to my...

I used Dr. Laura's DVD's--love, love, love them! and the older edition (2nd) of Pass CCRN, just for the questions. I hear that the new edition of Pass CCRN has many more questions. I have 1.5 yrs experience in a busy SICU, and wanted to prove to my...

I've been a lurker here because my firewall often causes problems when I try to post. But I muddled through it today to say a big THANK YOU to all who have posted here, because it helped me pass--just got home. Whew, am I ever glad that's over!!!! ...

I've been a lurker here because my firewall often causes problems when I try to post. But I muddled through it today to say a big THANK YOU to all who have posted here, because it helped me pass--just got home. Whew, am I ever glad that's over!!!! ...

We generally take another pt. with an IABP pt, but there are exceptions if they're really unstable.

Thanks for the thoughts. I should have added that the pt. was not acidotic, either. Well, I'll have to keep an eye out for this in the future and see if it occurs again. Love the mysteries that make us think hard and put our heads together!

Our protocol can be applied to everyone EXCEPT DKA and HHNK patients, if an attending invokes it. Those with DKA or HHNK have orders specifically written for each patient, because of the extreme impact of fluid and electrolyte balances, and risk of ...

Joel, It depends on the hospital. The ICU I work in does not use LPN's. Contact the hospitals in your area to find out. If they don't, start on a tele floor as an LPN, or start as an aide in the ICU while you're in school. That will make your tra...

We use a chart that inputs current blood sugar, previous blood sugar and suggests whether to hold the rate, increase or decrease by a given percentage. We, too, have some nurses who are extremely concerned about bottoming out. I think it's a cultur...

A month should be sufficient time. I've been out of school for WAY more than 5 years, which is why I was concerned that I only had 6 days to prep, if I was to get scores by the admission deadline (which I just barely did).

I only studied about 6 days because a new program opened up nearby and had a tight deadline. I'd suggest a month. Get a review book, take a practice math and verbal test, and see what you need work on. Then review those areas, and take practice te...

I didn't have to send in photos with my applications. I can understand that it raises red flags with applcants. However, I suspect it is for the purposes of being able to place a name with a face after the interviews are over, and memories get a bi...

I still would like input from CRNA's on this, but I shadowed today and I know I will be fine. I'm not a person who strides into the room acting like I own the place, like my classmates who just started CRNA school do. The OR is a small group. I'm ...

I don't know what are of the country you're in, but Wayne Sttate University in Michigan has a pediatrics certification for anesthetists that is, I believe, about 6 months post-master's degree. It can be done immediately following completion of an an...

Check the individual school websites or contact them to be sure, but I believe the schools I've looked into require it to be full-time experience. You will learn more in 1 year full-time than 2 years part-time. In fact, I picked up every extra shif...

The schools I've talked to don't count orientation, they're on record that the required one year of experience needs to be as an independent decision maker. I recommend you contact them and ask directly. The other thing to consider is that most peo...

Beta blockers, especially at lower doses, are often used to help convert Afib/flutter to sinus rhythm.