Alloramadai

PHMNPs where I needed preceptors were excited to help out. Remind those you are asking that their precepting hours count as CEUs. I quickly became an asset, helping with admissions and lightening their workload. Find your niche and show them!

Found out this morning that I passed. What an amazing sense of relief and accomplishment. Thanks, allnurses.com, for being here to allow me to vent, offer reasurance, and just to "listen."

I am just numb after taking my NCLEX Saturday. I had several questions "select all that apply" and many priority/delegation. I think (??) I had 86 questions - I know for sure it did not cut off at 75. I told my husband if I passed, anyone can. However, I'm already planning what I will do if I fail. Others say - "You passed, you know you did." Honestly? I don't believe I did. I was dumbfounded by many questions. Know, for sure, the drug calcs were right. Those are the only questions I am 100% confident about. Wish there had been 45 drug calcs!

I feel the EXACT same way! I took the exam this morning and had 86 questions. Strange content information. During the 2-1/2 hour drive home, I thought about all the margaritas I would consume once I was home and safe.

I gave special professors a dark pink rose and a handwritten thank you card.

I sat in a chair for 48 hours in a NICU with my preceptor - a brilliant nurse with 20+ years experience, but she was extremely possessive of "her babies." I was not allowed to check vitals or change diapers - honest! The saddest part was she has so much knowledge to share, I really felt cheated. I appreciate that she didn't want anything to happen to her charges - however, don't offer to precept if you're not going to provide opportunities to learn!

I'm a Missouri girl studying in Texas. Many of my patients will tell me I don't sound like I'm from around here. I smile and say, "Am I using too many syllables?"

YES, Yes, and yes. Raise those standards. We had 160+ in our nursing class at the start. We are now just over 100. Some students are not able to perform basic math skills to complete a drug calculation. One student asked the difference between an episiotomy and a c-section - this question was during our senior Mother-Baby course. And for those students who feel they don't need to be on time for class or clinical? Send them on their way. Who wants to wait at the end of the shift for their replacement to decide to come to work?

The only issue I've seen was a nursing student (female) raising a stink in clinicals because they asked her to remove her doo rag. I can't remember ever seeing a woman wearing a doo rag, so was a little put off by her argument that it was a "cultural" thing.

I already listen to nursing lectures by Margaret Maag (search through iTunes) via the iPod. It's a great way to reinforce learning. I hope this is the wave of the future. I record class lectures on my iPod and listen later as I review my notes. I'm also able to email these recordings to classmates who are interested.

B E B

I am extremely thankful to see others breastfed as long as I did. Our daughter (17-years-old now) decided she wanted to explore other options at 6 months. Our son (13-years-old now) breastfed until just before his third birthday. I knew he would be my last baby, and wanted to enjoy the experience as long as I/we could. He was such a healthy baby: no ear infections, colds, sleep problems.

I worked as an EMT for several years, and saw some really (REALLY) gross stuff. However, the pace was so extreme that I never had time to be concerned with my facial expressions or to think about getting ill. During our clinicals last semester, I found myself losing my composure while cleaning a bedpan (I will not share the details on the contents). As I am an older student, I felt it would be a question other students would have so brought this up for discussion during our post-clinicals. Our instructor said that dealing with squeamish feelings gets better with experience. She also suggested keeping a mint in my pocket; not only would it soothe the stomach, but the mint smell would help calm the other senses. I also carry a breath spray (Listerine Pocketmist) that is very helpful too.

Community Health. We were told by the instructor we were in the class just for "the experience." However, exams were over a textbook that was so dry.... I was thankful for the B I pulled in the class, and the thought that I won't take Community II until my last semester of school.

Any of Echo Heron's books are great nursing reads.