Almabella

My understanding is that to get into legal consulting you would need a solid, broad based and well rounded experience in nursing. I've been told it's not an easy field to break into. Administration (I'm assuming you mean hospital and/or clinic) is completely different, and as many have said, to be an effective leader you should have substantial experience in that area of nursing prior to taking a leadership position. I have, however, seen clinics hire clinic managers who have a small amount of nursing experience but a LOT of managerial experience. I guess it just depends on what your personal experience is. That said, there are plenty of options for nurses outside of the hospital setting, especially if you have your BSN. There's public health (BSN usually required) and clinic nursing, both of which I've done. Currently I do telephone triage and there seems to be lots of room for advancement within the company I work for (as they are expanding rapidly). I did a brief stint in a hospital as a nurse, but the experience was so horrible I left and never looked back. I did work as a CNA in a hospital, but I doubt that has helped me get any of my nursing positions. Good luck. :balloons:

There is a catch up schedule recommended by the CDC for kids who are behind or maybe immigrants who don't have any records from their country of origin. http://www.cispimmunize.org/IZSchedule_Catchup.pdf As far as getting two flu shots within two months -- well maybe you know this, but just in case: the recommendation is for kids under 9 y/o to get two flu shots in one year, one month apart in order to build up their immunity. Say, for example, a 2 year old did not have the flu shot last year, she should get two this year one month apart. "The CDC recommends that children younger than nine years old should receive two doses of inactivated flu vaccine if not previously vaccinated, because they do not develop a strong immune response to a single dose. Physicians are advised to administer the two shots one month apart." Just thinking maybe that's why you are seeing two flu shots ordered. HOpe that helps! Alma

Oh, wow, I just happened to stumble upon this thread. What a relief to hear other nurses out there are contending w/ RA. I am in the process of being dx with what is most likely RA or psoriatic arthritis. I'm young, have a young baby, and I've been really stressed out the past several days wondering how this diagnosis is going to effect the rest of my life and my career as a nurse. I currently work in community/PHN. When my problems began (5-6 years ago) I was a CNA and it was very hard on my body and caused a lot of pain. Over all this time no one was ever able to tell me what is wrong and I've been diagnosed with everything from a virus to tendonitis. It is a relief to be so close to finally knowing what is wrong, but it's also a huge burden to know that I most likely have an autoimmune disease. My goal has been to go back for my master's (FNP) but I am afraid to spend all that money on tuition if my overall productivity is going to decrease over time... Alma

Hi All! So I've got this concern -- I've been dealing with various arthralgias and swelling and just general and intermittent aches and pains for going on 6 years now. i think I'm finally close to actually getting a diagnosis and I've been told it's most likely RA or psoriatic arthritis. On one hand I'm glad to finally KNOW what's going on, and on the other I'm freaking out thinking I'm going to have this "condition" for the rest of my life. As an aside, I've been so fatigued in the past several years and have basically chalked it up to, you know, being a nursing student, and then nurse, and now a mom and nurse (not to mention a wife - whew!). Plus my stress tolerance is reaaalllly low. So, I've worked my way into a generally less stressful area of nursing (community/PHN). So, what I am wondering is how other nurses out there who have autoimmune diseases balance work, life, play and family. Has this kind of diagnosis really affected your ability to practice? I am of course worried about future deformity of my hands and know that would affect my ability to practice, but I'm hoping it's been caught early enough to prevent this from happening... My hope and dream is to go back for my FNP, but I'm not even sure if it's worth us spending the $$ on tuition if this disease is going to get in the way of my productivity. Anyone else in the same boat? Happy Holidays! Alma

It's wonderful that you have a financial plan already, as many have said before. My only caution to you is that you just don't know what the future holds for you. Quality of life is just as important as your financial goals, and for those 8 years, if you are actually able to stick to this plan, you would have no quality of life outside of work (that is assuming that work is extremely fulfilling for you. Enjoy your youth and your life -- it will not last forever! No one on their death bed looks back and wishes they had worked more.

unisom for morning sickness. I was pretty surprised the first time I heard that one!

I did get the flu shot for my 1 yr old (twice ) and believe it or not, I had to search around because my pediatrician did not offer the preservative free... Anyway, a coworker of mine (nurse) recently told me that she heard that getting the flu vaccine yearly would help to build up immunity if there were ever a pandemic outbreak of influenza. I didn't ask where she heard this, but I'm wondering if anyone else has heard something similar...

They have evening shifts, at least here in MN. I think they are 2:30-11:30 typically. So how is orientation going for everyone? I start in January!

I read somewhere that, at least for peds pts, NOT aspirating makes the injection less painful. I wish I could tell you the source but I completely forget. I aspirated blood with one of the very first injections I gave as a nurse -- a flu shot. So, from that experience, I always aspirate just to err on the side of caution. Oh, and I think bleeding at the site after withdrawing the needle is most likely just capillary bleeding.

This is a case by case, individual issue. I'd need to see some hard evidence that overall nurses are less health than the general population, or that doctors are healthier than nurses. I worked with one doc who worked for 10-12 hours straight, 5 days a week, without eating except for maybe an occasional candybar or something -- and he is diabetic! I currently work with a doc who has had gastric bypass and every time I turn around she's eating a ho-ho or twinky or something. In contrast, I'm pretty healthy and make a concerted effort to be. My two nurse colleagues are also in great shape. One is in her 50s and although she never eats at work she's well within her normal BMI. The other nurse works out every day before work and is in great shape, drinks a huge amount of water every day. It's silly to say overall nurses are unhealthy. Americans overall are unhealthy.

I love working with the Spanish speaking population too! My experience is that any attempt to communicate is usually greatly appreciated. My overall favorite pt population? I'd have to say pregnant women/girls. Sometimes it can be so fun, sometimes challenging, heartbreaking, frustrating. Especially first time moms and dads. There's so much to teach! The Latino population is so family oriented, it's usually very rewarding to work with pregnant latinas. You tend to get to know the whole family!

My experience has been that alternative treatments, like massage, acupuncture and acupressure, are used mainly to treat the side effects of chemo and radiation, and to improve quality of life. I don't know anything about homeopathic treatments for cancer. I'm not sure I believe in the efficacy of homeopathy, but maybe that's just d/t ignorance...

Heartbreaking. Reminds me of a story I recently heard on the radio about abandoned babies in Russian hospitals. Stories like this have really made me contemplate adoption: "Last winter, another patient in a central Russian hospital noticed a room of abandoned babies with their mouths taped shut to stop them from crying. Her cell phone video shocked the country when it was played on national television. Reports of babies tied down in their cots are common. Many believe that's because hospital staff are seriously overworked. Boris Altshuler of the Child's Right group says it's often immediately clear to visitors that abandoned babies are left to "rot alive." Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9810880

Looks like we're in the same neck of the woods! I'm not sure specifically what type of scenario you're talking about -- inpatient or outpatient mental health care? Treatment of the uninsured? We are lucky in that here in the TC there are a wealth of non profit agencies and government run programs for disadvantaged pts. Health care for the homeless; red door clinic; several free and sliding scale clinics; just to name a few. Depending on what you're talking about, you might want to keep a list of resources handy for quick referral. I can completely commiserate with your frustration. We had a woman come in to our clinic recently with a screaming baby who, IMO, evidenced some serious neglect. Way too far below normal weight for my comfort. Another nurse dealt with her and, after talking to her, sent her on her way with a pamphlet for the crisis nursery. Didn't get any demographic information or anything so we could follow up, do a PHN referral. She was not an established pt so we didn't have this information already. She did offer her an appt with the MD, but of course the mom refused. To me, it seems like this was just the easy way out, and because of one person's laziness, an opportunity to help this baby was squandered. This has really been haunting me lately, and I wish I would have gotten more involved and not worried about stepping on the other nurse's toes... oh, and by the way, afterwards this nurse said to me (and has said this before), "well, we can't save everyone..." :angryfire Another thought -- if you work in a hospital, is there a hospital ombudsman you could contact?

I work with an IBCLC who is a dietitian and also a certified diabetes educator, so it is possible. I've been interested in this as well. The number of hours required prior to taking the exam are a little overwhelming!

Hi all, I'm an RN in a community clinic and we do a lot of prenatal care. We recently had a pt die during a planned c-sec. The cause I was given was an amniotic fluid embolism. Does anyone know anything about this? Can you explain this to me in a little more detail or let me know where I can find out more? The baby did survive, luckily. What a tragic situation! As a relatively new mom myself this pt's death has really effected me. Plus you really get attached to some pts when you see them over a course of a pregnancy. I just would like to learn more about the pathology behind this. TIA! Alma

Really well put NancyNurse! I think this is the crux of the problem and the cause of many of the responses here. Unfortunately, a topic worthy of serious debate has been squandered because of this.

I've been meaning to check this book out. I heard him speak on NPR and it was really fascinating. Thanks for the reminder!

Well, I guess that's how I interpreted this post. No offense Agnus; I'm not trying to pick on you. I just disagree with this sentiment.

As a person with a loved one who is terminally ill, I have a deep respect for allopathic medicine, including chemo and radiation, surgery and pain management. However, my desire to become a nurse was to work in areas of prevention and public health. I knew this going into nursing school, and throughout nursing school. I respectfully disagree with those who state you shouldn't be questioning our current health care system or practices as a nursing student, and that if you are, nursing is not the field for you. We need more people in nursing who question current practice. This includes, but is not exclusive to, overuse of pharmaceuticals. Prior to nursing school, I worked as a CNA in a hospital, and briefly as a nurse in a hospital after school. I was miserable, so I got out and into public/community health as fast as possible. Not because I don't believe in acute care, but because it wasn't where my heart was a nurse. Unfortunately, I bought into that whole "you need one year of med/surg" thing...but working in that environment did make me question my career choice. Acute care is not for everyone, and hey, we need all kinds of nurses in this world. On the other hand, I have always been very drawn to NICU, and perhaps one day when my little one is older, I will try my hand at it. Of course, allopathic medicine plays a huge role in NICU, but there are also the indisputable benefits of things like feeding a baby breastmilk, and kangaroo care, and parent education and support. Anyway, I digress. As has been reiterated throughout this thread, there is definitely a time and place for pharmaceutical use and allopathic medicine. There is no denying, however, that misuse of certain pharmaceutical (like antibiotics) have lead to greater public health problems (like MRSA and MDRTB), and who knows what the future holds. So, newbies - question away, and welcome to nursing! One of the best things about this profession is the incredible diversity!

I agree -- I think telephone triage is the way to go. If there is an insurance company based near you, you could apply for a position with them. I recently applied for a job with United health group and my main motivation was to avoid putting my little one in daycare. If I'm offered the position, I will be working evenings and w/e only and after 90 days I can transition to working from home. This will work perfectly with my dh M-F 9-5 job. Feel free to PM me if you have further questions or would like to chat! Congrats to both of you too! :balloons::balloons::balloons:

I would also like to see responses to this, but the telephone triage forum doesn't get much traffic so I don't have much hope. Just curious, where are you applying to? I applied for a job with Optumhealth (a division of United Health Group). My main motivation was to find an evening and w/e only position to avoid daycare for my little one. I found out during the interview that after 90 days I could work from home. Woo hoo! From my experience in a clinic setting doing phone triage, you really have to make sure you're asking the right questions and do a lot of reading between the lines. Patients don't always know what is the most important info to share. For instance, one pregnant pt called once c/o back pain. Ok, everyone has back pain when they're pregnant. And? Well, after some probing and asking her how she was managing the pain (by lying in bed all day), she then mentioned how her leg was "swollen and kind of purple. Is that normal?" Eeeek! She ended up having a huge DVT. I could see the down side as missing the face to face interaction. I like that, usually, and I know I'd miss it. On the other hand, you get to do lots of education and preventative care, which is good if that's what you like to do. You'd really get to bone up on your assessment skills and probably learn a lot. Your hands-on skills would get rusty. A lot depends on who you'd be triaging for. A clinic, hospital, insurance company, etc...Anyway, I hope you get some more responses here! Alma

I love this idea! Can we have an affiliated clinic? Nurse run, and the NPs can actually have admitting privileges? That's where I wanna work! We don't have enough nurse run clinics in this country!

Ok, maybe the title was a little silly, but I didn't find the wording of the original question offensive or condescending...I think it's a valid question and concern coming from a pre nursing student. Plus I don't want to scare a newbie off. JMHO.

I don't quite understand all of the volatile responses to the OP's question. S/he clearly states that there is a time and place for the use of pharmaceuticals -- no on is denying that. Let's be honest here. We live in a quick fix, fast food nation. Everyone wants a pill for their problems, be it obesity, lack of energy, or the sniffles. We all know that overuse of antibiotics has lead to a very real and very big problem: resistant strains of bacteria. This is because of the overuse of pharmaceuticals in situations where it is not warranted. This is not to say that pharmaceuticals are never necessary. But there are instances when diet, exercise and stress management or some other "natural" remedy can be just as beneficial, perhaps more so, than just popping a pill. Here's a prime example. The other day I had a patient call saying she wanted a pill, reglan, to increase her breastmilk supply. In the same breath, she said she was supplementing with formula so her baby wouldn't be hungry, yet her desire is to exclusively breastfeed for a full 12 months. So, instead of just scheduling her with the MD (who, in a rush to get the patient out of the door in less than 15 minutes would probably just give her the Rx), I felt some education was called for. After providing some over the phone education, I then scheduled her with our lactation consultant. There are scenarios in nursing practice where patient education and "natural" remedies can solve patient problems. Again, this is why I love community/public health. I also believe, as a nurse, that there is a huge lack of focus on prevention in this country and I hope to see that change in the future....