Calypsocat

As a nurse who had a bully of an instructor, I'm begging you to say something to someone with power (school dean, site coordinator, etc). My 6 months with this instructor was torture. She frequently singled me out in class and clinicals with questions and scenarios that she knew I could not possibly answer and would laugh at my attempts to answer her questions. (One question: you have two patients choking and you are all by yourself, which one do you save. No further info. Not what do you do, just which one do you save and which one do you allow to die.) Second suggestion: If you get to work with one of her students during their clinical time on your floor, if he/she does something well, praise them. Somedays the only positive thing I heard during clinicals was from the overworked nurse I was working with. My classmates and I made a point of banding together and cheering each other on when we were together. 30 people entered my nursing class and despite this nasty professor, 27 of us graduated. She was supposed to pin us at graduation, but my class refused to let her. We pinned each other.

NCLEX pass rate at my school varies between 95 and 100% depending on the year.

75 to stay alive! Except in Dose Calc where 85 was min and you had to get a 100% on the final or you flunked. We lost 5 people from Dose Calc final alone. Seemed unfair at the time, but I agree with it now. Med admin requires accurate, not good enough. One wrong dose/calc could equal a dead patient. Seems harsh, but it's true. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for responding maryjean. I also have 11 years experience as an EMT, so I guess I do know a couple things about sick kids. I am just scared that the parents are going to want me off the case because of the NGT removal at 2 this morning. It only happened once and they seem like nice people, but I feel awful about it. I tend to be very critical of myself, which is probably at least half the problem. Nothing super bad happened after it came out. Just crying (baby, not me although I felt like it), no bleeding or resp distress, etc. Mom got the tube replaced pretty easily. I just want to give these kids the very best care possible and make the families' lives as easy as possible. Stress, my old nemesis, had found me again! Grrrrr!

I am an LPN who started Pediatric Home Health Nursing in February 2013. Left geriatrics because adults drive me batty. So far, I love Peds one on one nursing. My husband and I are unable to have kids (5 miscarriages ?de1e), so I don't have much experience with kids. Any advice for the new girl in Kiddotown? So far the biggest problem I have had (actually happened tonight) is I have a 23 month old with an NGT that came out when I was changing his onesie following a massive BM blowout. I had to wake the parents to reinsert the NGT (their rule is only they change the tube). How do I keep this from happening in the future? Any other tricks of the trade are very welcome. Thanks!