hegster

I've taken that test a dozen times, and I'm always an INTJ. I used to be a computer programmer, but I got bored and went to nursing school. Funny that everyone says INTJs don't make good nurses... I see lots of them here! I work Critical Care, and it seems to suit me. Plan to go back for an FNP at some point and work rural health.

I was gifted some adorable print scrubs for graduation from a very dear neighbor. I can't wear them because I have to wear a uniform for my new job. Should I tell the neighbor and risk hurting their feelings or just say thank you? I can't return them because there was no receipt in the bag. I have no idea where they were purchased from! I'm conflicted!

If you already have a bachelor's degree, getting an ADN doesn't really make sense. Look for a 2nd degree BSN program, or simply transfer into a 4 year program as a junior. Look specifically at state schools, they are less expensive. You'll have to take a bunch of prereqs unless your first degree is in the sciences. Knock them out at a local community college, it's much cheaper.

Danskos used to be good, but they aren't any more. Try Sanitas instead--they cost less than Dansko, and are a much better shoe (they were once the same company, but Dankso moved production to China). FWIW, some people don't like clogs at all. Unfortunately, shoes are a very personal choice. A shoe that I love, you may hate--and vice versa. If there is a uniform store near you, you might go there and try some on before you decide what to purchase, especially if you are purchasing online. Some of my coworkers swear by Allegras, but they are too wide for my narrow feet. And yes, they most likely mean clogs with an open back--a closed heel clog should be fine. That's what I wear at work and what I bought for my clinicals.

littlemango has some good advice. Honestly, I thought a good TEAS score and a good science GPA, along with my job in healthcare probably got me into the program. However, hearing from some of those that were waitlisted who had similar scores... I'm not so sure that was the magic formula. Reading over my essays, they don't have a whole lot of pizazz--they are short and sweet and to the point. But they do stress that I am a highly dedicated and motivated individual with a passion for nursing. So I do think they take a look at the whole picture and not any one thing. Work on making yourself an all-around good candidate and I think you'll have a good shot. Good luck!

Really, it would depend on who else applies that semester. If everyone else that applies has a 3.7 and you have a 3.0... then yes, you might have an issue. Realistically though, that won't happen. GPAs are likely to fall all across the board, probably more falling into the middle range than above or below. Of course the higher your GPA the better you look, but I'm sure they also take a look at your resume, your history as a student, your healthcare experience, etc. They're looking at the whole package, not just one single number.

Some people seem unwilling to share this information, so I'm not sure how much of a response you'll get... The admission requirements on the website are: Overall GPA >= 3.0, Science GPA >= 3.0, and TEAS score >= 70%. If you are above those numbers, you should be a competitive candidate.

I was trying to make the same decision a few months ago. I got a job in a hospital as a PCT and applied for the Spring BSN term. The PA schools in my area only take Fall admissions, and I did not yet have enough patient contact (800-1200 hours) this past Fall. Yes, RNs and PAs have very different roles, but I was interested in going on as an NP--which is closer to a PA. While working in the hospital, I had the chance to see how the NPs and the PAs work--and it's quite different. The NPs have far more patient interaction, while the PAs are more like doctors and just do daily rounding. They are very similar in my state in regards to what they actually do, but the clincher for me was that NPs can practice autonomously, while PAs must work under a doctor. That was how I came to my decision--well, that and being accepted to my top BSN program this Spring--but you might feel differently. I would recommend shadowing both to get an idea of how they work. Good luck!

Nursing care is about teamwork. It's also prioritizing your tasks. I'm curious: what do you say (for example) when a nurse asks, perhaps rudely, for you to get a patient off the commode and you are busy? I would smile and say, "I'm sorry, I'm busy doing ____ right now. Can it wait?/Can you assist?" There will always be lazy nurses and lazy techs. Hopefully they are few and far between, but not always. If you tell them that you are busy, normally they will step up and do it because they know it needs to be done. If they don't, that's another issue entirely--and one you should bring up with your charge nurse. You can't be expected to be everywhere at once and do all the tasks patient care requires. You are a nursing assistant, after all--you assist the nurse in the duties of patient care, it is their primary responsibility that the duties are done. If the tech is busy... it becomes the nurse's job.

As others have said, if you don't know something--ask. I changed careers to healthcare this summer, and started working as a tech on a hospital floor. I had no idea what anything was when they asked me to get it out of the utility closet for the first few months, and there was a lot I had to learn how to do. So first, go into your utility closet and look at all the bins. There is usually a method to the madness--all the IV supplies will be in one section, all the dressings in another, all the respiratory-related care in another, etc. If you know that something is a dressing and you know what the name of it is, you can focus your search in the correct area, at least. Second, don't be afraid to say, "I'm sorry, I don't know what that is. Can you tell me where to find it?" and/or grab the first nurse/tech you see that isn't busy and say, "So and so asked me for ____, but I'm not sure where to find it. Can you help me?" Some things you learn the hard way. I had a nurse ask me for "D5 half normal saline", and it took the run around with Materials before I realized that it was in our utility closet all along and the nurse just didn't know where to find it. Now I know and I also know that it's right between the normal saline and the D5. Method to the madness, see? About the BP... it takes practice. I've never done a manual BP on our unit. I don't even think we have a manual cuff! When you have some downtime, find that nurse that had no problem getting the BP on the patient and say, "Hey, I noticed you're great at getting a manual BP. I'm having a hard time with it, would you mind teaching me if you have some time?" This goes for any tasks you may be given--ask for help. If a tech isn't available, the nurse knows how to do everything you do. You'd be surprised how happy people are to help when you ask for it. For those that are nasty about it: be pleasant, smile, be quick to apologize for your lack of knowledge. Basically it boils down to: be humble, admit when you don't know something, ask for help. It is not a failure that you don't know, you just haven't been taught.

You can search the bookstore website, but I only found three of our five classes listed for Spring. I'm waiting until I get my welcome letter and register for classes, because I don't want to buy the wrong books. I'll definitely be buying used somewhere.

40 for Shady Grove/80 for Baltimore, according to the website. However, who knows how many have been accepted and aren't on AllNurses and/or Facebook. There's really no way to tell.

I was hoping to take it locally at a high school in my area. I went to the CELP website and paid for it, but I have to call the school to schedule a test date. I bought the study guide, I just need to read it over before I schedule my test! I'll take it sometime in December. I don't suppose there's much time to retake it if I don't pass, but I'm thinking positive...

I haven't started school yet, but my 12-hour PCT shift starts at 6:45am, so I'm familiar with the problem. Many people I work with don't eat until 9-10am (!!!!). I could never do that. While driving into work, I have my coffee (a necessity), and either peanut butter OR egg and cheese on a whole wheat English muffin. The fat, protein, and fiber keep me going until I can snack when everyone else is eating at 10am. It's pretty simple to make, I whip it up in the ten minutes it takes to brew my coffee and pack my lunch. Good luck!

I would probably either email my director and ask for a time I could come in to speak with her during the day, or just come in during the day when I knew she'd be there and pop into her office. It really depends on your director, your working relationship, and your work environment. My director has what's pretty much an open-door policy, so I'd just come by during day shift to speak with her without sending the email first. Yours might be different. Although it's probably not a big deal, I'd prefer to talk to her about it in person rather than sending an impersonal email. But that's just me. Good luck!