medsurgrn95

I am a CMSRN. Took the exam last summer. I used Lippincott's Review For Medical Surgical Nursing Certification. It was very helpful. I was a member of AMSN. I got all of my hours for recertification already and let my membership lapse. I assume I will be able to re-up my certification in 4 years without trouble.

I regret not having a "real schedule". I rarely know what day it is and miss a lot in people's lives. At the same time it is nice to be able to go do something on a random Tuesday.

My struggle is to be awake in the daytime and sleep at night. Melatonin 1MG po PRN works great for me. Benadryl will knock me out and I'll sleep all night... and then all day. (17 hours! It's crazy.) I plan for when I have to be up in the daytime for special things only. I sleep when I'm tired. I also live alone and have no kids. I have A/C and blackout curtains.

I remember learning in nursing school that you should listen to apical pulse for one full minute. I was on orientation as a new grad, and doing so. First 30 seconds normal rate and rhythm. Second thirty seconds pulse of 140's and irregular. I heard my patient go into afib which had been previously undiagnosed.

I'm starting working on a BSN this summer with an online class. I'm excited about it. I work 12 hour overnight shifts and LOVE it but when I work (usually consecutive) it's going home & sleeping & basically coming back. For me it's do something nice for myself vs. getting enough sleep & making a meal for the next shift. I don't have set days I work so it's hard to take an in person class. I've been on antidepressants before and didn't tolerate them well. I felt kind of numb. It's challenging but I work on it. Thanks for your advice.

My local community college where I got ADN offers it online. Try a community college locally.

What does NOC stand for? I know it's night shift and I work it but what is the acronym? I can't find it online. Thank you :)

We have a new grad on my floor who got hired into days. It totally depends on what's out there. (Though most new grads end up on nights in my setting.)

My community college had an "acceptance list" you had to get C's in english comp, dosage calc, a&P 1&2, and micro and then you would get put on it and it might be a few years out. They didn't care what grades you had before. Good luck.

I'm not sure. I love the money. I needed the ADN to pay off my liberal arts BA. I busted my hump working 2 jobs many hours per week for many years. But I struggle with the work/life balance basically because I don't have a life outside of work. I LOVED having the structure of something to do every day. Not sure what the heck to do with myself when I'm off. I'm starting BSN classes so hoping it helps open up my world.

When I was a kid my mom FORCED me to dress up on the first day of school. It was fourth semester and it was my LAST first day of school EVER (or so I thought at the time) so I dressed up. I was 34. I printed my lecture notes & went into the nursing office to use the 3 hole punch. One of my instructors introduced herself to me & thought I was an adjunct faculty. It was kind of awesome since I want to become a nurse educator someday. She later said I had the vibe. :)

I have songs. I work night shift and have a boatload of songs I sing sometimes quietly outloud. Love "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas "One More Night" by Maroon 5. But when it gets really bad I think in my head the song "Rollin'" by Limp Bizkit. Old school and profane but it keeps me rollin'.

I don't remember my first death but I do remember when I was CNA'ing one time a nurse asked me to help in a room without giving specifics and I introduced myself to the patient before I realized they had passed. Wished they had told me. I also remember doing vitals on someone as a CNA and having them tell me I was one of the "cute" nurses. They passed completely unexpectedly a couple hours later. The RN was panicking thinking she had given the wrong med & I stayed with her & helped her calm down. I won't forget that night.

We are not allowed to schedule overtime but you can call me every day when it's too late to have slept to go in for night shift? Yeah. THANKS. I'd rather be mandated to work overtime or be on call so I can plan my life and KNOW that we are decently staffed every night.

I worked at my facility as a CNA before graduating & passed boards mid week. The shifts I worked as an CNA were paid at that rate, and the RN ones at the RN rate as well. I was SOOO excited to get my first paycheck. I had a consolidation loan that had been in deferment from a previous degree that I didn't know would be due & the lender messed up and didn't do auto payment so I didn't know until they sent me a NASTY late notice. I got that all straightened around but that's where my first paycheck went.