jwrightstone

Things get busy at times in fact most of the time. In reguards to the dressing depending on what the drainage looked like and if it had an odor you may have wanted to call the doctor, if it was less than 24 hours post op we only reinforce it. If it was over 24 hours I would have changed it. I do not know how your floor is but in our unit if one person is having a rough night they ask for help and someone else will help change the PICC dsg or do something else so you can complete all you tasks. We all for the most part try to leave the room and the patient the way we want to take them over. I hate giving report and telling the next nurse all the things that I did not get to, but sometimes you have those nights. Good luck!

I started last May with 3 other new grads and we are all 4 still there and for the most part loving it. We are in ICU and had a great orientation and the fellow nurses have all been wonderful!

I have to say that I truley love my job. I graduated in May passed boards in July and have been working in a 16 bed ICU since mid May. The staff has been wonderful, of course there have been moments and some are more difficult than others but I have found that my psyc and theraputic communication has helped me to deal with cranky Dr at 2am and uncooperative coworkers just as much as it has with my patients. I have already learned so much and know that I have much more to learn. I never hesitate to ask a question even if the staff seems unapproachable it really is in the way you ask. It is also so important to know what you know and even more important to know what you don't know and not be afarid to admit it and ask for help. I have never asked for help and not been able to find someone to help. I have at times gotten a sigh or a frustrated comment but I always try to do it on their time if patient safety is not at stake. I am always very thankful even if I received attitude to start with and I let them know that I may be frustrating for them but that my patient is my main concern not my pride. Taking it with a smile and trying to understand their point of view has really made it easy for me. I know that I work with some very talented and knowledegable people and I try to use their skills and knowledge to help make me a better nurse. I also am always the first person to offer help to any staff from CNA, unit sec. or any other RN and that helps to keep them patient with me. It is really to the point now where they know if I ask I need advice of assistance and they are all more than willing to help. Also try to be attentive to who and when you approach some people are just not AM / PM people of some tend to be more task oriented and do not do well if you interupt them in the middle of something. I know that everyone is not lucky enough to have people around them that truley want them to succeed and I think if you get in an environment where they are not willing to help you then keep looking because there are great places out there to work and you really want you first job in nursing to be a positive one. Just keep in mind we are all human and try to stay out of the gossip ring it will only bring you down and make you wonder what may be said behind or back. Best of luck to you! sorry for any spelling errors I have just worked 16 hours and been up over 24 hours!

I am so sorry this has nothing to do with this thread but I am unsure where I can find general infomation about this site. Can anyone tell me what it means when someone sends a response that simply says "bump" Thank you so much for your help

I just gradusted in May and took my exam on the 9th of August. I began studying a little over a month before my exam I used the comprehensive review book and read it cover to cover. I did take on Kaplan test and got a 72% on it. Saunders was great for picking out the bullet points of all topics so I didn't have to use multiple sources. I passed the NCLEX in 45 minutes with 75 questions. I left feeling like I had failed and even now really feel like I wasted time studying. My test was nearly all prioritizing questions I did not have one disease process question. It was a major challenge cut I feel that school is truly what prepared me and not my last minutes studying. Saunders is the book that I would recommend due to it covering everything in easy to understand and short chapters. It was easy to set a goal of a certain number of pages and questions a night and sticking to it. Best of luck to you!

Good luck to you! I just took mine today as well. The other people in my class that have already taken it all know within 48 hours of their computer shutting off. Some even knew the next night. They post the scores twice a day once in the morning and once sometime in the evening. You can go to the department of the State of PA and click on licensing and verify a license or go to http://www.licensepa.state.pa.us/defaut.asp Again good luck!

Clonidine is an antihypertensive that is also used for pain control as well as the management of opioid withdrawl. I don't know anything about crushing it I have seen an uncoated tablet form that should be crushable. Often times they will give the med even if the BP is border line if it is being used for other causes such as the treatment of withdrawl.

I graduated from an ADN program this May and started working in the ICU as a GN the next week. All GNs at this hospital make 20.50 an hour to start. Once we are out of orientation we get a .50 raise and those of us in specialty areas will start to see increases as we begin to care for more complex patients. Nights shift diff of 1.50 and weekend diff of 3.00. The hospital paid for all of my schooling (I was not an employee there prior to May - I owe them 2 years now) The are now putting me thought the Critical Care courses and ACLS. I am on orientation for a total of 16 weeks and then on my own. They are also paying up to $15,000 in student loans in $5,000 a year increments. I love it so far it is exactly what I was looking for. I live in South Central PA.