crNAtion

Sherry, why don't you take a break to...recharge your batteries.

Hey guys, I'm Alex from Boise, Idaho. I'm a Med-Surg select taking the six year option. Still working out plans for my commissioning. COT in January, NTP in Tampa, then orders to SAMMC. Congratulations to everyone. akracht--thanks for starting the FB page. Looking forward to meeting you all!

I have a family member who benefits from regular visits from a home health nurse. It's easier to have someone who can travel to him rather than having to get into a car, drive to a clinic, and move around more than he can tolerate. As healthcare and technology evolve, we are finding ways to save money and prevent illness by keeping clients out of the hospital and in their home, as well as discharging clients quicker from the hospital. This will dramatically change the way home health care agencies operate--especially in rural areas. In what ways, good or bad, will this affect home health nursing? What services will be provided in the home in the future?

Although I have now graduated from my BSN program, I really felt for those nursing students who struggled to find work that related to the nursing field. For example, some states allow you work as a nurse technician during your nursing program until you obtain your degree. Of course, there are opportunities to work as a CNA/LPN depending on the state in which you work. Then again, it's hard for most students to gain part-time work as a CNA/LPN during the summer on breaks from school (unless they live close to where they go to school and can maintain that job throughout the school year). Are there any other ideas for jobs that nursing students specifically could benefit from? Retail gets old, fast.

It is my dream to one day work as a CRNA. What are some suggestions you guys have to prepare myself for this career field. I understand it takes a solid foundation in critical-care nursing before you are even able to apply to most CRNA programs. I plan to work in an ICU within the next few years to gain experience in this area of nursing. For those of you who are following a similar path, are currently in CRNA school, or are established nurse anesthetists already, what are your suggestions? Any advice on challenges you experienced, certifications to get, programs to look into, things to study, classes to take (or retake) to improve chances of getting accepted to CRNA school?

I've seen a few agency nurses on my unit, and I'm impressed with the work they do. I'm interested in learning what it's like to be an agency nurse. Does anyone have a testimonial? I can't imagine moving from place to place, and trying to make friends along they way. It must be hard to develop trust amongst the regular staff because they know you are new and that you likely won't be staying there long. Not to mention all of the learning you guys do on the fly because no two hospitals are the same. How do you guys do it?

Alright, as nurses we are exposed to a LOT of humorous situations (especially all you ER nurses). Maybe it's a funny joke or encounter with a patient, family member, or fellow coworker. I'm sure you guys have some great ones. While maintaining confidentiality/patient privacy, let's hear 'em!

I'm curious how you guys approach patient education with clients who do not seem to care about learning how to manage or prevent exacerbation of their illness. I'm especially with clients who are readmitted frequently for chronic health problems like heart failure, COPD, diabetic crises, etc. Many of these patients are readmitted within 30 days of discharge from the hospital because of poor self-management of their health. We are finally instituting reimbursement penalties for some of these situations so that healthcare providers have an incentive to keep patients healthy and out of the hospital by instructing them accordingly. What can we realistically expect from these clients when teaching them about their disease?

HIPAA is a fundamental principle for nurses to understand in protecting the privacy of our clients. We have to be aware of the ways in which information can accidentally be leaked, or visitors can present threats to the safety of our clients. For example, I never understood how a person could just waltz in through the doors to a hospital unit, walk into a patient's room, and potentially harm the client. I know some defenses are in place: locked doors, unit clerks and other staff to ask the person who they are and why they are there, passwords to access certain rooms, etc. However, if these defenses aren't in place (which they often are not for practical/financial reasons), many patients in the hospital are easily accessible and vulnerable to such threats. How can we reconcile not sharing information over the telephone to a stranger who claims to be a friend/family member when we will let any Tom, Dick, or Harry visit the patient in person when they're claiming the same thing? What are your thoughts on this?

Does anyone have any ideas for NCLEX-RN review tips? I know all sorts of different programs exist, but which one(s) would you guys recommend?