aarnigo

Hello! I'm a new grad starting my first nursing job at an outpatient dialysis unit. This might seem really silly, but I need help cannulating patients with fistulas and grafts. Sometimes I get them, and sometimes I don't - some other time I just need to push the needle further to get a backflow. I had instances where patients have weak pulses and backflows won't show initially. I guess my confidence is just at a low because of this and would like to hear tips on how to better stick patients. My preceptor have taught me to hold the fistula/graft - i've seen people pull the skin taut with their thumb and index finger. Sometimes I wonder if I'm pushing the needle way too superficial or if I'm not pushing it deep enough to reach the access. Even with removing the needles, I have a hard time timing the pressure with the gauze and the removal of the needle while engaging the lock. I know it's going to take a lot of practice, but I would like to hear what everyone has done to make these tasks easier for you! PLEASE HELP! :(

Hello! I recently graduated with an ADN and I am very concern about how I'll have my resume set up. I have no nursing experience whatsoever besides my clinical rotations. I have clerical/shift supervisor, waitress, and some work study experiences, though. How do I prevent my resume from being sent straight to the trash bin? Any advice is appreciated!

It's okay! This will only make me stronger, haha! I might be! But then again, I don't have any life qualifying events, like the ones you mentioned, so I still don't qualify for coverage outside the enrollment. I am also low-income, so low that they actually questioned it!

Hello, everyone! So I called the school and they weren't really offering any sort of health insurance. I believe it's because of a law (I'm in NJ) that was passed 3 years ago saying that (full-time) students aren't required to purchase one from the school so they stopped offering it entirely. I cannot use Einsurance.com as well because all they offer outside of open enrollment is a short term insurance which they don't allow in my state (THE STRUGGLE). My admission all depends on getting hired in a job that offers health insurance! I'm not sure what will happen, I'm trying to remain hopeful, but also thinking of having a back-up plan. I cried for two days because of this, haha! Thank you for helping me out!

This is my exact problem as well! OP, if you've figured it out, can you please share it with me?

I've been thinking of doing that as well. It's required before all students start their clinicals. I'm just afraid I wouldn't be able to afford it.

I will check them out. Thank you!

Hello! I need help/information about health insurance. I recently got into my college's nursing program and was asked to provide a copy of my health insurance card. The problem is I don't have one and I don't know how to get one. I did try to sign up from healthcare.gov, but it isn't certain that I'll be eligible for the late enrollment. I am a legal resident, but I heard you must be at least been in the US for 5 years (I've only been here for four years!). I don't think my school offers it as well. My best bet would be applying for an individual health insurance, but I don't know where to do it or to even start, let alone paying for it. Does anyone know where I can get health insurance for a less expensive cost? I'm sorry for whining, I just don't want this to be the reason to stop me from starting nursing.

I agree for number 7 so so much. Not that I'm selfish, it's just that having a peer group/group study whom you share and exchange knowledge with is different from students who simply asks for answers "just to pass this class". I don't understand. They said they wanted to be nurses, how are they going to go through all the tougher part of nursing school if all they want is to "just pass the class"?

Congratulations on your acceptance! I have almost the same situation as yours and I'm feeling really worried as well. People keep recommending me to apply to other schools but it isn't as easy as that because of the prerequisites. In my community college, what they do is point system so at least I have that going for me

I used to record lectures on my Sony recorder, that worked very well on me! Except for the slides and my notes, another thing was simply reading the chapters, and having to do chunks of work everyday--like pieces of questions for practice. Although I never tried, I think flash cards would be great especially for anatomy.

Hello! I currently started taking Pharmacology and for this past few class meetings and readings I realized that I needed to know something about drugs and infos about them so I'm thinking maybe drug reference books are my go-to. Does anyone have any drug books to recommend? And based on your experience, what should be in the drug reference books, what kind of informations I mean. Thank you so much!

Yes, I've been checking other nursing programs, too. Thank you so much!

Hello! Yes, I do want to be a nurse. The prerequisites are the same, but before students can still take the prerequisites until the spring semester and now they changed this up to fall. I tried applying for this coming semester and weren't notified by the changes. Thank you so much! I really, really need that. I think it pressures me more because me and my advisor works at the same department at school. But thanks so much!

It is a recent decision of mine, but even before I start with the general education requirements I was taking remedial classes and did not really affect anything--only the status of my major. I've also only followed the curriculum design for the school's nursing program instead of the general science major as what I said, the school require students to enroll for the said major to know which students are trying to get into any of their nursing and other health care programs but it was not necessary to get the degree from the said major. The 41 credits were also relevant as they were still required at most programs I've checked out. And about that I also did my research on the other requirements and most of them are to take the TEAS V. My GPA is 3.9. I haven't contacted anyone to be honest as I'm really frustrated at what to do next. But like what the other person from the thread said, I feel like they just want me to graduate to boost up the school's graduation rate. Thank you so much!!

I believe the same way about the graduation rates, she mentioned how I really need to get out of the school as I've been there for 2 years plus this coming fall.

Yes, I believe it is an Associate Degree in Science. I have completed 41 credits--that includes my English, math, history, psychology, and science courses. All I have left is Microbiology, English composition II, and Sociology. What she recommended are a clep exam for biology (8 cr), 2 labscience (8), plus the eng literature (3) which totals into 19 credits for the certificate. I am really torn between her recommendations and what I want to do as I am also interested in taking a class for pathophysiology & pharmacology.

Hello! I'm a pre-nursing student from my local community college. I am currently majoring in General Science--which all students trying to pursue a career in health care have. Please bear with me as I explain my situation. I've been called by my school's academic advisement and have been told that I have 19 more credits to finish a certificate for Gen Sci. The person I talked to wants me to take 4 more labscience courses and an english lit class to get a certificate I believe I don't really need. The thing is that the person wants me to take the CLEP exam for biology before this coming fall semester start so I could graduate next year (by then I should've finished the last 2 labscience courses and eng lit). I have no problem studying for a month starting at the beginning of August and taking the test at the last scheduled day for the same month. But what I want to know is that if it'll be worth it doing all that she have told me. I know that it was a recommendation from a person who's expert at their job, but I believe finishing my community college's nursing program prereqs and gen. ed. requirements would be good enough. I should be done with all the courses by fall, but then this happened. I am caught between following the person's recommendation and not. Go for it as the certificate could also be used to transfer to a different school, but then all I need is the prereqs to be equivalent to other school's courses. I really need people's advisement on this! PS. I go to Essex County College (Nursing students from the same community college, it would be really great to hear from you!).

Hello! I'm a pre-nursing student who recently passed my A&P courses nicely! (I don't know how else to describe that, haha!) Anyway, I never purchased any other study resources for A&P except for my textbook. I mostly read the incoming chapter before class and record the whole lecture using a recorder--since writing down notes while listening to professors doesn't work so well for me (this would also be great if the slides used by professors are distributed to students). The recorder works well and not. A whole 3-hour lecture would be so inconvenient if the student have a tight schedule (work, kids, etc.), though it might work for chunks of reviews--listening to records while driving or commuting to school, on breaks, or if the student wants to clarify something from the lecture. Another is that I review my notes on my slides, listen to lectures, and then explain everything to myself out loud or by writing them down. Sorry if this isn't the answer you expected! Nonetheless, I wish you the best on your A&P class!

Oh no.. I'm sorry if I offended you. I think the best way to know is ask people from the math department, this way you wouldn't surprise yourself over the course. Best of luck!!

Hello! I am taking all my prerequisites prior to entering the nursing program in my school. I already applied, but still thinking if I should go for it this year or next year. So please bear with me while I summarize my situation. I took all remedial classes (HS math, eng, etc) on my first 3 semesters at my college. I never took an SAT or those kind of things because I migrated from another country. While that didn't really matter, I had to rush in and take the rest of my pre-reqs SPRING 2015 just to get in to the program for FALL 2015. I already sent an application which I don't very much fuss about because admission to the program depends mostly on our GPA, TEAS V results, and residency. The thing is that, I still have GEN. ED. classes (microbiology, sociology, etc) to take, and if I ever got into our nursing program, I was afraid that I would flunk my nursing courses and gen ed classes because of the workload. And another thing is that because I'm hesitant, I'm not so sure if I should study now and take the TEAS. To only realize I'm not ready for everything and waste time doesn't seem good to me. So any tips for this kind of situation would really help.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Cannot wait to feel the same way!! Ahh!

Hello! I have not really experienced what you're going through, so I'm really for that. I would say automatically that if you're hesitating about it right now, then you should really retake them. You wouldn't want to go for Statistics and withdraw/drop the course in the middle of the semester (which I did for my chemistry)--it feels terrible! You also said that you hate Algebra and sort-of lacks time, so there's that to worry about. If you ever decided to go for Statistics right away, there's always the college's learning center and tutors you can ask for help. I don't think students can get by any courses by taking it lightly. You should at least put a little effort in it.