Samm06

Typically primary lines should have a separate connector cap where you can push meds and saline flushes through. If not, then yes you need to disconnect the line, flush with saline, push med, and flush with a new saline syringe before reconnecting the line. (Also, if you have to completely disconnect, make sure you stop the infusion first, and then make sure you put a cap on the primary line so you don’t have to get new tubing due to possible contamination). If you have the saline flushes still capped then you don’t need to worry about contamination. But if you remove the cap, make sure you are actually ready to administer it. I know what you mean by the solumedrol. The vials my hospital carries already have some saline inside (so it’s already reconstituted correctly) and you just push the topper down to release the saline and then shake gently to mix and then pull up the needed amount of mL in a syringe using a blunt needle and then discard the needle before pushing the med through the IV line. *having this questioning attitude is a good thing!!!

I’m working in a small community hospital on a surgical/acuity adaptable unit (we can take Med-Surg and IMC level patients). I’m going into week 3 of being on the unit with my preceptor (for about 1.5 months I’ll be day shift and then the rest of orientation I’ll be on night shift and transition into nights permanently). The first day I followed my preceptor around and did head to toe assessments, passed meds and some documentation. Yesterday was day 5 and I held the phone for coordinating patient care; did all patient care for 2 out of 4 patients (assessments, documentation, coordinating care, calling doctors and pharmacists). It was great experience to do so early on in orientation so I can learn what I need to work on. Had a sit down meeting with my preceptor, manager and nursing educator of the residency program and we discussed my strengths and weaknesses. They want me to start taking all 4 patients’ morning assessments and pass meds on my own with my preceptor there for support so I can learn how to manage my time. I have also done 2 admissions on my own as well. It really is a huge learning curve once you are out of school and actually working. You’ll be great! Just be up front about what your strengths and weaknesses are and your preceptor will help you. And if you think your preceptor is not helpful, advocate for yourself and request someone else.

Personally I don't think it was her business whether i was going to live with a boyfriend or with family. I don't think that should matter when it comes to getting a job. It's not her concern, in my opinion, who or where I live, as long as i make it to work on time and care for my patients. Not every person is the same, i am not those other nurses she lost and she shouldn't judge me for their experiences and situations.

Had an interview with a director of a department and was told to my face that I'm a risk because I planned on moving near the location with my boyfriend. I was then asked if i researched cost of living in the area because their department lost some great nurses due to relationship breakups and those nurses not being able to afford living in that area. I haven't heard back if i got that job, but i'm going to assume I didn't get it. (didn't realize that being truthful about my living situation was a bad thing during interviews, i guess they just want to hear that you live with family; can i even be denied a job because of what i said?)

While I did not graduate as a 4.0 student, my work and school experiences seemed to have helped me land some interviews in Colorado while being an out-of-state applicant. I applied and was granted an interview for the same residency program with Denver-Metro cohort. But, I was declined an interview for the Colorado Springs cohort. I also DID NOT receive a position with UC Health Denver-Metro following a panel interview with 6 people. In addition, I applied for the Centura Health Residency Program (interviewed with Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs and did not receive an offer following a panel interview of 3 people) and I applied for the HealthOne Residency Program (interviewed with Medical Center of Aurora and Sky Ridge Hospital; have yet to receive answers on those interviews). I was invited though to reapply for the October cohorts with UCHealth if i wish. I too know what you mean by looking for regular staff nurse positions and all of them saying you need experience first with the hospitals in Colorado. I feel reluctant to apply for those though since I too just graduated in May. Good Luck with your job search!

My school used VATI as well. However, we had to have a 92% chance of passing nclex. That equals out to be about a 71-73 on the ATI predictor. When i took the ATI predictor i got a 95% chance of passing and got a 73.3 on the predictor. Took NCLEX today and answered all 265 questions. I used uWorld for the past 2 weeks to study once I was finished with the VATI program.

When I originally applied for my current position, I didn't hear about about a possible interview for about 3 weeks. In that 3rd week I called HR and checked on my application and they informed me that at the time they already hired the staff they needed. I was really bummed but I have my original job (a retail position) anyway. So, because of the open communication with the HR recruiter, when another spot for my current position was available, the HR recruiter decided to call me first since we had been in contact with each other. My best advice, call in after about a weeks time to check in on your application and see what they say. If they are unable to provide you with an interview, just thank them for the opportunity.

I'm sure my response is late considering it's already June, however, I had the opportunity to observe a surgery as well. I was able to pick between a hip replacement and knee replacement since we were learning about rehab nursing in med-surg III. I chose to see a knee replacement. It was a pretty cool experience. I was able to watch everything from the first cut to the last stitch. I didn't even get queasy seeing all the blood or hearing the saw cut the bones. I was able to meet my patient in pre-op and followed the entire surgery through post-op and to the unit where I continued to care for the patient until my clinical day was completed. I would give anything to go through that experience again.

I am a Senior nursing student and just took this test out of curiosity after reading this post. My result is ISFJ: "The Defender". All descriptions of this personality type are spot on for me. Part of the description states that my personality type would strive in a field that serves others (like medicine/ nursing). Anyone else with this personality type?

It is so interesting that this post is on here. I am currently reading The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber which is about Charles Cullen and his serial killings. I highly recommend reading this book! I can't put it down.

Hello, I just wanted to start a discussion about where you chose your senior year practicum and what were the benefits and cons to the unit you picked. I have been struggling with myself on where I want to pick because I have told myself many times that I want to become a NICU nurse; however, I have not begun my maternal/baby class yet. I am currently a junior student in a 4 year program and have only completed foundations and Med-surg clinicals. My med-surg clinical this past Fall semester gave us the opportunity to rotate to critical care areas (ICU, CVICU, and the PACU). I really enjoyed my time in the ICU and have been thinking about being a regular ICU nurses instead of a NICU nurse. Again, I just want to know your experiences in the unit you picked for your senior practicum. Thank you, Samm

Hello, I just wanted to start a discussion about where you chose your senior year practicum and what were the benefits and cons to the unit you picked. I have been struggling with myself on where I want to pick because I have told myself many times that I want to become a NICU nurse; however, I have not begun my maternal/baby class yet. I am currently a junior student in a 4 year program and have only completed foundations and Med-surg clinicals. My med-surg clinical this past Fall semester gave us the opportunity to rotate to critical care areas (ICU, CVICU, and the PACU). I really enjoyed my time in the ICU and have been thinking about being a regular ICU nurses instead of a NICU nurse. Again, I just want to know your experiences in the unit you picked for your senior practicum. Thank you, Samm

in my school these were two different classes. You had Growth and Development (which is mandatory for all nursing students) and then there was Developmental Psychopathology (which was considered a level 300 elective course toward your psych major/minor). I enjoyed both classes.

I was just wondering because I live over an hour away but it sounds like a great opportunity, however I would need some kind of income during those 10-weeks

I have looked over the website for the details but I was hoping to gain insight on personal experiences.

Hello everybody, I recently became informed about a Nurse Externship at the Children's Hospital of Philedelphia for 10-weeks in the summer of 2018. My questions are has anyone completed this kind of Externship at this hospital and if so how did you benefit from from this experience? (Also, was it a paid Externship? If you are not from the area do they pay for housing?) Thank you.

Taking extra psych classes should be helpful for you when you take a psych nursing class. I have my psych minor and I'm still taking psychology classes.

Good evening, I am a junior nursing student and will begin to go on clinical rotations in a hospital on various units throughout the semester starting next week. My question is does anyone have any tips or important things that need to be known before a rotation in the ICU, CVSICU, and PACU? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much!

*another question* I did reach out to the instructor who will be teaching the first unit because my friend who just took her class mentioned there will be an exam/quiz during the first week of classes on the last unit they learned in Med-surg 1. I asked the instructor if there is anything they can give me to study and she mentioned that she will be sending out questions to study. So my question is, should I reread the chapters they learned or wait for the specific questions that I will be tested on?

In the program that I attend is a 7 semester program (4-year standard college program), where you start clinical is your freshman spring semester if you're accepted in the freshman fall semester. So the classes go: a special topics class called Nursing World (or something like that) (Freshman Fall Semester), you take the TEAS and pass and get accepted into the program, and then you do a nursing 101 kind of class (like a basic CNA class in the freshman spring semester), and then we take Foundations in the Sophomore fall semester and then Med Surg 1 in the Sophomore Spring semester. Med Surg 2 (the class i failed the first time around) is in the Junior Fall semester and then Med Surg 3 is the Junior Spring Semester. So the textbook we are required to use is just split three ways for each class. The same topic isn't taught twice. So for med surg 2 we learned the rest of the GI system (one unit-instructor 1) (as a continuation from Med-Surg 1), then go to respiratory (one unit-instructor 2), then urinary system (one unit- instructor 1), then cardiac (which was two units-instructor 2 for both units), and finally altered peripheral tissue perfusion (one unit-instructor 1). So this going back and forth literally every other unit just hurt me!!! and honestly I just think i have test-taking anxiety and can't focus when I am trying to study for an exam. I know I am a visual learner. I've taken several tests and each time it tells me I'm visual. I tried some youtube videos a few times but I plan on using them a lot more this time around and try to take notes as I watch them. I take a lot of notes in class too. And I bought some of the Demystified series books, and I recently was gifted the Davis Med-Surg success workbook. So hopefully all these resources will be helpful.

I worked close with the instructor during the first time I took the class. I also had to go through remediation for every exam except for one. We actually have two different instructors depending on the topic we are learning. Switching between instructors really throws me off so it was hard to study one way and then have to change it up again two weeks later. But no excuse! I am going to strive to do better this time around. Thank you for the advice. I will take everything you mentioned into consideration.

Thank you for the advice. I will take everything you mentioned into consideration.

Thank you for the advice! I will take everything you mentioned into consideration.

Hello, Long story short, I have to repeat Med-Surg 2 (it's been a whole year since I took the class) starting in late August. A student informed me that the instructor may have an exam on the last material they learned in Med-Surg 1(also they used a new textbook than what I used during the first time I took the class, but i did buy the new textbook), possibly during the first or second week of classes. I have not looked over a single thing this summer break but I need to start now so I am not struggling come August. Does anyone have any advice for motivating myself to want to look over any material. I am not the type to just open the textbook and start reading material. I know there are videos out there. Can anyone recommend a great youtube channel or website for some studying tips? Thank you for your responses. ~samm~

I just completed a End-of-life care college class with my nursing school. I enjoyed the class very much. We were taught how to be compassionate and empathetic to the patient and family. At the end of the class we had a simulation day where we were put into different scenarios and had to use what we learned from the class to communicate effectively to patients and their families. I enjoyed reading your article as well.