sonja77

I graduated in May and applied during Spring Break. I had 2 job offers and accepted one of them by the time I graduated.

Of course I assess my patients at the beginning of every shift. I listen to their heart, lungs, abdomen; check their pulses; check for edema in the lower legs/feet ans ask them about last bm. Then I focus in on their problem area (why they are in the hospital). If I have a 50 year old that's in with COPD exac., I will focus on their lungs (listen front and back from top to bottom of lungs, ask about coughing (productive/nonproductive), do they get SOB when getting OOB? ....). I won't check the pupils on a pt. like that. If a pt. is in with TIA, r/o CVA, I won't listen to their lungs front and back from top to bottom, I also won't be asking him about coughing. Instead I will be doing neuro checks.

I think it was 144 clinical hours per clinical class. You get credit for the community service you have to do; so I ended up doing 2 12-hour clinicals per week. And you have assignments due every week so you don't get to choose when you do the clinicals during those 5 weeks, you have to do at least 2 days (if 12 hour shifts) or 3 days (if 8 hour shifts) per week. And then you have to work and find time to do the assignments .... For me, the clinical portion was the hardest time during the program.

I've had the same experience. The question whether shock before an MD arrives (usually the ER MD) has never presented itself; by the time the crash cart gets to the room and everything is hooked up, the code team has already arrived.

I'm in TX, I took the NCLEX on 6/28. I got the good pop-up and the quick results confirmed that I passed. It's now 12 days later and the BON still has not posted my license!! Why is it taking so long??

Yes, I'm in TX. Yes, as an LVN, an RN always added "I agree with above assessment" to my nurses notes. I have been working in my current facility for 5 years and I am one of the most experienced nurses on my floor (IMC). I am going to keep my same spot/job as an RN. I have talked to my unit supervisor and my director of education and nobody quite knows what to do with me. I am not gonna be "in orientation" due to my experience. I searched the BON website but can't really find an answer to my question "does an RN still have to add "agree with above ..." Same goes for discharge paperwork, as an LVN I always had an RN sign the discharge instructions for the patient. Can I sign the discharge instructions now as a GN?? I'll take the NCLEX-RN at the end of June, so hopefully all this won't be an issue anymore! :)

Talk to your unit manager and see if they can put you in the ER, day surgery, GI lab, .... for one or two shifts where you first can observe and then try to start IVs. Starting IVs is a skill that's learned on the job, not in nursing school.

I'm currently an LVN, just finished a LVN-RN program, and I just received my GN permit. As an LVN, I always have an RN sign my charting, do I have to do the same as GN or can a GN sign/chart just like an RN?

Proctored exams?? Really?? None of my exams were proctored!

I bought all my books through Amazon.com and didn't have any problems. Just make sure you get the right ISBN because some classes require the textbook with CD/DVD.

We have K replacement protocol, but we can only use it if the pt's BUN and Creat are normal. So that would disqualify any HD patient right away.

If I remember correctly a lot of the classes have exams weekly or every other week. Like I said before, there is a lot of time involved: reading/studying and doing assignments. The program is not very difficult and can be completed if you have the time available to do the required work. I also work full time (7 12-shifts in 2 weeks) and I have a husband and a 13 year-old son. I am grateful that my son is old enough; I don't know if I would have made it through the program with small children.

Congrats on getting accepted!! :) They changed all the textbooks in the class starting after mine, so my books wouldn't help you. You can download a list with all the required textbooks online and then look for the books on sites that sell used books; that's probably gonna be your cheapest option. The assignments and case studies are not very difficult, just very time-consuming; so make sure you start early enough and give yourself enough time.

I have 2 more months left in the program, I'll graduate in May! :) You have to take 2 HESI tests. I took the first one 2 weeks ago. You get a conversion score that equals a percentage, e.g. my HESI score was a 1072, which converted to 93.98%, meaning I get a 94 for that test. The first HESI test is worth 30% and the second one is worth 70%. This is the grade for your nursing review class (RNSG 2230). I used an NCLEX-RN review book and a HURST review (a friend gave me her notes) to study.

I can't wait! I can type a whole lot faster than I can write! :cheers: