sandys

I started out of school at the surgicenter at our hospital. Absolutely loved it, but my job did not have benefits. My husband started his own business so I needed a job with benefits. I needed the M-F days schedule so I took a posiiton at our IM ...

We check medical history, assess the patient, NPO status, vitals, labs, anxiety, start IV, possibly premeds such as reglan or an antibiotic. If you get postop patients as well, you'll be busy monitoring them and checking in new patients as well. ...

Most of all, do not go into nursing if you do not fully understand what it is and if it is not your passion. Do not choose nursing if you just want to make decent money, if you do not LOVE caring for people and educating people, don't choose nursin...

I've been in practice a year and have never had a needle stick. The needles we use for IV starts and IM/subcu injections all have safety devices. We do occasionally use needles that do not have safety devices, but I am always aware and am extreme...

We use Zofran with LR all the time. The Merck web site states that it is compatible as well. Never been a problem. I work in a pre and post surgical unit so all we hang is LR, that is what patient's come back to us with and Zofran is our first c...

There will continue to be so much to know and remember and eventually implement. As a new grad orienting to my unit, I am most frustrated by things that I miss and KNEW I should know. There is just SO much to know and remember and often it is one...

While there is a nursing shortage it seems unwise to require more years of schooling to become a nurse, but it is confusing to most people that there are so many different ways to become an RN. For the most part all of the core requirements to be a n...

If I can remember to put Cetaphil lotion on my hands every night before I go to bed, I notice a huge difference in my skin. I like it becausse it's not one of those really heavy, greasy lotions and it still works well. The trick is I have to reme...

Pretty much as others have stated. Take vitals, ask pre-op questions, antibiotics if ordered, start an IV, for cataract patients there's a whole series of drops. We also get our same-day patients back and recover them which includes vitals every ...

Do be honest about your knowledge, what you do and don't know. Be an advocate for your own education; when there's a procedure, diagnosis, IV start whatever that you want to do or watch, speak up and ask if you can do it, watch it, whatever the cas...

I took Kaplan and passed NCLEX this week. While I liked Kaplan and thought their strategies for answering questions was good, I really didn't use them on the exam. I would get a couple of good review books and just stick with those if I had to do...

Took mine yesterday, it shut off at 75, and thought I failed too, but I didn't!!!! It was a horrible test. I felt like I guessed on the majority of the questions, did not know the meds they specifically asked about, just felt pretty crappy about ...

I took it today also and it shut off at 75. I also know of 6 other people in my class who also got 75 and all have passed. I DID NOT LIKE the questions I had, way to many SATA, way, way too many! I am on pins and needles until I know. Good lu...

I am a new graduate, taking NCLEX next Tuesday (yikes)! I feel very competent in my ability to care for med-surg patients. Know how to treat a patient with a fever, muscle aches, loss of appetite, etc. My 12-year-old however makes me feel like I...

Thanks everyone. He's doing a little better today. It just surprised me that I didn't have a better idea how to help him! What have I been doing the past four years in school! lol.

Pretty unfair to lump all new nurses into the same category. Sorry you have encountered some bad examples. I would NEVER say that all "old" nurses are rude and burnt out just because I have experienced several like that.

Glad you found a place that makes you happy. I would think there is a reason that new grads are in the positions they are in. They must be competent enough to get hired into those positions and I doubt they are getting hired over the more experie...

I just had my last clinical day today! When I was part of a clinical group we were still assigned a specific patient, would go in the night before and gather our information about them so we could look up anything we did not know and all of the medic...

I am having whatever amount of family here for the ceremonies, but it is most important to me and my husband and kids to finally be at this point! I have been working on my BSN for close to 7 years, always taking my classes around my kids schedules...

Ummm, yeah, I'll be crying! I will also be investing in waterproof mascara! I am such a sap, I cry at everything! That has probably been my biggest challenge in nursing school, to not cry at the emotional stuff. It's kind of funny but the on...

Hi all, I am a Senior nursing student, graduating in June. I am feeling a huge need to vent about bad preceptors for clinicals. I was placed this term with a nurse with a bad reputation. She is an extremely experienced nurse with a huge amount...

High risk and high stress or not, there's no excuse for being rude or condescending to your patients. If you can't do your job and be pleasant to people, you might want to consider another department. The med/surg department at the hospital I am doin...

I'd choose #1 hands down. No commute, it'll save you money, they obviously are happy with the work you do and you already know the ins and outs of the place. There's always an adjustment period when switch jobs, I'd go with what was familiar.

June 2008.... BSN 7 years in the making!!!!!! :balloons::cheers::w00t:

Not necessarily plus size, but have wide feet. Danskos tend to be a little narrow for me. I love mine, but have worked hard at getting them broke in. At first I'd just wear them a couple of hours at a time.