WishfulThinkingRN

Make some connections with the nurses in your ICU. If you can get some charge nurse experience under your belt, that's a huge bonus and will open a lot of doors for you. Getting into a step-down unit is also a good option. This shows you can handle sicker patients, and also lets you interact with nurses in the ICU a bit more frequently, ie during report/transfers. I spent a couple of years on a surgical unit in a large hospital, and was a charge nurse for my last year there. I made it a point to get to know a lot of the other charge nurses, not just the ICU CNs, because a) when crap hits the fan, sometimes it's nice to have another CN on another floor to call for help and/or advice and b) I really didn't know where I wanted to go next and figured it would help to know people. When I applied for my current ICU job, I went in for my interview and there were two charge nurses sitting in with the manager. Both of whom I knew fairly well, from meetings and also from calling RRTs/Codes/transfers. I was told later on that they both advocated for me to be hired over other nurses who already had ICU experience. It really is all about who you know ?‍♀️.

I'm sorry you were subjected to this. Based on what you've described, your actions were appropriate and you showed good judgment in having the presence of mind to ask a question and clarify. This was something your instructor should have encouraged. It was certainly not something to criticize or punish you for. This could have been an excellent educational opportunity re: medication administration safety, if they had chosen to look at it that way. And allow me to say what they should have said, both in your clinical and in this meeting. Thank you for putting your patient's safety first and asking a question. Thank you for not making an assumption that could have proved dangerous and/or harmful. Thank you for addressing your concern with the person who is supposed to be teaching you. It's disconcerting, but not entirely surprising, that none of these nurse educators stood up for you in this meeting. There really is no place for politics in nursing, but somehow we always manage to make room for it. I'm so sorry you ended up on the receiving end of it, let alone this early in your future career. Glad to hear that this did not impede your progress. I do wonder though, what are the chances that you'll have to deal with this specific educator again as a clinical instructor? I only ask, because the circumstances surrounding this incident seem to be, in my opinion, somewhat vindictive.

I took both together in fast-tracked summer course and while I did well, I really wish I had taken them separately. That summer almost killed me. I'm legitimately amazed that the amount of caffeine I consumed combined with the insane amount of sleep deprivation didn't finish me off. It's doable, especially if you're older and wiser and more dedicated, but it takes a lot out of you. The other thing you should consider is that unlike a lot of pre-req courses, like sociology, you're actually going to be using what you learn in these classes. Most nursing instructors don't feel like it's their job to go over the basic A&P fundamentals when they're lecturing, they expect you to come to class knowing this stuff. So, it's worth your time to make sure you understand the material being taught in A&P so you can apply it when it comes time for your nursing curriculum.

I really don't understand why you care. It's her life, her business. If she wanted you to know, she'd tell you. I have great relationships with the people I work with now and still stay in touch with people I have worked with in the past. Most of them don't know I have a PRN job and a part-time job on top of my full-time one. It's not because I don't want them to know, or that I'm even remotely worried about how it'll be perceived. I just haven't taken the time to explain it to them and don't care enough to announce it. Don't read into her reply so much. Live your own life, and mind your own business. Your life will be much longer, happier and healthier for it.

Most nursing schools have a grade cutoff between 75 and 80 percent, mine was 78. Some choose to apply this rule to individual tests and others just to your overall class grade. Most have a rule about how many times you're allowed to fail, usually once and then twice you're out. Some have rules about doing remedial work and mentoring if you've failed once, some don't. It varies from nursing school to nursing school, but what you're describing sounds about average. The reason they do this is because nursing school doesn't teach you how to be a nurse, it teaches you how to pass boards. If you pass boards, that's supposed to mean that you know how not to kill people (supposedly), and that you'll be safe to work while you're actually learning how to be a nurse. And you won't learn how to be a nurse until you've graduated and are working. Nursing schools live and die by their NCLEX pass-rates, so it's in their best interest to weed out anyone who can't pass muster before they graduate and are eligible to take boards. This means that there is a huge emphasis on test-taking ability. It sucks, because some of the best nurses I know are horrible test-takers and really struggled in school, but until they come up with a better way to measure safety in new grads, this is what nursing school looks like. Best of luck!

Just because you can shove a blowtorch up your rectum, doesn't mean you should

I've worked through kidney stones, migraines, infections, bronchitis, ear infections, strep etc. I don't like working sick, but I absolutely hate feeling like I'm putting my patients and other coworkers at risk whether it's because I'm contagious or not working at peak level. Ironically, I once got the EyeDiff, also known as pink eye, and people were begging me to stay home.

I'm going to put a positive, albeit long, spin on this. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here, and will hopefully prepare you for your next job. Lesson One: Dealing with conflict appropriately. Not every nurse is cut out to be a preceptor. I'm so sorry that yours seemed to be absent. As the new kid on the block, it can be very intimidating to address this directly to your preceptor, especially if they've proven to be unapproachable. Unfortunately unit managers have no idea if there's a problem unless the orienting nurse speaks to them about it. If this ever happens again, go directly to the manager and explain the problems you're having. I wouldn't phrase it in words that place all the blame on the preceptor as that could be taken the wrong way. But simply saying, I'm having a lot of trouble adjusting, I feel very overwhelmed. XYZ happened yesterday and I really didn't feel like I had the right tools or resources to deal with it. A good manager would've assigned you to another preceptor. A mediocre one may have addressed the issue with the preceptor and hoped for the best. If the issue is not resolved, then it's appropriate to speak with the manager and talk about the possibility of transferring to another unit, even though your six month requirement has not been met. Most managers would rather have a new grad admit that they're not happy there early on and try to help facilitate a transfer, than dump six months of training into them only to have them take off the second their required time is up. And in lieu of all of that, two weeks notice is really the most appropriate thing to do. If you felt like you were making a choice between your own mental health and rehire eligibility, that's fine, I totally understand and agree with it. But just understand that decision does come with consequences you have to live with. You may or may not be eligible for rehire at this hospital. Call HR and ask so you don't have to wonder. If the answer is 'no', then you'll need to move on and don't look back. Decision has been made, can't unring this bell. Lesson Two: Pace Yourself. Obviously jumping straight into an ICU, especially at a level 1 trauama, as a new grad was not the right choice for you. Yes, you could have had a better preceptor, but honestly critical care can be so overwhelming, even to experienced nurses, that even with a rockstar preceptor you may not have adjusted well. Consider a smaller hospital with a medical ICU or even a step-down unit. I'm a huge advocate for working on med-surg floors before stepping foot in an ICU or ED. Having a year or two to establish some foundational nursing skills, learning prioritization and time-management is so helpful. Being able to learn in an environment where patients are more stable is a little less terrifying. I got a job in an ICU after spending a year on a surgical trauma floor and I was overwhelmed for the first six months. But for my experience and the development of necessary coping skills during my first year, I would never have survived those first six months in my ICU, and I had two amazing preceptors. Lesson Three: Goals are important, but don't let them get in your way If your goal is to be a CRNA, that's great. It's wonderful, really. But remember, it's just a goal. You are not going to get there overnight. Athletes with the goal of going to the olympics don't get there overnight. Such a goal requires time, work, dedication, and most importantly: patience. You can't skip a few steps towards that goal and expect to reach it. Put some time into a step-down or med-surg floor and learn the basics. Don't focus so much on your goal that you forget yourself. Lesson Four: Self First, Always Nursing is a physically, emotionally, and spiritually demanding profession. You can't be expected to take care of others if you're not taking care of yourself. It sounds simple, but I feel like those of us who gravitate towards nursing are generally the people who will cut off our own arms in order to help others. Case in point, I got so many UTIs the first few months I was off orientation on my surgical floor. I barely had enough time for a bathroom break, let alone a lunch break. I stopped drinking water so I wouldn't have to pee all the time. Genius, right? I had a long talk with my unit educator one day, who assured me that a lot of nurses, including herself, go through a rough transition before they start learning how to better manage their time. She encouraged me to talk to my charge nurses to get active feedback and constructive criticism on how to plan out my night. That helped immensely. I also started eating better and exercising. My educator took me with her to a kickboxing class and it helped so much with my stress level. I still see her and a few other of my former coworkers at the gym and we have a great time. Figure out how to manage your stress and anxiety. If that means sitting down with a therapist for an hour each week to talk things through, that's what it means. If it means spending a few hours at the gym each week kicking the crap out of a bag, that's what it means. I have a coworker that goes salsa dancing a few nights a week. Another one goes paintballing in the woods every week without fail. Find something that works for you and stick with it. Just take care of yourself and remember that in the prioritization hierarchy, your health always comes first, because if you collapse, then who takes care of your patients? Lesson Five: Learn to forgive yourself. You are human. You are not perfect. Accept it and embrace it. Your flaws make you who you are every bit as much as your strengths. This "dream job" didn't work out the way you wanted it to. Okay, time to pack up and find a new one. It may not be your dream, but is it a stepping stone, even a small one, towards your dream? Does it pay the bills? Yes? Great. Do it. You're going to make mistakes. Accept them, learn from them and move on. As my grandmother was always fond of saying, "If you spend all your time looking back, you'll trip over yourself so much that you'll never get to where you want to go."

Not sure if she's used to relying on PCTs to do vitals all the time? How comfortable is she with multi-tasking? She may or may not understand how busy the PCTs are. If this many of them are coming to you with the same problem/issue then it needs to be addressed by someone in the chain of command. A good PCT is worth their weight in gold and should be treasured as such. Maybe talk to her and find out what she feels is appropriate to delegate? Some correction may need to be done with her. PCTs in ICUs and EDs have, not necessarily more responsibility, but are trained to do more and she may not understand that. If she does and is doing it anyway, then that's a whole other issue that definitely needs to be addressed.

Yes. As a patient. When you're diagnosed with measles.

Most nursing schools have interviews for the much same reasons medical schools and law schools have interviews. Being a good student on paper is only half the battle. Being able to communicate effectively with people and form professional relationships is vital to your future career, whether you like it or not. It would be nice if good grades, a good work ethic, and a few letters of recommendation from your colleagues were all you needed to be a good nurse, but they're not. Communication is what drives nursing. Your ability to speak with people, whether they're homeless or CEOs, is paramount. Your ability to communicate with doctors, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and work together as a team is beyond important. You will be working with and educating people from all walks of life, and if you can't walk into an interview and answer a few fair, albeit tough questions, you will not be able to find a job as a nurse, let alone practice as one. The other part of this is that while you are a student, you will be working with nurses in hospitals in your community. You will be acting as a representative of your school. They expect you to show up to clinicals on time, act professionally, be respectful and learn. Their reputation as a school depends on this. Hospitals don't have to open their floors to nursing schools for clinicals. It's a privilege. A face-to-face interview tends to help weed out people who don't understand this concept. Not always, but most of the time. Is there a chance that you can be passed over for someone with lesser grades and test scores, less experience? Absolutely. Nursing school admissions work much the same way hiring practices work in real life. You submit your qualifications, if they pass muster you're called in for an interview, and sometimes you'll get called back for a 2nd. Whether or not you get the job offer depends greatly on your performance during that interview. On a personal note, the unit I work on will typically get 50-100+ applications every time we post an opening (last time I think we got 140ish). HR will sort through them and will submit the resumes that meet the minimum requirements to my manager. Part of my job is to help my manager weed through these resumes and figure out who to call in. We try to narrow it down to 20-30 people based on what we read. Then either I or another of my coworkers will sit on the interviews with our manager and once the interviews are over we'll make our own recommendations to to said manager who then decides who to hire. I have recommended people with fewer qualifications and less experience because of their performance during the interview, because I know just how important it is for people to have good communication skills in our line of work. I have recommended passing people over for not being on time, because it makes me concerned about how often they'll be late when they get hired. I once recommended passing over a nurse with far more experience than I have in favor of a new grad because I felt like the new grad would be a far better fit for our unit. I don't care what you look like. I don't care how old you are. I don't care if you're bubbly and chippy (I'm not, I'm sarcastic AF). I care if you can use words to get your point across. I care about how you represent yourself. I care about how you react under pressure. I care if you can exude confidence even when you're scared out of your mind. I care if you're going to fit into the team we have and be able to work together or if you're going to be more of a problem and a hindrance than a help. Because as a charge nurse, I'm probably going to be the one who ends up dealing with it. You'd seriously be amazed at what you can get out of one, 20 minute interview. You don't have to like the interview process, most people don't. It's stressful and it feels like you're being judged, because you are. I know it's frustrating when you feel like you've put in the blood, sweat and tears into your pre-reqs while your friends went out and partied and dated and had fun only to face the prospect of being passed over in favor of someone who didn't do as well or work as hard just because the interviewers liked them better. I know. I get it. It's not fair. Welcome to nursing.

Well, the other day I was helping another nurse place a foley and right after insertion, we immediately got sprayed with liquid feces. It came out like a chocolate geyser. I'm not sure that I've ever seen anything quite like it. I mean it was everywhere, our faces, hands, scrubs, feet, the floor, the wall, the ceiling, and it just kept coming. Doc was in the room by the computer, which was about the only place in the room that hadn't been painted in poo, and just said that he'd place an order for a rectal tube.

Deadlines can be frustrating but they are a necessity. Nursing schools are at the mercy of their clinical sites and they have a deadline to keep as well. If you don't meet your deadline, they can't meet theirs and then they'd end up with a nursing student that couldn't go to clinicals, and a nursing school has no use for a student that can't go to clinicals. Most nursing schools are extremely competitive and are beating away applicants with a stick. It's no skin off their nose if you didn't get the paperwork on time, because I guarantee there was another applicant who did and they happily gave away your spot. Failure to meet a relatively easy deadline such as this is not typically a good sign. In the future, please be aware that you don't necessarily have to go to your primary care physician for these things. Most states have health departments where you can get your vaccines, tb tests and even titers for a reasonable price even without insurance and in a lot of cases without needing to make an appointment. And there are always walk-in clinics that could assist you with this as well. True story, I had a friend in nursing school who wound up in the hospital, in the ICU no less, for a couple of weeks d/t the flu and an asthma exacerbation. It was during our break, but she was unable to submit her documentation in time because her TB test was was only a month away from expiring, and she missed the deadline for submitting the documentation. Even though she was cleared by her doctor to return to school, the school told her she was being placed on suspension because they couldn't place her for clinicals. Normally, that kind of thing can get you kicked out, but they just held her back a semester because she was in really good standing and she had some real extenuating circumstances. Life isn't fair, and I'd say this is your first lesson that the nursing world doesn't care about excuses. Welcome to nursing, where even when it's not your fault, it's still your fault.

Nursing school is a beast. You're going to flunk an exam or two, it's okay. The important thing for you to do now is accept it and learn from it. What happened with this exam? Were you unprepared for the material on the exam? Did you feel that you had a good handle on the material, but didn't know how to answer the questions (this can definitely happen with nursing-style questions). What do you need to do the next time around to make sure you are able to attain a better score? My advice would be to go and speak with your instructor and go over your test. Find out if there were specific areas where you have a knowledge gap, or if your study skills need to be adjusted for this class, or if you need some test-taking skills tailored for nursing-style questions. Don't let one crap grade on an exam deter you. Make a course correction and keep on swimming towards your goal. You will get there.

My school used Dean Vaughn videos. They were extremely helpful and the visuals they use really stick with you. Still can't pass a gas truck without thinking about a stomach. Check out youtube for an example

I work in a small-town clinic and run into both current and former patients on a regular basis, at the store, at restaurants, gas pumps etc. I never make initial contact, but most of them will say hi or stop me to chat. My issue is that my personality in the office is very, very different from the one I have off the job. I act very outgoing and energetic when I'm interacting with patients in a professional capacity, but the second I clock out, I revert back to being my introverted, need-my-personal-space self. So when patients stop to talk to me, I'm like a totally different person to them. I'm still nice and polite, I'm just not bubbly. A lot of them even ask if I'm feeling well. I always say no, I think I'm coming down with something, and then they can't wait to leave me alone

I've done it. Took both in a fast-tracked 15 week course. It was hell. Between the amount of time I spent in class and lab and studying for 12-16+ hours a week just for that one class, on top of working full-time, I almost died. Seriously, I lost 15 pounds, got a chronic eye twitch that's only just now starting to dissipate over a year later, and heart palpitations courtesy of my BFF caffeine. I got a 97 in the class, and learned a ton, but I worked my butt off for that grade. And I mean that literally, I lost a good chunk of that weight in my butt. A little more than 1/3 of the class failed, and several of them were taking A&P for the second time thinking it would be easier for them. If you've already taken it, you may have an easier time or you may have a harder time. I'm assuming you're retaking it because you did not get the grade you wanted the first time. It all depends on why you didn't get the grade you wanted and whether or not you understand how to rectify that. If it's because you weren't studying the way you should, then you need to be sure that you have your study skills and time management down pat before you do this. If it's a matter of not being prepared for the difficulty level, I'm not sure that throwing yourself into a combined course is the best idea. If you have the fundamental physiology concepts down, and I mean from the organ level all the way down to the chemical and cellular levels, then it's worth a shot. Just keep in mind that even though A&P is just a pre-req, it has a lot of difficult concepts that you will most definitely need to understand once you're in nursing school. So, this is not something you should just look at as an "I have to take this class just to get into nursing school" class like sociology and communications. The amount of time I spent getting my physiology concepts down made my pathophysiology and fundamentals classes that much easier. Most nursing instructors expect you to know these concepts when you walk into their classroom so they can build on them. For instance, if your nursing instructor is lecturing on IV solutions and why/when we administer them to patients, they expect you to know the principles of diffusion and osmosis, and really understand how and why water and electrolytes move into and out of cells. If your instructor is lecturing on cardiac pathophysiology, they assume you already know how blood moves through the heart and understand how hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressure affect fluid movement. They don't have time to rehash the basics, they're too busy trying to teach you how to apply them. Combined A&P courses are not for everyone, you have to be extremely dedicated and be OCD about managing your time. You also have to be okay with a fair amount of sleep deprivation. I'm not going to say you should or shouldn't do this, what I am saying is that you really need to understand your strengths and weaknesses and take those into account before deciding what you want to do. Otherwise, you're risking your time, money and sanity on the assumption that you'll do better the second time around in a higher-stress, faster-paced situation. That would be like me jumping into a racecar and gunning it to 180mph, thinking I can control it better than I could at 50mph, rather taking the time to do my research and figure out what I need to do differently to stay in control.

Nursing school, it's where straight A students pray for C's.

I took a few courses at NOVA with the intention of starting the nursing program before I ended up moving out of state. I know a girl in the nursing program now who had to retake A&P because she failed it the first time. So you should be fine on that score. That being said, have you had a chance to sit down with an advisor there to discuss your options and the best course of action? They can tell you for sure what you need to do to get into the program. NVCC has a great nursing program and it has a great reputation in the area for producing quality nurses (my mother being one of them :)). Best of luck!!

I drive 50 miles each way and once clinicals start I'll be looking at more like 70 to 90 miles each way. It's not ideal, but to me it's worth it. Look into public transportation options as well to save on gas and mileage. Make sure to drive that route a few times before school starts to get an idea of how long it'll take you to get there at a particular time of day. I leave home an hour and a half before my first class even though I will typically get there in 45 min to an hour, but there is one spot prone to accidents on the highway and there are no alternate routes for me to take, so I just make sure I have stuff to study :) Also once you start school, find out if anyone lives near you and make friends. Carpools are lifesavers.

Officially? When you get your acceptance letter. In reality? That moment, on your first day in class, when you realize that you know nothing and you're probably going to die.

I have a Jack Russell with horrible separation anxiety, and I had a job that required me to work 10-12 hour shifts four days a week. He's always been really good about not going indoors, and no matter how long I was at work, never had an accident. But after one shift, where I had to stay an extra four hours because one of my co-workers never showed up, and I couldn't call any neighbors, because it was after midnight, I decided to hire a dog-walker. I completely understand your reluctance to let someone you don't know into your home. That's why it's important to get references. I just went onto care.com and found a couple of people to interview, spoke with their current/previous employers and hired one of the girls. She was awesome. Nothing was ever missing from my place, and believe me, for the first few months I checked thoroughly. My dog loved her, and I felt much better whenever I left the house for work, because I knew that in six hours, she would come and take him for a walk, and sometimes she'd stick around for awhile to play with him while she did her homework. She was a college student living in a dorm and really appreciated having a quiet place to study and she never charged me extra for staying with him, because she was doing her own thing. It worked out perfectly for both of us. I moved out of the area two years ago, and am starting nursing school in a couple of weeks . I just started interviewing for a dog-walker again, as I will have to go straight from class to work two days out of the week, and will be gone for about 16 hours at a time. It's no less nerve-wracking than the first time I hired someone, but I'm taking all the proper precautions. I get that it sounds weird, allowing a total stranger into your home, but just be smart about it. I won't pretend there aren't a lot of people out there with questionable morals at best, but there are some really great people with an awesome work ethic too. Just be sensible and trust your instincts. Your dog will thank you.

Before you retake the test, talk to an admissions advisor and find out what score you need to be competitive, that way you have something to aim for. For example, my school has a minimum of 60 to apply, but you need to score at least in the 80s if you want to even be considered. Also, as previously mentioned, some schools have wonky policies in regards to retaking the TEAS. Find out how many times you can take the TEAS (twice in a year, twice in two years etc), find out if they average test scores together, and, if this is a points-based admissions system, find out if they dock points for taking it more than once. Good luck!!

I definitely won't tell you to give up, but you might need to defer your dream for the time-being. To paraphrase Einstein, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the very definition of insanity. The fact that you've taken some of these courses multiple times and are still not able to pass tells me there's an underlying issue you need to address before you apply to nursing school again. I'm really curious to know what specifically you're struggling with in these classes. Is it the memorization (goodness knows there's tons of it in anatomy), is it the tests, is it the science or the math? Have you tried to go back and identify what the common denominator between these classes is? I would take a hard look at how you're managing your time, especially since you're working full-time. You said you're studying hard, which I absolutely believe, but there's a difference between studying hard and studying smart. If you're studying and are unable to retain the information you're studying, there's a problem with your method that needs to be addressed. What is your study schedule like? What have you changed each time you retake a class? Does your school offer academic counseling and/or tutoring? What are your academic strengths and weaknesses? What classes do you excel in? Before you make a decision as to whether or not you want to continue to try for your RN, or try for another degree, you need to figure out what's holding you back.

I think the math was a little easier than the practice test in the book, reading was about on par with the book, but the passages you have to read were a lot longer. The science was harder on the actual test in my opinion, but much easier than the online test. The English was about the same as well.