Aussie_Amy

I'm a 2nd year student and I really want to volunteer with MSF (Doctors without Borders) when I have enough experience under my belt. That's something I have always wanted to do - if you go to www.doctorswithoutborders.org there is a heap more info there.. Good luck!

Hi Tara I'm a grad entry student in the accelerated program at Kuring-gai... I'm just finishing off my first of the 2 years. If you need any advice or help with anything just let me know :) Oh - and about other people's comments.... I've found that EVERYONE has an opinion about nursing when you tell them that's what you're doing and 99% of the time it's negative. I think it's a real shame people have such negative attitudes towards nursing and a lot of it isn't based on how things are these days.... You will have times when you will question your choice - everyone does - but just concentrate on why you want to do it and you'll get through. (As you can tell I love it!) P.S I think you've made a great choice choosing UTS - all those clinical hours really help to ease you into the "real world" of nursing I think.....

As a student in a 2 year grad program I've got to say that that's darn scary!! I'm just finishing off my first year (they put me straight into 2nd year so I'm really in 2nd year) and even I think I could answer those questions... Just out of curiosity do you know what uni they were from?? Patho and pharmacology are compulsory - I couldn't imagine NOT doing them... I think they're the basis of nursing knowledge!! I guess you always find some students who aren't so committed to studying and who somehow manage to slip through the cracks. I know that at my uni though (UTS) that we go over things quite a bit so I'd be shocked if one of my fellow students couldn't give you at least a half-decent response!!! Scary stuff!

Thanks so much for your help !! :) I will dedicate my pass mark to you guys

What a great thread - I'm a 2nd year student but the thought of being out there on my own scares me to death so I worry how I will be when the time comes. Reading about your experiences and anxiety helps me to feel like it's not just me who feels/will feel this way. Thanks everyone!

Hi all, Was wondering if a smart cookie out there could help me with an assignment of mine. It's a case study - patient with AML who has been receiving chemo, presented to ED with vomiting & unable to keep fluids down. I'm doing a care plan for fluid vol. deficit which is fine, but one of the questions i need to cover in my essay is: "Briefly explain why fluid volume deficit occurs in AML eg. what pathophysiological processes occur in AML and how do these processes lead to fluid volume deficit cues" ??? Obviously, he has FVD because of his vomiting etc, and will have electrolyte imbalances because of the vomiting also, I also found some journals that talk about how acute leukemia can cause electrolyte imbalances. But.....I can't find anything on how leukemia would cause a fluid deficit other than the secondary effect of the vomiting.... am I missing something???? Thanks all !! -Amy- :wink2:

Thanks so much Thunder. Really great informative posts. I'm back at work tomorrow. Will post some of those great ideas in place and we'll see how we go. Finger crossed!

Thanks guys for your help. I think trying to gain his trust is the main thing I need to focus on right now. I'll let you know how things pan out! Fingers crossed!

Hi all, Was just after some advice about how to care for a patient with paranoid schizophrenia. This is his first relapse (first diagnosed a year ago). He was on Risperidone which was controlling his psychoses but recently he stopped taking it and has been re-admitted. He thinks that all the nursing staff want to kill him and refuses to take his antipsychotic meds because he thinks we are trying to poison him. I've only just started working in Mental Health and am a bit unsure how to proceed with him. Most of his problems, I feel, stem back to him not taking his meds - but how do you get someone who thinks you're trying to kill him to take his meds so that you can alleviate his delusions and help with his other problems eg social relationships etc?? Thanks for your help! Amy xx

Hi Everyone We've been given a patient scenario and have to select 2 priority nursing diagnoses, give a rationale for each and briefly discuss how you as an RN would address the patient's problems in general then discuss in detail how you would address the 2 priority problems you identified. It has to be roughly 2000 wds. The case study is a 26 year old man with Schizophrenia (Paranoid). Basically I have gone through the scenario and I identified the following problems which are impacting on the patient's health & wellbeing: * relationship problems with partner * non-compliance with medication (believes he is being poisoned) * delusions (other people tapping into his world via phone etc, partner infidelity, nurses are KGB agents) * anorexia I haven't done one of these before and would REALLY APPRECIATE any advice anyone can give me!! I'm finding the whole NANDA thing a bit confusing. I look up for eg Delusions and then it directs me to a list of terms... if I look those up I don't really feel as though they are really addressing the problem. Thanks so much everyone!! I will kiss your feet for ever!!:loveya: Thanks guys, Amy

Hi Everyone We've been given a patient scenario and have to select 2 priority nursing diagnoses, give a rationale for each and briefly discuss how you as an RN would address the patient's problems in general then discuss in detail how you would address the 2 priority problems you identified. The case study is a 26 year old man with Schizophrenia (Paranoid). Basically I have gone through the scenario and I identified the following problems which are impacting on the patient's health & wellbeing: * relationship problems with partner * non-compliance with medication (believes he is being poisoned) * delusions (other people tapping into his world via phone etc, partner infidelity, nurses are KGB agents) * anorexia I haven't done one of these before and would REALLY APPRECIATE any advice anyone can give me!! I'm finding the whole NANDA thing a bit confusing. I look up for eg Delusions and then it directs me to a list of terms... if I look those up I don't really feel as though they are really addressing the problem. Thanks so much everyone!! I will kiss your feet for ever!! Thanks guys, Amy