crome

I'm a newly licensed RN in TX (since 3 weeks ago), I've read a few articles and blogs about how hospitals who accept new grads into their ICU's are probably performing poorly and that t's a big sign that they may have poor management. However, I've also heard from a few 1-2 yr experienced nurses, who feel like they got stuck in a Med-surge or Rehab-like field. Whose aspirations were to enter Critical Care, but now the hospital/job market will only offer positions in the area they're currently in. And, they feel it's become hopeless for them to be given a chance to transition into that specialty. They said that even within their own employer skips their applications, and primarily is because they excel at their unit and the managers may not want to let them go. On the other hand, my cousin who graduated 2 semesters ahead of me, accepted an ICU position as his first nursing job. And, tells me that although they are always busy, their management always prioritizes critical care units as first line for staffing and scheduling. He said that it's been very few instances when he had more than 3 patients on a shift. I looked up continuing education classes for RN endorsements, and the classes I found have a requirement of on the job experience in working critical care. So for all you critical care nurses out there, please help me figure this out. What are the various ways to enter the critical care field of nursing, and which of those ways is the recommended/preferred route to take. Thanks!

Read everything in your sylabus. Memorize only groups, I made rhymes with the body system and disease they're used for (may not apply to all). Keep your A&P in mind as you read about them. Put the flash cards away, link the drug group to their targeted body system (don't try to make flash cards/notes out of it), and to what that group of meds is supposed to do about the problem in that body system. Also remember, that meds that go in always get some kind of filtration/metabolization. It's mainly metabolized by the liver and excited by the kidneys. Example of THINKING PROCESS as you read on meds: corticoid steroids -grouped by= the "-sone"/"-solone" ending (i.e. prednisone) -system= endocrine >>>adrenal hormones>>>Results in +++corticoids in circulation -corticoid's function (A&P)= systemic effect (incr Na, decr K=decr inflammation/immunity) -THEREFORE= pt should have decrease inflammation/slowed immunity -WHICH MEANS= this drug treats autoimmune diseases, plays a role in tx of some cancers, or may be given to supplement the absence of natural produced corticoid steroid. -SO I'M GOING TO WATCH OUT FOR {more A&P}= rapid weight increases (b/c incr Na), N/V/Diarrhea/CV events (b/c decr K), fevers & mouth care (b/c decr immunity), decreased BM function (b/c Bone Marrow+immunity are linked), bone fractures (b/c decr BM+bone density are linked), decr liver function (b/c steroids are synthesized from fat=by liver), glucose may incr (b/c glucose is a component of steroids)... The the list will go on and on, with interactions, and complications. You know all this A&P, is just a matter of linking the meds to each body system and prioritizing on early signs of progress or worsening of condition.

Basic communication standards? As in, maintaining a high level of professional communication and tone? I can see that you're upset. Your tone on both comments also compromises what you call "basic communication standards", in addition to setting a bad example to nursing students, and degrading a nursing student's question. Focusing on the outcomes of your actions may elicit a more productive and effective communication technique, rather than becoming part of the problem. Public display of a negative tone does not solve this student's question, nor does it resolve the grammatical errors posted by the comment you shamed. Namaste!

I found that school nurses near my home were the best place to start networking. If they're not a good candidate, then ask them for direction. Hint: they may know a nurse that works at a ER, or may send a few texts out to her RN friends. The other comment about just showing up to a hospital near you, disregard!! The best way to build a network is NOT by dropping in unannounced. You might get the same tone displayed on your first 2 replies . Call ahead, ask to speak to the charge nurse at the emergency unit, let her know what your trying to do (keep it short). She may assign an RN to help you, and set up an appointment for you. Make sure you have your questions written down beforehand. Let us know how this worked out for you. Good Luck!

The CC I attended allowed students to get ahead (as in, take classes prior to the pre-req) as long as they're basics. But the transcript showed a P for pending, since they can't get credit for it until all the pre-reqs were completed. This created a hurdle for students who were receiving FAFSA. The only content in A&P in the realm of math was temperature conversions, BMI, volume and weight conversions, and metric conversions. And, I think a thing or two on BMR and half-life calculations. Overall, brushing up on your math before getting into something that may require math skills is not a bad idea. Either way, make sure you pay close attention to word problems, keep all your notes, and practice that math right before you get into the RN prog. At the start of each RN-school semester (usually orientation day), except the 1st semester, you will get a dosage calculation exam that requires 90%-100% accuracy. I saw at least 40% of my classmates fail these tests, b/c the prog. runs FAST, and you run out of time to practice math very easily.

I passed NCLEX, and just got my RN license right away, but I'm now having doubts. -2005, I was arrested for an $11 check w/o funds I wrote in 2001. I had relocated and didn't know about it until my arrest. I was bonded out Completed a special municipal program for single moms and paid the $11 to the vendor (plus the cost of the prog. and court fees). The judge told me this program was to eliminate barriers to employment /education /state benefits, that the record will only show a traffic violation, and that I did not have to report it to anyone. The clerk gave me some papers saying they were the only record on the case, but I lost them. -2010-2011: I was desperate for a job, applied as office staff everywhere (including hospitals), had no responses. Thought it was b/c I was leaving out this crime out. So I started including it. Then, I got 1 interview, that employer said nothing was found on my background, not even as a sealed record. So, I stopped including it in ALL applications. -2014: Applied for nursing prog., left it out, background (State & Federal) had ZERO results. -2016: Applied for NCLEX with Texas BON, and again left it out, background with ZERO results. -I just ran my own background with State and County and still ZERO results. Now that I'm out of school I reviewed the Jurisprudence with more time and feel like I made a big mistake I'm so scared to even apply for a job, I fear they may find something and report me to the board, or they may still have my old application (I can't remember if I included this crime). How can I fix this, or is there any "fixing" at all? Is this something serious? Do hospitals go back that far?