question about EC weekend clinical

[krisz]

I am an LPN and recently decided to go to EC for my RN when I ran into someone at work who had just come back from the clinical weekend for EC. She FAILED because of not melting jello in the microwave to measure it for a patient with fluid mgmt. This has made me very nervous. Does anyone have info on the clinical test to share? I am so worried to go through this program and fail the clinical (a lot of $) to pay to take it again! This woman I am speaking of was a very bright girl with wonderful grades and did great on all aspects of the clinical except that jello incident..

Thanks,

Kris

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

It still doesn't make sense. Was it supposed to have been melted beforehand, and then measured? Was the remainder to have been melted & measured? If the remainder was, how can you get an exact measurement of what was actually eaten, since the same thing wasn't done to it. I still strongly believe you have been told a tale. There is no standard anywhere that suggests doing this. There are commonly known conversions for semi-solid foods into fluid measurement. Jello is one of those items.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

Don't you still get a hairball bit of leeway? I know for regular I&O you get 10% leeway, but I'm not sure about strict I&O. (Better look that up!) It could have been the straw that broke the camel's back. In other words, there may have been several missteps before that incident. Not only that, even if that was a fail for that patient, you get another chance at another patient. It wouldn't result in a total failure.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

I don't think EC defines "strict" I&O anywhere. You either count I&O, or you don't. But you do have to be within 10%.

Edited to add: I think they assign I&O to everyone, too. I haven't heard of any (or many?) people NOT having to do I&O.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

I would think not melting Jell-O would put one in the 10% margin, unless this person had a graduated cylinder full of Jell-O.

What do you do, then, if it's lumpy Jell-O? How do you nuke that? You can't melt fruit cocktail! One of my former employers used to put carrots in lemon or orange Jell-O for the residents to eat. Them's good eats!

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

It's OK Apple. You are not going to encounter this issue. But, if you're really worried, I would just ask a CPNE advisor.

[bjbabs24]

I swear it is things like this that pop up that give me the anxiety of the unknown for this test. Kind of like on EPN lately the issue of PROM. One person says 3-5 , then someone else said they did 2 and failed and the CE told her she should have only done 1. Fundamentals says 3-5, study guide says at least 1. I am trying not to dwell on this type of stuff that pops up.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

I swear it is things like this that pop up that give me the anxiety of the unknown for this test. Kind of like on EPN lately the issue of PROM. One person says 3-5 , then someone else said they did 2 and failed and the CE told her she should have only done 1. Fundamentals says 3-5, study guide says at least 1. I am trying not to dwell on this type of stuff that pops up.

How about the stuff where the study guide says to wear gloves when doing an oral temp, but a fairly recent EPN chat said that was something they intended to change in the CPNE to say no gloves unless they are slobbering? (I'm actually kind of worried about being handed a new BP cuff...the latex in it is definitely an allergen to me, and the latex is released in the air much more when it is new. I'd look like a fool wearing gloves taking a BP, but at least it would help one aspect of my allergy.) Speaking of which, I just cut up a kiwi fruit, and I am itching like crazy. Apparently these allergies are related....

For the PROM, I'd say if you do it 3-5 times or to patient tolerance, you'll have it covered regardless, unless it indeed is only supposed to be done once. Then I supposed we have to tear our hair out at the inconsistency.

Regardless, I asked an advisor today about the PROM, and I will let you know.

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

It's OK Apple. You are not going to encounter this issue. But, if you're really worried, I would just ask a CPNE advisor.

I'm going to take my chances. :)

Those advisors must be really busy fielding questions from students....

[Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN]

The idea of nuking Jell-O has kept me entertained all night. I am amused easily, obviously. However, the knowledge that there is real fact-finding going on from our own LunahRN really helps in my amusement. (Out of curiosity, when do they cut you off from the EPN? Not that anyone wants you gone or anything, but I'm just curious.)

I bet someone googled "microwave Jell-O for fluid intake." The pizzer (using S where Z is in that word was edited--LOL) would be if an examiner actually really held the students to melting the Jell-O and ice cream and ice chips and whatnot and make the students get out the syringes to calculate the intake to the exact milliliter.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

K, I dunno when I'll get cut off from the EPN ... some chick who passed in 2004 just posted on there recently!! LOL!! Guess I have a while, then. Hee!

And yes, I Googled "microwaving Jello for intake nursing" -- nada. LOL

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

lunah i'm glad you brought this up on the epn...i'm waiting for a adviser to chime in so i can print that baby out and take it with me to my cpne...you never know what your going to get.....

[TIN65RN]

I can't believe you made me melt my jello! So, here is the scoop.

1) Jello is considered a liquid, and is always included in I & O

2) Jello is the same weight solid or melted 2oz solid is 60ml liquid

3) So weighing it would be the same as microwaving it and measuring it.

4) If I fail a PCS for this I will appeal it!

P.S.When I was going to do EC way back in 1993 I was also told, by more than one person,that if you made 1 mistake you were done for the whole weekend- that common misconception is one of the reasons I took so long to do this, and as I see it is still floating around. Hope this helps.