El Centro students Spring '06

U.S.A. Texas

Published

i know some of us have received our letters so i was wondering who else i will be making this journey with for the next 2 years.

my name is allison shaffer and it's nice to meet you. i know we will all be close because it's a small group. it would be nice to get to know some of you before november 17. :)

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele.

Jaxia,

I am in sec. sem. right now, and so far had 4 days in Med surg., 2 days in pedi, no OB yet, it's coming up. We have to call our instructor every time we have to give meds. And it's driving me up the wall. Also, this seems all what I have been able to do this semester so far ( ok ,we do give SQ injections). My instructor is not available for other skills. I wanted to do a cath, my instructor was busy giving meds with another student and my nurse didn't want to be there, she wanted the CNA to do it. So I missed out on this skill, grrrrrrrrr. I am so frustrated with clinicals right now. I can't wait for 3rd sem. , when I can do this alone.

Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.
I wanted to do a cath, my instructor was busy giving meds with another student and my nurse didn't want to be there, she wanted the CNA to do it. So I missed out on this skill, grrrrrrrrr. I am so frustrated with clinicals right now. I can't wait for 3rd sem. , when I can do this alone.

CNA is a pt care tech, right? Can a PCT do urinary caths???

Katie

Just curious..is El Centro a really huge school? I can't believe how many posts and views there are for this one thread.

Specializes in Operating Room.

Not really a big school...Just a very popular one. :)

We have to call our instructor each time we give meds. Actually, my clinical instructor has been writing down our med times.

It has also been a huge hindrance! It's very hard when you are getting the MAR to check the ID band, and the instructor says, "Are you going to check you meds?" ...Then another time you go to check your meds, and she says, "Check the ID band."

She finally stopped that and let me just do it without saying anything....that time I got a, "Very good." :uhoh3: ...She also finally got where she would watch me check the ID band, check the MAR, and watch me give the injection, but then leave me to give the PO meds on my own.

As far as catheterization....Had I known I didn't need Ms. E there for a cath in L&D, I would have been able to do it 5 times. She didn't tell us that! :uhoh3: I found out at the end of the day that I could have done it in L&D with the nurse present. ugggggh! (It's not like you can page her....they need that done right then!) ....But, I did get to watch 4 straight caths and one foley insertion. I watched another student D/C a foley on a male in med/surg. I guess that's the next best thing to actually doing it yourself. :uhoh3:

So, yes...this semester has been driving me nuts as well! I have been giving SubQ's (arm and ABD) and PO meds. I didn't get the chance to do an IM injection. :(

Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.
Just curious..is El Centro a really huge school? I can't believe how many posts and views there are for this one thread.

We have classes at two different campuses and a third class that is hospital based. So if about 50 people start the first semester everywhere it's 150 students. And maybe half of them actually graduate from the program. :mortarboard:

Katie

Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.
So, yes...this semester has been driving me nuts as well! I have been giving SubQ's (arm and ABD) and PO meds. I didn't get the chance to do an IM injection. :(

I think you will like 3rd semester. We had lots of chances doing different skills.

Katie

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele.

Katie,

I am not sure , I think CNA's have to be licensed and patient care techs don't. All I know, they get to do caths at Parkland. I hope my OB rotation will be better.

Michelle, did you enjoy yours, what floor were you on?

Specializes in Operating Room.

L&D was 3rd floor. Just clear it ahead of time with Ms. P to see if you can do caths as long as the nurse is there for L&D.

That's the only way you can do it in L&D.....most of them will be needed right then....not when the instructor can get there.

...Then tell all the nurses that you want to do caths, and ask them to come and get you. ...Hopefully, you'll get some nice ones that day. (L&D was the least helpful out of my Parkland rotations.)

My next rotation is PEDI at Medical City.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele.

which floor did you do your postpartum on? I will be on 3 West 2 weeks, then we will do L&D an NB. Did you do you M/S allready?

Specializes in ante/postpartum, baby RN.
...Then tell all the nurses that you want to do caths, and ask them to come and get you. ...Hopefully, you'll get some nice ones that day. (L&D was the least helpful out of my Parkland rotations.)

When I had my L&D day I went to observe a C-section, spent some time in recovery, went back to monitor a mom-to-be but before I could started reading FHT strips they told me that I could observe a delivery in another room. Before I noticed our rotation was over. I wish we could go back and spent more time there. :redpinkhe By the way I was on the midwifery side.

Katie

Specializes in Operating Room.

PP was on the 3rd floor as well. ....I think it was 3W. Yes, Mysterious, I've had M/S...I was on 7E for M/S.

NBN one day, and L&D one day.

I agree with you, Katie, I wish we could have more time in L&D. I saw one vag delivery that was an intense-almost a c/s delivery, then I saw a STAT C/S.

Very interesting. :)

Mysterious....where did you have PEDI?

Let me add.... There was a VERY helpful midwife doing the vag delivery. She was a great nurse, a great teacher. I was lucky to be in the delivery with her as the midwife.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele.

you must be almost done then, for pedi I was at Med City also. I thought you guys go to Scottish Rite. I didn't like my Pedi rotation that much either. I only got to do Vitals and Am care. One of my nurses was grumpy and one of my parents decided (after first agreeing I could take care of her child) ,that I couldn't after all that day. So I was standing around doing nothing all day. My nurse was so busy and she didn't want me around her other patients. If you get to go to PICU, you will probably enjoy that. Others in my class loved it. I did like to be around the baby's and kiddos though.

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