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I'm now a few days into my clinicals for my CNA certification and I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm applying to nursing school in January and although I feel like I already have a pretty good chance of getting accepted (I'm a guy, and I have really good grades) I thought it would be great to get some good hands-on experience working as a CNA, and up my odds even more.
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Jul 26, 2011 20:48
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Hi fellow nurses, I have a question that I thought might be beneficial to ask in here first. My girlfriend, who is currently working on an acute mental health unit, has just received a job offer from a local public health unit. She previously had a student placement here and loved it, and she plans on pursuing post-graduate education in a public health related field so she is extremely excited. This position is full-time temporary, with a good likelihood of extension upon completion. She feels somewhat guilty though, because the day before she got the call for the interview, she accepted a full time permanent position on her current unit. She has also only been there 6 months, and although I am very sure she applied for a publicly posted position, she got the job because she had a placement there and contacted her tutor, who is the nurse educator, about a job. She doesn't know how to approach her manager about this without burning bridges or really feeling lovely. A few things she has going for her are that when asked about her future plans or goals or however interviewers word it, she specifically stated that public health was her primary interest. She also wouldn't mind picking up a shift or two once in a while on the unit, as she enjoys many of the people she works with. Any thoughts?
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Jul 26, 2011 23:44
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Ghost of Castro posted:Hi fellow nurses, I have a question that I thought might be beneficial to ask in here first. My girlfriend, who is currently working on an acute mental health unit, has just received a job offer from a local public health unit. She previously had a student placement here and loved it, and she plans on pursuing post-graduate education in a public health related field so she is extremely excited. This position is full-time temporary, with a good likelihood of extension upon completion. Nursing is one of those things where you have to look out for yourself. Her nurse manager is probably not looking out for her and furthering her career. If she want to advance in education in Public Health she should work at the new job. Working in the acute unit will not directly help her IMO except maybe giving her a broader range of knowledge and experience. I wouldn't worry too much about "burning bridges" because as a 6-month new grad she can be replaced. There are always more nurses graduating every year. If her nurse manager really cared about her she would support her decision and understand the necessity based on her future plans for advanced education. Also she can just ask the manager if she can drop down to PRN/As needed status. Shrike41 fucked around with this message at 00:18 on Jul 27, 2011 |
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Jul 26, 2011 23:57
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I wouldn't do school nursing unless you like putting up with a lot of paperwork the first few weeks of school and not having orders to even give out cough drops. They're also not very flexible. There is a lot of per diem work out there; I'd also ask to see if they need any float nurses at the hospital.
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Jul 27, 2011 00:11
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I have been a nurse for just over 5 years, 4 of those in ICU, and I am suddenly really wondering why. I advocate for patients and their families - from things as complicated as palliation to as simple as pain relief - and no one listens to me. I am constantly made to administer treatments I think are inhumane and against the wishes of patients and their families. I am made complicit in the lies that the doctors tell families in regards to the likelihood of survival of patients. I have to hide the truth from familes who ask "Is he/she going to be OK?". I have to prolong the deaths of 90-year-olds whose bodies have given out, but whose children and doctors cannot accept are dying. There are 2 cases that I can pinpoint: 1 ) a 5-year-old who was screaming in pain and scored 7-10/10 on the http://www.nhpco.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=4670FLACrC score, but not a single doctor would believe that he was in pain, and 2) a 32 year old with intractable cardiogenic shock who wss dying, and whose family asked to stop treatment, but the doctors wanted to continue in order to prolong her life for what they believed might be an extra 12 hours (ended up being 4 hours before she declared herself). I don't think I can do this any more. Any seasoned nurses been through this and come out the other side?
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Jul 30, 2011 14:00
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annaconda posted:I don't think I can do this any more. I'm anything but seasoned, but if you don't think you can do it anymore I would really take the time to seek alternative career options. Your problems do not lie just with the ICU, the doctors, or the families. All your issues are tied to how our society views life, death, and suffering. Our society isn't going to change for the better anytime soon, so your energy would be best spent somewhere that aligns with your values and beliefs. Sapper2CRNA posted:Nursing is one of those things where you have to look out for yourself. Her nurse manager is probably not looking out for her and furthering her career. If she want to advance in education in Public Health she should work at the new job. Working in the acute unit will not directly help her IMO except maybe giving her a broader range of knowledge and experience. Thanks for the info! Turns out that a lot of people are leaving or planning on leaving the unit, and they just hired two new grads so it's not a huge deal. Now I just need to find full time work...  It's especially bad right now because since there are many new grads and units get funded for hiring them, I am struggling to find anything being ineligible for any new grad programs (I finished school last year) and having very limited experience, the bulk of it in community health. Getting community jobs is so horrible because I'm competing against the older nurses who just want out of the hospitals.
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Jul 30, 2011 18:51
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annaconda posted:I have been a nurse for just over 5 years, 4 of those in ICU, and I am suddenly really wondering why. I advocate for patients and their families - from things as complicated as palliation to as simple as pain relief - and no one listens to me. I am constantly made to administer treatments I think are inhumane and against the wishes of patients and their families. I am made complicit in the lies that the doctors tell families in regards to the likelihood of survival of patients. I have to hide the truth from familes who ask "Is he/she going to be OK?". I have to prolong the deaths of 90-year-olds whose bodies have given out, but whose children and doctors cannot accept are dying. There are 2 cases that I can pinpoint: 1 I was in the ICU for a year and a half but y experience was the exact same as your. I jumped ship and am in CRNA school now. I think the only thing that got me through dealing with all the retardedness you mention was the fact that I knew I was going to be leaving. If CRNA school did not happen I would not stay a nurse becasue of many of the things you mentioned and I feel that a lot of those things were/are unethical. There are tons of nurses who just dig in and get through it though. Maybe if you can't move into advanced practice you should at least try moving to a different ICU, or maybe a PACU or maybe some other place that is mostly happy ending versus death row (ICU).
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Jul 31, 2011 04:06
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annaconda posted:I don't think I can do this any more. I think I am sensing 2 problems. Compassion fatigue also Compassion fatigue Caring too much can hurt. When caregivers focus on others without practicing self-care, destructive behaviors can surface. Apathy, isolation, bottled up emotions and substance abuse head a long list of symptoms associated with the secondary traumatic stress disorder now labeled: Compassion Fatigue Does this sound familiar? My outlet tended towards angry outbursts at work and excessive drinking at home. I was originally led to believe that I was an angry alcoholic; I think my job was in jeopardy, I know my marriage was. My employer (a huge university) makes MSW counseling available at no cost to help manage life problems, and I got pretty lucky with the counselor I was paired with. I now make frequent, deliberate efforts to do things I enjoy and to take better care of myself. Second, it sounds like your employer sucks. Would you consider moving on? I used to work for a profit-driven [non-profit] hospital, and I was pretty well disgusted with a lot of what I saw there. I now work for a major university hospital, and I generally prefer the culture & attitude, especially amongst the attendings. Looking back on my last job, I see that my employer and I had values that were incongruous; it wasn't anyone's fault, we were just a bad fit for each other. Special snowflakes blah blah; is a change of scenery an option? Do you have the ability to shop around for a culture you like better? edit; link added Battered Cankles fucked around with this message at 15:34 on Jul 31, 2011 |
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Jul 31, 2011 15:31
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annaconda posted:I have been a nurse for just over 5 years, 4 of those in ICU, and I am suddenly really wondering why. I advocate for patients and their families - from things as complicated as palliation to as simple as pain relief - and no one listens to me. I am constantly made to administer treatments I think are inhumane and against the wishes of patients and their families. I am made complicit in the lies that the doctors tell families in regards to the likelihood of survival of patients. I have to hide the truth from familes who ask "Is he/she going to be OK?". I have to prolong the deaths of 90-year-olds whose bodies have given out, but whose children and doctors cannot accept are dying. There are 2 cases that I can pinpoint: 1 Yikes, I am so sorry.  I've worked at two different hospitals where the staff could not give two flying fucks for a) alcoholics or b) homeless people. Like, will go all day without seeing the patient (except to give meds) and essentially do no discharge teaching at all. I end up taking over basic care for them, 'cause we also don't have CNAs or NAs. I don't care if they are just going to go home and drink again or are being discharged to a loving city park across the street the are still human beings in the hospital and deserve CARE.
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Jul 31, 2011 18:14
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Any tips for a new Psych nurse? I've just started, and I haven't even been on the floors yet. I'm a new grad, so I have zero actual experience.
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Jul 31, 2011 23:42
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Avian Pneumonia posted:To what extent does it matter what school you go to when going for your BSN? Anyone have any help/tips here?
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Aug 1, 2011 18:46
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Avian Pneumonia posted:Anyone have any help/tips here? It's my understanding that it really doesn't matter what school you went to as long as it's well-connected to the better hospitals and has lots of clinical time at those sites. This also has the benefit of giving you a slight in after you've graduated. You will have no advantage as a male anymore. Everyone is flooding to nursing because it's 'recession proof' employment. It might even be a disadvantage depending on how old the nursing staff is at the schools you're applying to.
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Aug 1, 2011 20:34
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Snord posted:Any tips for a new Psych nurse? I've just started, and I haven't even been on the floors yet. I'm a new grad, so I have zero actual experience. Praise Jesus. Me posted:This will probably be long winded but hopefully helpful for new grads or folks coming from a completely different area. I also believe that a few days later (at the end of Feb.) I made an arrogant post about how I believed that being a short dude somehow helped me avoid being attacked. I was wrong. I was full of poo poo. I was hit in the head two weeks later for the first time whilst knocking a chair out of an agitated fellow's arms. He was swinging it a bit too close to a pregnant co-worker for my taste. Too long to read: I knocked the chair down and he hit me with a round-house. Better his fist than the chair, but I learned to not be the first one in on a ruckus.
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Aug 2, 2011 02:06
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I'm going go go off topic a bit and try for entertainment (mine and yours). Merely an attempt to lighten the mood. Here goes: About 6 years ago I was working ER in a hospital in the ghetto. I was young [and foolish] and thought ER in the inner city would give me great trauma experience, letting me circumvent the experience requirements to be a flight RN; wrong on all counts. A street-walking prostitute, frequent patient when she got assaulted or infected, came in looking genuinely worried. Let me color the worry for you; she once came in with an eye swollen shut and somehow managed to project an attitude of pure "This don't hurt, now get me a cigarrette!" I see the escort with her looks moderately uncomfortable, but I'm 1:1ing an uncrossmatched transfusion, so this is as close as I'm gonna get to the show. I pick up on the fact that she won't sit down, on a stretcher or a chair, and is getting a little animated over it. Then she lays down prone, and the picture starts coming together for me. She is rolled past the triage bays and right into the hall to the trauma bays. It turns out that the combination of infection and anal trauma had cost her the sigmoid. She got worried when she saw blood on the toilet paper, and like all good citizens, she waited until she was losing control of her bloody diarrhea before seeking help. I heart nursing. Months later she visited again. Heeding the stoma teaching, she came in as soon as the infection and sexual trauma had caused her colostomy to bleed. I believe she lost another few feet of bowel that visit. I'll fast-forward through trying to explain short-gut syndrome to her, and bring us to one glorious day in July. The patient comes in again, repeating "My poo poo bag's full of blood!" and gets fast-tracked to trauma; it's the only place where a mess like that has a chance of being contained. Two techs head in to take care of her, and a 4 day old MD goes chasing after them. There's an expected amount of commotion for a minute, and then things hush; CRACK! A slap breaks the air, followed by a whimper and the a roar of "You bitch! I kiss my Babies with this mouth!" Back on topic; my CNS told me that he avoids hiring fast-track 2nd degree RNs because their lesson plan tends to be short in clincal hours. Also, I'll be picketing next week; it'll be my first time. Anyone been there?
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Aug 2, 2011 06:20
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Enigmatic Troll posted:Praise Jesus. Goddamn. I guess I am in for some fun. Mind if I PM you some questions if I have any? And at least I am at a state facility, so it doesn't seem quite that insane.
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Aug 2, 2011 17:33
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Snord posted:Goddamn. I guess I am in for some fun. Mind if I PM you some questions if I have any? And at least I am at a state facility, so it doesn't seem quite that insane. PM I do not have. canadian_missile_crisis@yahoo.com - I'm happy to respond if I don't think it's an email advertising trans-sexuals with very large genitalia. And good on you for getting a state job - you will have better benefits and hopefully better doctors than a private facility. One tip I can give you that hasn't changed as I've become wiser/semi-smarter: Always Treat The Patients Like They Are An Adult! (at least for adults) I don't care if they are bat-poo poo crazy or emotionally the equivalent of a teenager - they might improve substantially in just a day or two. And if you've treated them poorly until they've improved, how will they perceive you after they've gotten sane? Not saying that's you, but I see that frequently.
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Aug 3, 2011 05:33
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Jobhunting. I'm really astonished at how rude employers/HR people can be. I had one place promise up and down that they'd love to have me even though I was a new grad, and then when I went for the interview the same person said they wouldn't hire me because of my inexperience. What was the point of that interview? I've had people respond negatively because I'm going for my bachelor's degree in nursing (I thought that was a good thing?), or laugh at me when I handed them my application and resume and tell me I'm "too young to be a nurse." And there are places that I know have openings (staff there are working short), but they either don't want to hire anyone or are holding out for someone with more experience so they have to pay for less orientation. When I was a CNA I came across the occasional rude person in HR, but it was never this bad. Soo, I'm getting my CT license to spread out and apply to more places.
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Aug 7, 2011 22:51
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Anyone in here have any experience as a travel nurse? I am a male, 24 and have been a nurse for 2 years in an ER in South Carolina. I am wanting to move to Colorado in January after the holidays and have been debating just looking for an ER spot in a hospital on my own like I did for this job or going through a travel agency to get me out there and do a 13 week contract to feel the hospital out. At this point I'm still debating between living in Denver or trying to find a spot at one of the mountain hospitals near all the resorts (snowboarding is my real passion). That is completely irrelevant though I suppose as my real question is which option you all recommend to get me out there and if anyone has been a travel nurse which agency you recommend and any tips you have to get the most money out of it. From looking at multiple websites it seems most the agencies are almost all the same.
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Aug 8, 2011 07:33
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Hey folks, just wanted to say thanks for the resumé feedback earlier, my girl has a couple of interviews coming up now, one in particular in the burns and trauma ward at the hospital she really wanted to work at, so here's hoping!
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Aug 8, 2011 19:41
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leb388 posted:Jobhunting. I'm really astonished at how rude employers/HR people can be. I had one place promise up and down that they'd love to have me even though I was a new grad, and then when I went for the interview the same person said they wouldn't hire me because of my inexperience. What was the point of that interview? I've had people respond negatively because I'm going for my bachelor's degree in nursing (I thought that was a good thing?), or laugh at me when I handed them my application and resume and tell me I'm "too young to be a nurse." Geez. I've never encountered HR people like that. They're usually so sweet because they're begging for nurses... it's the unit managers you have to look out for. How young is "too young"? Dang, I thought I was on the older side at 22 when I graduated (I wasn't really, it was the norm). Do you already have your ADN degree, or are you a new grad from college with a different degree? If you already have your ADN degree, that might be why they're scoffing at your wanting to have your BSN. They're thinking if they hire you, you're already going to be requesting to get time off for school, etc. Also HR people know that BSN nurses tend to move on to bigger/better things faster than those with ADNs, so that might be a reason for apprehension towards your application.
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Aug 8, 2011 23:53
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Private Label posted:Geez. I've never encountered HR people like that. They're usually so sweet because they're begging for nurses... it's the unit managers you have to look out for. How young is "too young"? Dang, I thought I was on the older side at 22 when I graduated (I wasn't really, it was the norm). Do you already have your ADN degree, or are you a new grad from college with a different degree? I'm in western MA, and there are a lot of nurses, and hospitals have been doing layoffs. So employers can pick and choose. I'm in my early 20s but I look much younger than I am, to the point where people ask me if I'm 16 or 17 (no matter what the situation or how I dress--I just look young, I guess). I just got my ADN. My BSN program is only one day a week so it's not like they'll have a huge block of classes to schedule around, but yeah, they're afraid that if they hire me, I'll eventually leave. I wanted to withdraw from the program and start again once I have a job, but a lot of nurses I know are telling me to stick with it.
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Aug 9, 2011 05:19
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leb388 posted:I'm in western MA, and there are a lot of nurses, and hospitals have been doing layoffs. So employers can pick and choose. I'm in my early 20s but I look much younger than I am, to the point where people ask me if I'm 16 or 17 (no matter what the situation or how I dress--I just look young, I guess). Yeah, stick with it for sure. It's just easier to get it early, and now with everyone trying to get into nursing programs, there's more demand for ADNs to get their BSNs. I suppose if you're worried in future interviews about mentioning it- don't mention it until after you get hired. That's what I did... my very first interview I mentioned that I was planning to do the Peace Corps, which of course didn't sit well with the unit manager. Whoops. From then on I didn't say anything about it and no one knew about my plans until I had been told my leaving date by Peace Corps. (I also got to keep my money from my "retention bonus" from the hospital even though I didn't work there the full 2 years  )
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Aug 9, 2011 07:24
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Private Label posted:Yeah, stick with it for sure. It's just easier to get it early, and now with everyone trying to get into nursing programs, there's more demand for ADNs to get their BSNs. I suppose if you're worried in future interviews about mentioning it- don't mention it until after you get hired. That's what I did... my very first interview I mentioned that I was planning to do the Peace Corps, which of course didn't sit well with the unit manager. Whoops. From then on I didn't say anything about it and no one knew about my plans until I had been told my leaving date by Peace Corps. (I also got to keep my money from my "retention bonus" from the hospital even though I didn't work there the full 2 years I think that's what I'll do from now on. How was the Peace Corps, by the way?
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Aug 9, 2011 08:35
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I'll be taking my LPN NCLEX in another week or so, in California. Once I pass, how do I go about being able to work in other states?
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Aug 9, 2011 14:54
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leb388 posted:I think that's what I'll do from now on. How was the Peace Corps, by the way? It's good! I'm still in it right now, starting my second year. I really wanted to do this so I could go out and see the world while doing some good work while I was still young and without a husband/kids. I work in a hospital in basically the middle of nowhere, directly with the head of nursing and the nurse methodologist. It's pretty darn awesome. Peace Corps nursing is a lot different from traditional nursing of course, since we're not allowed to do direct patient work. It's a lot more nursing education (which I can do) and public health. I'm the only RN volunteer in Mongolia at the moment... most of the health volunteers here have just a little background, like first aid or lifeguarding experience. Like I heard from other PCVs before me, anyone can be a health volunteer since in America the average person knows a lot about health. My first year was pretty busy, but I was mostly doing nursing seminars and teaching English. Sounds like my second year will be a little more exciting now that I'm more integrated into my community.  Shameless plug to my blog: http://pcvkate.blogspot.com/
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Aug 9, 2011 15:56
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Can anyone give a short explanation of the different nursing acronyms in the US? RN and LPN? Where I'm from the only way to get the nurse title is a 3 year bachelor, but it seems like there are different tiers of nurses in the US? In other news, starting my 2nd year in a few days and I'm really looking forward to it. 6 months of clinicals, split between psychiatry, surgery and medical wards.
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Aug 11, 2011 14:29
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There is a hierarchy in nursing that basically goes like this: CNAs (certified nursing assistants) are at the bottom. They do the feeding and butt-wiping. Next are LVN/LPNs (Licensed Practicing Nurses...or Little Pretend Nurses, if you ask my friend.) They pass out meds, give shots, do enemas and catheter changes. Then you have RNs (Registered Nurses) who do things like give blood via IVs and such. There are exceptions, of course but as a rule of thumb, this is how it works. You can get to be an RN via a 2-year degree program or a 4-year Bachelor's degree (which is a BSN.) LPNs can be done in a year. CNAs, a month.
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Aug 11, 2011 23:25
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Oxford Comma posted:There is a hierarchy in nursing that basically goes like this: CNAs (certified nursing assistants) are at the bottom. They do the feeding and butt-wiping. Next are LVN/LPNs (Licensed Practicing Nurses...or Little Pretend Nurses, if you ask my friend.) They pass out meds, give shots, do enemas and catheter changes. Then you have RNs (Registered Nurses) who do things like give blood via IVs and such. There are exceptions, of course but as a rule of thumb, this is how it works. There are also Nurse Practitioners, which can diagnose patients and write orders for other nurses. They can also prescribe medications. They need a collaborative agreement from a physician, however, and this can vary from state to state.
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Aug 11, 2011 23:32
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Oxford Comma posted:I'll be taking my LPN NCLEX in another week or so, in California. Once I pass, how do I go about being able to work in other states? Look for the board of nursing web sites of states you want to work in. Usually they have directions on how to apply for reciprocity. Private Label posted:It's good! I'm still in it right now, starting my second year. I really wanted to do this so I could go out and see the world while doing some good work while I was still young and without a husband/kids. I work in a hospital in basically the middle of nowhere, directly with the head of nursing and the nurse methodologist. It's pretty darn awesome. Peace Corps nursing is a lot different from traditional nursing of course, since we're not allowed to do direct patient work. It's a lot more nursing education (which I can do) and public health. I'm the only RN volunteer in Mongolia at the moment... most of the health volunteers here have just a little background, like first aid or lifeguarding experience. Like I heard from other PCVs before me, anyone can be a health volunteer since in America the average person knows a lot about health. My first year was pretty busy, but I was mostly doing nursing seminars and teaching English. Sounds like my second year will be a little more exciting now that I'm more integrated into my community. Awesome! I've thought of doing something like that. Interesting that you can't do patient care, but you must be able to get a lot of teaching done.
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Aug 12, 2011 02:03
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marchantia posted:I graduated a few semesters back with a BS in Plant Biology. Shockingly enough, there aren't any jobs for someone with an undergrad in plants, so I've been working in medical records since then. I want to go back to get my nursing degree, but am stuck paying for $25,000 in student loans, and really don't want to add on crazy amounts by going back for my BSN, and am instead hoping to just get an ASN with the goal to eventually move up to my BSN while working. Just curious, are you in the Maricopa County community college system? I'm in the same boat here. I have been waiting for the better part of a year after getting my BA in History (decided not to do law school). I work at a hospital, which will pay for nursing school. Hopefully they will find placement for me come spring 2012. I am gonna get my EMT-B in the Fall and Gen Chem, too. As far as job outlooks go, it is a bit hazy. I know lots of places are looking for people with their BSN, but I have heard success stories from people with Associates degrees as well. I do eventually plan on advancing that degree, but I want at least a couple years' worth of actual work experience to pay off loans and such before I continue on with more advanced schooling. Finzee fucked around with this message at 22:57 on Aug 15, 2011 |
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Aug 15, 2011 22:55
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So I'm going to take my nclex in February or so and my main method of studying is doing shitloads of practice questions and tests. I already have the kaplan book and a couple others. Any other tips?
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Aug 27, 2011 07:37
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Relax, get a decent night's sleep and eat breakfast. Studying can help to prepare you for the style of questions, but by the time you've graduated you either have the info in your head, or you don't. I think I read the informative part of a Kaplan book, did a total of 15 practice questions, and finished with minimum Qs in a bit under an hour. Unrelated. quote:The 'Amazing Nurses' Contest: Celebrating America's Caregivers
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Aug 27, 2011 15:03
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Dr. Capco posted:So I'm going to take my nclex in February or so and my main method of studying is doing shitloads of practice questions and tests. I already have the kaplan book and a couple others. Any other tips? Get the book NCLEX Made Incredibly Easy. The CD that comes with it has the questions I feel most closely resemble actual NCLEX questions, in difficulty and content. Pocket NCLEX is great for very very concise reviews and brushing up on drugs. A lady I've been tutoring has a book by Linda Charity and it's loving awful, please don't get it. When in doubt remember A-B-C-Pain-Safety and DON'T ASSESS IF THEY ARE IN DISTRESS.
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Aug 27, 2011 16:10
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Baby_Hippo posted:When in doubt remember A-B-C-Pain-Safety and DON'T ASSESS IF THEY ARE IN DISTRESS. I'm no where near taking the NCLEX test, but what does this mean for future reference?
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Aug 27, 2011 16:43
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Dr. Capco posted:So I'm going to take my nclex in February or so and my main method of studying is doing shitloads of practice questions and tests. I already have the kaplan book and a couple others. Any other tips? I just took it at the end of July (and passed with the min number, yay!). You're right, millions of questions. I reviewed stuff I knew I was weak on like lab values and special diets but 99% of prepping for me was practice questions. Qbank questions until your fingers bleed. That decision tree helped me a lot, if only because it made me slow down. Oh, and you WILL come out feeling like a retard, that is normal.
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Aug 27, 2011 19:00
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Etrips posted:I'm no where near taking the NCLEX test, but what does this mean for future reference? If someone tells you they are having chest pain or SOB, don't take a blood pressure or check pulse ox, admin a med or O2. Basically, don't dick around, do something for the patient immediately. Edit to add: "Assess" also includes things like asking them questions (onset of pain/degree) or reviewing something in the chart.
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Aug 28, 2011 01:28
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Does anyone have advice on how to do IM injections? It has been way too long since I did one, and I was too unsure of myself when I had to do one last week.
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Aug 28, 2011 04:20
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Snord posted:Does anyone have advice on how to do IM injections? It has been way too long since I did one, and I was too unsure of myself when I had to do one last week. The most recent best practice, as far as I'm aware, is the ventroglueteal site. Get the patient comfortable, lying down on your non-dominant side. You place your hand (non-dominant, should be the hand opposite to the leg facing you) on the greater trochanter of the femur, stretch your index finger to the anterior superior iliac crest, and slide your middle finger open as much as possible. This gives you a triangle which goes into an area without much in the way of vessels or nerves, and the amount of adipose tissue is usually fairly consistent between people, minimising accidental subcut injections. Do a GIS on ventrogluteal, and you'll see a lot of diagrams that show this. Frankly, I haven't done it, but it's what I'd be most comfortable using.
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Aug 28, 2011 08:39
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Just found out that my first 2nd year clinical will be 9 weeks at the cardiothoracic surgery ward, so now I'm very excited. Going to become an expert at PVCs and see some open heart surgery. 
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Sep 1, 2011 15:04
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Welp, entering my final quarter of nursing school. I got one of the few preceptored positions available for my clinical, but instead of being on the trauma/trauma step down unit (all my electives have been trauma based) I got stuck on an ortho floor. Not too excited about it, but the autonomy increase versus normal clinicals should be a large step in a positive direction. And if it's a foot in the door for a job, all the better. We just swapped from HESI to ATI for our testing, and I just took a "pre exit test." It's for ATI to gauge where our education level is to base a 3 day NCLEX review around as well as prep for the ATI exit exam. Their results from the 180 question test said that I have a 95% chance to pass the NCLEX with my current knowledge base, so I'm pretty psyched.
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Sep 9, 2011 07:26
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