Things People say...

"I was watching the news on TV and I think I have all those symptoms for Whopping cough, I was around a baby so he gave it to me.."


Seriously? Maybe you should have listened to the news a little better. BTW you have the flu!

New Job

Urgent Care and Clinic nursing is exactly what I thought it would be and I LOVE it. This is a nice change of pace. I gave my current job notice, but they want me to stay PRN, which means 3 shifts a month. Of course I told them also that in order to stay PRN it will only be at my friend's house, the mom of the little girl I took care of for so long. They agreed, mainly because I said I would use them for Nursing for any kiddos I got if they needed nurses.

Brush off the Nursing Dx's Ya'll

DX: Anticipatory Grieving r/t loss of child, AEB heart palpitations at thought of saying good-bye, overwhelming sense of dread, fear of unknown, changes in VS including increase in BP and HR, and increase in depressive moods; lack of enjoyment in things use to enjoy.

Just need it to be 11/22/13 and for the decision to be made. It's been since September that we have been going through all of this back and forth. It's been since May since I saw her picture and fell in love with this little girl. She has my heart all of it... not to mention Hubby's. This SUCKS!

Primary Pediatric Registered Nurse

My official title at "new job". I will be the RN assigned to the brand new Pediatric side of the Urgent Care. We are transitioning from a PCP to PCP/Urgent Care. I will also help on the adult side of course when we don't have any kiddos, but I get to help create and implement new policies and procedures with regard to the Pedi side. So excited for the opportunities.

I'll be taking a few extra classes to brush up on some critical care skills, like EKG and PALS.

A Little Changing...

Woot! Got the job I wanted!!! Urgent Care M-F 8a-5p SALARY with a pay bump X $7 an hour more!! Short commute! Finally out of the Homecare and Private Duty range and the PAY is amazing! I am very excited because finally I will be putting my skills to use and brushing off the rusty ones again!

Still in the Hunt

Kinda had a placed case, but guess it didn't work out. So perhaps there will be another one soon. I do know that I am still putting out applications for that ever allusive something different.

Starting Two

So right now I got the Private Nursing gig. It's 3 12 hour shifts. I am going to be talking to old job and seeing if they can put me down to part time and I will try and pick up at least 3 shifts with them a week too. New job is Fri, Sat, Mon 7a-7p... which leaves me with Sun, Tue, Wed, Thur available for old job shifts as long as they are overnights like the Wed/Sat 10-6 I already have. I have a Wed shift already but that is with a Saturday shift.

Went OK

Had an interview today and despite getting lost and being late for the interview things went well. I think I got it, but not exactly sure 100% yet, because it's Private Care and I have to be assigned a case. Good news is that it's 3 12 hour shifts, which I really like the idea of. Just in case I do end up needing to continue to work at my current job, there may be a way to make both work together. Which would only be an option as long as I can get on the case at my old location. It is ONLY with and FOR that family that I would even consider staying with current company.

New company pays weekly which is good too!

Still In the Running

Nice to hear I am one of the top candidates for a position, sucks that they are still interviewing though. I really really want the Urgent Care Position. So I will keep my fingers, toes, eyes, and everything else pretty much crossed and hold my breath for a positive result. I really tried to professionally sell myself for this position via my follow-up email.

"First I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for taking the time to interview me for the RN position at XXXX. I am excited about the prospect of getting in on the ground floor as you transition to what I am sure will be a benefit to the community at large. I am confident that my training through XXXXX College and my experience in both Homecare and Long Term Care has prepared me for a challenging and rewarding experience as a Registered Nurse within your dynamic group.

I feel that I would make a great asset and strong candidate for the position of RN. I am confident that you will agree that my skills, eagerness to learn and apply new things, along with my strong references, make me the right candidate for the position. My experience with Case Management of both adult and pediatric clients, as well as clinical skills such as; ng/g/j tube feeding and placement, complex wound care, IV therapies via peripheral and central lines, to include hydration, TPN, antibiotics and blood administration, as well as my wide range of practice with skills along varied populations and ages of clients, has prepared me to meet the needs of the job description and exceed your expectations.

I can assure you I would be a dependable, eager and motivated employee with exceptional critical thinking skills and the ability to adapt to situations as they arise. I have great customer service, organization and prioritization skills. I work well independently and I thrive as part of a strong team. I possess an earnest interest in the healthcare of those in my care and strive to always provide quality care, compassion, and cultural competency.

I appreciate your time and look forward to working with you in the future. Once again, thank you for considering me for this opportunity to share my excitement and put my skills to work for you at XXXXXX. I hope to hear from you soon "




Additionally I have another Interview tomorrow for a different company, but once again in the Homecare field, but with adults as opposed to children. With this one also came this integrity test I had to take and seriously based on the amount of times it asked me if I would fist fight someone, if I would defend myself if someone challenged me to a fist fight, or hit someone because they were bothering me... well what the heck kind of place is this? Should I be scared? Plus it just kept asking me if I wanted drugs!

This and That

So I did go to the interview, probably didn't get that position. I actually would love to work at an Urgent Care, but seriously can I? She had quite a few interviews so needless to say besides having the common name of the other staff that already worked there, well I won't count on it.

At current job I have been all over the place, actually next week looks to be about the same. Problem is that currently I have to drive back and forth to Tucson twice a week and the hours are interfering with the case she wants me to work. I am hopeful that something will work out though. Also though the Mom of the case I have been working t for the past two years has another child that has had acute changes in condition and now will get Nursing hours, so she is asking for me to be on his case. Now to just make sure that I get that one!

Interviews

Have a couple... hope something pans out. 1 I really really want. So we shall see. Tough market either way.

I have to get a change

This hurts too much. I love this family and I totally want to stay here as opposed to going to someone else's house, but I honestly need a change of pace. I need to move on back to facility or to something totally different.

I have sent out a million and 1 applications, and a few more today. I really hope I hear something soon.

Let the job hunting begin.,,

I hate this part. Of course I am still employed currently with my agency, but we all know how I felt about them, and with my only reason for staying not being there anymore... well time to move on.

Of course right now I feel like I am probably not going to get much interest based on my experience level. There are a glut of jobs but there are not a glut of jobs that I am qualified for. Which was why I was going to do the OR program... urgh! So frustrated with my career path right now. Feeling like I have no way out. More school? But will it make a difference in this state?

Anyways a million and one resumes sent... maybe I'll get a call back or something... I just don't want to stay with this division of this company anymore. I dread having to even talk to them and dread where I'd get my next set of hours.

RIP my beloved angel in heaven

RIP my beloved angel in heaven.



Forever my Princess. I love you!

Sorry

This blog is pretty dead lately. Once you become a nurse it pretty much is what it is. I always wondered how that worked when all the blogs I used to follow in Nursing School just seemed to fade away. Everyday life is not really interesting, especially in my field.

All of my time is pretty much centered over at newadditionsattheamansion

The Boy is away now at Basic Training in the Army, so I spend a lot of time stalking the Facebook Pages of his company and the mailman. We are planning a wedding though, so that is fun.

After all of the Anticipation

I have to drop the OR course this term. Hopefully they will run it again next fall. at which time hubby should be a stay-at-home dad and I will be able to concentrate of school again. Who knows... I haven't 100% dropped yet, but I think given the fact that I do not have any extra money I want to spend on the course, and the lack of time I have, well I think it's better to drop now.

Thinking a lot today

I have a few decisions to make and 1 is if I will drop the STORN program or continue. I have so much going on right now with the foster care and adoptions, not to mention the foreign exchange student, that I just don't feel like this program is going to fit into our schedule right now.

Babysitting is a huge issue. Who is going to watch the girls during the overlap in schedule? When we planned this part of our lives, hubby was to be a stay at home dad and I would concentrate on working. But that hasn't happened yet and probably won't for another year.

So it's almost like we are back to square one. Working full-time mother. Some men and when I say some, I mean mine specifically is just not able to balance work and taking care of kids. He never had to actually be the primary caregiver before, and honestly I am not even sure he gets it.

So until he is a stay at home parent... I have to just keep plugging along at my current job and see how things go. Maybe just maybe things will be different in the future. Maybe next fall I will be able to take the class? Who knows.

All I know is tomorrow is a class day and already I have a conflict. Next week hubby has to go out of town and already there is a conflict. Heck there is a conflict with who will be home with them as I work which is a BIG conflict since my check is the on that pays the bills.

Lots and lots of thinking to do. I may just have to miss Friday and then see what happens?

A little bait and switch

As with any upstart changing program, our current Perioperative Nursing Program has been changed drastically from the last cohorts who have graduated from it. Currently it's now called STORN - Surgical Technology for the Operating Room Nurse. We are a surgical tech program on steroids, in a very fast paced program. We have two quizzes every class day, 1 in lecture which is written and 1 in lab which is consistent with the checkoffs of Nursing school.

I hope to have a ton of pictures, we are also going to be the subject of a local media outlet is doing a series on this class. It is also being written up for the Journal of AORN.

The only thing is that I really don't want to spend 230 on 1 book! It's not even the only book for this class, it's book number 5. For 1 semester the books alone have costed 500, with rentals!

I had better get a job offer outta all of this!



HOWEVER>>> I AM STILL THINKING I MAY NEED TO DROP THIS CLASS BECAUSE WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON AND SCHEDULING IS A NIGHTMARE! >>>>>

And so it begins.... AGAIN

What is the deal with me and this specific nursing school? I have a feeling I am going to end up teaching here someday ;-) Anyway.. tomorrow is the big day. Perioperative Nursing 101. Which will include instruction as a scrub, curriculator, pre/post op. Here's hoping that I get a great internship in the spring and a job offer in the summer!!

Major Meltdown... diverted

I almost had to drop the much anticipated Perio-Operative Nursing Program that I have been so looking forward to!! The foster care business sorta got in the way. I was in major meltdown city wondering how on earth I was going to get to classes two days a week when they don't even start school until 11? Crisis averted by my wonderful daughter who is in need of a job, and since I have been paying all of her bills, well she seriously owed me and I really really need the help.

I am so looking forward to this chapter in my career. I can see my goals of OR nurse in sight! I mean working in Peds Homecare is a nice cushy job, but seriously BORING! I am as lazy as the next gal, and hey an easy peasy job where I spend about 1 hour out of a 10 hour shift actually working, (unless the shit hits the fan), is nothing to complain about, but I miss the action.

I am afraid of my carpel tunnel however getting in the way, some days my hand cramps right up and I drop things all day long not such a good thing for the sterile field!! Anyway, I am still excited about it, also worried about it too!

We shall see how things go.. wow 16 days left until the start of class again... back to the old Gateway!

Did you ever

Think you paid a bill, swore that you paid it, it's sitting in your stack of, " I paid you bills." Then receive the disconnect notice? Seriously I totally thought I had paid three bills that day... and if I did... what other bill did I pay then? lol

Vacation Interuptus

I wish I could say that we were going somewhere but we are not. This was not really a planned vacation per say but the little one I take care of is off on her "Make A Wish" vacation to Disneyland so I have 1 week off. I have vacation time and am not willing or able to pick up day shifts anywhere, my availability is pretty limited because of having the girls right now, although it looks as if they will be going home the first week in Aug. We should be getting other placement after that...and we have some more training to do to become a Child Development Home as well. What it means is more medically complex and disabled children vs your typical kid. This designation allows a higher pay grade thus allowing hubby to stay at home to be the primary caretaker. Oh and don't forget I have school coming up as well!

OR

Ah the familiar

It wouldn't be the start of a new semester if there wasn't some complication with something regarding tuition and being dropped from classes. Seriously it happens EVERY semester!!

This time the tuition became due, I went to pay it, it kept saying there was a problem calculating my tuition, I decided to try again later that day. Still the same problem. So I figured I would try the next day, ie today... because I was thinking it was just maybe I was trying it to early because it was the first day the computer said my payment was due. Maybe it needed to reset or something? So I went back on this morning and low and behold it said DROPPED! So I called and had them reset it, apparently there is something that is an easy fix and happened to other students and I just need to try again later... but I am still enrolled!

Good thing right?

Tuition paid, books received... 1 month to go.

Let the party begin

Payment is due soon they have just started messing with that part of my online acct, some of my books have been ordered and will be here on Wednesday (as we have to get a jump start reading before class begins), and I just started the medical (ie immunizations and physical) stuff that needs to be completed. Good thing I really don't need to do any of the medical stuff, just need to get all of the papers in order. The school is the same one I completed my RN at so they actually have all of the immunization information, so all I have to do is submit my updated PPD and updated physical (which I just got for my Foster Care license) I have to do yet ANOTHER background check, waste of money, but whatever, it is what it is.

I have started watching youtube videos as well to get a start on the terminology of the unit, the tools, the set-ups...etc love that channel.

I also have to buy our uniform, but I do not think they have finalized that yet. It's just black scrubs with the logo from our school and Peri-Operative Nursing on it... they will also say my name,RN

;-)

The Journey Beyond...

The next step in the life of a Nurse is usually one where she/he becomes a student again. A little over a month away now and it's back into the classroom I go for an intensive program to prepare me or disenchant me on the OR.

I can't wait!

So much, yet so little

So much is going on, but then again not much has happened. work is work. Not much movement there. Same old same old. I may get an actual vacation at the end of July! My little one has been given a Make-a-Wish and of course Disneyland is on the agenda. I'd like to spend that time doing something fun..like sleeping ;-)

Fall is just around the corner and then school starts for me again. I am so looking forward to this program, I really hope it has a fruitful ending.

Like a Loop

My personal life is like a loop I just can't seem to shake. The trouble with other people's addictive personalities is that they have them. Maybe it's because I just had some major changes happen and what I thought I could use to fill the void just isn't working. It seems its time to take a hard look at the big picture and make some tough decisions.

Guest Posts

It's not that I am not flattered with the fact that people are actually reading the drivel that I write on this thing. But mainly this is for me. I use this forum as a diary I guess. A journal or log of the ups and downs that go on in my life. I like being able to read back a few years and see how much has changed, or how much has not.

I blog because I need an outlet to express whatever I want. I don't expect a book deal from it, or tons of money, or heck even a soul to read it, though I would be happy with any of those items.

Since I have begun blogging I have met many people on here who I actually consider friends, though we may not have met IRL. So as people complete their blogs and move on with life's adventures I remain steadfast in my blog here. It may not be exciting to read, but it's mine.

My point... Thanks but no thanks.

Textbooks...

I really need to gather up all of my text books and see if I can trade them in for some cash towards the huge book list that accompanies the OR Program which starts in a bit over two months. I also said I would help my daughter with her semester expenses for the summer, of course that was before I added 3 new members to the household and a house payment more than double what I was paying when I agreed.

Officially Enrolled

The OR program officially appeared on my enrollment list for the Fall semester! I am excited and nervous at the same time. With the addition of the girls I have to make some daycare arrangements for those two days I am in classes for this program if they are still with me come Aug 19th. But either way I am NOT dropping this program. I have been waiting for this forever or at the very least since my first semester of nursing school way back when.

I also ordered the textbook so that I can start memorizing the instruments now.... at orientation she said we had to know something like 120 procedures.

Culmination

In matriculation... teenage mother of two who has two kids who completed highschool. 1 in college and did not get pregnant. Now a son who is about to head off to serve his Country. I am one proud AZMOMO2!!!

This blog may be idol

For a while... the foster care has begun. Head on over to New Additions
for the skinny.

Senior Prom

My youngest, aka the boy, is about to graduate from highschool next week. To start the season... a bit from Senior Prom... even getting these pictures was like pulling teeth but at least we got a few.

Moving Day is here...

Yup it's moving day again. I wonder how many posts I have made about moving day in the nearly 4 years now that I have been blogging, perhaps 4?

Moving Day

Is approaching... it's actually Saturday. We have started to bring some things over and have even started to decorate... I did the kids bathroom so far. It's pretty dang cute.

I will take pics once it is complete of course. I love decorating... I need more money!

Happy Nurse's Day

Happy Nurse's Day to all nurses and soon to be nurses and wanna be nurses.



Now go out and buy a gift for a special nurse today!

Best Parts of the New Place

Especially since summer is fast approaching here in the desert.


I am also a big fan of this gem:


**But I am probably going to change the cabinets**

Big Happenings....

Over at the New Additions at the "A" Mansion blog... some exciting stuff headed our way

For Sale

The Realtor called today and the house we currently live in goes up for sale tomorrow. So I guess that means I really need to start packing now and making things a tad more presentable. Of course it's one more thing to worry about right! I really hope it doesn't sell as fast as the Realtor thinks it will. He said they expect quite a bit of traffic... but I warned him that I work nights and sleep days and that I will not be amendable to spur of the moment walk throughs or even showings every day. I am not trying to sell it so they can work around my schedule.

I hope the other house is ready for us in time. The Realtor said they could close in as little as 45 days. Yikes!


***update*** So right after this post I received another call from my friend who owns the house that we are moving to saying that the people renting it now broke the lease and have moved out already! So we get to move in early.

Withdrawl not accepted?

Seriously? I know I have been charged for it. Yeah maybe someday I want a BSN... but seriously I am beyond overwhelmed right now, and yeah I know I did this to myself... but seriously, if I need to withdraw then well... I must do so, because I am NOT going to do it all.


I have to make some hard decisions on just which path I want to take in my life right now. I have alot on my plate and sometimes because I have a bit of an issues sometimes with wanting MORE. Don't we all. I figured things would have more time for extra things because I handled it no problem this past semester in nursing school, but in reality it was all about perspective I guess.


I really tried to give a crap about the classes but at this point when I look at the assignments I really really just can't bring myself to complete them. I guess that means that I am just not ready to return to school for general education classes. I am just plain old burnt out!!

Maybe next year (shrug)

Withdraw request sent

So I decided to send a withdraw request for the BSN classes. I just do not like the format,two papers and a million discussion posts a week. I just have so much going on and things I am being paid for and can affect my licensing are way more important at this time to stay on top of. I will also quit the second job once we start getting placements, but not until then.

I think I will take a break from school searching and BSN classes until after the OR program is finished and think about BSN again at that time if I have to.

I have to admit

That I am behind in my BSN classes already and considering withdrawing. I mean really I have so much going on I don't know what I was thinking. I want to quit my second job, but the girls there are so nice and don't give me a bunch of crap and I can self schedule and well... I just can't bring myself to say no when they call... ok yes I have been, I said start of care only no f/u visits, I will assign to my LPN team... yup that will be 1 less thing right?

So now what? Urgh! I guess tomorrow and Friday I will try and get caught back up with classes and write those stupid discussion posts and papers on lord only knows what.

Vacation Planning

I think it's time for a vacation. I am thinking a road trip to New Orleans would be fun. Since we would be driving there I am also thinking a stop over in San Antonio for a day would be fun too. Two things to cross off my bucket list. Since moving here all of our vacations have been back to Mass to visit family up there. No offense because I love them all and it's fun to visit Boston, but I have been there done that. It's time to get some of those "it'd be nice" trips outta the way.

So I have begun pricing the gas expenses and hotel for the areas. I am thinking the state income tax return, if it comes back to us in time, would be enough to enjoy a nice hubby and me week before we start getting our foster/adopt kids and move into the new house.

With working two jobs and going to school we haven't had anytime to celebrate my graduation. So we shall see. I am hoping we will be celebrating my son's graduation from HighSchool as well... but right now that is up in the air because of his Algebra grade. Do they really have to put things soo close, first Sami and now him?

Fake it till you Make it.

Don't hate but I drew my first lab of my RN career unsupervised yesterday! LOL Ok so the tube ended up being spoiled and the blood clotted and it was a fail at the end. Like I blew through the little vein and she'll have a pretty big bruise. But it was an awkward position, this home care thing is tough and conditions are less than ideal.

But anyway, yeah it was a weird feeling to just do it like it was something I did every day. It was also nice because the patient was all, " You are so calm and matter of fact that you put me at ease." Dude my hands were shaking and my heart was pounding so hard! LOL Never let'em see you sweat I guess!

I just don't want to do it

Maybe I have just too much going n in my life right now but I just don't want to do the BSN program I am in. I just don't want to do the visiting nurse job I have. Heck I even don't want to do my night job anymore. I know it's because I want the OR program to begin, plus there is just so much going on with the foster/adoption thing right now and moving into that house that literally I am starting to feel like may be wayyy more than we can handle but I don't think change so often who the heck knows what will happen, but all I can say is MAYBE I can force myself to get through all of the school stuff, but there may not be any saving me when it comes to the second job.

I think it may be the charting :-)

In Reality

I dropped the Work & Family class. So I only have two classes this semester, but it is more than enough. Currently I am sick with fevers, stomachaches and fatigue feels fluish but I had the flu shot and it's pretty late in the season, so I am going to go with a virus.

I am liking the visiting nurse position a overall but feeling a bit lazy and not really wanting to do both jobs and go to school. I think in the Fall I will no way be able to do both of these positions with the OR program as intensive as it is. I really hope our foster placements are in place by then.

The BSN Journey begins

As of today classes have started. Oh freaking joy. Anyways, the class I could not remember the name of, "Work and Family" lol

Ok so anyways off to review these stupid classes and see what I have gotten myself into.

Professional Nursing (4)
Advanced English Composition (4)
Work and Family (4)


And I am seriously thinking 3 is too many classes with two jobs. All this paper writing... really three 5 page APA papers and 6 discussion board posts a week?


PS Curlygirl asked: How did you study for the HESIA2

Answer: I didn't study for the HESIA2 actually. I wish I could have said there was some magic way to do it, but with all of my prereqs and coreqs completed, the content for the HESIA2 was covered.

Color Challenge

My colorist has her hands full but I am confident in her ability. Actually a few months ago she managed to bring my hair back from the drab brown with grayish tint to my 6 year old glory, and the time has come to do it again! Oh how I wish I could get this color from a bottle that didn't turn my hair red... but alas $150 it is.

Look at those cheeks! So freaking cute! LOL Oh and yes I am a natural blonde ;-P

8 days and dreading

Seriously not looking forward to the start of classes. I really think the idea of a BSN is over rated! LOL OK not seriously but the thought of Advanced Comp and Professional Nursing and some other class for the life if me I can't remember the name of...the endless amount of APA papers in my future... D R A G.

I can't wait for the Fall semester though.

So anyway visiting nursing has been crazy busy! I have about 8 patients right now with admits and discharges pretty much at a steady pace. Might I just add that the concept of two jobs with two paychecks is a good idea in theory, but in actuality sucks when you are weighed down with paperwork and feel like you only have a slight clue as to how to do it most days... I must add though that the office staff is pretty great with helping and when I have questions.

My blog is in Vfib

Have you ever looked at your dashboard and seen the little EKG looking strip next to your pageviews? Apparently mine is in Vfib!

My other two... New Additions at the "A" Mansion & Nobody Here but us Adipose Tissue & Band. are looking to be in a bit of first degree heart block.

Like Surgical Technology but on Steriods

That is what the OR Program instructor said the new format for the Peri-operative Program will be. Our class this Fall is going to be a first of it's kind AORN Journal Published Pilot Program as a Template for all future programs toward bringing the Nursing back to the OR.

Not only is the program in the Fall but also in the Spring, so 8 Months to be exact of OR Scrub and Circulating instruction, as well as First Assist Training. Aka Blocks 5 & 6. (Yay and a new uniform- Black Scrubs!)<- this part is dripping in sarcasm.

This also includes 400 hours of Scrub/Circulating experience at a hospital of our choice... aka hospital we would like to work at when the program is over because they are coordinating with the Staff Educators and HR Departments of our placement hospitals as potential hires. Since we are all already Registered Nurses we are eligible for hire... as well as our training is not coming out of their budget so we are able to bypass the new grad and training programs that hospitals are not wanting to hire right now. So armed with the 120 cases completed as a requirement and 400 contact hours, which is 3 shifts a week for 12.5 weeks, it's a LONG job interview. With this current economy it's worth the $1,600 this program is going to cost me.

Hopefully I will come out of this with my dream job on top of the Certification come next May.

Now for my dilemma. This program is intensive. 2 days a week of class and lab M and F from 7a to 4p. Quizzes, skills checks offs and then clinicals. I know I am way more marketable with my BSN and OR Certificate, but is it doable to continue on this path? I mean this program is 16 credits, my current BSN program is 12 credits every 11 weeks. I know it is doable in the long run and worth every penny and sleepless night, but then again, I have two jobs and will eventually have foster children as well, very likely foster children with medical needs. Of course once I have two medical foster children in my home I will no longer need the second job, other than to buy myself toys :-) (like the boat I want), anyway.... what to do?

I think what will happen is I will continue the the BSN program as well as the OR program because the biggest contributing factor to getting into a hospital around here is the BSN as well as the contacts that are made during the clinical and just may have to down size my second job. In the meantime I am getting as many hours as I can!

A Day in the life of a Visiting Nurse

So yesterday was a taste of exactly what a normal visiting nurse schedule could look like.

My day started with an 8am discharge visit, where the pt started talking about issues that she was now having with regard to a medication. She felt it was causing some adverse side effects other than chubby cheeks there did not seem to be a real "issue" So that one took about an hour and then I went over to next visit and arrived about 15 minutes early.. INR drawn and that one was pretty quick at just under 30 minutes.

So I went home for lunch and to find my stethoscope. I was able to get a little charting completed, ate and watched a little TV and relaxed, until my next appt which was at 1. Where I drew another INR and figured this one would be quick as well, except I noticed a possible infection, and had to call the MD because the pt had not had a f/u done yet. So that took about an hour which I did not figure it would, then I had to drive out to my farthest client which takes about 20 minutes, where I had to do a start of care- which takes about 2 hours or more depending on the medications the people are on, but I manged that one in 1.5 hours.

So it was about 4 hen I pulled back into my house, my next and last pt of the day is only 10 minutes from my house, so I threw a roast in the oven and scarfed down some ice cream (bad me) and I headed out to my 5:00 start of care. I was home by 6:15.



Then I had to go into work for 9pm at my other job. I just now completed my start of care charts and care plans and submitted them.



Oh and I am about to head out to the Peri-operative orientation soon.

Starting to pick up

So my visiting nurse position is starting to pick up. I hope to be up to 3 visits a day and 2 start of cares a week. I think that would make my time worth it because it would add about 4200 more a month. Not bad for 20 hours a week. I told them today that I am pretty flexible with my hours and can pick-up overflow... so now maybe they will think of me more.

Application.... Accepted!

Congratulations! This letter is to inform you that you will be enrolled into the Peri-Operative Nursing program for Fall 2013. Mandatory Orientation will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Application Submitted

To add another thing on my plate... of course this one we all knew was coming... I submitted my application for the Peri Operative Program today. Of course it does not start until the fall and does not start the selection process for another month or so... but they say that usually the small class size 17 is not a factor... there aren't actually that many people interested in the program. I just hope they don't cancel it this semester based on low enrollment... I have been waiting for this opportunity since block 1 and feel this is the only way that I will be able to get into an OR job in this freaking state.

Why I love my new job...

I still have my old job (Peds) but the second job, the one that despite it being a slower start than I had wanted it to be at this point, I actually am putting up with that in hopes that things will be where I need them to be, ie MONEY. Because he office staff support is AWESOME!

Not one time in the 2 years working for my current job have they ever had a nice word to say to any of their nurses. In fact you only hear from them when they are threatening you with suspension or being written up for some new rule they have implemented in at the last minute or something they are deficient in and need to cover their butts on and thus pass the panic down to us.

But within 1 case I have received emails from my new job with kudos and good job comments... you know what it does... it makes this passive aggressive procrastinator want to work that much harder and put up with less than an expected work flow to help them grow their business and be patient and continue to work with them.

Now if only they could fill my schedule as they promised. I have a really nice house to pay for and I really need the extra money to do so otherwise I may have to revise my plans yet again.

Why I see an NP

Because the letters RN mean something to her, because she takes me serious when I know when something isn't right... but she also makes me go to see the Urologist and get an exam I really don't want because of blood in my urine that in my family is like a genetic trait... I mean EVERY member of my Mom's family and their offspring, and their offspring's offspring have so far had his + result.

SOLO

So today was my first SOLO visit as a visiting nurse. I think I did pretty well... until I got home. Of course there was a point I think I was doing VERY well... then I lost a whole section... probably a very important section as it was my start of care narrative notes... so yeah this is embarrassing, but they were expecting it anyway...lol

I think I can get the hang of this though, not as crazy as I thought, once I get a system and figure out all of the ins and outs of the computer system.

But: I really like visits!

Food Therapy

How do you convince a kid,who has never eaten, that food is good & fun? Well like any other kid you start with junk food. Ok so not really the best introduction to eating, but the main goal is introducing foods so as to get off of TPN.

Ramen, cocoa puffs,baby carrots, and peanut butter sandwiches have been a bit hit. Mind you these are merely bites, but coming from a kid that has refused food of ANY kind for ever... I am pretty proud that I am trusted enough to have them let me try and well a Build-A-Bear is also great motivation. Who would have thought?

The one where I change my mind a million times...

Why because I chose to go through a foster parent/ adoption class and made a commitment to that. So as a result I have had to take a step back and see where all these working opportunities and such have to fit in, especially since I still have school to think about as well. In theory doing all of this 7 days a week nearly 20 hours a day seems doable... but in reality... I know it totally isn't.

What I found was that I have to keep my current full-time job, not take the one bringing her to school 3 days a week, and not teach this semester. I decided I really need to try and get all my ducks in a row for the visiting nursing position and make that one work for me.

Why? Because of time all of these things will take and the need for flexibility of course. Having kids again I need to have a work schedule that allows for frequent changing as needed, especially foster children, they have a bit more going on then bio children sometimes. Eventually hubby will be a stay-at-home, MAYBE, but for now it's not an option until we sign on the dotted line for buying the house, his length of employment is a BIG factor.

So why the visiting nurse? I think it's the only one that offers the highest payrate and flexible hours. Especially since the new house costs so much more and will need so much more furniture, I really need lots of money for a while to buy the stuff to make it look nice! I also figure another shift work position will not fit in for emergency situations and such if the need arose.

So let's see how all of this pans out... shall we.

PS... What foster care/adoption class am I talking about?

Why New Additions at the "A" Mansion of course! Did I forget to mention it before?

Urgh!

So I need so much for the visiting nurse position and since I am NOT full-time with them they do not supply it. IE: Ipad or internet access for inside pt's home on my laptop ($100 + monthly service fee of $65), new electric BP cuff and thermometer($50, rolling nursing bag ($45)Not to mention the nearly $300 for the pulse ox.

I repeat... I really need to get PAID!

Considering Teaching...

So I was approached about teaching CNA classes. Eeekkk.... Here is where the reality of actually teaching in the future may actually be tested. I am not sure however how this will turn out, because it is far from my house, but... I would love to consider the opportunity. Except I am sitting here blogging about it instead of calling the program director back.

*** Ok so I called them and it looks promising. I am hoping to pick up the weekend shifts for 10 week stints at a time. I will meet with them on Monday and go from there. Lots of training and support so they don't just they you to the wolves so this could be exciting.. We shall see if it pans out. ****

An update of sorts...

Confirmed my schedule today for late spring semester start for BSN. My books have been ordered and are shipping soon. Start date is officially still a little bit away, 4/8/13... but things are moving forward, and my finical aide for this is in progress as well.

I had an orientation for another new position today. I should hear hopefully soon about my starting hours shortly, although things may hit a snag, not sure yet. Finding a second position has seemed to be easy, it's just the actually starting and getting regular hours and a regular paycheck that seems to be the problem.

I did not get the Indian Health Position because it was more clinic work and less med/surg work and they thought that my goals of my BSN and OR program would make me over qualified for the type of experience that this position would offer me and I probably would not be happy there. (The bait and switch that I was referring to in previous post) soooo.... to be continued.

Cherokee Scrubs Flexibles - A Review

When I was approached by Uniformed Scrubs to write a review for an item from their Cherokee Scrubs collections I was very excited! They are the makers of my new favorite scrubs, The Flexibles! You see I already had quite a collection of them.

They sent me the solid color Navy and if their shipping for orders is as fast as this I will be a very happy customer in the future.

So the good: I love the comfort of these scrubs, the flexible sides allow for stretch and although they are form fitting, they are not binding at all. I also love the fact that they are not boxey looking like most scrubs are. For someone who has recently lost weight, I want it to look like I lost way more weight than I already have, and these new Cherokee Flexibles do just that.

Now for the bad: I really only have one complaint about these scrubs and its the pockets! They have a kangaroo pocket in the front, completely useless for holding any kind of equipment that an actual nurse may need. Pens fall out, flushes fall out, and well you guessed it, pretty much everything falls out. Despite being my new staple wardrobe, I do need to make sure that I buy pants with plenty of pockets.

For me the style and comfort wins out over the function, mainly because currently my position in Home Health allows me to use a bag and not have to shove everything in my pockets. These new Cherokee Flexibles are also good for the new dress codes that many facilities are adopting since they come in solid colors as well.

So check out the selection of Cherokee Scrubs or any of the huge selection of scrubs from Uniformed Scrubs and say I sent you buy using this coupon code 15pbrm to get 15% your order!

First Panel Interview

I don't mind the format... but all in all... I freaking hate interviews. I always feel like either I say too much or not enough or whatever. You get a good feeling and then well a bad feeling all in one interview. It just is NOT the best way I make my impressions. Anyway ya just never know about these things.

So the job is a bait and switch, if that makes any sense, it was advertised as 1 thing, but is actually something else. Not bad, but just something else. I won't go into a lot of detail just yet, but either way and I should know early next week, I guess. So I will tell you more about it later.

Right now I am at work in my brand new Cherokee Flexible Scrubtop which I will write an official review on later, sense this one I was approached about. But let's just say these tops have become a staple in my wardrobe since I found them in my last uniform shopping trip where I discovered I had gone down 2ish sizes, if only they did not have the Kangaroo pouch pocket and had regular front pockets, but the best part, they are form fitting instead of boxy!

Perioperative Nursing 101

Enrolling this week for the Fall 2013 start! So excited about this one. The class consists of hybrid lecture and clinical and lab components with an internship in the OR.

They teach you how to scrub, circulate and even first assist with some procedures. THIS is the opportunity I have been waiting for since Block 1 in the nursing program way back when.

I am hoping that this will give me some networking opportunities to parlay my RN into a career at the surgical centers, or a leg up when it comes to applying for positions that require "experience" at the hospital level OR programs, not having to be trained from scratch by an employer probably looks better right?

Looks to be a VERY busy Fall!!

When it rains it pours...

With that said I just received a call for an interview next Thursday for an inpatient RN position, plus that interview I mentioned yesterday for the other Peds Homecare position, as well as,I am still in the mix for the visiting nurse position, and well we all know that I am not willing to give up my current case EVER.

So anyway, I applied to a bunch of places, just like everyone else, and a bunch of places have started calling back... eeek

Ok so THE perk of this position... student loan forgiveness!! It is for the Indian Health services!(Gosh now this one I really really want!!) 10 hour rotating day shifts with EOW. So this allows me to maintain my other position and still pick up some of her school hours as well. Like I said before, she has many days where she doesn't go to school at all, so I will be good there as well and can do PRN with the visiting nursing company. Of course if I am only able to pick up a few of her days that is ok too. She was VERY excited at the idea of having even more time with me.

So with all of that, here is the scoop as to why am I doing all of this. The simple concept is Career satisfaction and pay checks! Those are the keys right now to accomplishing the rest of my "list". Debt free, downpayment on the "A" Mansion, decorating said house, and of course being able to support hubby not working full-time outside of the house so that we can get kiddos. Of course my long term goal is NOT to have to work more than 1 or 2 jobs forever, but long enough to get all of the things accomplished that really need to be seen to, like my credit score.

Why I am not changing my name...

Because the journey continues. Nursing school that is. Of course it's not all that exciting now, just boring classes, but another 18+ months to go. Is it me or does it feel like school will just never end?

18+ months from now and the next Journey will start and that is my Master's Degree Program, of course at that point I shall have to decide exactly what I want my degree to be in. Do I go the Education route, the Management route, the Informatics Route (not likely), or do I go the FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) route? I am leaning toward Education right now.

Ok so anyway, back to preparing for this first batch of classes.

ACLS

Completed my ACLS class today. Now I just need to complete PALS. I need some more money first though. I submitted my reimbursement request today, so as long as it is on my next check then I will turn it around and do the PALS class.

I am also considering adding a few other certifications, the problem is, the more I realize that I am lazy and really don't want to work that hard for not a lot of money, the more I realize that acute care doesn't mean that much to me. Makes me wonder why exactly I am even doing the BSN aspect of it? But ya never know because I always change my mind. (Still want the Perioperative one, however there is some not good news with that one right now, but it could change.)

So anyway... got a call today that a nurse is leaving my case that takes her to school. So guess what! LOL... Since it is with another company it does not interfere with my current full-time job, but allows me to pick up the extra hours that I need to allow me to get this plan moving already!

Let's see, be with her all night then take her to school 3 days a week. Actually it could be all week. They do have other hours they would like me for, except I am not bilingual. I really wish I could make the Spanish Language stick inside my head!

RN to BSN update

Enrollment has begun. Got the degree plan today. Official start date of April 8th. I have already completed the College Success class they require though, so at least that one is out of the way.


Anticipated Graduation date 9/21/14

Sem 1

NUR3816 Dimensions of Professional Nursing (4)
HUM-Work & Family (4)
ENG-Adv Comp (4)

Sem 2
NUR3508 Quality and Safety in Nursing (4)
ENG-American Lit (4)
HIS-Visions of America (4)

Sem 3
NUR3177 Health Assessment (4)
HUM-Contemp World Lit(4)
MAT-Gender in Math & Science (4)

Sem 4
NUR3205 Applied Pathophysiology (4) BLEXK (The one I had taken was not on a 300 level so retake it is, but could be worse)
NUR3655 Transcultural Nursing (4)
NUR4165 Nursing Research (4)

Sem 5
NUR4870 Nursing Informatiics (4)
NUR4529 Public Health and Community Nursing (4)
NUR3418 Introduction to Alternative and Complimentary Therapies (4)

Sem 6
NUR4773 Leadership and Management in Nursing (4)
NUR4909 Nursing Capstone (4)

Senior Seminar

Careful Careful Careful

IV antibiotics x 2 via central line 1 q8 and 1 q6. TPN via central line continuously. Q4 blood sugar and q4 T & BP. Not to mention numerous NGT meds. The good part... only 1 pt. So yeah this is really where I belong!

Super freaked out about maintaining aseptic technique so we avoid another line infection. It's pretty hard with a home case who is neutropenic as well. I really wish there was a line cap we could use like a Curos or something. I am considering taping a chlorhexidine wipe to the end between accessing and stuffing the end in a glove finger... maybe that will work?

I seriously have to get a hold of my Administrator and get my damn RN raise! They have my info now. I will call again tomorrow. So so many things right now that need to fall into place with jobs. Urgh, I sound like a broken record.

Soul Searching...

Did I work this hard to dread a shift already? NOPE

So I thought long and hard, and over and over, and realized, that this acute care position is just not where I want to be. I just do not want to work with acutely sick kids. Never have. I am also not a fan of screaming babies, so yeah. I had the chance to experience quite a lot of areas of nursing during clinical and as an LPN, and I know what I like and don't like, I don't want to waste anyone's time, especially don't want to be sitting here eating cookie dough all stressed out over not liking a position.

So I have some phone calls to make tomorrow and a few things to work out. I may be hearing from the Neuro/Rehab position, but that is not my plan, it's just a back-up just incase they do in fact call, but I am actually going to submit an application for my old job, while I work toward my BSN and do the OR program. This way I can stay as primary nurse for my current position as well.


Much more to think about and update, but until I know for sure...

PICU again

Homecare case in PICU- condition GUARDED. Septic Shock. Neutropenia and invasive lines, with access to schools during flu season is NOT a good place. Endless strep despite multiple oral antibiotic therapy. Probably should avoid oral antibiotics with a kid that has malabsorption issues to begin with... don't you think?

Anyway this is a reason I have had to make the hard decisions. It's not their fault, it's just that bills need to be paid. I think I will be able to still get the rest of my hours in for the week on another case at the house, so at least with my 24 hours I have already at the Hospital it will be a regular check... but I was kinda looking forward to a month of OT.. don't it just figure?

Houston we have a problem...

Well I am not exactly sure if we do or not, I guess I will stick it out and see how things go... but like, um.... I really DO NOT want to be a baby nurse.

No offense to all the babies out there reading this, but yeah I really don't like taking care of babies. They cry a lot, especially the sick ones, and it is up to us to soothe them, as well as treat them, and chart at the same time.

Soooo... lots to think about I guess.

Oh and yeah I still feel like a moron right now... slower on the uptake than I should be, I really don't like this feeling, maybe because babies are not my thing? Hell in OB I stayed FAR away from the "Baby Nurse"

URGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


PS: Updated...

The parties that be agreed that I could work both locations, what happened was... Mom said, "Then we will not have Nursing anymore because I really want to keep Christine and do not want to train another nurse so you will be losing over 500 billable hours a month." that totally changed their tune and they were, "Oh ok of course Christine is awesome!" LOL

PPS: So guess who also called today... my adult homecare job finally! So ride-a-long either tomorrow or the day after, then I will finally be able to make my decision and if I get hours then we are golden.

CinderNurse

A term I learned yesterday, apparently it is the concept of making the new nurse do the scut work or being your slave. Of course my Preceptor said se wasn't going to do that, but it was a funny concept, accurate in most cases, but funny nonetheless. I have never heard that term before.

So my night as an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse... I couldn't remember the most basic math and I couldn't remember reconstitutions and concentration math either. But it was basically just nerves and being put on the spot and literally my mind blanked. I felt so dumb though, soooo not like me. Other than that I watched how things were done, then I jumped into holding babies, changing babies and hanging feedings. So the usual things for me just on a tinier scale.

What the night consisted of was,getting acquainted with the unit, quieting a fussy baby who had stridor and just would not sleep, pulse ox alarms aplenty, q2h diaper changes, q2h repositioning, giving meds via IV push and NGT, hanging IV antibiotics via syringe pump & slow IV push, hanging tube feeds,making formula, drawing labs from both a PICC and a scalp vein (the scalp vein venipuncture, OMG terrifying!)and answering the many needs of many needy parent. Anyway this IS the big time ladies and gents.

The morning arrived with an onslaught of RN nursing students to our tiny facility and it hit me that I am the RN, this is real... and thank GOD I did not have to write a school careplan on my patients today.

Back tonight then next shift on Sunday again. The only part I don't like abut it is that it is NOT 7 miles from my house like my other job, I am not looking forward to a Monday 6pm commute. I really hope the traffic is going the other direction.

Is it meant to be?

Do you ever wonder how you end up in the places you do? In Block 1 we were asked, "What do you want to do when you graduate?" My reply, " Anything but Pediatrics, I don't even want Peds during clinical." I just knew that the PACU and OR were areas that would interest me. I had a lot of patient experience with that area of nursing and was fascinated with it. (Nothing has changed there, btw and I am stilling applying into the Perioperative Program's next start date) Yet, I enjoyed my clinicals in Peds. Especially the time I had in the PICU. The "floor" was interesting as well, whereas NICU didn't have enough action for me, I could now see the opportunity there for me as well.

So I sit here and contemplate how I ended up here. I am about to start another chapter of my nursing career, this time as an RN, and as Pediatric Floor Nurse at a small children's hospital tonight. I am a bit scared and yet very excited about the opportunity that this will allow in my future career.

Of course I am not totally out of the running for an acute care position in adult neuro/rehab... but I would not count on getting that one at this point. I still must maintain two jobs either way for a year so that I could continue on my path to being debt free and getting the money for the down payment and mortgage on the new McMansion. Who knows maybe my visiting nurse RN job will get their census up and give me a call to start seeing patients!

Broken Heart

So I did explain to the family about the new Peds job and the likelihood that I would not even end up there at all as a nurse. We did discuss possibly 2 shifts at 8 hours each then doing the other 24 at the Hospital. I am mostly hoping for this and would love to continue in this case. I hope she can push for it with the agency and that they don't decide to reassign me off it totally as they had threatened. This still allows the agency to get a nurse for 32 hours a week ie full-time so it's not like they haven't done that before. But we did discuss that they need an RN for her and not an LPN if they rehire. However the Mom does not really want them to replace me at all and has even suggested not getting nursing after I leave and I will just take her on weekends and when I get kiddos Mom will come and work for me. We also discussed changing the agency, but since she works for them, she wasn't sure if they would retaliate or something. But her husband was all for it! LOL So I am at least hoping.

It sucks but they understand the reasons behind needing to get acute care experience as a new grad so that I don't get locked into a limited path.

Anyway, I do start training at the Peds Hospital tomorrow night.

Acute Care and then some

So I had two interviews today. Both were for acute care hospitals. 1 is the sister company of the one I work with, the other the large corporate hospital that spans the entire valley. Peds and the other Neuro/Rehab

Interview #1. PRO: AWESOME! Great staff, great managers, a lot of acuity, with potential for overtime, although potential for getting low censused as well in the off seasons, but she said if I train for Charge then I would not get low censused first. They also do have some LPNs on staff so of course they get low censused first but they are currently 60% RN staffed as with any facility. NO tech though so it's total care. but they are mostly babies. Anyway, It's Peds of course with the average age under 3 but can be up to 18. Lots of NICU step-down, drug withdrawal, RSV, and antibiotic therapy, as well as cardiology step-down. 5:1 ratio. Small hospital no loss of seniority or benefits, more pay, harder job of course than my homecare case, but so much more to learn and it counts towards that oh so important acute hospital experience that is a make or break right now.

CON: Can not do my homecare case anymore. Despite the bond we have and desire to maintain the relationship and such, the bitches at the office were like, "Oh you are going there, well we will just reassign your case." I told them I was only going to do part-time at the hospital and could still work 16 ours or 2 days to give me the 40 and they were like, "No we will use you somewhere else because they may have an issue staffing if the hours are less than that.. Of course you KNOW the only reason I have put up with these people for this long is because of the case so there is no way I would stay if they reassigned me to another case.

So anyway, I have to talk to the Mom and see what she says and everything, maybe she can insist that I do 2 8 hour shifts and whoever they get work there the other 4 days = 32 hours for them? I KNOW that they split cases all the time, heck that is how I started. The Mom and I had a talk about it yesterday a little, because we knew they were going to pitch a fit, but yeah... maybe we can can rearrange some things, or at the very least I will just see them in a non-nursing way... after all we are buying their other house from them, and the Mom may come and work for me if we get cases with nursing hours, which I am determined to do!

The key to this whole mess is that as a new RN I really need to get acute care experience or I am going to be stuck in homecare forever and well.. what if something happens to my only reason for staying in Homecare to begin with?



Interview #2 Neuro/Rehab. What else can I say. It is also considered acute care, the interview was mostly situation type of personality questions. I probably blew it, mainly because I was a tad disenchanted with the unit as I walked through it. But either way I still answered the questions the best way I could, but well... bleck. Of course I expressed interest, beyond what I actually had, and asked about training and whatnot. She said they were interviewing next week as well, and if I made the next cut it would be a peer panel interview. So yeah I would not turn it down, because of the opportunity, but really, Neuro/Rehab? It's like a Nursing Home on steroids! These pts are too unstable to go to facilities and too stable to be on the floors. The acuity changes but the majority of the until consists of -No vents but there are trachs, burns, LVADs, TBI, Stroke and Cardiac(non-monitored) beds. (Technically the designation could be termed Med/Surg)

So stay tuned I guess...


So anyway... I have not slept yet, I have to work tonight, I have not been able to eat anything, my band is so damn tight because of the stress, so maybe I will try and get a few hours of a nap before work.

Almost didn't answer the phone...

The call came up PRIVATE number. But I remembered that I am not screening anymore and answered it. HR phone interview for an Acute care position at LARGE teaching hospital in the valley. Ummm... yeah so crazy! I got past the computer. I got past the the "no new grads", and the HR phone interview screening, to a live in person interview on Friday. I am sure that I won't get much further in the process, no current BSN in a job market saturated with qualified BSN students, but it's like they say, "It's an honor just to be nominated." I mean seriously it really is a trip.

How to sell myself to the next stage... I wish they could call my references first! They LOVE me! LOL. I am not a good interview I must admit. I always think of so many things I want to say afterward. But I impress on the floor! (Case in point my very first nursing job has called and asked if I would come back now that I have my RN and they knew that was why I left.)

So anyway..Can I do the job? Heck yeah! I am awesome! LOL Do I want the job? Heck ummm maybe? LOL Well it's not really my dream job and I know it'll suck, but it'll be awesome at the same time. So much to learn and skills to hone and all the cool toys! LOL Yeah I am a goober. It's Neuro btw.

Needless to say, I am shopping tomorrow for a suit coat to go with my skirt, courtesy of my NCLEX tutoring gig... here's hoping I get to the panel interview and beyond.

(Don't worry though I have a lot of irons in the fire right now when it comes to making the most out of the new RN)

A whirlwind of decisions and nondecisions

I have been filling out job applications for the heck of it. Doesn't hurt to put my resume out there and hope for the best.

I may be transferring out our Homecare department division and into the facility for the acute care designation. Apparently our parent company is listed as acute/subacute... woot! I am trying though to stay with the Homecare assignment as well, even if that one turns into part-time... because it's considered OT if I work both. Boooooo!

Let's see what else... school... so anyway I decided to drop Stats and enroll in the original RN-BSN program that I spoke about on here previously. It is just an overall better program for me and will take 18 months as well, without two extra math classes...lol! The focus is more on the liberal arts and humanities so for me, writing papers on these topics is way more in my wheel house then doing tons of useless math problems... yes useless, I already know this stuff doesn't affect my knowledge of medication calculations. Oh and my official start of that program is April 8th and there are 17 classes, I will take 3 every 11 weeks.

At this point I just had to pick one and do it!

So anyway I am still waiting to hear back on the 2nd job official plan to get me out there and seeing patients, but unfortunately it got slow all of a sudden for them. (Thus, the reason for me to apply to a few facility locations to get some guaranteed hours.) I need the extra income if I want to pay off all of my debt, pay for my degree completion and get the new house!

Now I have all of this extra NCLEX stuff...

So now I have all of this nursing school and NCLEX prep stuff I no longer need. I have about 60 days or so with Kaplan left and I have so many NCLEX study guides and stuff I have no idea what to do with it. I used a lot of NCLEX prep stuff while I was going through school, it's basically how I studied every semester, and I am positive it is how I got such a high score on my Exit HESI.

HESI-RN
Saunders Comprehensive Q&A (orange)
Kaplan Textbook
Kaplan Drug Guide
Hurst NCLEX-RN Review
Barron's NCLEX-RN Flash Cards (pharmacology review)

and a few Made Easy Books
*Med/Surg
*Cardiology
*Critical Care
*Fluids & Electrolytes

Not to mention my textbooks!

I really must go through them all now and take an inventory for craigslist or something.

My "Story"

Preparing:

Is not really that exciting. I have been doing NCLEX questions from some source or another since before the start of my RN year. However, for real I used HESI-RN for content review. I browsed through it. As in I just read the HESI HINTS, since I scored an 1147 on the HESI exit, I assumed it was enough. I just really could not get into content review. I mean after all of the studying that I did while in school, I really could not even force myself to do content review, my heart was just not in it. My school offered a 3 day class for free, but I didn't go to it. Who wants to go to more lectures on nursing content after Pinning? LOL... Kaplan had content review lessons on it, but every time I put them on, I'd fall asleep, no really I actually did, EVERY TIME. BORING! (BTW, if you want interesting Kaplan review, like for Cardiology, look up Conrad Fischer,MD on youtube.com loved him. Got me an A in that section too.)

So I did NCLEX questions every day from the day I got my ATT until the day before my NCLEX testing date. I used Kaplan-all the trainers and the QBank. I reviewed the Decision Tree they claim is a fool proof way, and after a few days of thinking it worked, well it didn't. I just answered questions the way I always did. My scores:
Diagnostic 77.78%
Qt 1 66.67%
Qt 2 77.33%
Qt 3 63%
Qt 4 70.67%
Qt 5 68.67%
Qt 6 67.5%
Qt 7 67.55%
Readiness (taken out of order ) 68.33%
QBank 50% Completed with 66%

Apparently these are good scores according to Kaplan. I did 150 questions a day + 1 test.

When I was bored, I did questions from PrepU, but they were really easy, even the higher level ones which say they are designed to get harder the higher your level, but when I was getting 95-100% on each set of questions, well I knew I wasn't being challenged correctly. So I thought yeah let's try the makers of THE test. So I bought a 5 week NCSBN program for $50 and well after about 4 quiz sets, HATED it! So only about 300 questions completed and I went back to Kaplan.

For lab values I google searched out "nursing lab value quizzes" and just did all the ones I could find.

There was also this "study guide" circulating around Allnurses.com I spent 1 whole day arranging that thing into a Type A Personality approved completely ordered by system, properly arranged study guide. I had to read and re-read it a few times to get it all categorized, so the things stuck I guess. It's pretty much just "gems", the sad part only 1 of those "gems" was on my test. (HINT: K)

NCLEX- So anyway, I was pretty burned out by day 26 and just did about 25 or so questions that whole day. On day 27 I did about 40 or so questions in 10 question sets. Sidebar: 10 question sets are about all I have the regular attention span for. Day 29, I went to the movies the night before, went to bed around midnight, got up the next morning@0630 for my 8am test time. Then I went to take the test. Pretty much straight forward, the TSA has got nothing on these folks. But overall, since I had been through it before, it was not as nerve wracking as it was the first time when I had taken the NCLEX-PN.

Despite studying when I answered the questions on NCLEX-RN I felt like I was guessing at every single one. You just can never gauge how that test goes because it is probably designed to make you fell like you failed it.

I drove home... the rest you know :-)

So that is pretty much it. I spent the entire night after the test searching everywhere for clues and reassurances that I had in fact passed. I checked the BON website about a million times, but when I got home at 0830 from work I was just too damn tired to stay up. Exhaustion set it and I fell into a restful sleep. I was awoken by my IM notifications from Facebook pinging all over the place (my cell phone notifies me if there is one). Since it kept going off and the dogs were barking I got up, it was 1230. I logged into the BON website and well... :-) Happy Dance!

This is a supper surreal feeling.

No longer "Like Practically a Nurse" ....

Now I am officially a REAL NURSE! RN Baby!



PS: I kinda figured I passed when I got the good pop-up but ya never want to be too confident over the unofficial. But seriously I walked out of there wondering if I had even studied.

PPS: I am NOT saying that an LPN is not a nurse BTW. I know we are. It is just ya know, ya know?

PPPS: Did I mention that the testing center tried to trick me. My computer said 12B... like I don't know that 13 comes after 12 and before 14?

Trick or Treat?

1.) Pearson Vue state's that I can not register for my exam again. = "Good pop-up"

2.) My test shut off at 75

3.) The test consisted of at least 80% alternate format style questions
SATA, Drag and Drop, Hotspot, and exhibit.

4.) What wasn't alternate was priority or medications.

5.) I felt like I answered every question wrong!

Twas the night before NCLEX

And I am thinking that I will try and avoid questions today. I have done so many NCLEX questions that I think my brain has shut off.

I know that everyone says to relax the day before and shut your brain off, so that is exactly what I intend to do.

I have an in-service training today for new job. Next week will probably be my official start seeing patients and making money. My hours at old job are 3 days a week right now Wed,Thur, Fri so it'll be clear for me to work Mon, Tue, Wed & Fri at new job. Since I can nearly self schedule everything except intakes, I should be able to stick with not working Thursday during the day. (I be too tired)

So after my in-service my plan is to veg. Maybe read a book for fun,like a smut book or maybe go and watch a movie or something. Hubby is home with flu-like symptoms so I'll be on my own there.

Tomorrow after NCLEX I plan to go and get my oil changed, tires rotated, and the car detailed. Then sign up at the new gym. (All are in the same plaza) Perhaps if I have money maybe I will also get a pedicure done, or my roots touched up. Anything and everything to try and get my mind off of the results. But I am also working tomorrow night, so there really is nothing to actually take my mind off of it.

I will be using the PearsonVue trick I know that for sure, I really really hope I pass this thing! The fact that people know I am taking it makes the stress that much more. What if I don't pass and it shows up on my BON -Applicant has failed the NCLEX?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Why on earth do we do this to ourselves?

One last thing... my inspirational revise from 2010 NCLEX :D Here's hoping!!

If i see one more NCLEX question...

Urgh! I can not wait to get this over with and I am freaking out about passing this. My Kaplan scores are ok, my HESI was great. But I am still freaking out because I feel like this actual test is just going to throw a bunch of things at me that are all on topics I am weaker at.

Wow I am seriously contemplating drinking a bottle of wine right now! lol

Top 25

Top 25 list click here

There are quite a few very amazing blogs listed in this list, many of which I follow and have used as guidance throughout my Journey.

Resume Padding with Advanced Certifications

So I have decided to finally get onto taking my ACLS, PALS & NRP certifications. I figure as much as I can pad my resume to make me stand out somewhere the better. As soon as I can get into that Perioperative Program, then of course that and my eventual BSN/MSN degrees will be good too right?

Now I just have to get the authorization form from work for reimbursement and pay for the classes and then the good part, they give me my money back. I love that part!

Oh yeah but first to pass the NCLEX.


I have just been plugging along with my Kaplan questions and have about a 70% overall in their QTrainers and QBank questions. Hope that means I am doing well. The instructors from Kaplan say that is good.

Classes for the Semester

In case you were wondering, I am taking classes this semester toward my BSN. Up first is Statistics. No matter which option I choose this class seems to be a pre/co req for them all. So no getting around it. What I AM trying to avoid however, is taking any higher Algebra classes. I just hate it that much! :-)

Ok now back to NCLEX studying... currently I am using Kaplan On Demand.

Conferred Degree

Yup this is awesome! 1 more BIG thing left to do!

After that it's all just frosting on top of my amazing dream come true. Now to get my ass back to studying! <-- so true

Just Studying

Not much else going on in the world of Nursing or Nursing School.

I have been actively studying for the impending testing just 14 days away now. I just purchased the NCSBN review, because well, I want questions directly from the makers of "THE TEST" to practice on.

I have been working as per usual, just at the Peds job, have not done any more hours so far for the visiting nurse position yet. I have to call to set up a good day for my ride-a-long training. I think that by the time all of this works out, I will just start as an RN and bypass the LPN status. I HOPE!!

I have still been researching BSN options but have yet as to decide on one... I think it's because I am just not ready right now to go back to school mode. I would like to just get this test out of the way and work as an RN for a bit and perhaps think about starting classes later. However, I do have a few info sessions and transcript evals pending soon to at least see where I stand. My biggest thing is that I do not want to take a bunch more Science or Math classes to fluff up a costly degree and waste too much time or money.

Well back to studying.

New Years Day

I am not going to write a year in review, because I blogged about it. But as I sit here in my LPN position I know that in a few weeks I will be sitting here as an RN!

So I really need to get my butt back into study mode to nail that NCLEX.

I have been a bit side tracked by our new adventure, and since I usually become all consumed with research when I attempt a new path, needless to say, it has been taking up my every waking moment for the past few weeks.

In March or early April, things could get a bit crazy again so I have added another blog to chronicle the adventures there.

I am afraid that soon this one will probably start to slow down, although, I have still been thinking of enrolling in the Peri-Operative Program at the College I just graduated from-if I can get a hold of the stupid adviser and program director for it! Plus I am going to be continuing toward my BSN (in April), but alas those classes are not really all that exciting. Paper Writing and more paper writing. Well the Peri-operative class could be pretty darn exciting!

Unfortunately, I don't think my "new grad" RN positions are going to be that exciting, unless I happen to end up in acute care, which is unlikely at this point. So I can't really expect to entice my readers with tales from the trenches. But I will try and keep ya'all posted on the different aspects of nursing care.

I have a lot of irons in the fire so to speak and perhaps one of these days I will manage to find the completion of all of my dreams... but until then...