My New-Found Love For Nursing

Five years ago, I never dreamed of becoming a nurse. I wanted nothing to do with the medical world. Partly because my dad wanted me to be a Doctor and I didn't want to. Well, I did attend LPN school somewhat grudgingly because of the job prospects. A few months working in the nursing home and I totally hated the politics, impossible expectations and just plain victimization and lack of support. I thought, "this was such a huge mistake". When people asked, "when are you going back for your RN?", my answer was an emphatic "Never!". Read More...

Thank you Lord that I failed my first NCLEX

Yes! You read it correctly! I thank the Lord and forever be grateful that i've failed my first NCLEX. I know it sounds ironic but this is how I perceived it. And Here's my take on it. Read More...

Finding the right time to sleep...

Many studies have highlighted the effects that sleep has on your learning capacity. The outcome suggests that if you don't get enough sleep your academic performance will degrade. It is suggested that most adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and rested.

Are you getting enough sleep? When do you get your sleep? AM or PM? Read More...

Why would these IV meds be on my tomorrow patient's chart?

I'm taking care of my very first adult health (patho) patient! Yaay! And, one of the things my preceptor wants us to do is to go in the day before (that is, Sunday) and write down all the assigned patient's meds. And then she'll ask us what those meds have to do with the patient's diagnosis.

So my patient is post-op for right hip arthroplasty, and I kinda wanted to go over the non-PRN meds that patient is listed for.... Read More...

First time a patient didn't like me

I really felt woefully unprepared for this situation and was so hurt to have the patient hate me. Anyone else ever deal with something like this? It's especially disturbing because I feel like my calling is to work with a geriatric population and I know these situations must arise pretty often. Read More...

Medical Assistant to RN

I am currently struggling to decide what to do. I just got accepted to Notre Dame College for fall of 2014. I am a wife and mother of 5 children and I am currently in a medical assistant program. I graduate May of 2013. I am struggling because the classes at Notre Dame are full-time and no evenings. I want to work as a medical assistant but I don't know how I can do that because most medical assistant jobs are in the mornings and I refuse to give up on this. Read More...

Making the most of Clinicals Part 3: Building a good rapport with patients

Having good social skills is crucial when working in a field like nursing where a large part of your day is caring for and communicating with people. It is important to develop positive social skills so that it will be easier to succeed with your goal of becoming a good nurse. It is my goal in this article to assist you, the nursing student, to be perceptive to the patient's needs and feelings and to treat them with dignity and respect. We will discuss ways of developing a good rapport with your patient at the beginning of your clinical day. You will be surprised at how much easier your day may be when this is done. Read More...

A Success and Failure

We had our first tests this week in Nursing. I have 2 nursing classes, one has a lab, one has a clinical, so I guess its kind of like 4 classes. We had tests in our lecture portions this week and the test were on back to back days. I got a A in one class and flunked the other one. By flunking I mean a 85 is the passing requirement and I got a 82... Read More...

Nursing Diagnosis in PRIORITY ORDER?

This is my first time posting and having an actual nursing diagnoses assignment and I keep doubting my answers and just want to know if there is anything I should improve on. I have to do 4-5 psychosocial / medical and learning needs. This is my Ob rotation and I am writing diagnoses for the baby. Then I have to list them in order by PRIORITY (#1-5) Read More...

Male DNA Common in Women's Brains

Over 60 percent of women have male DNA in their brains, possibly from a prior pregnancy with a male fetus, which is associated with a lower prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published online Sept. 26 in PLoS One. Read More...

I need some help with my first (not actual patient) careplan.

I have a 78 year old female patient (with history of IDDM) who had a medical diagnosis of DKA. She is nauseous and has been vomiting. She is frequently urinating. Upon assessment, I find her to have sunken eyes and a dry burrowed tongue. She has sinus tachycardia ... chest xrays reveal infiltrates. I came to the conclusion that the dehydration must be first addressed... but I'm getting it confused... Read More...

Why do they give so much ridiculous, insignificant homework?

I'm in my 3rd semester of a 4 semester ADN program. I feel like we have MORE hw this semester than ever before. Mind you, the answers to the homework are in the back of the workbook, so this just seems like time consuming busy work! Then all the care plans, and concept maps and practice tests. I am the kind of person who thrives on listening and learning so none of these extra assignments help. I may sound nuts, but sometimes I wish lectures were longer and get rid of some of the take home work. Since I go to a private university, I'm taking out my life in loans to teach myself?! I called out of clinicals today, which now means I have to make up the day at the end of the term just to have time to finish a care plan for one class and a concept map and hw for the other. Read More...