QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

People e-mail me questions from time to time so I'm going to post them here with answers little by little.

1. What was your g.p.a before the program?

I have no clue.  I completed my B.A. in English from Hunter College.  I minored in Japanese.  I took all my math and science courses at Brooklyn College then applied.  My grades were kind of all over the place.  Brooklyn College has separate grades for lab and lecture courses.  And has courses split over semesters. I went above and beyond their requirements for the program. Took Chem 2.  Many of my classmates took the non pre-med organic chemistry class. 

2. What was your g.p.a. from Downstate?

I have no idea.  I'm sure somewhere around a B+ range.  I'm not sure what number that corresponds to.  And let me tell you.  Nobody asked on my job interview.  And I will tell you one other thing.  I have classmate who worked as a PCT and continued to do so throughout the program.  And she told us on the last day of school she worked with two graduates of our program.  One with a 3.5 g.p.a and one with 3.1.  She said they both have been at the hospital for over a year each, and to this day, the one with the higher g.p.a. runs around like a chicken with her head cut off, while the student with the lower g.p.a. is the better nurse.  I'm not saying this will be the same for all cases.  But just keep that in mind while your obsessing over your g.p.a.

3. How many hours did you study per day?

Some days none.  Some days 3.5 hours.  My tactic for studying was as follows:

Get the reading list.  Read and outline as much as possible until the point at which I got a blueprint for the examination.  Stop.  Cover all areas I didn't cover yet on the blueprint.  Then go back over the material I already covered.

This landed me in the A- range regularly.  And then I would ignore the ATI completely.  Not study.  Take the ATI exam.  Get like a 50 or 60 which was 10% of your grade.  Take my B+ for the course and that was it.

I told this to the people I was mentoring when they were on their 2nd day of school.  And they rolled their eyes at me.  A couple of months later they understood.  Not to say they did what I did.  Some of them are doing much better.  But they at least understood where I was at.  

Some of you reading this right now also won't understand until you get there in the program.  The skills that land you in the program can kind of work against you once you get in.

MORE TO COME...

The Robert Wood Johnson Scholarship

This was a $10,000 scholarship offered to 10 students in the class who came from populations that were underrepresented in nursing.  
The scholarship was discontinued.  Too bad because they gave you $10,000.  Receiving this scholarship was the single best and worst thing that happened to me when I was in nursing school.  

I'm not going to go into anymore details than that.

VOLUNTEER

If you want to get into this program and you have no prior health care work experience then VOLUNTEERING is the single most important thing you have to do.

It's not difficult.  Just pick a hospital, go to their website, and put volunteer in the search box.

Although I do recommend that you volunteer at the best hospital possible.

Don't be lazy and just choose whatever hospital is closest to your home.  

It's important to be able to sell yourself.  And being able to name drop counts.  Even if only on a subconscious level.  If you say you volunteered at a first rate hospital they will equate you mentally with that hospital.  

For my particular class they chose 60 students out of 700+ applicants.  You need to do whatever you can to stand out.

When I decided to volunteer I put: 10 best hospitals in New York City into Google's search engine.  

If you have to start working your way up from the bottom.  Start from the bottom of the top.  Be at the bottom of the best place that you possibly can.

It's also a great opportunity to see what your future is likely to be like.  People see the dollar signs, but often times don't realize the amount of hard work and dedication required to work as an RN.  Not to mention all the shenanigans.  And people trying to throw you under a bus.  

If you are smart and get good grades, that's great!  But can you work 12 hours straight or more.  And how are you with people?  And do you enjoy the work environment?  Getting in the hospital helps you to figure all that out so you don't end up devoting a lot of time and energy to something that you hate doing in the end and wind up quitting.  

My godmother worked 26 years as an RN.  She retired from North Shore LIJ, Lenox Hill.  When she retired she was making 136,000/year.  And this is what she said to me, she said, "I worked a lot of years and I was getting good pay when I retired.  But you better believe me that they made me work my butt off for every penny of every dollar I earned."

Negative Aspects of SUNY Downstate's Accelerated Nursing Program

I need to take a second to say that I have only posted on this blog about the positive aspects of SUNY Downstate's Accelerated Nursing Program. 

 I, like many of my peers, had issues with the program.

I, like many of my peers, had issues with some of the professors.

But there are 2 main reasons I didn't write anything negative about the program on the blog.

#1 I researched about the program before enrolling and I was aware about what the problem issues were before I started.  So while some things were annoying I never really freaked out like some of my classmates.  

#2 Many of the professors or issues that annoyed the hell out of me didn't bother my classmates in the least.  And many of the professors and issues that annoyed the hell out of my classmates didn't annoy me in the least.

Everything is subjective.  That being said I would recommend that you do your homework.  Go on allnurses.com and read the negative things people write.  Come here and check the positive things I write.  Then weigh the pros and cons.  

I would also like to take a second to mention the fact that if there is a major issue with any professor.  The department generally boots the person out next year and seeks a suitable replacement.

While the folks in the nursing department may not respond to student's complaints as quickly as they would like them to.  They do eventually respond and make changes.

IF YOU WANT TO LAND A JOB AFTER GRADUATING THEN GET ROLLING WHILE IN THE PROGRAM

• 2 independent studies.
• Leadership practicum.
• Landing a Nurse Externship.
• Volunteering.

The independent studies helped tremendously.  I did both of mine in the same hospital in the same area focusing on two separate issues.  You need luck here.  I lucked out with clinical preceptors that took to me and liked my personality.  In the end they introduced me to the nurse manager.  They suggested that she hire me.  

Be sure to buy donuts and coffee for the entire unit and a thank you card at the end of your indy studies.  I bought small bags of Godiva chocolates for my preceptors.  These small touches help.  

The Leadership practicum.  I did my leadership practicum at Kingsbrook Jewish and after graduating my preceptor pushed to help me get a job.  Very important as well.  Put your best foot forward here with your nursing leadership class.  Other classmates also formed relationships here that landed them jobs after graduating.

Nursing externships.  I did a half-ass job applying at Maimonides and didn't get it.  So glad I didn't because they don't let you touch the patients really.  It's just shadowing.  On my second indendent study I got a preceptor who made me do everything.  From prepping to administering meds to every damn thing.  I even signed off on nurse's notes.  But nursing externships are still GREAT!!!!  If you can get one that is AWESOME!!!!  Look on North Shore LIJ's website as spring approaches and look for professors in the program who worked at North Shore LIJ that can recommend you.  Hint!!!  Hint!!!!   Two of my classmates landed North Shore LIJ.  I was in Pediatric clinicals when my classmates were all abuzz about trying to apply and going on and on about when they would open the gates for accepting applications.  It was a somewhat tedious process to fill out the online applications.  You fill them out first then they open up to applications later.  While an externship is just shadowing.  They do pay you.  And it does greatly increase the likelihood that you will get hired.  Greatly!!!  If they like you they will keep you on after you complete your externship and keep on paying you as a student nurse until you pass your boards.  Two of my classmates got externships at Methodist Hospital in Park Slope.  One is looking very good for getting a job once she passes her state boards and the hospital is currently paying her bills.  I'm sure it feels good to go in and get a paycheck for doing work that is health care related.  Another classmate was hired at Lenox Hill after she graduated through doing her externship.

The program will not support you in getting an externship.  The hours cut into your class time.  You will have to cut class to complete your externship hours.  The hours cut into psych and the early part of Community.  And Nurse Leadership as well.  So there is a little grief that comes along with it.  But it is well worth whatever headaches the faculty may give you.

Volunteering can't hurt.  Also as a side note my classmate that got into Methodist as an extern was volunteering at Methodist long before she applied for the externship; which may have helped her some.

Downstate's program is only concerned with you passing state boards.  That's it.  They don't want to know about what you are doing to find a job.  That doesn't really interest them.  

 So hopefully these are some helpful hints for you because many of us were dead broke after completing this program.  I will write more about what I did job wise after graduating.  As I chose to beat out on a totally different path from my classmates.

Resume, Cover Letter, Interviews, & Such

FINDING A JOB???  YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN KIDDO!!!  

But you can check out ---> John Hopkins Nursing Website.  

• Tips on resume writing.
• Tips on cover letter writing.
• Tips on interviewing.
• Sample nursing student resumes.
• The site is well organized and extremely helpful.

                         CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW!!!

http://nursing.jhu.edu/life-at-hopkins/center/resources/index.html


http://nursing.jhu.edu/life-at-hopkins/center/documents/resume_guide.pdf

HOW TO USE THIS BLOG

LOOK AT: 
           
       SELECT FROM BELOW WHAT APPLIES TO YOU.

                            ---------------------------------------------------->

                                                                THEN CLICK ON IT!


If you are looking for an additional site to help you with studying look to the right under 
CHECK THESE BLOGS OUT and click on AMY's Blog.  Lots of free NCLEX style questions to help you to get your chops up for MED SURG Examinations.

Irrate Family Members

I've seen family members come in, curse out the entire staff, yell and curse out the patient relations rep, yank the IVs out of their family member's arm, turn around, and walk off the unit, leaving their poor family member to have to get stuck again to replace the IV.

I've personally been yelled at by a patient's family member who turned around later and hugged and apologized to me, thanking me for being so good to the patient.  And telling me, "You know it's all just so stressful.  I didn't mean to yell at you"

What was the reason she yelled at me and my preceptor?  A miscommunication on her part.   

Everyone behaves differently when they are worrying about an ailing family member.  Some are quiet, some are sweet and kind hoping that you will treat the family member in kind.  And some look for someone to knock around and release their frustrations out on.

And guess who they usually select as their punching bag? 

You!  The RN!  

The doctors and PAs are usually not around.

While doing my psych clinical, some of my classmates and I where placed in the psych ER for a half day.  One of the veteran nurses there asked us where the top two areas for RN assaults were.  

We guessed: Here in the psych ER?  On the psych unit?  

Nope...  

#1 Emergency Room   #2 ICU

Guess who is doing the assaulting in the ICU Room?  

The patient that's there for intensive care with one foot dangling over the grave?   Not likely...

This is something to take into consideration if you are planning to choose nursing as a career path and you intend to work the floor.  

What get's everyone through the day when dealing with difficult family members?  

Compassion!!!

Ultimately this is where compassion, understanding, and empathy come into play.  If you are a compassionate and empathetic person you will understand how the family members feel, what they are going through, and you are less likely to take the negative things they say and do to heart.  

When I got balled out, I later received an apology, but that is not always going to be the case.  Sometimes people make no apology for their nastiness, despite the fact you took excellent care of their loved one, and had the patient's back through thick and thin.  

For those of you that chose nursing solely for the money, the scenarios I've mentioned could easily make you end up a statistic.  20% of new nurses quit within their first year of working.

Without real empathy for the patients and their family members you likely won't make it.  And if you do you will probably be kicking cans all the way to work and kicking cans all the way home.  Miserable. 

People's antics can easily drive you crazy, especially when you are pushing hour 10 on day 3 of your work week.

They try address how to handle difficult situations when you go through your psych clinicals and learn therapeutic conversation skills.  

The Last Class - Community

The 2014 class will be using a different book from the 2013 class.  

So don't buy a used Community Health Nursing book from the upperclassmen.    

HOW TO USE THIS BLOG

Look under SELECT WHAT APPLIES TO YOU.

---------------------------------------------------->

THEN CLICK ON IT!


If you are looking for an additional site to help you with studying look to the right under 
CHECK THESE BLOGS OUT and click on AMY's Blog.  Lots of free NCLEX style questions to help you to get your chops up for MED SURG Examinations.

Oh My Aching Back!!!

If you have a really bad back then bedside nursing might not be a good career choice for you.  

On the first day of the first Med Surg I clinical I felt my back aching.  And so did a bunch of my classmates.

 By the end of the program I made a promise to myself to go do hot yoga several times per week once some one hires me for a job.  

Back and shoulder injuries are really common!!!  

The person I was going to ask to preceptor me for my second independent study threw her shoulder out and was out for months and months on end.  It was shock to me when I heard it because she is very tall.  Just over 6' and well built.  Very solid.  It happened when she was wheeling a patient.

A young guy I shadowed in the ED told me that he threw his back out while adjusting a gurney for a patient.  Out for months.

My godmother threw her back out when she was walking with a heavy patient that fell.  She was out for months and months.  

One classmate's preceptors threw out her back in the middle of her independent study.  

The taller you are the worse it is.

I won't get into the stories I've heard of injuries where people never ended up coming back to work.  But it happens...

Why I Recommend Going to Downstate Reason #4

Cheap tuition.

Compare Downstate's tuition to other institutions out there.  

There's a major difference.  

That's where the differences end.  There isn't a major difference in your ability to find a job after graduating.  Employers aren't really going to stress where you graduated from.

Better to finish school with little to no debt and get a job earning 75K, than walk out with a ton of loans to pay back.

What's So Special About Brooklyn College?

Look below to read my post about Brooklyn College if you haven't already!!!

So that's it I just go to Brooklyn College and do good and then I'm sure to get into Downstate's Nursing Program?  

No!  It's a good idea to volunteer or intern at a hospital as well.  
I will post something about this later.

And there is a catch with Brooklyn College.  

A bunch of my nursing classmates graduated from BC.  I only vaguely remembered seeing one of them around campus.  Former classmates I ran into once I got to Downstate were in the PA and M.D. programs.  

At Brooklyn College you take Chemistry, all your Bio classes and Anatomy and Physiology classes together with those planning to apply to medical school.

The classes at Brooklyn College are no walk in the park.  

While at Brooklyn College my physiology class started with about 35 students.  In the end there were around 15 or so and a few of them flunked the final.  

I saw the same thing happen in my chem 1.1 class where we had the good luck of getting a professor who normally teaches graduate level classes.  His exams were rough.  No multiple choice.  Only partial credit.  3/4 of the class were gone by the end.  I got an amazing tutor and managed to ace it with his help.  My chem tutor is now a medical student here at Downstate doing research.

They don't just love Brooklyn College Students because both schools are in Brooklyn.  If you can do well at BC then you will likely do well in the nursing program.

BUYING YOUR PSYCH TEXTBOOK? HOLD UP!!!

So the assigned textbook for my Psych class is Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Edition #6.  

I went ahead and got editon #5, and it was a mistake.  

 The two books are totally arranged differently.  I sat down today to outline Chapter 14.  But chapter 14 in the 6th edition is chapter 19 in the 5th edition.  

So you may want to hold off on getting the book until you are ready to start the course.  See what edition they require.

Why I Recommend Going to Downstate Reason #3

The Program is Fast and Effective!

You are finished in just 15 months and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX exam!!!

The program has a 100% NCLEX pass rate!!!  

It costs $300+ dollars to sit for the exam, so it would really suck to not pass.  The program is totally geared towards all of its students passing the NCLEX exam on the first pass.

Also by the end of MedSurg III you will be answering patients and their family members questions.  You will be your families go to gal or guy for questions about their health issues.  This was one of the highlights for me after 12 tough months of grinding through textbooks.

Why I Recommend Going to Downstate Reason # 2

SUNY Downstate has an excellent reputation!

While doing my second independent study, I had the head of the hospital's stroke unit walk up to me in the middle of his rounds, look at my ID and say, "Oh look we have a nursing student here today from Downstate!  An excellent school.  Good luck with with your studies."  I later found out that he himself was also a Downstate graduate.

I interned at Mt. Sinai and know for a fact that they love Downstate grads.

I've also heard from a family member that retired recently from Lenox Hill that they love Downstate grads.  She was extremely happy for me when I got in the program.

Downstate is known through out New York City hospitals for turning out excellent students across the spectrum of health care programs.

Why I Recommend Going to Downstate Reason # 1

12 months into the program I started asking classmates the following question: if they could go back in time, and do everything all over, would they still have chosen Downstate?  
The answer I kept hearing was yes.  It wasn't a happy yes.  It wasn't a smiling yes.  Most of them thought it over for a second or two before they gave an answer.  But I kept hearing yes. 

The only no I heard thus far was from someone who realized that nursing itself wasn't really for them and they would have studied something different.

Psych Clinical Attire

I miss my scrubs.  When you get to psych you hang up the old uniform and throw on a shirt, some slacks, and shoes.  Something to think about down the line for those of you who are living on a tight budget.  You will need business casual attire when you go in.  No sneakers.  No low cut tops.  No perfume.  We were told a funny story of someone wearing a low cut top to clinical and a patient kissed her right between her breasts.  Funny story.  Bad reality.  But yeah, slightly more conservative attire.

Don't Change Your Answers On Tests

Sad to say it, but I made it all the way to Med Surg III, and I was still doing this.  

Professors along the way will likely warn you about this.

If you finish your test and then go over it- unless you look at a question and are like, "Oh no that's totally wrong I definitely made a mistake."  Don't change your answer!!!!  

9 times out of 10 you will change a right answer to a wrong answer.

I kept OCDing on my exams, and it cost me every time.  

PSYCH CLINICAL DAY 1

To be perfectly honest I was not looking forward at all to this clinical.  I had some experience with being inside of a mental institution in my camera assisting days.  I worked on a documentary  called The Living Museum.  I was booked two days on the project while the director conducted interviews patients at Creedmore in Queens.  One of the fellows we shot,  I found to be a bit unnerving.   For those of you interested in working with psych patients the documentary might be something cool to check out.  Here's a link to get info about the documentary and the director :

http://vimeo.com/jessicayu

The patients I encountered on day one of my rotation reminded me of a lot of the people you see every day on the trains and in the streets of NYC.  We are surrounded by people that are psychologically unstable, it's just we're so busy with our own personal lives that we usually tend to just tune them out.

There were no Hannibal Lecter types lurking about the floor.  So for those of you worrying about getting stabbed in the eyeball with a pencil or something, you can chill out.  Kind a.  I mean don't turn your back on the patients, but you don't need to be freaked out either. 

Most of the days conversation centered around the patients' desire to introduce themselves and express their desire to get back out into the world.  Seeing new faces and wanting to tell their story in hopes that we could somehow change their situation around.  

With regard to the goal of psych clinicals, what I gathered from what the professor was saying, the most important thing for us to try and accomplish in this rotation was the ability to sit down and have a conversation with the patients,  lead group projects where we teach the patients about different types of mental illnesses, and engage in recreational activities with the patients without saying anything that would disturb them or set them off.  That was the message I walked away with after our first clinical day.

Oh yeah, and also to go in and out of all doorways as quickly as possible because some patients will try to abscond if you provide them with an exit and a chance.  

One interesting piece of information we learned was that due to recent changes made by managed healthcare organizations aka those folks that provide us with health insurance, the new goal of nurses and doctors working in psych wards is to get an acute, unstable, patient stabilized as quickly as possible and then release them.  The goal is to accomplish this in under 11 days because the health insurance companies won't pay beyond that.  What that essentially means is that people that may need to spend more time to really get it together beyond the point of not being a danger to themselves and others won't get that time.

They come in, get just stable enough for release, and once turned back out into the street God only knows...

GRADUATION

So we had our graduation at Carnegie Hall.

No matter how you feel at the end of the program, I highly highly recommend you go.

Even if only your friends, or boyfriends, or girlfriends, or dog, or pet chicken can come and see you walk.  

It is well worth it!

A wonderful experience!  

Carnegie Hall is beautiful.  They have trumpeters in the balconies.  The faculty gets dressed up in jazzy outfits with cool hats.  

And there is a $40 charge to your tuition bill for spring whether you were thinking about going or not.  So you might as well.

Personally I only went for grandmother's sake.  But was so glad I went in the end.

They give you tickets about a month before graduation.  Just go ahead and  request extras even you don't need them so you can give them to classmates who want to invite a lot of extra people.

And despite the seating numbers it is first come first serve.

The Right Books? The Right Classes? The Right Way?

This is where you can go to quickly check and make sure you enrolled in all the right classes.  There was a good bit of confusion at the end of the program about what classes we should be enrolled in.
http://sls.downstate.edu/registrar/nursing/program_study/accelerated_nursing.html


This is where you can go and check to see what books you need.  It's under course book lists.  They update it for each semester.  College: Nursing.  Program :ACCEL
http://www.downstate.edu/fsa/booklist.html

For some odd reason the school schedules classes on a daily or weekly basis.  So your regular classroom could possibly shift around.  Check your downstate e-mail in the a.m. and have your class reps get the cell number of the professor teaching the class.  It is a right of passage in this program to, on rare occasion, wander around the hallways for 45 minutes as you try to figure out what classroom you are in.  I don't think that only nursing students go through this either.

In the hallway between where the Basic Science Building and Educational Building meet, there is a wall where they list each classroom, for each class, for each program, for each day.  I would go in the a.m. and just check it before heading to class.

BLS Class

This is the place I went to:

www.training4life.org
877-876-4543

The class is held in a building near City Hall and Pace University.

I get no kickbacks for recommending this place.  

I'm recommending it because they just skip over the stupid DVDs, show you whats important, you get your practice in, and then they let you out early.  

Some of my classmates took their BLS class at other places and spent more time than I did to fulfill the requirement.

Group Projects

I have no advice here. 

 But I will say this for sure.  The point at which we were assigned our first group project was the point at which people started disliking one another.  And with each new group project this cycle continued.

Some folks don't do enough work.

And some do too much and just want to take the whole thing over writing everyone else's part.

It wasn't all gloom and doom.  Some friendships were formed, but personally I remember it being more of a negative experience than a positive one.

I will leave it at that...

FOOD AROUND DOWNSTATE

The only thing I'm up for eating in the Downstate cafeteria is the double Danielle.  

I've had one of their sammiches once.  It was okay.

People gripe that the salad bar is expensive.

Oh!  A double Danielle is two orders of french fries.  It costs $2.00- plus tax of course.  I named  it after my classmate Danielle who won't eat anything out of the school cafeteria except french fries.

The cafeteria does have kosher sammiches as well.  They are fresh and they are expensive.  About $8.00 per sammich.  Will have some more kosher vittles in a bit if they exist.

OTHER PLACES TO EAT
I ate at the same place day in and day out for the entire first summer session.  Soldiers Restaurant.  It is a Jamaican buffet style restaurant.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/soldiers-restaurant-brooklyn

There is another Jamaican restaurant right by the corner of Nostrand and Church Ave.  Exquisite Express.   It is one of the better Jamaican restaurants in the Crown Heights/Canarsie area.  
http://www.yelp.com/biz/exquisite-delight-brooklyn

There is Subway, Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts, and Baskin Robbins on Clarkson Avenue.  These places are right across the street from Kings County Hospital.

You can call and order food for delivery from the following places:

Heads up on these spots for all you folks dorming!!!

Gino's Pizza 718 287 8800   
831A Flatbush Ave Corner of Linden Blvd.

Bay Leaf Indian Cuisine  They serve HALAL Food.   www.bayleafbk.com
718-576-6937   718-576-6938 561 Flatbush Ave Corner of Beekman Place.

King Wok Chinese and Mexican Cuisine 718-282-3688 718-282-3699  Compaints: 267-262-3028
1250 Nostrand Ave bet. Winthrop and Parkside Ave.

Yummy Thai         www.yummy-thai.com 
718-398-3298   718-398-3297
383 Flatbush Ave.

Agra Classic Indian Restaurant
 718-282-7012   718-282-7016
2032 Bedford Ave between Parkside Ave. and Clarkson Ave.

Sushi Yu 718-832-8688   
718-832-9393
214 Prospect Park West

Haru Sushi & Thai 
718-398-3299   
385 Flatbush Avenue

Thanks Phil for hooking me up with flyers for these restaurants on that miserable night when I was stuck in the basement studying for some exam.

CLASS REPS

So at the start of the semester you have to vote for class reps and at some point you have to vote for people for student council.  Can't remember when that takes place again.

When you choose to hold your elections try to make sure every member of you class gets to put their vote in.  Account for those that are absent and try to hold off on announcing a winner until they can put a vote in.

The class reps change every semester, just like friendships.

Know that if you choose to run and get voted in as class representative you will get tons of emails from your classmates about all types of issues.  Some important.  Some not so much so.  Some folks like asking questions about things that could easily figure out themselves.  Especially around test time.

The idea of having class reps is that when you have issues with faculty you bitch to your class reps and then they go, and calmly discuss your issues with faculty members.  

If you are voted in as class rep, then try to follow the chain of command, starting first with the individual you have the issue or issues with.  If you can't resolve the issue then you can take it from there going up the line.

If you are voted in as class rep make sure you are doing that.  Rep is short for representative.  So you are  representing your class.  Before you take actions as class rep be sure that your actions represent the sentiments of your fellow classmates who voted you in or much anger, and confusion, and arguments, and bad blood will follow.

Nursing student council is a bit different.  You vote them in and they get a budget to work with.

Our class president gave a speech at graduation in front of the entire faculty, your classmates, other departments, and everyone's guests.  The Dean picked her apparently.  So there is a good chance the same will happen with your class.  So when you vote for your rep, make sure to choose wisely.

Urine and Feces and Bed-Baths

If you are considering becoming an RN and you can't handle the smell of feces.  You may want to consider another line of work.

As a student you will absolutely be cleaning up feces and urine.  And maybe even changing feminine pads.  

I'm here to debunk the myth that these tasks are solely the PCT's job.  

That nurses don't have to wipe people's bottoms.  

They do from time to time! 

And it can be messy.  You can find patients lying in a puddle of runny feces if their bowel movements are loose enough.  

I have classmates that are leaning way more towards working in OB/GYN and Peds  because the smell of adult feces bothers them.

The patient care technician or PCT is primarily responsible for cleaning soiled patients, changing their linens, and giving them bedbaths.

In an ideal world the PCTs will do all of these tasks all the time, but in reality you will find yourself helping them or sometimes doing it yourself.  A part of being a good RN is helping the PCT when things are busy.  A part of dealing with a bad PCT is doing more than what you should to cover for them.  A part of being a bad RN is ducking helping the PCT with cleaning tasks.  You should ideally work together as a team.  

When you get to MedSurg clinicals, make sure to learn how to clean incontinent patients, give bed-baths, and change their linens.  Offer to help PCTs now and again so you can get these skills down.  

Patients that are in a vegetative state are the best individuals to practice on!!!

As an RN you will have to help patients on and off of bed pans.  
http://viewingcorners.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/bedpan.gif

As an RN you will have to help patients onto and off of bedside commodes.
http://www.unique-medical.com/steel-drop-arm-bedside-commode-with-padded-seat-arms-11125pskd-1/?gclid=CPichcOAt7cCFY-e4AodtnwALA


Only lucky students get to insert foley catherters into patients.  But you will likely end up emptying them and measuring the quantity of urine.
http://www.medicalexhibits.com/medical_exhibits.php?exhibit=09087_02X&query=foley%20catheter%20placement%20female%20pelvis%20bladder%20urethra 

HIPAA TRAINING TAKES LONGER THAN THEY SAY...

They have this online HIPAA training thing that you have to fill out.  Like read about how not to violate HIPAA, and then answer a bunch of questions.  

After doing so, print your certificate, and give it in at the nursing office on the 8th floor.  

They make it sound like you will knock it out 1-2-3. 

Don't be like me and leave it for the last day.  

It takes longer than they say it takes, and completing it is about as much fun as sitting in a wheelchair watching oil paint dry.  

I already had HIPAA training at Mt. Sinai, and it was more serious than than this online one for school, so I pretty much skimmed over the reading part and just answered the questions.  

That being said it was still time consuming. 

NCLEX Exam? $343 Please!!!

 2 THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO SIT FOR THE NCLEX EXAM:

1. As soon as you graduate you need to fill out and submit this application for licensure:
http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nurse1.pdf

2. You also need to create an account through PearsonVue:
http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex/

Once you have completed both, Pearson will email you your authorization to test (ATT).  This takes roughly 2 weeks.

You can then schedule your exam.

You don't have to take the test in the state that you would like to be certified in.

When you submit the form to the government you are charged $143.  Pearson will also charge you $200.

There are a few testing sites in the metro area.  Tests are generally scheduled once per week.  

Some dates can fill quickly.  

You are always able to reschedule up to 24 hours in advance.

This info was provided by: Aimee Clark my Robert Woods Johnson mentor.  Thank you Aimee!!!!!


Questions, comments, suggestions: ramonbritt@gmail.com

Unemployed??? 599 Program

If you were recently unemployed and are receiving unemployment insurance in NYC, you may be eligible to get into the 599 Program. 

There were students in my class that qualified for it and the Nursing Department supported them in filing the paperwork.

First contact the department of labor and make sure you qualify. 

If you do then get the necessary paperwork and take it to the Dean so she can sign off on it.

If you get in, the city will give you your unemployment benefits for the remainder of the time you're in the program.  

No more going to meetings.  Or proving you're looking for work.

Check below for eligibility:

http://www.labor.ny.gov/ui/claimantinfo/599program.shtm

Questions, comments, suggestions: ramonbritt@gmail.com

When Your Molars Start Aching...

This is the go to place in the event you need some dental work done:

http://www.nyu.edu/dental/patientinfo/index.html

Most native New Yorkers are familiar with NYU Dental School, but maybe you just blew in from Wisconsin or something.

Anyway check them out.

Very affordable!!!

Medicaid!!! Save Big Bucks !!!

In order to enroll in the nursing program you must have health insurance.  

It's not optional!

But!!!  You do not have to use the school's insurance.

If you qualify for medicaid it could save you thousands of dollars over the next fifteen months.  

My classmate sent out an e-mail out about this.  
I thought I would share it with you guys and gals:

I wanted to send around some information regarding public health insurance for anyone who is unaware of this alternative to purchasing insurance through the school. 

The law is that you must receive notice of approval or denial for Medicaid within 45 business days. 

General information regarding Medicaid can be found here http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/. 

As full-time students, it is my understanding that your savings will not cause you to be denied Medicaid, and that student loans, grants, work study and scholarships do not count as income. 

The best thing to do if you have any questions is to visit a facilitated enroller. There are several located at Kings County Hospital, as well as many public hospitals and clinics. There is also an online system for applying for Medicaid, but I found it very confusing. 

Kings County Hospital is right across the street from Downstate.

The schools insurance does not include dental or vision and NYS Medicaid programs do, if that is a concern for anyone.

$$$ SCHOOL LOANS $$$

No one from the Nursing Department will let you know how much money you are entitled to when you come into the program!!!

No one in the Financial Aid Office is going to let you know how much money you are entitled to unless you ask them!!!

I recommend anyone that's broke, struggling, or shaky to go to the Financial Aid Office and ask them about the Nursing Student Loan.  This is a loan that is offered to nursing students that oddly no one tells you about unless you ask.  It's a significant amount of money.  There is no interest until you graduate.  When you graduate there is a fixed 5% interest.  And they give you a 5 month grace period before you make your first payment!!!  But again no one will suggest this loan.  You have to walk in and specifically ask for it.


Questions, comments, suggestions: ramonbritt@gmail.com

Lace Up Your Boots Soldier!!!!

Left!  Left!  Left!  Right!  Left!

In the hospital, the drug dosing schedules run on military time.

My nurse preceptor has her cell phone set to military time.  If you can, I recommend you do this as well.

See the 24 hour clock below and that's pretty much how things go.

24-hour clock	12-hour clock
00:00	12:00 a.m.* midnight (start of day)
01:00	1:00 a.m.
02:00	2:00 a.m.
03:00	3:00 a.m.
04:00	4:00 a.m.
05:00	5:00 a.m.
06:00	6:00 a.m.
07:00	7:00 a.m.
08:00	8:00 a.m.
09:00	9:00 a.m.
10:00	10:00 a.m.
11:00	11:00 a.m.
12:00	12:00 p.m.* noon
13:00	1:00 p.m.
14:00	2:00 p.m.
15:00	3:00 p.m.
16:00	4:00 p.m.
17:00	5:00 p.m.
18:00	6:00 p.m.
19:00	7:00 p.m.
20:00	8:00 p.m.
21:00	9:00 p.m.
22:00	10:00 p.m.
23:00	11:00 p.m.
24:00	(midnight)* (end of day)

NCLEX, MEDSURG, PEDS, AND PATHO

Welcome to the world of nursing school where a straight A student can easily become a B- student or worse.

I've seen this happen first hand.  Not pretty.

Why do people's g.p.a.s plummet from out of the sky?  

NCLEX style questions!!!

In nursing school there will be no more memorizing stuff and spitting it out on paper.  Those days are gone my friends.

The questions you will be asked will feel a bit like brain teasers.  

You have to think.  

You will get tricky select all that apply questions.

You will get questions where 2 answers are correct, but of the 2 correct answers one is more correct.

You will get hard midterm and final examinations where the class average is 84 sometimes even lower.   

It's not all gloom and doom though.

I am here to offer you some help so you don't have to go through half the headaches my classmates and I did.

These are the books we used and a website we accessed to get us through the stormy weather. 

It couldn't hurt to have the Saunders and MedSurg book for Patho as your professor will focus a bit more on signs and symptoms of the particular illnesses.

Saunders NCLEX Review     
The CD is killer!!! 
http://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Comprehensive-NCLEX-RN®-Examination-Nclex-Rn/dp/1437708250

Elselvier Evolve
These guys publish your MedSurg Textbook.  Sign up for an account and you can take their chapter quizes for free.  There are usually one or two questions on every exam.
http://evolvels.elsevier.com/section/default.asp?id=2631_global_0001&mode=

MedSurg Success
http://www.amazon.com/Med-Surg-Success-Applying-Critical-Thinking/dp/0803625049/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368564857&sr=1-1&keywords=medsurg+success

Peds Success  
http://www.amazon.com/Pediatric-Success-Applying-Critical-Thinking/dp/0803620586/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368564926&sr=1-1&keywords=peds+success

Website that helped us out a lot for Peds and OB/GYN.
http://www.gwhizmobile.com/gWhiz/CatalogDetail.php?tag=flash&key=0Asjsj1h3EV0bdFVXelV2N052eV9ORWdGREVDZ1h5VEE&action=view&title=302%20GSRN%20Exam%202&rating=0

http://www.gwhizmobile.com/gWhiz/CatalogDetail.php?tag=flash&key=0Asjsj1h3EV0bdDhsblE0cG82X2ZXRFROWDBXQUl3WFE&action=view&title=302%20GSRN%20Exam%201&rating=0

Question Comments Suggestions: ramonbritt@gmail.com

The Downstate Dollar Van

So Downstate has a van that will drop you off or pick you up from Winthrop or Church Ave.  train stations 24/7.  

If you're departing from the school during the day time, the van comes around every 15 minutes or so and takes you to the parking lots and Winthrop Station.  

At night time you have to call up, and request a car.  

How do you call them?  There is phone by the security guard's desk at the Lennox Road entrance.

Who comes in the off hours to pick you up is not the van, though, it's the cops.  They come pick you up, and escort you to the train station like you are President Obama or something.

But the major difference between when you call for a police escort, and when Obama calls, is you will be waiting around for forever for the boys in blue to show up.  Especially if you're a guy.  

I've called on two separate occasions, got tired of waiting, and  went ahead and walked.

They will come pick you up from Church Ave or from Winthrop at night for you folks planning to dorm.  But again they are not reliable, and you may have to make several phone calls for them to come get you.  My classmate also experienced this.  And he was also a guy.

My Preceptor's Picks- Antihypertensives

I decided last week to take a copy of my 2011 Lippincott Williams Drug Handbook into the hospital with me, and ask my nurse preceptor to star all the antihypertensive drug she works with on a regular basis.  

My preceptor transitions daily between the Med Surg, Tele, and Stroke units.

The orange meds I feel like I've seen the most.  Especially metoprolol.

Try to be familiar with some of these before going into MEDSURG I if you can.  

If not then try to learn them little by little while you're in MEDSURG.  

Aliskiren
Captopril
Clonidine hydrochloride
Diltiazem hydrochloride
Enalapril Maleate
Furosemide
Hydralazine hydrochloride
Hydrocholorothiazide
Labetalol hydrochloride
Lisinopril
Losartan potassium
Metoprolol tartrate
Nadolol
Nicardipine
Nifedipine
Nitroglycerin
Quinapril hydrochloride
Valsartan
Verapamil hydrochloride

MASK FITTINGS ARE IMPORTANT MY DUCKLINGS!!!

Quack! Quack!  It's time to get fitted!

You will most likely be exposed to patients with TB and Measles at some point before you are finished with the program.  But don't be scared my little ducklings you will be protected.

One day they will corral all of you into a room and fit you for a particulate mask.  Probably around the time you're wrapping up your OB clinicals.

They will put a mask on you, then put a big plastic bubble over you head, spray something inside, and ask if you can smell something.  If you don't smell anything it means it fits properly.

Make sure you don't smell anything.  Don't let the big stupid plastic bubble and your classmates laughing at one another distract you.

Once you say you can't smell the spray, they will give  you two masks that are your size, and send you on your way.  Check the size.  It will be small or regular.  It's written on the mask.

That way when you go to your independent study and the nurse says lets go in the isolation room with the patient who has TB, you know for sure you are grabbing the right sized mask out of the box.

No one is really going to stress that to you when you get fitted.

For those of you wondering what the duck references are about.  Check the link below:

http://www.buyemp.com/product/kimberly-clark-tecnol-fluidshield-n95-particulate-filter-respirator-and-surgical-mask

Knowing Your Vitals Is Vital

For about a month the first thing I did after I got up every morning was test myself on all these values. 

I wish I had of done it sooner than I did.  During the break between the second summer and fall semester you should make sure you learn these values if you didn't memorize them already.  You will be starting Med Surg I and you will be in specialty areas like the operating room, post anesthesia care unit, telemetry unit, intensive care unit, emergency room, and other areas as well.   

You will absorb way more information if you understand your vitals and where the patient is at.  

Knowing your vitals is also very important when giving meds.  You don't want to give a patient anti-hypertensive medication if their BP is 90/50, or their heart rate is below 60 beats per minute.  They can bottom out and code on you.  And if you are implicated in accidentally killing a patient you can get the daylights sued out of you.  Even as a student.  They don't require you to have insurance for no reason.

I have all these values in a little notebook I carry around with me at all times when I'm in clinicals.  

I got these values from out of the assessment textbook, but organized them in a way that makes sense.  This should be a help to students in the first summer semester as well.  These values are important for your Physical Assessment Class.


TEMPERATURE

Axillary       36.0-36.5 C   95.0-98.9 F
Oral             36.5-37.0 C   96.0-99.9 F
Rectal          37.0-37.5 C   97.0-100.9 F
Tympanic    37.6-37.8 C  97.4-101.3 F  

Stick the thermometer in the patients mouth before you start on anything else.  This will save you time. 

When you're in clinicals some hospitals use 3M brand disposable thermometers.  Be sure to read it within 10 seconds of taking it out of the patient's mouth.  Some nurses will say to wait.  That's wrong.  The temperature reading on the dots will begin to change once exposed to the cooler air.  For all the nerds out there, you can click on the link below:  

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_EU/Healthcare-Europe/EU-Home/Products/InfectionPrevention/SingleUseThermometers/

RESPIRATORY RATE     12-20 breaths per minute

Older Adult                        15-22 breaths per minute

PULSE RATE/HEART RATE  60-100 beats per minute


In a previous post I recommended you get a semi-decent watch.  This is what it's for.  You need an old school watch with the hands that count seconds.  30 seconds for pulse 30 seconds for respiratory rate.  Double both those values and you've got your times.



BLOOD PRESSURE
Hypotensive:   < 90/60 mm HG           Low Blood Pressure
Normotensive:    90/60-120/80            Normal Blood Pressure
Prehypertensive:  120/80-140/90         Borderline
Stage I HTN:      140/90-160/100          High
Stage II HTN:   >160/100                       Very High

After you graduate from the program you will likely never use that BP cuff again.  Actually scratch that.  After you are finished with Assessment class you will likely never use it again.  All the hospitals have electronic machines.


Questions, comments, suggestions: ramonbritt@gmail.com

Library Printers??? Cant Trust em'!!!

It's costs 15 cents per sheet to print in the library.  And no.  There is no place cheaper on campus to print things out.

Never put yourself in a position where you have to rely on a library printer to print something.

Like coming in early in the morning and having to print something out or else you're screwed.

You could get caught out there if you do.  Sometimes the entire printer system doesn't work.  If it's off hours, then no one can help you.

Weekend library staff don't know how to fix glitches in the printer system.



Question, comments, suggestions: ramonbritt@gmail.com