Saturday, September 29, 2007

The TEA

To clarify a few things.

I am waiting for a response from Melissa (last year's TEA coordinator) or Kim Thompson about who the donation check is to be made out to. I spoke with Julie Lang, and she thought it was me, but told me to contact Melissa. I will let you know when I get confirmation on that.

If a hospital needs a receipt, let me know, and I can make one up for them.

I will bring in the letters (signed) into lecture Thursday and handing them out. Like I mentioned earlier, if you decide to be the one to contact your hospital, please let me know.

thank you.

Also, there was a questions as to the amount we get from hospitals. We generally get $100-$200 from each hospital (sometimes the hospitals ask this). If I haven't already mentioned this, just make sure when you are requesting donations (from anyone), to make sure you always meet with the person that will make the decision and that you try to get a response in person (people are much less likely to donate when you are not face to face).

There was also a question about what to put in the baskets. I will post as soon as I talk to some of the student who won baskets. Remember, you can request donations for the basket as well.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Quick links to Bonnie's Questions on Fluids, Lytes and Elimination


Fluid imbalances
Pain, Fluids and Lytes
Disorders of Fluid Volume, Osmolality and Lytes
Acid-Base disorders
Urinary system
Urinary Problems

Anyone want old Pharm Stuff??

I have all of my old pharm notes. Some are good, some aren't so good, but if you think you would find it helpful (remember I had a different book than you), please email me at my home email, and I will attach everything;)

trinaeagal@comcast.net


TEA Update

Hello everyone,

In an effort to get some of the donation 'stuff' out of the way, I had
Julie provide me with the letter we need when asking for donations. I
have attached 5 letters to your Delta email (one for each hospital) that are
just in need of my signature.

Each clinical group will be responsible for contacting their clinical
hospital and soliciting a donation. I have provided all of the
contact information to get in touch with the people responsible for
giving the donations (please let me know if the person is different so
that I can update it for the next TEA planner).
If you will be the one contacting the hospital, please call the person
listed below that is at your hospital, set up a time to meet with
them, give your presentation and give them the letter with the tax
ID#.
If nobody feels comfortable with this, please let me know ASAP, so
that I can contact them.

Dameron - Marla Scott 944-5550 ext 3260

Dr's Manteca - Brenda or Denise Johnson 239-8335

Lodi Memorial - Donna Schultz 339-7609

St. Joseph's - Tish Sullivan 461-5448

Sutter Tracy - Kim Bailey 832-6001 (this is the clinical instructor)
*Kim usually needs a receipt, so let me know the amount, so that I can
get one for her.

Kaiser Manteca - I don't have a contact person/number for this
hospital, so if someone from this clinical group could maybe ask
Sherry who we should contact to find out this information, that would
be great.

I would like to have the big donors (hospitals) taken care before the
Holidays come, so by October 26th at the latest.
As far as other donations, the letter that I have attached can be
changed, so a new contact person, place and address can be typed in.
You will just need to bring the letter to me to get a signature
before you present the letter to the donor. This will help me keep
track of who we are asking.

Lisa Newbold will be doing all of the thank you cards to the donors,
so if you are given a donation, please email Lisa the name, address
and item donated so that she can thank them properly.

As far as people that are wanting to speak at the TEA in return for
their donation, that really isn't the intention of the TEA. We are
wanting to welcome the incoming students, not sell to them or recruit
them. If someone asks if they can do this, please tactfully repeat
this to them.

Gosh, I know I have more to say (I always have more to say), but this
is it for now.

Thank you,

Trina

P.S. Please check your Delta email for the donation letters.
If anyone sees a typing error, please let me know, because I did all of this very fast.

I thought this was cute.

Someday guys!!

You know you're a nurse if...You would like to meet the inventor of the call light some night in a darkalley.
Your sense of humor gets more warped each year.Almost everything can seem humorous...eventually.
You know the smell of different diarrhea to identify it.
You wash your hands BEFORE you use the bathroom.
Discussing bodily fluids over a gourmet meal seems perfectly normal to you.
You think that caffeine should be available in IV form.
You get an almost irresistible urge to stand and wolf your food even in the nicest restaurants.
You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if you say,"It'sunusually quiet around here today"
You have ever had a patient look you straight in the eye and say "I have no idea how that got stuck in there".
You notice that you are using more 4 letter words than you even knewbefore you started nursing.
Every time someone asks you for a pen you can find at least 4 of them onyou .
You live by the motto "to be right is only half the battle, to convincethe doctor is more difficult."
You've told a confused patient that your name was that of your coworkerand to holler if they need help.
Your bladder can expand to the size of a winnebago's water tank.
You find yourself checking out other customer's veins in grocery waitinglines.
You avoid unhealthy looking shoppers in the mall for fear that they willdrop near you and you'll have to do CPR on your day off.
Your finger has gone places you never thought possible.
You have seen more penises than any prostitute.
If you are not a nurse and have been sent this by a friend who is, it'sjust to help you understand our mind set and questionable mentalstatus/sanity. Most of the time we function in spite of this sick sense ofhumor, fairly normally and very responsibly.
Scary, huh??????

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Urinary/Fecal Elimination and Nutrition, Oh my!

This link will take you to questions about nutrition, urinary elimination, fecal elimination and also questions on electrolytes.

After clicking the link, choose the option "Quiz bank" to the left, then "Unit 8".

Acid-base imbalance Questions

Sue has done such a great job posting questions, that I'm not sure if you even need any more, but I did find a great site that helped me distinguish between primary and compensatory systems. The rationales are very helpful as well.

Acid-Base Imbalance Questions

Good luck.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Edible Crawl for a Cure

Hello everyone!

I wold like to invite you to join me for an afternoon of food, drinks and entertainment while "fun" raising for the Sacramento Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (You must be 21!) This event takes place after our finals, so lets relax, have a good time and celebrate surviving Nursing 1. (We've made it half way through!) If you are interested all the information is below and when you sign up make sure you list my name, Kristin Morone, as Ale Captain so you can be part of team Future Nurses 2009! Feel free to invite your family and friends! I hope to see you there!

Edible Crawl for a Cure
Saturday, October 20th, 1pm-5pm
An Eat the Grid Experience Presented by midtowngrid.com

Edible Crawl for a Cure is a gourmet food and pub crawl through more than a dozen, primarily independent Downtown and Midtown microbreweries, wine bars, restaurants, and coffee houses. It is a "Fun-Raiser" for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a ravaging disease that shortens the lives of thousands. Our goal is to raise awareness of this genetic disease of the lungs and digestive system that currently has no cure, to focus on bringing research dollars to the Sacramento branch, and to enjoy an amazing walk across the Central City. The event is the brainchild of midtowngrid.com and Sacramento Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

I will be an Ale Captains and lead crews of 10 or more people on a gourmet and pub jaunt. Each location will pair food and drink with entertainment sprinkled along The Grid. Included in the $25 price; greetings from the Sacred City Roller Derby Girls, and chalk art by Chalk It Up! to Sacramento.

The Clarion Mansion Inn will also be featuring 2 fabulous package deals for the weekend for those out-of-towners, or for participants that want to make a weekend of it!
Package One: 2 Edible Crawl for a Cure tickets and one night stay at the Clarion Mansion Inn (including parking) for an incredible deal of $109!!
Package Two: 2 Edible Crawl for a Cure tickets and two nights stay at the Clarion Mansion Inn (including parking) for an incredible $198!! Call the Clarion at 916-438-2549 for reservations.

Tickets are $25 per person and ID’s will be checked at registration. Must be 21 or over to participate. Information is available at http://midtowngrid.com/cff/index.shtml and tickets are available online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/18897. For more information or to become an Ale Captain contact Darby Flynn at dflynn@cff.org or 916-349-1243 at the CF Foundation.

Participating establishments include:
· Butch N Nellie’s- gelato tasters
· Tamaya Sushi and Grill- sushi and sake
· Stonegrill & Bar- sizzling stones, infused vodka, and martinis
· Cervantes Tapas and Italian- tapas and sangria
· Rubicon Brewing Co.- beer and pub grub
· Zocalo- appetizers and tequila
· 58 Degrees and Holding Company- appetizers and wine
· Old Soul Co.-bakery and coffee tasting, Revolution Wines
· Revolution Wines- wines served at Old Soul Co.
· Capital Cupcakes- variety of organic cupcakes
· L Wine Lounge and Urban Kitchen- appetizers and wine
· Crepe CafĂ©- crepes
· Temple Fine Coffee & Tea- bakery and coffee tasting
· Three Monkeys Restaurant- sushi and martinis
· 4th Street Grille- appetizers and spirits
· Brew It Up!- beer and pub grub
· Clarion Mansion Inn- featured spirits and appetizers

Friday, September 21, 2007

Nursing From the Past

Here is a little something to show you all how far nursing and the nurse's role has come. My Aunt Bonnie took her CA State Nursing Boards on Aug 23-24, 1966. She was a graduate of Mt San Antonio College. This is an excerpt from her nursing book.

Serious Reader Note:
Nursing is a very demanding profession. To start with, nurses must learn everything a doctor learns, so that whenever a situation arises that might develop into a mistake on the part of the doctor if the nurse did what the doctor ordered instead of what he meant to do, the nurse can distinguish the latter from the former and prevent the mistake from occuring. Then nurses must learn how to use this knowledge so that neither the doctor nor the patient is aware they possess it, for in the former instance, it might cause the patient to lose confidence in the doctor, and in the latter, it might cause the doctor to lose confidence in himself. Finally, if, despite a nurse's best efforts, things are not going well between doctor and patient, and the nurse can't patch it up, the nurse must take the blame.
Nurses are very patient. They realize their reward will not be in this lifetime, for to receive even a fraction of the recognition they deserve would be to lessen the importance of the doctor. Nurses often believe in reincarnation.

So there you have it, the 1960's view of nursing. Boy have we come a long way from that thinking!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Good luck tomorrow!

I'll be thinking of you as you take exam #2. You'll do great. I'll look forward to seeing you on October 8th. Keep up the good work!

Best wishes,
Lynne Swanson

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Exam #2 review

Here is what I took away from the review session with Mrs. Semillo today.

There were a few things that she mentioned more than once or that she mentioned out of the blue.

- The majority of the questions will be about the assessment of and rationale for the cardiopulmonary system.
- When checking circulation, note 'mottled' skin (red/blue/purple blotches)
- When checking circulation, note the oral mucosa (tongue: shiny and beefy)
- Meds that can effect circulation are Coumadin (Warfarin) and Aspirin (most commonly)
- Do NOT use MRI if pt has metal, pacemaker, old lead based tatoo
- Do NOT do a CT if pt is allergic to iodine or shellfish
- If doing a bronchoscopy, check gag reflex (aspiration)
- If Left Ventricle enlarged, you may see edema or hear crackles (lung sounds)
- With apnea, crackles indicate secretions, fluid
- #4: Know that subjective is symptoms, objective is signs
Nurses treat signs/symptoms
Outcomes need to be specific and measureable (when, how much, how many, etc)
Be able to identify a good outcome statement
Be able to prioritize (ABC's, then safety)
Interventions need to address the signs and symptoms (the 'as manifested by')
- #5: Hypoxemia is measureable
The common diagnoses for oxygenation are:
- Ineffective tissue perfusion
- Impaired gas exchange
- Ineffective airway clearance
- #6: Know that you ask OPEN-ENDED questions.
- #10: If someone is having difficulty breathing, sit them up, use purse-lipped technique.
- When someone has a trach, air always needs to be humidified
- #11: Hyperoxygenate before suctioning (3-5 x's; 750mL (1 1/2 x's normal Tidal Volume (500mL))
- Check cannulas and masks for pressure sores

If anyone has anything else, please comment.

PDA Software

Just to clarify...

I just bought the Constellation Software and it INCLUDES:

Davis' Drug guide
Laboratory and Diagnostic

-Christine

Monday, September 17, 2007

SNA Meeting

For those of you who were unable to make the meeting today, here were some things that you may be interested in.

PDA programs that Bonnie Boss said she HAD to have:
Nursing Constellation
Taber's Dictionary
Diseases and Disorders
Diagnoses
Davis' Drug guide
Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests
IV Drugs

PDA download websites:
Skyscape discount code - SJDC (25% off, except package deals), we were already told about this from a previous student
Epocrates discount code - 521NUREPOC0607 (first 3 are numbers and the last 4 are numbers) (35% off)
PDAMD.com
Handango - Some freeware
Unbound Medicine - Package deal "Nursing Central" (includes Diseases and Disorders, Davis Drug Guide, Davis Laboratory Tests and Diagnostics and Taber's Dictionary) for $159!!

One thing to note when shopping for programs, if you purchase all of the programs from the same site, they will be able to link back and forth between programs.

On another note, for any of you that would like to get involved in SNA, they are in need of a person to go to ICC (InterClub Council) Meetings to represent the SNA. This is a requirement to keep SNA as a club at Delta. There isn't too much involved, for those of you who are worried about overextending yourself (which is probably everybody!), just someone who is able to represent SNA in a dignified manner to other clubs. This ICC meeting will be on October 4th at 130pm in Shima 101A, tentatively. If you are interested, just comment on this post, and I can get you in touch with the SNA president.

If you are interested in attending the next SNA meetings, they will be October 1st, November 19th and December 3rd at 1pm in Locke 314. They are always looking for items to speak about in the meetings, so if there is anything you would like to discuss in the next SNA meeting, contact Danielle at goshblogit@gmail.com or Kdaniellem@yahoo.com.

Thanks,
Trina

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Oxygenation quiz

The following ten questions come from the book “Test Success” (Nugent/Vitale). See if you can answer them, then check for the answer key and rationales in the comments section of this post.

1. To prevent aspiration while administering physical hygiene to a patient receiving a nasogastric feeding tube, the nurse should:
a.) Lower the height of the bag
b.) Seek additional assistance
c.) Slow the rate of flow
d.) Shut off the feeding

2. A patient walking in the hall complains of sudden chest pain. The initial intervention by the nurse should be to:
a.) Take the patient's vital signs
b.) Perform a detailed pain assessment
c.) Walk the patient back to bed slowly
d.) Get a chair so the patient can sit and rest

3. When oxygen therapy via nasal cannula is ordered for a patient, the first action by the nurse is to:
a.) Post an “oxygen in use” sign on the door to the room
b.) Adjust the oxygen level before applying the cannula
c.) Explain the rules of fire safety and oxygen use
d.) Lubricate the nares with water-soluble jelly

4. To prevent aspiration after meals by a patient who has difficulty swallowing, the nurse should first:
a.) Position the patient in the low-Fowler's position
b.) Provide a pitcher of water at the bedside
c.) Encourage mouth care when necessary
d.) Inspect the mouth for pocketed food

5. What should the nurse do first when a patient chokes on food and is unable to speak?:
a.) Initiate the abdominal thrust maneuver
b.) Clap between the scapulae several times
c.) Instruct the patient to swallow forcefully
d.) Wait to see if the patient can cough up the obstruction

6. A patient with a history of chronic respiratory disease begins to have difficulty breathing. The adaptations that are the most serious would be:
a.) Orthostatic hypotension when rising and the need to sit in the orthopneic position.
b.) The need to sit in the orthopneic position and wheezing sounds on inspiration.
c.) Wheezing sounds on inspiration and mucus tinged with frank red streaks.
d.) Mucus tinged with frank red streaks and chest pain.

7. The adequacy of tissue oxygenation is most accurately measured by:
a.) Hematocrit values
b.) Hemoglobin levels
c.) Arterial blood gases
d.) Pulmonary function tests

8. The nurse assesses that the patient understands diaphragmatic breathing when the patient says, “I should:
a.) Feel my abdomen flatten on inspiration.”
b.) Raise my shoulders and chest when I breathe.”
c.) Hold my breath for 3 seconds at the height of inspiration.”
d.) Use my hands to put pressure against my abdomen when I inhale.”

9. When do wheezing breath sounds occur?
a.) When fluid is in the lung
b.) When sitting in the orthopneic position
c.) When air moves through a narrowed airway
d.) When the pleural sack rubs against the lung surface

10. Which is most effective for maintaining a patent airway?
a.) Active coughing
b.) Incentive spirometry
c.) Nebulizer treatments
d.) Abdominal breathing

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Gearing up for exam #2

1. Which of the following is the primary purpose of surfactant?
a. to propel sheets of mucus toward the upper airway
b. to warm inspired air
c. to produce watery mucus
d. to reduce surface tension of the fluid lining the alveoli

2. a pt who has difficulty breathing, increased respiratory and HR and pale skin with regions of cyanosis may be suffering from...
a. hyperventilation
b. hypoxia
c. perfusion
d. atelectasis

3. when inspecting a pt's chest to assess respiratory status, the nurse should be aware of which of the following normal findings?
a. the contour of the intercostal spaces should be rounded
b. the skin at the thorax should be cool and moist
c. the anteroposterior diameter should be greater than the transverse diameter
d. the chest should be slightly convex with no sternal depression

4. which of the following normal breath sounds should be heard over the rtrachea?
a. vesicular
b. bronchovesicluar
c. bronchial
d. tympanic

5. mr. paks has COPD. his nurse has taught him pursed-lip breathing, which helps him in which of the following ways?
a. increase CO2, which stimulates breathing
b. teaches him to porlong inspiration and shorten expiration
c. helps liquefy his scretions
d. decreases the amount of air trapping and resistance

6. when caring for a pt with a tracheotomy, the nurse should be aware of which of the following?
a. the wound around the tube and inner cannula should be cleaned at least every 24 hrs
b. the pt has no impairment of speaking function
c. a newly inserted tracheostomy tube requires no immediate attention
d. suctioning of the tracheostomy tube must be done using sterile technique

7. which of the following statements regarding nursing diagnoses is accurate?
a. nursing diagnoses remain the same for as long as the disease is present
b. nursing diagnoses are written to identify disease
c. nursing diagnoses are written to describe pt problems that nurses can treat
d. nursing diagnoses focus on identifying healthy responses to health and illness

8. which of the following would be an appropriate nursing diagnosis for a toddler who has been treated on 2 different occasions for lacerations and contusions due to the parents' negligence in providing a safe environment?
a. high risk for injury related to abusive parents
b. high risk for injury related to impaired home managment
c. child abuse related to unsafe home environment
d. high risk for injury related to unsafe home environment
e. high risk for parents to be hung by their toenails by the nurse (just seeing if you are paying attention)

9. which of the following actions would be performed during the planning step of the nursing process?
a. interpreting and analyzing pt data
b. establishing the database
c. identifying factors contributing to pt's success or failure
d. selecting nursing measures

10. which of the following is a correctly written goal for a pt who is scheduled to amb following hip surgery?
a. over the next 24 hr period, the pt will walk the length of the hallway assisted by the nurse
b. the nurse will help the pt amb the length of the hallway once a day
c. offer to help the pt walk the length of the hallway each day
d. pt will become mobile within a 24 hr period

11. mr. conner is a 48-yr-old pt with a new colostomy. which of the following pt goals is written correctly?
a. explain to mr. conner the proper care of the stoma by 3/29/08
b. mr conner will know how to care for his stoma by 3/29/08
c. mr conner will demonstrate proper care of stoma by 3/29/08
d. mr conner will be able to care for stoma and cope with psychological loss by 3/29/08

12. which nursing action is considered an independent (nurse initiated) action?
a. executing physician orders for a catheter
b. meeting with other healthcare professionals to discuss a pt
c. helping to allay a pt's fears about surgery
d. administering meds to a pt

13. your pt, who is presented with high bp, is put on a low salt diet and instructed to quit smoking. you find him in the cafeteria eating a cheeseburger and french fries. he tells you there is not way he can quit smoking what is your first objective when implementing care for this pt?
a. explain to the pt the effects of a high salt diet and smoking on bp
b. identify why the pt is not following the therapy
c. collaborate with other healthcare professionals about the pt's treatment
d. change the nursing care plan

14. which is the most important act of evaluation performed by the nurse?
a. evaluating the pt's goal/outcome achievement
b. " the plan of care
c. " the competence of nurse practitioners
d. " the types of healthcare services available to the pt

15. which should the nurse do when pt data indicate that the stated goals have not been achieved?
a. collect more data for the database
b. review each preceding step of the nursing process
c. implement a standardized plan of care
d. change the nursing orders

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

new photos...

yo!! there are now pictures on the photobucket account, go check 'em out!!

the admin have also added a new section for the blog, the photo of the week section. basically, whoever has the best, coolest, or most interesting photo on photobucket will be posted on there. photos will be changed every thursday after lecture. so keep the photos comin'.

i will try to make slideshows for every group, if the group albums have photos in them.

that should be it for now...
-dot


ps. the photobucket and myspace links are on the sidebar.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

photo sharing

yo!! I made a photobucket account for those people who likes to take pictures, likes to be in the pictures, or people who likes looking at pictures. If you have any pictures from class or clinicals, or even pictures of friends/family, feel free to upload or add them on this photobucket account. I have made sub-albums for every clinical site, so make sure to upload your pictures under your group. Please do not delete any pictures that have been uploaded.

how to upload/add pictures:
-go to www.photobucket.com
-username: futurenurses2009
-password: may2009
-after logging in, scroll down a little. on the sub-albums section, click on your clinical site. once you're on your clinical site sub-album, you can start uploading pictures. notice the link, +add more, click on that to upload more pictures at a time.
-click upload when ready.
-don't forget to log out after uploading all the pictures.
-keep pictures PG13. hahahaha.


Again, do not delete any uploaded pictures.

Alright I am out!

peace,
-dot


Skyscape Help

I really want to download the nursing constellation from skyscape, but I don't know how to download it onto a PDA, or if my PDA will be able to hold it.

My PDA is a Palm Z22. Can anyone help me with this? How long does downloading usually take? Thank You.

Mr. Meza's Clinical Group

Skyscape help needed.
I am having problems loading skyscape books from my computer to PDA. I have a 2G card so I believe I have enough memory. Anyone else have difficulties? Let me know if you figured out how to do it.
Thanks,
Debbie M.

Friday, September 7, 2007

LMH-Orientation Location

Everyone in Jenkins/LMH group, I had a message on cell per Ms Jenkins we are to meet at LM West on Tuesday-Did you all hear from her? See you there!

Question about the Reflective Journals

I read the fundamentals handbook about reflective journals, but I stil lam slightly confused.

For our first entry, do we write about the orientation, and do we turn it in at the end of the day in those "blue books (also, how many are we supposed to get?, and can we write both entries in the same book)" or on a regular sheet of paper? Does anyone have any idea about anything, and everything that has to do with the journals, especially for Kaiser, Manteca? thanks :).

Exam #1 Results

Hi all,

It is very humbling to see the exam results. The good side of it all is that the mistakes I made are only on paper and did not compromise the safety of the patient! Hopefully, those mistakes will forever stick to me and not make the same ones on a patient. In the meantime, keep an open mind and let's do it again in three weeks.

Have fun in clinicals. Enjoy the ride but always plan for Mr. Murphy to come along. Hint: Murphy's law.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

nursing study session

i had to leave at 330pm. did anything exciting happen after I left?

Best wishes on your exam

I look forward to seeing all of you English 33 A students at our first follow-up meeting this coming Monday, September 10th in Locke 314. I will be there between 1:30 and 5:30. You just need to come by anytime during those hours and see me.

You are such an impressive group, and you are going to do great this semester and in future semesters. Your blog is equally impressive. I loved the test anxiety tips! Don't worry, you're going to do well. Be confident and read the questions carefully!

I'll see you next Monday.

Best wishes,
Lynne Swanson

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Rose Scent for the exam

Hey everyone,

This probably sounds really dumb. One of my instructors before told us that by smelling a rose scent the night before an exam, it helps you remember things during the exam. He said that there was a study done on that. I'm not quite sure if it really is effective. It's worth a shot though.

I don't think he was joking when he told us that.

Anyways, good luck to everyone. Also, thanks for all the helpful tips!!!

Exam 1 - Where's your happy place?

Our first exam is almost here and I'm guessing I'm not the only one out there who is experiencing some apprehension - fear - nerves. It wasn't so long ago that were were sitting in Mrs. Swanson's Study Skills class talking about ways control our stress during test time. It's time to put the practice into play, so here's a review on some tips:

  1. Be prepared. Long, a last minute cramming session before a test isn't always the best way to go. Take the time to get together with other students in a study group to share ideas and discuss study guides. Don't rush around before the test, come early and take a few minutes to relax. Don't get caught up in before test "chatter" with other students.
  2. Get a good night sleep and eat a nutritious breakfast the day of the test. Don't let your nerves tell you that you're not hungry... feed your brain!
  3. During the test, look for the critical words in the stem that will help guide you to what the test writer intended, and look out for those distracting answers. Be cautious of words like "all, always, never, only, sometimes ...etc" that may turn a true statement into a false one.
  4. If allowed, mark on your test - to eliminate wrong answers or to highlight key words or ideas.
  5. Have a brain freeze during the test? No worries, just move on and come back to it. You might find what you are looking for further along in the test.
  6. Remember that stress is natural. Vomiting before a test is not. Learn how to recognize and control your stress. Relaxation breathing (slow, deep breaths) and pleasant mental images (your happy place) should help calm you down.

So with that in mind, where is your happy place? (respond in comments)

Monday, September 3, 2007

more NCLEX style questions

Hi Everyone,
I checked out the CD from the Nursing Student Success (the book that they gave us at the ATI test). I saw that it had a lot of questions available for practice.

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Answers to previous post

Here are the answers to the questions below.

1.A
2.A
3.C
4.C
5.B
6.C
7.D
8.D
9.B
10.A
11.D
12.B
13.C
14.C

N-CLEX style questions for Exam #1

Here are some examples of NCLEX questions pertaining to what we are learning.

1. When a nurse provides the info and support that patients and their families need to make the decision that is right for them, he/she is practicing which of the following principles of bioethics?
A. Autonomy
B. Nonmaleficence
C. Justice
D. Fidelity

2. A nurse who comments to her coworkers at lunch that her patient with a sexually transmitted disease has been sexually active in the community may be guilty of which of the following torts?
A. Slander
B. Libel
C. Fraud
D. Assault

3. Which of the following accurately describes the behavior of the middle adult?
A. Believes in establishment of self but fears being pulled back into the family
B. Usually substitutes new roles for old roles and perhaps continues formal roles in a new context.
C. Looks inward, accepts life span as having definite boundaries, and has special interest in spouse, friends and community.
D. Looks forward but also looks back and begins to reflect on his/her life.

4. As defined by Erikson, in what stage of human development is the older adult?
A. Intimacy vs isolation
B. Identity vs role diffusion
C. Ego-integriy vs despair
D. Generativity vs stagnation

5. Which of the following is a developmental task of the middle adult?
A. Selecting a life partner
B. Establishing and guiding the next generation
C. Establishing a social network
D. Forming a peronsal philosophical and ethical structure.

6. A 36-year-old woman who underwent a hysterectomy 4 days ago says to the nurse, "I wonder if I'll still feel like a woman." Which response would most likely encourage the patient to expand on this and express her concerns in more specific terms?
A. "When did you begin to wonder about this?"
B. "Do you want more children?"
C. "Feel like a woman...?"
D. Remaining silent

7. Which of the following statements about the communication process is accurate?
A. Communication is a reciprocal process in which both the sender and receiver of messages take turns participating.
B. One-to-one communication occurs when 3 or more people are involved in the communication process.
C. Nursing instructors and students seldom experience the communication process in large groups.
D. Communicating people receive and send messages through verbal and nonverbal means, which occur simultaneously.

8. Which of the following conditions would be a normal finding when palpating the skin of a patient?
A. The skin is cool and dry
B. When picked up in a fold, the skin fold slowly returns to normal.
C. The skin is taut and moist to the touch
D. The texture of the skin varies from smooth and soft to rough and dry.

9. Which of the following is a type of unintentional tort?
A. Invasion of privacy
B. Malpractice
C. Assault and battery
D. Defamation

10. What is a good way to communicate with a very young child?
A. Role playing
B. Explaining procedures
C. Showing him pictures
D. Showing him a movie

11.Which behavior provides encouragement during communication without indicating agreement or disagreement?
A. Clapping
B. Sighing
C. Looking away
D. Nodding

12. What is the main source of info and communication among nurses, doctors, and other caregivers?
A. Computer
B. Medical record
C. Telephone
D. Word of mouth

13. Silence is a communication technique used during an interview to:
A. Show respect
B. Change the topic
C. Encourage the patient to continue talking
D. Clarify info

14. The highest temperature reading would be expected to occur during what time of day?
A. 4-5am
B. 8-9am
C. 4-8pm
D. 9-11pm

Answers are in comment section

TEA party

There may be some concern as to the amount of money those that are participating in the committee are having to give. I wanted to let everyone know that I will be paying for everything. If you are going to be purchasing anything for the TEA, please let me know, and I can purchase it with my credit card. If you do purchase it with your own money, please save the receipt, and I will reimburse you. After everything is purchased, I will be submitting my costs to the nursing department to get reimbursed. All you have to worry about is the $15 and the clinical baskets.

Now, I know it is hard to do anything without a budget, so do not purchase anything yet. After we contact the hospitals and determine the cost for food, we can get a better idea of what the budget will be.

As far as other contributions, please make a note of the addresses of those who donated so that we can send a thank you card.

Khalid, if you think your friend's pizza place is a viable option for our food, please contact me, and we can look into that (are they in Stockton?). I also have another person in mind that does 'catering' on the side that would give us a pretty good deal.
Shenell (and those of you who are working somewhere that could be possible donors) it would be great to even get a gift certificate as a raffle prize.
I will have more ironed-out after this next week (I guess exams should take priority, right??).
Any-hoo, thank you so much for those of you who have already volunteered, and thanks Cindy for volunteering to be my contact person for your clinical group.

Also, if any of you have questions, PLEASE contact me!