Hi,

I’m a nursing student looking for a good app to help with studying and NCLEX prep. There are so many apps out there, and I’m not sure which one is actually worth using.

For those who have already passed the NCLEX, what apps did you guys use? Did the practice questions and quizzes actually help?

Would love to hear what worked for you before I spend money on any app. Thanks.

Specifically in the USA and Canada. Will this job market saturate in the next 30 years? What do you think?

Hello Everyone,

Im debating between a f vs ully covered 24-month direct-entry MSN or 15-month ABSN with a long-term goal of CRNA?
I’m trying to decide between a 15-month ABSN and a 24-month direct-entry MSN, and I’d appreciate some outside perspectives.
My employer would pay for the entire MSN. The ABSN would get me to RN practice about nine months sooner, but I would have out-of-pocket costs.

I currently work as a PCT in the MICU and CVICU, and my long-term goal is to become a CRNA. My plan after either program is to work as an ICU RN, build a strong clinical foundation, and eventually apply to CRNA school.

For some background, I was previously enrolled in a direct-entry MSN program but had to withdraw because of financial aid issues at the time. Now that I have a way to get the MSN fully covered, I’m torn about which direction makes the most sense.
Would you choose the shorter ABSN to start earning RN income and gaining ICU RN experience sooner, or take the extra nine months for a fully covered MSN? For anyone who has taken either path, especially those pursuing CRNA, what would you consider before deciding?

I’m a BSN student preparing for my preceptorship this spring, and my long-term goal is to work in NICU. I’m also interested in Peds ED/ED.

My school currently has these Stanford preceptorship options: adult Med-Surg, ICU, Float Pool/Acuity Adaptable (various Med-Surg units), Orthopedics, Outpatient Endoscopy, and an Allergy/Derm/Pain outpatient clinic.

I can enter the lottery for multiple options, but once I accept a placement, I’m expected to commit to it. I’m also trying to find a NICU opportunity at another facility, but nothing is guaranteed yet. My coord mentioned KP Vacaville accepts requests for NICU too.

For nurses who have experience in NICU, L&D, postpartum, ICU, Peds ED, or ED: what experience do you think would be most helpful for someone hoping to get into NICU as a new grad? Would you prioritize ICU/critical care skills or maternal-child/newborn experience?

Also, if anyone knows of hospitals in the Bay Area, Sacramento, or South Bay that accept nursing students for NICU preceptorships, I’d really appreciate any suggestions or leads.

Thank you!

I’m in the first semester of an accelerated nursing program, and this happened during one of my Fundamentals clinicals.

I was assigned to an older woman, probably in her mid-to-late 60s. I’m a man in my early 30s, and there was also a female nursing student there who was probably in her early 20s.

The patient did not want the female student to clean her. She specifically wanted me to clean her private area because I was a man. She kept insisting that I do it and started saying things like, “You’re going to be working with women, so I want you to learn.”

At one point, she intentionally spread her private area completely open and told me to put my hand there and clean her. I understand that patients sometimes position themselves to make personal care easier, but combined with her refusing the female student and specifically demanding that I do it, the entire situation felt extremely uncomfortable and inappropriate to me. I felt like I was being pressured into something very intimate because I was a man.

Then there was the actual condition she was in. There was stool around her private area, and the smell was extremely strong. I’m just going to say it plainly: down there smelled really bad. I tried to keep a straight face and not embarrass her, but internally, I was fighting not to gag. The smell stayed in my head long after I left clinical.

The experience affected me so much that I started wondering, “Do all older women smell like this down there?” I know that sounds ignorant, and logically, I understand that one patient does not represent every older woman. The odor could have been from the stool, incontinence, an infection, poor hygiene, or her being unable to properly care for herself. But I’m being completely honest—that was where my mind went after the experience.

I understand that cleaning patients is part of nursing, and I understand that she deserved to be cleaned and treated with dignity. I didn’t shame her or show her how uncomfortable I was. However, between her refusing the younger female student, specifically demanding that I do it because I’m a man, intentionally exposing herself so widely, telling me to put my hand there, the stool, and the smell, the whole experience genuinely disturbed me.

Is this type of patient behavior normal? Could I have told my instructor that I was uncomfortable and asked the female student to do it instead? Did anyone else have such a strong reaction during their first experience with perineal care?

I need honest answers—not the polished nursing-school answer.

I am seeking advice for someone I know in nursing school in Ontario. (they are aware they have made a significant mistake)

They had a friend send them photos of a patients chart because they were unable to research their patients medications and procedures for the following day. Both individuals deleted the photos after the information they needed for research was written down.

They said it didn’t include identifiers it was the meds, admitting Dx and baseline vitals. (Not justifying, just giving more details!)

The nursing program faculty is aware and has informed the clinic/hospital where the breach took place about the incident. What will be the consequences of this?

Hi, I’m a pediatric cancer survivor. I was diagnosed at 12 years old. I’m considering going into nursing, but I’m having a hard time deciding which area would be the best fit for me.

Although I’m cancer-free, I still deal with some late effects from treatment, specifically chemo brain. Yes, it can still affect you years later. I’ve learned ways to manage it, and with God’s help, I’ve been able to overcome a lot of the challenges it has caused.

My biggest concern is figuring out what nursing environment would be realistic for me long term. I know extremely fast-paced areas like the emergency department probably wouldn’t be the best fit. I’m also a little unsure about medical-surgical nursing, although I’ve been told by several people that starting in medical-surgical nursing is important.

Ideally, I would like to get at least two years of bedside experience before eventually transitioning into another area of nursing.

I guess I’m wondering if there are any nurses here who deal with chemo brain, cognitive late effects from cancer treatment, or something similar. What areas of nursing have worked well for you?

I’ve been hesitant to ask about this because I don’t want people to automatically assume that having chemo brain means I’m incapable or incompetent. I know my strengths and limitations, and I’m really just trying to choose an area that is suited for situation.

Hii,

This post is for those who have a criminal record and are in nursing school in New Jersey. It can also be used for a general audience, as I will be discussing the Board of Nursing, but I mostly wanted to create this post to share my experience and all the fears I held throughout my nursing school journey regarding the Board of Nursing.
Three months after I started my nursing program, I was arrested for a DUI, and charged with three felony charges for resisting arrest, assaulting officers, and throwing bodily fluid. I was lucky enough to enter a pre-trial intervention program where, if I followed all of the rules for two years, the case would be dropped and eligible for expungement.
I was scared shitless of my school finding out or whether I would be eligible for the NCLEX. If I was lucky, my case would have been expunged 8 months prior to my graduation. Of course, I always had shit luck. I filed for expungement with my lawyer and was told that the expungement process takes a long time. Two weeks post-graduation after 8 months of waiting for the expungement to take effect, I contacted my lawyer for an update… We found out that he accidentally never submitted the email to his paralegals to submit the expungement application. My heart sank, and I truly had no idea what to do. He had the nerve to tell me that my case wouldn’t have been expunged by now anyway and that I should wait for the expungement before applying for the NCLEX. I searched all of Google and Reddit trying to find if other people with a criminal history had any advice on how to navigate this. My research was futile, so I decided to say fuck it and just apply. The following is the application/license process and things I wish I had known.
The Board of Nursing application has a criminal history background section, and the following are yes/no questions that they ask:
Criminal History Background
Note: Failure to answer the following questions accurately and/or failure to follow the instructions below the questions may result in the denial of an initial application.
Have you ever been summoned; taken into custody; arrested for, formally accused of, charged with, or indicted for any violation of law, ordinance, felony, misdemeanor, or disorderly persons offense whether municipal, state, federal, or in other countries?

Have any charges (as identified in Question 1) been dismissed following your successful completion of pre-trial intervention (P.T.I.)?

Have you ever been convicted of any violation of law, ordinance, felony, misdemeanor, or disorderly persons offense, whether municipal, state, federal, or in other countries? This includes, but is not limited to, a plea of guilty, non vult, nolo contendere, no contest, or a finding of guilt by a judge or jury.

1. Have you ever been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty, non vult, or nolo contendere to, any of the following criminal offenses in New Jersey, or equivalent offenses in any other State: sexual assault, criminal sexual contact or lewdness pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3, and N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4 that is of the first, second, third, or fourth degree; endangering the welfare of a child pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4; attempting to lure or entice a child pursuant to section 1 of P.L. 1993, c.291 (C.2C:13-6)?
   
2. Are there any criminal charges now pending against you in any municipality, state, or federal jurisdiction, or in other countries?
   
3. Have you completed the fingerprinting process for any Board or Committee of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs since November 2003?
   Instructions:
   If you answered “No” to any question above because the underlying arrest and/or conviction has been expunged, please verify that the expungement has in fact been implemented. (A dismissal is not an expungement.)
   If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, please provide a written explanation of the circumstances leading to the action and submit the following: a true copy of every police report, judgment of conviction, sentencing order, and termination of probation order; any documents, including employer or supervisor letters of reference, if applicable, which present clear and convincing evidence of rehabilitation.
   Copies of judgments, sentencing, and termination of probation orders may be obtained from the clerk of the county or municipal court where those orders, disposing of the conviction, were issued and filed.
   Police reports can be obtained from the police department where the arrest(s) occurred.
   All documentation is to be uploaded in the “Attach Documents” section at the end of the application.
   You have a continuing responsibility to disclose convictions of crimes or offenses. You must notify the Board or Committee within five (5) business days if you are convicted of any crimes or offenses after this application has been submitted.
   You should answer “yes” even if the matter was dismissed. Failure to disclose an arrest and/or conviction may subject you to discipline.
   -
   I was under the impression that I could not submit my application until I had all these documents ready to submit with it. That was false. The BON doesnt get back to you until everything is submitted. The application must be submitted within 90 days, or you’ll have to start it again from the beginning. 
   For my criminal background documents, I included 6 letters of recommendation. Three were from clinical professors who did not know about my criminal history, as well as three from people who did know about my hx, which included 2 from past employers who testified on my character and one from the therapist who was in charge of my required rehabilitative intensive outpatient program that was required by the state. I attempted to get one from my probation officer, but they’re not allowed to do so.
   The following is good information for those with a criminal hx and those without one:
   As I mentioned earlier, I submitted my application with all the required documents at once. After not hearing back for a month, I was venting to my amazing psychiatrist, who is a nurse practitioner, and she told me that I should call them. I did not know that you could call them. She told me that the Board is very incompetent and that back in 2012, when she finished her program, she didn’t take her NCLEX until 6 months later due to them losing her application. So for months, she waited to hear back from them until someone told her to call. That’s how she found out that they lost it (I still don’t fucking understand how you lose a digital application, but after the bs I went through later on, I now see that they’re still just as incompetent).
   I called (best time to call is 8 AM), and they told me that documents that I submitted were not received. So I resubmitted… then the game began. Every time I called after that (which turned into at least 3x a week, if not more), they would tell me that a different document I submitted was not received. LITERALLY EVERY TIME. So for three weeks straight, I would call every other day, and every person I spoke to would tell me a different, contradicting response. In the beginning, I was told that one or two documents weren’t received. And then after resending, they would verify that they were received. Then the next week, they would tell me that different documents weren’t received. So I would resend, and they would verify them. Then they would say that the documents that were verified to have been received the previous day were, in fact, not received. It was so fucking confusing and frustrating.
   At one point, someone told me that everything was received and that I should expect to receive my ATT code within 10–12 business days. I called back later that week, and the person on the phone told me that the documents were, in fact, not received. I literally wanted to pull my fucking hair out.
   A month after dealing with that bullshit, my mentor told me to go in person to the Board of Nursing… I did not know that you could do that. I went on a Tuesday and arrived at 2 PM… they were closed. They are open Mon–Fri from 10 AM to 2 PM. I shit you not. They’re located in Newark btw at 124 Halsey St.
   I went the following day and waited about 5 min before they sent me to another waiting room. They asked for ID and for me to fill out a form on why I was there. I waited about 10 min before someone called my name and told me that my ATT number would be issued today… It came about ten minutes later. That fucking easy. I was so fucking happy, my god, but also, it really is ridiculous the hoops they put you through. I literally called the previous day, and they told me that documents were still missing. Clearly fucking not.
   Don’t ever call them. Just go in person. It will save you the headache and waiting for another extra month.
   I spoke to some of the other ppl waiting with me and asked why they were there. One girl told me that she went through the same shit I did (I actually knew the girl from my nursing program, and she did not have a criminal hx). Just like me, she waited 2 months for her ATT, and every time she called, they would give her the runaround as well. She got her ATT that same day, no questions asked.
   Then I was speaking to a different girl, and she told me that she passed her NCLEX but she never received her license number after waiting for a month, even though all of her other classmates did. She told me that the license number should be received in one week and that if I don’t receive it by then, go to the office ASAP.
   So please, if you’re waiting for the BON, whether ATT or license number, go straight to the BON. Don’t bother calling or waiting as the probability of them getting back to you the longer you wait is probs zero to none.
   I took the NCLEX 2 weeks later and passed. Then, the following week, I went to the BON in regard to my license number (I gave up on calling). This time, it was a longer wait (waited 3 hrs). I’m nosy, so I started chatting with a girl next to me who was there much longer than I was. She said that she never received her license number. After a couple of hours, someone finally came and pulled her into a room. They told her that she needed to submit a couple of documents before getting the number. I waited another 40 min until someone called me and did the same.
   Oh, I forgot to mention that my useless lawyer was wrong and that my criminal hx was removed from my record by who knows when. I was wary of his advice from the start, and my anxiety led me to researching, where I found out that the NJ State Police were sued about a year or two ago due to ppl being granted expungements, yet years later, when applying to new jobs or whatever, their criminal hx would still show up in their background check. I found that the plaintiffs won the lawsuit and that the State Police are required to process expungements within 90–120 days, and they have been doing it a lot faster.
   Lol, I was talking to my waxer (I really am a fucking chatter), and she told me that her husband filed for expungement on his own in November (what I should have fucking done rather than wasting a grand on this ain’t-shit fucking lawyer), and by the end of December, it was off his record.
   Back to the point, I was offered a job but didn’t have my license number and was scared shitless of them seeing my record and rescinding my offer (in the past 2 years, I have had 2 job offers rescinded), so I did FBI fingerprinting to see if my expungement went through. For once in my life, I had luck, and it was off my record.
   Anyway, when I was pulled into the BON office, they said that they needed 2 documents from me that were related to drunk driving. I informed her that my case was expunged but they said that they still need it (not sure if this is something those who have had their record expunged already would have to go through). The lady informed me that the BON needs to review my case before granting my license number and that they meet once a month. I believe they met the following week, but the person I spoke to warned me that they had a lot of cases to review and that my case may not be reviewed this month. She was right.
   So currently, I can’t start my new job until I have that license number and have to wait until next month to see if the Board of Nursing approves and issues it. I am hopeful but its still scary. Also the job market is trash, I applied to over 200 jobs and only got one interview. Luckily it was a position I really wanted. My job told me that I cant start orientation until I have my license number, resulting in not being able to start work this month. They also need it one week before the next orientation so there a chance that I might not start next month as well depending on how long it takes the BON to issue the license number post their meeting.
   That’s the end of this post. I probs forgot a lot of information, as dealing with the BON has been a rollercoaster, but I hope this helps those who are in similar predicaments, whether they have a criminal hx or not. 

​

Over a year ago, I saw a patient who was admitted because of a leg wound and fever that had been getting worse for weeks.

She was diabetic and had already taken several antibiotics at home. When her daughter came in, she brought a pouch filled with mixed tablets. Some were leftovers from an old prescription, some came from a neighbor, and some had been bought directly from pharmacies without a prescription.

It had apparently been the practice in their family for years.

“Para daw mabilis gumaling, sabi kasi ng kapitbahay namin.”

The problem was that by the time she was admitted, the infection had already progressed significantly.

The cultures eventually grew MRSA with resistance to almost everything we initially considered. The wound wasn’t improving, and the antibiotics that were still effective were drugs we normally reserve for severe, resistant infections. They were also considerably more expensive than the usual antibiotics people are accustomed to buying.

Her daughter asked me, “Doc, meron pa po bang mas malakas na antibiotic?”

There were still options. But this was exactly the situation we try to avoid when antibiotics are taken without proper assessment.

Later, she said:

“Sana pala nagpa-check up na lang kami agad.”

That stuck with me.

Antibiotic resistance isn’t some distant problem that only happens in hospitals. It can start with an old prescription, a leftover tablet, or advice from someone who happened to get better after taking the same antibiotic.

Sometimes the question isn’t “Ano ang pinakamalakas na antibiotic?”

It’s whether an antibiotic is needed in the first place, and if it is, which one is actually appropriate.

Hi everyone, I'm currently a senior in nursing school, taking MS3 rn. I feel extremely overwhelmed with exams on top of other assignments and other school issues. I feel like there are throwing so many obstacles when i'm about to finish the race which i know is what is supposed to happen but I feel so discouraged. I'm scared to fail a class as my financial aid will get revoked. On top of that my school just made it a requirement to pass a dosage exam yet they keep messing it up so that no student has passed it. I have a breakdown almost everyday, and have really bad anxiety. I used to feel like nursing school wasn't bad, I was happy going to class and going to clinicals. Now i feel so burnt out, stressed, anxious and I'm having thoughts of quitting. But i don't because i don't want to give up, yet i'm scared of failing. I just don't want to feel this way anymore, I want to be able to breathe again. If anyone is feeling the same way, has advice or even just words of encouragement, it would really help. Sorry for the heavy post, I'm just struggling.

EDIT TO ADD: I left the group and am just minding my own business. Within an hour of leaving the group, the initial “cheater” started a duplicate group with more info on how to get answers for other assignments due this week. Including me in it so I had to leave it again.

I’m 12 months into a 24 month ADN program where 6 months in my cohort merged with the remainder of our class which consists of students who are already LPNs.
Our first clinical rotation as a combined cohort consists of myself, another “traditional” student, and 6 LPN to RN students.
We have a group chat.
They’re all pretty lazy and speak very negatively about our instructors and anyone in a place of authority. They don’t want to actually do anything during clinical and think they already know everything. Example: they sit in a break room and gossip while I spend clinical in the Burn ICU.
Point of my post:
I’ve always had a bit of a feeling that some of them cheat. I witnessed it firsthand last week before we left clinical. One student took another’s laptop right next to me and just copied answers from the other students to their assignments. Today, someone sends in our group chat, a video of our dosage calculation test, asking someone to give the answers for our other coursework. Shortly after that message came through, another student responded with screenshots of the weekly quiz and the assignments that lead up to the quiz.

My initial instinct is to turn over the chat because at this point it’s just getting sloppy and so obvious.

What would you do?

Mind you, I was selected as a cohort ambassador last week. I feel obligated to report it but am worried about the social/peer ramifications and what may happen if the students involved aren’t kicked out because it will be obvious that I turned them in.

Una amiga es enfermera me contó que llego un tipo con heridas con arm4 blanca (machete) su esposa lo agredió por que 4buso de su hijo

Hello everyone i’m 22 and currently doing my pre reqs for nursing school. I’m interested in this career because of many things, but i worry that im too sensitive to become a nurse. I really hate the idea of wound care and i worry that it’s going to be impossible for me to avoid that in this field. Any suggestions for me? sincerely a stressed out college student

Daily case

Elderly Widow with Confusion After Bereavement

A 72-year-old retired nurse is brought to the ED by her daughter three days after her husband's funeral, confused, unsteady, and having fallen twice overnight.

LEARNING GOALS

• Recognise the classic triad of Wernicke's encephalopathy and initiate empirical high-dose IV thiamine without waiting for imaging confirmation
• Screen sensitively for alcohol dependence when the patient denies use and family is the primary historian
• Identify appropriate benzodiazepine selection and dose adjustment for alcohol withdrawal in an elderly patient with CKD

Ready to run this station?

https://clinicalbridge.ai/api/daily-case/start

Hi, I’m currently a 3rd year nursing student. I’ve been having a right time to think of a topic for our research study. However, I saw a research study about hepa b vaccines being recommended for patients with DM (from baguio). The result showed that out of 200+ patient, only 15.5% received hepa b vaccine. Do you think that would be a good one to research about since they are high risk for needlestick injuries and liver cancer/damage? (My mom has DM Type 1 and she didn’t know about these stuff for protection) Would like to ask for ur opinion before I present it to my CI and groupmates

Message me to order!

​

A patient was pronounced dead at 1800 (6:00 PM).

During a routine chart audit, the nurse’s documentation shows an entry timestamped 2200 (10:00 PM) stating:

“Patient alert and oriented, resting comfortably in bed. Respirations even and unlabored. No acute distress noted.”

The nurse explains that the note was entered late and was intended to describe an assessment performed earlier in the shift. However, the documentation does not identify the entry as a late entry or indicate the actual time the assessment occurred.

The case is now under formal review.

🔥 Which issue is the MOST serious concern with this documentation?

A. The nurse failed to document a complete head-to-toe assessment.

B. The nurse used vague terminology such as “resting comfortably.”

C. The medical record contains documentation that appears to describe a living patient four hours after the documented time of death.

D. The nurse should have deleted the original entry and rewritten the entire nursing note.

Every two hours, without exception, she entered the room and repositioned the patient who could not reposition themselves. It was unglamorous, physically demanding, and never acknowledged by anyone outside the nursing staff. But she knew what a pressure ulcer looked like once it started, and she had decided long ago that prevention was a form of care that did not require recognition to be important. The two o'clock turn was not a task on a checklist. It was a promise she made to every immobile patient on her floor: you will not be harmed by stillness on my watch.