Victor Valley College
The Journal
The Bi-Monthly Nursing School and Allied Health Newsletter Letter
December 2012 Volume 3 No. 2
Article By:
Christina Hovis
Photo By:
cdcr.ca.gov
There are several different
facilities to work in when
you are a registered nurse.
Most new grads don’t know
the wide spectrum of facilities that they can work in.
Most nursing graduates work
in the hospital. New graduates and working nurses
don’t think about working in
state prisons. They are scared
and are uncertain of what
their objectives would be
working in a prison. Also,
most nurses don’t know that
you only need your ADN to
work in a state prison.
Pam Payne is one of Victor
Valley College’s nursing
program graduates who is
employed at a state prison.
She graduated from VVC in
December 2006 with her
ADN and later received her
BSN from Azusa Pacific.
Prison Nurses
Pam has worked for five and
a half years in Chino at The
California Institution for
Men. She started her nursing
career at St. Mary’s on the
telemetry floor and also
What influenced her to start
working in a prison are the
benefits you receive when
working for the state. RN’s
start at $7,285 a month, up to
$8,431, supervisors start at
worked part-time at GEO, a
private prison in Adelanto.
After working at GEO she
realized she enjoyed working
in a prison and wanted to
work at The CA Institution
for Men.
$7,828 a month, up to $9,516
and they also have sign on
bonuses. State prisons have
24/7 nursing care. They use a
team nursing approach and
have RN’s, LVN’s, and
CNA’s working for them.
The RN’s do mostly assessments, make judgments and
chart (SOAPIE), LVN’s pass
meds, and the CNA’s help
with ADL’s. SOAPIE is a
type of documentation,
which stands for subjective,
objective, analysis, plan,
intervention, and evaluation.
The CA Institution for Men
has four yards where LVN’s
and RN’s work. It also has a
hospital infirmary, which
houses medical and mental
health patients.
Pam’s advice to nursing students and all nurses is, “to
work per diem to keep your
skills up if you decide to
work in a prison. It is hard to
get back to the public setting.” She states, “You
should work one to two days
a month in a hospital to keep
your skills up.”
For more information on
prison nursing visit: http://
www.cdcr.ca.gov/
Facilities_Locator/CIM.html
Test Your Knowledge
A nurse has just reassessed the condition of a postoperative client
A.
Urinary output of 20 mL/hr
who was admitted 1 hour ago to the surgical unit. The nurse plans
B.
Temperature of 37.6 C (99.6 F)
to monitor which of the following parameters most carefully during
C.
Blood pressure of 100/70 mm Hg
the next hour?
D.
Serous drainage on the surgical dressing
(see the last page for answers and reasoning)
Nursing & Allied Health
Victor Valley College 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395
ph: (760)245-4271 fax:(760) 951-5861
The Journal Victor Valley College
VVC Remembers Their Own
Article By:
Forum Mehta
While nursing students
were enjoying time away
from school and spending
time with their loved ones
over summer vacation,
one Victor Valley College
alumni, Kim Weeks
passed away. The details
of her death are being kept
Interested in purchasing AD space to support this news letter?
Please contact the Nursing
Department at 760-2454271 for more details.
private however it is
known that at the time of
her death, her husband
was unemployed and she
left behind three lovely
children. Kim graduated
from Victor Valley College's Nursing program in
2010 and has been an excellent employee at St.
Mary's hospital ever since.
In efforts to help with financial expenses, the
nursing program has contributed immensely. In a
matter of one week, to-
some very good words
of wisdom from the faculty for them to take and
use. These words are
not just for the incoming student though!
They can be used for all
nursing processes! So
here they are:
Professor Speakman,
who teaches NP1, says,
“Time management and
organization! Don’t be
afraid to ask instructors
for help.” That is one of
the most important
things you can do.
ALUNMI GIVING
Ask for help before it
Your contributions are welcomed. All becomes too much.
proceeds help sup-port the student
That’s what the incommunity service projects, pinning
ceremony, and the growth and devel- structors are there for.
opment of the nursing department.
Always ask for help!
Please Contact:
The Victor Valley College Foundation
in care of the VVC School of Nursing
at:
www.vvcfoundation.com
Nursing & Allied Health
gether staff and nursing
students were able to raise
three hundred dollars.
Supporting our community in times of need,
CNSA ( California Nursing Student's Association)
has generously donated
two hundred dollars to be
able to deposit a grand
sum of five hundred dollars in Kim Week's memorial fund account. A moment of silence was conducted for Kim at a nursing orientation in which
students and staff together
felt something should be
done for Kim in return for
the two years time she
dedicated to pursue her
education and become a
proud registered nurse.
Five hundred dollars is
our token of remembrance
for Kim and her family.
Victor Valley College remembers their own and is
always open to provide
support and assistance to
their students; past, present or future.
Words of Wisdom
Article By:
Kristina Bogren
When we all started
nursing school there
were some things we
wished we knew from
the get-go; some things
we wished we could
have foreseen; some
“words of wisdom” if
you will. This article is
meant for the incoming
nursing students who
are just about to embark
on one of the hardest
journeys they will ever
have to face. The good
news is, is there are
December 2012 Page 2
“Do your ATI’s from
day 1. Those are
probably the most
helpful things you can
use. Some students
don’t utilize them
enough, but when it
comes down to it, it can
make you or break you”
stated Professor Sally
Thibeault. Professor
Thibeault teaches NP4.
cused study time.
Learning the concepts,
not memorizing them is
the key. Also take an
occasional break to refresh your energy levels” stated Professor
Alice Ramming.
Professor Diane Cline,
who teaches NP4 with
Professor Thibeault,
says, “If you have questions and need help ask
for it. Do not be afraid
to ask. And take each
day one at a time.
Sometimes students get
overwhelmed when they
look at the big picture.
Just take it one day at a
time.”
Professor Renate
Longoria (NP2 instructor) says, “One day at a
time; one assignment at
time. Stay positive and
keep at it and study
hard.”
“I would advise students
to set aside a minimum
amount of time, let’s
say 20 hours per week
for concentrated, fo-
Victor Valley College 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395
There you have it!
Some of the wisest
words from the people
who know (and have
been there themselves),
so take these words and
use them. They are sure
to help you in the future.
ph: (760)245-4271 fax:(760) 951-5861
The Journal Victor Valley College
December 2012 Page 3
The Great Shake-Out
Article By:
Kristina Bogren
Photo By:
Kristina Bogren
The Great California Shake
Out is an annual event that
was held on October 18th,
2012 at exactly 10:18 in the
morning on the lower campus. The Shake Out is used
to prepare people for what is
to come because you can’t be
too prepared when there is a
mass casualty incident. Once
the initial drill happened they
dropped, covered and held
on. When the drill was over
they shot into action and
went outside to start triaging
patients and come to their
rescue. There were four different areas: green (those that
could wait a few hours and
had minor injuries before
being treated), yellow
(those that were a bit more
serious than the green and
could wait 1-2 hours), Red
(those that need immediate
care), and black (those that
were deceased or those who
were too far gone to be
saved). During the event
there were doctors (played
by the faculty) who guided
the student nurses and directed them with what to
do.
Over nine million people
take an active part in the
annual shake out event in
California alone. States
involved are the central
states, California, Nevada,
Alaska, Utah, Washington,
Oregon, Idaho, Arizona,
and the south eastern states.
Not only do they do this in
the United States, but they
do it in several countries!
Some countries include:
Puerto Rico, Guam, British
Columbia (Canada), Southern Italy, New Zealand, and
Japan (just to name a few).
This event doesn’t just have
to happen in schools either.
It can be done in homes,
businesses and organizations.
In order to host one of these
events you have to have
proper planning and organization. For our event the
people most involved in
organizing it were Professor Alice Ramming, RN
and Tiana Gray, RN. When
asked how the event went
they both said, “Very well”
and they were please with
the way it turned out. Of
course things do go a little
awry when you don’t have
all of the medical equipment that a hospital has or
the space.
The nurses were split into
different categories: ER
nurses, ICU nurses, MedSurg nurses, and field
nurses. There were also a
variety of patient scenarios,
which were developed by
Sandra Hendrickson, RN
and some things were
added on by Professor
Ramming. For example a
homeless bag lady that had
to have security control her
multiple times! Another
example was a patient who
had an open abdominal
wound that needed emergent care. There was also a
ruthless, nosey reporter/
photographer!
The shake-out program
itself happens annually in
the fall semester only.
Nursing & Allied Health
Victor Valley College 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395
When asked if there could
possibly be a shake-out type
of event for the spring semester Professor Ramming
stated that she, “would like
to plan some sort of disaster
preparation for every semester”. For this event the only
program involved was the
nursing program. Hopefully
in the future the EMT/
Paramedic and the firefighter
programs may be involved
too. As of right now there are
no set plans to start doing the
disaster preparation in the
spring semesters.
To participate in the next
“Shake-Out” you can log on
to http://shakeout.org/
california/colleges/.
ph: (760)245-4271 fax:(760) 951-5861
The Journal Victor Valley College
Article By:
Forum Mehta
Photo By:
Forum Mehta
December 2012 Page 4
CNSA Students Promote Continuing Education
In Style
For three consecutive days, Victor Valley College nursing students in CNSA
(California Nursing Student's Association) promoted continuing education
with a little help from Las Vegas. Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville
brought Las Vegas alive at their annual
employee skills fair from September
25th-27th. This Skills fair is mandatory
for all Desert Valley employees to refresh their knowledge of hospital wide
polices, protocols, equipment, and to
continue to promote critical thinking.
Various departments were encouraged
to choose a specific casino or aspect of
Vegas and create a fun and friendly
atmosphere while fulfilling requirements
to reinforce department specific knowl-
edge. During the last CNSA convention on August 18th, CNSA
members were motivated to assist
with the implementation of the recommended goals released by the
National Institute of Medicine.
Members of CNSA strove to assist
with the goal for “nurses to achieve
higher levels of education and training through an improved system that
promotes seamless academic progress.” With the guidance and support of Pamela Wolf, clinical educator, and Elizabeth Schwarz, administrative assistant, CNSA members
created a booth that encouraged
nurses to continue their education
and pursue higher degrees such as
BSN, MSN and DNP. Pamela Wolf
mentioned this about the project, “the
booth provided a window into the options available to anyone pursuing a
nursing career, demonstrating that with
personal and professional growth, anyone can be enriched through higher
education. Take a look at your options
NOW. Get our degree was the message
at this year’s education booth.” By
providing needed pamphlets and informational fliers on specific programs
several Universities assisted with this
event including: Cal Baptist, Loma
Linda, Biola, California State San Bernardino, as well as California State
Domingus Hills. Members of CNSA
chose to use the Stratosphere Casino as
their theme in order to promote the ideas
of “Sky’s the limit” and “Once you stop,
you're at the top.” These ideas sug-
gested by CNSA Vice President Forum
Mehta and Project Coordinator Jessica
Sanchez, soon expanded to include the
promotion of Desert Valley Hospital’s
exceptional student externship program,
RN residency program, and the charitable
foundation. Dr. Joseph Morris, VVC
Nursing Program Director, as well as
CNSA faculty advisor Alice Ramming,
visited Desert Valley's skills fair to stand
by their students, and assist with the promotion of this important idea. Nursing
students who participated and should be
recognized for their contributions are
Forum Mehta, Jessica Sanchez, Johanna
Estrada, Hannah Ream, Cielo Abellar,
Crystle Rajania, Camille Ondarza, and
Jessica Moreno. Keep up the good work
ladies, VVC’s Nursing Program, CNSA,
and Desert Valley Hospital are proud of
your selfless efforts to promote education.
Flo’s Closet is Open!
You can now donate your un-needed, outgrown, overly large, or even
slightly used scrubs and other nursing items!
Books, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, white shoes and scrubs donations are
always welcome.
Bring Donations to the Allied Health Building 32’s front desk.
If you’re in need of any of these, please submit a one paragraph letter (be sure to include your process and phone number) to the box in the skills lab that is labeled: Flo’s closet request. You may also email request to Barbara Eichen at
Barbara.Eichen@vvc.edu or Sandra Hendrickson at Sandra.Hendrickson@vvc.edu. Make sure to put Flo’s Closet Request in the subject line and don’t forget to provide contact information as well.
Nursing & Allied Health
Victor Valley College 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395
ph: (760)245-4271 fax:(760) 951-5861
The Journal Victor Valley College
December 2012 Page 5
Don’t forget to order your scrubs and other
nursing supplies at Advance to help nursing
students now and in the future have wonderful
graduations. Use the code provided at the left
and go to
http://www.vvcrams.com/
Buy anything at this site with the use of the
code and support your fellow nurses.
Test Your Knowledge Answer and Rationale
Correct Answer: A
from the surgical site is considered normal.
Rationale:
Urine output should be maintained at a minimum of 30 mL/hr for an
Test Taking Strategy:
adult. An output of less than 30 mL for each of 2 consecutive hours
To answer this question correctly, you must know the normal ranges
should be reported to the physician. A temperature higher than 37.7 C
for temperature, blood pressure, urinary output, and wound drainage.
(100 F) or lower than 36.1 C (97 F) and a falling systolic blood pressure,
Through the process of elimination, you then can determine that the
lower than 90 mm Hg, are usually considered reportable immediately.
urinary output is the only observation that is not within the normal
The client’s preoperative or baseline blood pressure is used to make
range. Review expected postoperative assessment findings if you had
informed postoperative comparisons. Moderate or light serous drainage
difficulty with this question.
Acknowledgments
This section is to thank those that worked hard to help create and promote this newsletter.
Director:
Dr. Joseph Morris, CNS, GNP, PhD
Supervising Instructor:
Prof. Alice Ramming, RN
Editor:
Christina Hovis, SN NP4
Kristina Bogren SN NP4
Story Writers:
Christina Hovis, SN NP4
Kristina Bogren, SN NP4
Forum Mehta, SN NP4
Photographers:
Kristina Bogren, SN NP4
Forum Mehta, SN NP4
Cdcr.ca.gov
Peers Empowering & Educating Peers (PEEPs)
Special Thanks to:
Dr. Joseph Morris– For your encouragement and continued involvement.
Prof. Alice Ramming– Your calm kindness and assistance
Elizabeth Vandom– For your continued willingness to help with the newsletter and to assist all those who ask.
NP4 class of Fall 2012– Thank you for your continued dedication to our
school and perseverance no matter the trials that we may face.
Donna Derryberry– Thank you for always being willing to take the time to
help.
Laura Katnic– Your always willing to lend a hand whenever asked and we
thank you.
Saunder’s 5th ed NCLEX Review– Thank you for providing us with the
review NCLEX question
Nursing & Allied Health
The PEEPs program is a volunteer
program designed for nursing students enrolled at VVC. The intention of the program is to provide
supplemental support to students
that are having difficulty with comprehending the theoretical and
clinical concepts in nursing …for
more information visit my PEEPs at
Victor Valley College 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, CA 92395
WWW.VVCPEEPS.PBWORKS.
COM
Or Contact Brenda Bagwell
bbagwell64@yahoo.com
ph: (760)245-4271 fax:(760) 951-5861