BristolUK

Shard

JS, it's a good idea to ditch the "never been good at math" mentality, whether it is true or not (although personally I do think people have different attitudes for mathematical reasoning). Next, approach it from a very practical and mechanical point if view; much of high school math can be learned by simply repeating the method enough times until it sticks (at least for the exams). A bit like foreign students who can construct a grammatically perfect sentence but not be entirely sure what it means. If math is the roadblock, then attack it one course at a time or even one concept at a time, until you have passed it. You are probably doing much of this, and if so great, just keep persevering until you nail it. Also, don't consider mid-thirties as old - it ain't. You may have 35 years of work ahead if you do there is plenty of incentive and time to get the training you now want.

Linotype

A good math introduction (not a formal textbook):

The Joy of x:

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Joy-Guided-.../dp/0544105850

caretaker

I would think the biggest challenges in psych nursing would be the extreme stress levels and brutal shift work, same with being an EMT. I saw RNs break while trying to complete their RPN requirements.

scrubbedexpat091

While shift work is indeed hard, if I have to do it, better to do it for a nice wage. Plus eventually you can work into a community based job which has better hours.

I have a couple friends who are psychiatric nurses in BC (not the same as a registered nurse RN) and they both have said the Grade 12 math was the hardest part of the program.

I have no RN friends, and psychiatric nurses in BC do not have the same education as an RN, different licensing and training.

Psychiatric Nursing (Bachelor of Science) - Programs - Douglas College

VS

Nursing (Bachelor of Science) - Programs - Douglas College



I don't think I could handle RN but based on talking to Psychiatric Nurses and the school, I think I could handle and do well in Psychiatric nursing, provided I can master the math requirement.


This is the basic academic requirements.

Mature Student (19+) including:

English 12 with a minimum grade of "B" or substitution

*Foundations of Math 11 or Principles of Math 11 with a minimum grade of "C" OR one of the following substitutions:

Foundations of Math 12 or Principles of Math 12 with a minimum grade of "P"
Algebra 11 with a minimum grade of “C”
Algebra 12 with a minimum grade of “P”
Precalculus 11 with a minimum grade of "C"
Precalculus 12 with a minimum grade of "P"
MATU 0210 with a minimum grade of "B-"
MATU 0310 or higher with a minimum grade of "P"
Math Assessment with a placement at MATU 0310 or higher
NURS Readiness Assessment with a minimum score of "14"
UT MATH or STATS (including PSYC 2300) with a minimum grade of "P"
MATH 1101 with a minimum grade of "P"
Math 11 Exemption Assessment with a minimum score of "30"
MATU 0411 Challenge Exam with a minimum score of "30"


English I have already and test above Grade 12. I don't even technically have to take a math course, I just need to master is sufficiently to score high enough on the assessment test, if score high enough that is sufficient.

It's a points based admission system, so I would take Biology + UT English + an additional UT level course (may have some of these if my classes in the US are credited for.)

I may also get the HCA certificate first as it will give me more educational points.

I know I won't get in with just the minimums, so need to make sure I do the most I can to obtain as many points as possible.

Dorothy

I have a pocket sized dosage calculation book I bought when I first started uni. I never used it, but if you want it I'm happy to send it to you. It shows in very simple terms how to do the forumlas for dosing - and really, that's what they want in nursing. Although, any place I've worked as either a student or admin there are calculators available...Not to mention you get used to drugs and what their dosages should be. For instance if someone ordered 125 mg of digoxin I would know automatically that was 10 times the usual dose of 125 mcg. Those things just come with repetition.

If you want the book just PM me where to send it (work address is ok if you don't feel comfortable giving out your home address) and I'll pop it in the post this weekend.

scrubbedexpat091

I shall PM you.

I've never done human medication dosing, but I have done dosing for reptiles and fish for years when I was in those hobbies, not the same obviously, and on a smaller scale.

Back then you could get a slew of veterinary medications without scripts, only problem was you had to figure the dose out on your own as most would not have any directions for under a 5 pound dog, so treating a a lizard that was only a few hundres grams to 1 pound max, could be interesting.

The fish were easy, treated by the gallon, so just had to figure out how much you needed to add to X amount of water to get a therapeutic dose.

There were books on the subject you could buy that listed doses and various weights.


I suppose my main problem with math is the way its taught in school, I don't have a ton of trouble figuring real life situations out math wise when being used in a real life situation.

I could even figure out the center of gravity and weights for large passenger jets by hand at one point. (Have forgotten how now) but we used computers 99.9% of the time, had to know the manual way for that one time the computer decided not to work.


With a good teacher and patience, math can probably be conquered and I am sure a great deal of my math phobia is from bad memories growing up.

Teachers without patience and time to really teach to teachers who just had no idea how to do the math and just read from a book.

And of course those long nights with my dad who lacked patience.

I did well in science despite doing poorly in math, despite being told, I'd do poorly in science because I did poorly in math.

I do agree its likely a phobia of failing more then anything else when it comes to math....

It doesn't help that it is quite possibly the most boring thing on the planet to learn...

Dorothy

Paediatrics uses a lot of working out doses - ml/kg type things. But really, with the help of your colleagues and a calculator it shouldn't be too hard. I found in the courses where there was an emphasis on calculations I stressed way more than I should have. Once you get the basic concept of it memorised it should come fairly easily to figure out the answer. I'll PM you my home email address and if you want someone to practice with once you have the book I'm happy to help.

Although, if you're thinking of not doing mental health nursing but looking at the community mental health worker course would you be doing medications at all?

caretaker

I know they aren't the same profession but when I was a psych nursing orderly in Sask an RN could take a 1 year course on top of their nursing degree and then do a practicum in psychiatry to get certified as a psych nurse (RPN). Most of those who washed out did so because of the stress but were able to go back to medical wards no problem. Even some of the interns who were doing their rotation through psychiatry had trouble with it. I think in most cases they were just a bit naive which wouldn't be the case with you. I laugh now when I remember my first impressions of the place! The unit we worked on was an acute treatment centre with an average client hospitalisation of 2 or 3 weeks and most who required longer term care would normally be moved to a larger facility. Because of the nature of the place quite a few of the clients passing through had been apprehended and a few came direct from Sask Correctional and the outpatient case load was almost exclusively coming in for the 3 times a week ECT and a few for monitoring of lithium levels or other routines. Back then I briefly considered taking psych nursing and studied the texts (the main one was Abnormal Psychology and Modern Life) but changed my mind. After I left they stopped using so much ECT but then soon returned to it as a common treatment tool. About 60% of the patients in our wing used to receive it. While I worked with people suffering from all forms of mental illness they used to like to give me all the drug addicts because they didn't really have anyone with as much direct experience with drugs. The advances in psycho-pharmacology since then have been amazing and I have friends who used to be hospitalised nearly every year and sometimes more frequently and have now been able to stay out and at work because of new medication.

scrubbedexpat091

No community mental health workers don't touch medications, I am just thinking of doing that one as having a health care certificate such such as that gains you additional points.

Psych nursing is based on a points system, X amount of points for certain things, 1 point for work experience (any) 1 point if you volunteer X amount of hours in a health setting, 1 point for grade 12, up to 8 points if you have a bachelors already.

More points the better, as if they have 30 spaces for example, the 30 with the most points are offered seats.

It can take several admissions rounds to be accepted as well, my one friend didn't get in until her 4th try.

scrubbedexpat091

I agree it would be a challenging job, any job really dealing with mental health is challenging on a good day.

I do know what I would be getting myself into, and have asked lots of questions with the 2 psych nurses I know and fortunate to be able to ask them questions about their job and typical day.

It's certainly not for everyone, and does take a certain type of personality to do it.

Of the 2 friends I know, one went into it because her mom has mental health issues and she originally was only doing the program to learn more about psychiatric issues so she could care for her mom better, but decided during the practium that she wanted to do it as her career as well.

The other is bipolar and went into the profession as she felt it was the best fit for her.

I've only been in 1 hospitals psychiatric ward, but unless you knew it was a psychiatric ward, it didn't look like much different then any other ward just less equipment and noise since there isn't the typical medical equipment on the floor, and patients all had private rooms.

Oh and TV and phone was free and didn't have to be rented or paid for like a medical floor. They realize a large % of mental health patients have no money or access to a phone anywhere else.

I was concerned about myself having issues, but I've talked to my psychiatrist in depth about it about a year ago and she was for it, saw no reason I shouldn't go for it.

Stress and me have a weird relationship, things that should stress me out don't, and things that shouldn't do.

I get stressed over math, but felt no stress at all in a class I took once with a 50% fail rate and 80% needed to even pass as one example.

I have found through life, that if I have a personal interest in a topic/subject I'll generally have no stress over it, learn it, and not worry.

But if I have no interest in it, it can become a point of stress, irritation and boredom.

Suppose we all tend to enjoy learning better when we have a personal interest or connection in the subject at hand.



The only other jobs I could really see enjoyment in is working with fish in say a public aquarium, but not many of those jobs around, would be a biology degree or something related to ocean life.

If I were younger and really good at learning, veterinarian would have been a choice, but its probably too much for my leaning capabilities, and not something I'd start at this age considering how long it takes to complete.

caretaker

Well one thing I found that's positive is that it's never boring, and while what would normally be considered "success" in other jobs is rare (because repeat hospitalisation and chronic illness is so common) when someone was definitely helped and it showed or even when something that might seem insignificant to an outsider happened like getting a thank you card from a patient after being discharged I found it incredibly rewarding. When patients tell you they appreciate you for trying to help them there's no feeling like it.

BristolUK

Posts like this and some of the messages I received recently...well let's just say we should pat ourselves on the back.

Oakvillian

Well, that's seriously encouraging for your algebra studies! That's really all algebra (and fractions) is about: if you dose x milligrams of a drug for a dog that weighs y pounds, how much do you dose for a lizard that weighs only one fifth as much?

You even used the dreaded "X" in your fish-medicine example - see, you're doing algebra and you don't even realise it

scrubbedexpat091

I ordered this book on Amazon to give it a read.

I also ordered a Kumon workbook for 6-8 grade pre-algebra to give it a go.



I am going to try and take some Adult Basic Ed at Capilano University next semester (either summer or fall) or the next depending on when the most appropriate classes are available.

Sounds like the ABE math is in class work at your own pace, if you don't finish in the 3 months, you can re-enrol and continue as needed.

No idea what level of math they would start me at, have to take a math assessment first.

Capilano is dependent on receiving student aid, not sure if loans will cover basic education, so will have to try and see what is available when the time comes.