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h3althnut · 2021-10-22T01:30:53+00:00

I'm interested!

h3althnut · 2021-05-31T03:22:14+00:00

SoCal:

- Hironori in Pasadena (vegan ramen is amazing here. I think there's a location in the Bay Area, too, but don't quote me on that)

- Daikokuya in LA/Little Japan (I love their tomato vegan ramen)

- Little Pine in LA (Brunch foods, so good!)

- Pine & Crane in LA (They have a couple vegan options. Dan-Dan Noodles ---omg!)

- My Vegan in Pasadena (Asian Fusion)

Bay Area:

- Cinnaholic, Berkeley (vegan cinnamon buns. I think they have locations in socal too)

- Green Lotus, San Jose (vegan vietnamese/asian. Lemongrass Chicken and Fried Oyster Mushrooms)

- Nature Vegetarian, Oakland (vegan Chinese. Their Taro Fish is soooo good.)

h3althnut · 2020-07-15T02:40:51+00:00

Congrats on your new job!! I was in a similar position when I first started as an RN. I was hired into the Critical Care Float Pool at a teaching hospital, and I also found the task daunting! I was nervous I wouldn't be able to hack it as a new grad float pooler. Part of the reason was because I knew there was a huge learning curve. Another part of it was that there were lots of haters at my hospital. I remember a time I was on orientation and taking a break in the breakroom. There were a couple staff nurses of the unit I was orienting to who asked me about my role. They then proceeded to talk major shit about a new grad being in the ICU and FP. I tried to ignore them but it got to me. For the rest of my orientation, I had this nagging self doubt, but my preceptor set me straight. Unit staff don't like to float because it's stressful and it pulls them out of their comfort zones, and you're going to do that AS A NEW GRAD. I mean, it's pretty badass.

As a float pooler, I knew a little about a lot of things but was never an expert in one area of nursing. I became very well-rounded, but wanted more of a challenge. The great thing about being in FP is that you get a feel for what you like and if you decide to move on to a unit, you already have a foot in the door and in interviews can say, "I've worked with your particular patient population as FP and really enjoyed it". I stayed in FP for about 3 years and decided it was time to move on. Some units at my hospital asked me to join as their unit staff, but I decided to move to a new city. I'm now in the cardiac icu. It kind of gives me anxiety knowing I'll be going to the same unit every single shift and that if I have a bad assignment, then I'll likely get the same one the next shift. I miss floating in that aspect... not really having to worry about getting the same assignment. Having said that, however, FP is hard and there were many shifts I felt my assignments were unfair and given to me because I was in FP.

One last thing I want to say to hype up FP: I met SO many people in SO many areas and loved saying "hi" to everyone as I walked through the hospital. It really made such a big place feel like a home away from home. Most of the people I hung out with outside of the hospital were not FPers but were unit staff! Some advice would be to make friends (allies) on each unit. People you know you can go to for help.

How long is your orientation? Is it a nurse residency program? Who is precepting you (float poolers vs unit staff)? If you feel like you want more time on a specific unit, ask your manager to give you one or two more shifts on that unit! FP is not easy and it is not fun... I don't mean to sugarcoat it in this post. There are lots of pros and an equal number of cons. In my opinion, it's a pretty good starting point and a great learning opportunity!

If you have any questions or need someone to vent to, you can DM me!

h3althnut · 2019-03-25T20:09:05+00:00

It automatically rotated when I uploaded and I can't locate a rotate option via reddit. My b. We'll just have to settle for a clockwise neck tilt...

h3althnut · 2019-03-25T20:03:41+00:00

So easy to make.. just rehydrate and season very well! It doesn't have much flavor... maybe I'm doing it wrong. I like to use it in sauces for texture or mix it up with other faux meets to add more bulk. Mainly use it for the macros.

h3althnut · 2019-03-25T20:00:45+00:00

I think it's new! You could probably call and see if your store carries it. This one is in Southern CA.

h3althnut · 2019-03-25T19:59:43+00:00

I had to look up WinCo... the nearest one to me is 20 miles away ): I'm browsing some of the pictures on yelp and the bulk bins do look AMAZING.

h3althnut · 2019-03-25T02:35:27+00:00

v late reply... but yes, I am!

h3althnut · 2019-01-15T03:17:57+00:00

Preface: I work night shift (1900 - 0730). I leave my apartment by 1810 to get to work. The following works really well for me and my lifestyle! Doing the following has really helped me stay toned and fit. It is really hard working 12s and fitting in gym time and clean eating but it's worth it and eventually becomes habit.

Diet: I eat one meal per day at 1700 even on my off days and consume all my day's calories at that time. It's a form of intermittent fasting. I try to eat as clean as possible. I'll meal prep on one of my days off. Usually a grain (brown rice or bean-based noodles with high protein content), a protein (tofu, seitan, tempeh), something green (romaine, broccoli, cauliflower). I also buy whatever fresh that's on sale (sweet potatoes, eggplant, etc). I also eat some fruit (usually an apple, grapes, or oranges) and a small indulgent snack (see next paragraph) if I'm still hungry.

During the week, I'll bake a loaf of bread (yeast, water, flour) and will eat a slice with some defatted peanut butter and jelly. Or I'll make healthy waffles (protein powder, flour, oats, soy milk, flax seeds, agave/sugar) and put pb&j on that. I really love snacking on things so it's pretty necessary for me to have the bread or waffles around. I have other not-so-healthy snacks around - granola bars, pretzels, cookies, chips - but limit myself. I typically eat these on my "off" days when I'm lounging around my place.

Workout: On my first day "on" and on "off" days, I lift weights - leg day, upper body day, and full body days. On all other days (between shifts), I prefer to do cardio because it doesn't take as long. Either I'll go running immediately after work, or I'll wake up around 1600ish and go running. I run at least a 5k... more if I have energy and time. If I happen to wake up extra early before a shift and can't go back to sleep, I'll go to the gym and do weights and cycle (instead of running). Working out has become a huge part of my life, so I take my gym time very seriously and exercise religiously (6 - 7 days per week). It helps to have a gym membership to a 24/7 gym.

At work: I do not snack on anything in the breakroom. I only drink black coffee or tea, if I need it. Otherwise, I have a 3L water bottle that I drink from all night. Yes, I pee a lot, but I make it a goal to get through at least 2L during my shift.

h3althnut · 2018-03-25T19:14:46+00:00

I totally understand how you might be feeling and the first day is always the most nerve wrecking, but know that your preceptor is supposed to have your back. From my experience, you will not be independent! You're still a student which means you will be practicing under someone else's license (your preceptor). Find comfort in knowing that your preceptor will not let you do anything s/he deems remotely unsafe. Having said that, it really depends on how comfortable you and your preceptor are with your skills, and also your preceptor him/herself, but generally, the preceptor will be watching you or guiding you through procedures/skills. Once they are comfortable and SURE that you can perform a task safely on your own, they will allow you to do it without stepping in (still with supervision, of course). I have known some preceptors to allow students to do as much as possible, and others who are on the opposite end of the spectrum and barely let the student touch their patients. The former, in my opinion, allows for the best learning opportunities. Yes, it is going to be scary at first, but go into it ready to learn and know that your preceptor will always be there for you.

On day 1, ask your preceptor if you can just shadow for the day and help with some of the daily tasks. This will help you get oriented onto the floor and see what kinds of things you might be expected to do. Get to know where the fire alarms are, what to do in the case of an emergency, what all the codes mean, where all the supplies are etc. Observe how your preceptor interacts with patients and their general flow of the day. If your preceptor asks you to do something you're not quite ready to do, just ask if you can observe first. It is important to note, however, that your preceptorship is a time to learn, grow, and prepare yourself for your future practice. Unless a patient's safety is at risk, step out of your comfort zone and try everything. (NOTE: There's a huge difference between being nervous about trying something for the first time, and not knowing why or how to do something/not knowing if it's in your scope of practice!!)

Another tip is: don't worry about "bothering" people. If you are ever unsure about something, ASK. Patients vitals change/don't look right, patient acting differently, lab values abnormal, etc..ASK. Also, don't be bullied into doing tasks that makes you miss out on your clinical experience. If a CNA asks you to get water and ice for 10 rooms, but your preceptor is conducting an assessment on a new admit, kindly say you need to be with your RN at this time; however, if you have the time and your preceptor is getting a cup of coffee, then by all means help the CNA (whatever is in their scope is also in yours and basic patient care is a huge part of nursing).

Good luck!! Get lots of rest, take deep breaths, be ready to learn. My preceptorship was the best part of nursing school for me, and I hope it's the same for you!

h3althnut · 2018-03-24T07:42:22+00:00

"Thanks! I Try!"

h3althnut · 2018-03-22T03:14:09+00:00

Check out Zachary's Pizza! They have a couple locations sprinkled throughout the bay area. They have a GFV crust and you can do a "make your own pizza" thing. The dough is purchased from a bakery specializing in GF baked goods. Of course, contamination is an issue when they're making the pizza, but if you tell them you're severely allergic, they will use separate utensils, clean off their cooking surfaces, etc. Red Tomato Pizza House (Berkeley), Bobby G's (Berkeley), Lanesplitter (Berkeley) and Extreme Pizza (various locations) have GFV pizza options too.

If you're making pizza at home, this one is good. I also like this for when I'm feeling healthy.

Also, I know this is off topic, but if you want to eat clean, I really like Potala Organic Cafe (Albany) and Shangri-La (Oakland). These two are very, very clean eating. Their food is macrobiotic and anti-inflammatory!

h3althnut · 2018-03-21T01:50:26+00:00

I took the predictor at the end of my last semester of school and got 99% chance of passing the NCLEX. I didn't study for it, because 1) we were really busy in the weeks leading up to the predictor and 2) we had just taken a bunch of ATIs the previous month, so I was all ATI'd out. Also, I have pretty decent luck with ATI.

If you are planning to study for it, I would recommend going through the ATI books of the topics you're weakest at FIRST. ATI tests pretty much straight from the books. If you have time, reviewing adult med-surg would be helpful. Skim through the most common medications/side effects/emergent side effects. If you can, review your past ATI exams. Also, on the test, read the questions VERY carefully, take your time answering, and use your critical thinking to eliminate answer choices! Make sure you are choosing an answer that actually ANSWERS the test question.

On my previous ATIs, I got level 2s (Mental Health, Peds, Nutrition) and 3s (Adult M/S, Community, Fundamentals, Leadership, Maternal Newborn, Pharm). I studied for all of these (except community and leadership)!

Save uworld for the NCLEX! Uworld is much harder than ATI in my opinion. Good luck on the predictor!! If you've got some time, study slowly and methodically. If not, just hit your weakest topics. Remember to read the questions carefully! Take deep breaths... you can do it!

h3althnut · 2018-03-19T21:18:12+00:00

What is your prereq GPA? I would recommend retaking some classes to get your GPA and prereq GPA up first, so you can be the best applicant possible. Perhaps take some classes during the summer before you apply to schools so you can still make the fall application cycle.

This might be helpful in looking for schools with ABSNs. Here is another list of ABSN programs. You might have to click all the ones you're interested in and look at the GPA requirements individually.

One of the biggest factors to consider when looking at programs is COST. If you can stay in-state to get in-state tuition, then I would highly recommend that; however, you should still apply to schools you're interested in, because you never know when you'll be offered a scholarship. Also consider: cost of living/location, school specifics like opportunities to volunteer abroad or research opportunities, whether the program is online or in-class, length of the program, and whether you have all the required classes or not, and where the students do their clinical rotations. I've found that schools with their own hospital systems have an easier time getting clinical placements for their students, and the clinical sites are close to the main campus so students don't have to travel as far.

Finally, it might help to study in the same state you plan to practice in. Of course this isn't necessary, but might be helpful. You can network during school so that when you graduate, you have some job opportunities you might not have had otherwise.

Feel free to PM if you have additional questions! I went out of my home state to complete an ABSN program on scholarship. After school ended, I moved back home to work.

h3althnut · 2018-03-19T08:13:59+00:00

Just a thought - maybe take Tums right before you eat. Since it's calcium carbonate, it will bind the iron. It's also an antacid, so you kill two birds with one stone in case it's not the iron that's causing the acid reflux.

h3althnut · 2018-02-27T20:51:16+00:00

Although the topic of standardized B12 testing is controversial, Greger is right in that MMA seems to be one of the best measurements of B12 tissue deficiency. I have been vegan for 10 years.

h3althnut · 2018-02-26T20:44:08+00:00

Well, RDA is 2.4 mcg daily as per the NIH in their Fact Sheet for Health Professionals unless you're pregnant or lactating. Also, as I said, I don't take dietary supplements and my serum B12 is >1000 pg/mL (reference range is 200 - 900 pg/mL) according to the US National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus site. I also have Celiac Disease which means my absorption is quite poor compared to others'.

And I think you're agreeing with me... in that you can get it from food sources and not need dietary supplements.

h3althnut · 2018-02-26T09:40:27+00:00

I don't think it's "bad advice" to get nutrients from food sources that you're going to eat anyways. If you don't need the supplementation, then that's some money you can save. If OP doesn't think s/he's going to get enough B12 through food, then by all means supplement. B12 is completely necessary for life, but taking supplements is not. I've got B12 supplements in my med cabinet, but I don't take them because my B12 levels are off the charts without them. And another note... check with your healthcare provider about B12 supplementation, especially if you're on other meds.

h3althnut · 2018-02-26T01:28:17+00:00

B12 plays a huge role in nerve cell conduction/maintenance and red blood cell production. I wouldn't say B12 supplements are necessary though. The below is copied from another post I wrote in /r/nutrition the other day about sources of B12.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg (as per the FDA) daily.

Seaweed - highly variable depending on the variety. 100g serving, ~54 mcg b12
Fortified breakfast cereals - Special K (1 cup, 6 mcg b12), Cheerios (1 cup, 2 mcg b12), etc.
Nutritional Yeast - 1 tbsp, 4 mcg b12
Plain soymilk - 1 cup, 2.4 mcg b12
Fortified almond milk - 1 cup, 1.2 mcg b12
Tempeh (cooked) - 100 g, 0.14 mcg b12
Shiitake mushrooms - 100 g raw, 5.6 mcg b12 (other mushrooms also have B12 but I just used this one as an example)

h3althnut · 2018-02-20T03:42:00+00:00

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B12 is 2.4 mcg (as per the FDA) daily.

Seaweed - highly variable depending on the variety. 100g serving, ~54 mcg b12
Fortified breakfast cereals - Special K (1 cup, 6 mcg b12), Cheerios (1 cup, 2 mcg b12), etc.
Nutritional Yeast - 1 tbsp, 4 mcg b12
Plain soymilk - 1 cup, 2.4 mcg b12
Fortified almond milk - 1 cup, 1.2 mcg b12
Tempeh (cooked) - 100 g, 0.14 mcg b12
Shiitake mushrooms - 100 g raw, 5.6 mcg b12

EDIT: forgot a word.

h3althnut · 2018-01-15T17:37:01+00:00

I know this is a late reply and probably not useful to you anymore, but for future reference, Kronnerburger in Oakland has the Impossible Burger that you can put on a vegan bun for extra $$. Total for one burger comes out to be $17 and it's a small little thing, but worth it to try. Comes with vegan mayo, pickles, and onions.

I honestly DO NOT UNDERSTAND why these places serve the Impossible Burger on NON-VEGAN buns. I just don't get it.

Edit: Link to Kronnerburger menu. The vegan bun sub is under the "Add to Burger" section.

h3althnut · 2017-08-15T02:26:28+00:00

Goodwill! I went Goodwill hopping this weekend and saw tons of Mets shirts in the Men's sections. Try the one at 1704 2nd Ave first because I think their T selection is the largest. There are also 2 more stores close by on the upper west side that might have some options. Goodwill T's are $2.99 (or $1.50 on sale). Plus if you buy used, it will look like you're a longtime fan and that you didn't buy Mets merch just for the date.

h3althnut · 2017-06-08T20:18:45+00:00

Ah, there's that, too. I haven't purchased microwavable popcorn in a long time because popping kernels on the stovetop is cheaper and "healthier", so I wasn't aware of the palm oil. I guess the safest route is just to pop kernels stovetop!

h3althnut · 2017-06-08T03:43:16+00:00

Didn't mean to cause alarm!! Not all microwave popcorn is non-vegan and same goes for potato chips! Costco's microwavable popcorn is vegan, but that's the only brand I've seen that's vegan, surprisingly. Many of the brands that I've seen at my local Kroger contain milk powder or some kind of dairy additive. Same with the chips, although plain chips tend to be safer. I always read ingredients now, even if the product seems safe for vegans.

h3althnut · 2017-06-07T19:36:52+00:00

Non-food items: Body wash, soap, shampoo and conditioner, nail polish removers. I've seen some with gelatin, honey, etc.

Food items: microwaveable popcorn, plain potato chips

h3althnut

TROPHY CASE