Ok, so hear's my million dollar question for the week......

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 23, 2009

In a word: BUSY!!!

Granted, my experience as a CNA/tech on a med/surg unit was long ago, but I was fortunate enough to work with nurses who took me under their wings and taught me all sorts of things that I use to this day. I took lots of vital signs and did plenty of ADLs, but I also got to D/C IVs and catheters, do accu-checks and Hemoccults, see all sorts of procedures, and so on. The nurses would also flag me down whenever something of interest was going on: "Hey, wanna come listen to these lungs?" or "You know what a bruit is? Here, listen to this one!" or "Come help me put down this NG tube".

I was going through my nursing program at the time, so I soaked up all of this like a sponge. It was a great experience and even though I was always running, I would recommend it to anyone who's even remotely interested in being an acute care nurse of any kind.

Ninja Nurse, ASN · Apr 23, 2009

I guess there aren't many hospital techs with med/surg experience on here :uhoh3:

Steve EMT-B · Apr 23, 2009

Take a step back and do what you can do. Don't stress the small stuff. I always tried to take care of the nurses needs of patient care such as repositioning, accuchecks and other adl's before I would worry about stocking. I work as a cross trained Nursing Assistant, Desk Clerk and Phlembotomist. But as I stated before don't over do yourself. Make sure you have help lifting patients. I have had 1 back surgery and not even a year later may be getting a second. I was trying to be a superman.

mizfradd, CNA · Apr 26, 2009

I worked with fantastic nurses who showed me all kinds of new things because they knew I was interested in learning. I still miss med/surg.

I did ekg's, adl's, accu-checks, vitals and computer charting, phlebotomy, D/C IV's and catheters, hemoccults, restock pyxis, set telemetry and numerous other things, (you will too, depending on the hospital's guidelines regarding training and ceu's taught to you by RN's).

Truthfully, it is a demanding position and you have to be totally concentrated and organized with your duties.

There will be patients who will remain in your heart and mind after you leave your shift that you will worry and sometimes agonize over. :redbeathe

As well, there'll be patients you will pray will have been discharged by the time your next shift rolls around. :angryfire :bugeyes:

On a med/surg unit, you will see all kinds of fascinating, remarkable and sometimes, even really bizarre cases!

It's for this reason that it used to be recommended, (maybe it still is, I'm not sure?) that a graduate RN spend her/his first yr. working on a med/surg unit because of all the different cases they will be exposed to and therefore gain more knowledge quickly in that first yr. out of school.

If you're an inquisitive and like to be on the move type person, you'll love med/surg.

Ninja Nurse, ASN · Apr 27, 2009

Oh, that sounds awesome!!! I can't wait, orientation starts tomorrow. I am an intriguing (sp?) student as I am planning to get my BSN. I just hope my nurses will be welcoming and show and teach me some neat stuff.

texastaz · Apr 27, 2009

I will give you the answer when you transfere the million dollars in my untraceable account :typing

Ninja Nurse, ASN · Apr 28, 2009

casi, ASN, RN · Apr 28, 2009

It really depends on the shift you work, the nurses you work with, and the patient ratios.

I work overnights and I feel like most of my time is spent in call-light answering and walking people to the bathroom.

One of the Aides I work with figured out how many people she took to the bathroom in a month and it was in the thousands.

I do a lot of other things too. My motto is my job is that of freeing up the nurses to do more nursing stuff that I can't do.

Ninja Nurse, ASN · Apr 29, 2009

Well, I'll be on days and am in orientation right now. It's only been 2 days and I already feel less anxious about being on the floor. Mind you, our orientation is at a different location. But, I'm learning ALOT. One of the first lessons, if you can call it that, was to forget about my CNA license and it's scope because I won't be practicing under it. As a Tech in the hospital, I'll be doing a whole lotta other stuff never ever covered in CNA. I have PCT training, so that helps. Actually, it ALL helps so far!

Gotta study for my competency exam. :icon_roll