What is your work day like?

Nurses General Nursing

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This is a question from a student of current RNs no matter your education level, or position.

Please also answer the following:

  1. Degree type?
  2. Facility type?
  3. Position?
  4. Time in that position
  5. Do you like it?
  6. Have you ever thought of using your nursing skills to start a home health company, leagl nurse consulting business, ect?

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I start my shift by checking the crash carts and rooms to make sure the department is stocked. I check for unresolved discrepancies in the Pyxis. I get report from the night staff about any pts still in the ER. Throughout the day it's care of pts as they present and disposition of those pts.

Degree type? ADN

Facility type? Acute care hospital emergency department

Position? Staff RN

Time in that position: Current employer, 8 years. Total years licensed, almost 19.

Do you like it? Yes!

Have you ever thought of using your nursing skills to start a home health company, leagl nurse consulting business, ect? No

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.
This is a question from a student of current RNs no matter your education level, or position.

Please also answer the following:

  1. Degree type?
  2. Facility type?
  3. Position?
  4. Time in that position
  5. Do you like it?
  6. Have you ever thought of using your nursing skills to start a home health company, leagl nurse consulting business, ect?

Diploma LPN, Staff nurse in a 120-bed small town general hospital, on an adult med/surg/tele unit. I work 11p - 7:30a. I am a new grad (12/06) and have been out of orientation 4 months. So far I like it OK but there are, of course, frustrations.

I arrive on my unit about 20 mins before shift change. I obtain my assignment and start preparing. At 11 to 11:15 pm, I start to take report on up to seven pts. As soon as report is over (and I try to keep it short-n-sweet "Just the facts, Ma'am") I go around and check on all my pt's - just a quick once-over and to introduce myself. I ask if there is anything I can bring for them when I return (prn meds, water, ice, etc.)

After this, I quickly gather data: latest labs, tech-obtained vitals, h&p for pts I don't know. Then I go into each room, giving scheduled meds, doing shift assessments, treatments, etc. We computer-chart, so I enter my assessment data at bedside. This usually takes until 2am or so, as I am frequently interrupted with pain med requests, requests for assistance, getting confused grandma back to bed, etc. No problem, pt care is why we are here.

When this is done, I take my break - gotta eat, pee, take a breather. Besides, the hospital takes 30 mins per shift out of my pay so I am darned sure going to take my breaks - and I do not bow to peer pressure or guilt to skip them.

Night shift does daily chart checks - usually takes me less than 30 mins - so it is now about 3 am. I'll give baths, help the tech, help the other nurses, do INT changes, respond to assistance and prn med requests, order etc. until 5 am.

At 5am, I start morning scheduled meds, which are given between 6-7 am. This includes accuchecks and AM regular insulin. We also gather I&O data for the shift and chart it plus education and precautions documentation. at 7-7:15am the morning shift takes report. 90% of the time I am off the floor by 7:30am.

I am studying for my ADN via Excelsior. I plan to do some ER time and then ICU as an RN. Management, Home health business or Legal consulting? No, thank you.

Hope this helps.

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Degree type: ADN

Facility type: LTC/Rehab

Position: MDS Nurse

Time held: 7 Months-Total here 5 years

Do I like it: YES!

Thoughts of starting own business: No

I do assessments every day for Medicaid/Medicare payments. I am also in charge of Skilled Charting for the Rehab unit. So everyday, I check the charts for all the new patients et put in the charting guidelines et make sure the floor nurses are doing it like they are supposed to. I attend the daily Medicare meeting to make sure all aspects of care is taken care of, help with planning discharges, ect. Usually we do about 3-5 assessments per day on a relaxed week, Our facility has 150 beds.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.

Degree type? Diploma LPN

Facility Type? Hospital (mental health unit)

Position? Staff nurse

Time in that Position? Current employer: almost 3 years, licensed 22 years

Do you like it? Sometimes (I DO like the benefits and great salary!)

Have you ever thought of using your nursing skills to start a home health company, legal nurse consulting business, etc? No; suspect I'd need the RN degree and/or a law degree to do such a thing. Sounds interesting though!

My night shift begins with a 45 min-1 hour report(depending on the timliness of the evening nurse) on the 28+ pts we have. The night includes hourly census checks, patient care rounds every 2 hours, prn meds, cleaning of showers,laundry duties, kitchen cleaning, chart checks, computer charting, monthly summaries on pts, showering pts who are up at night and would like to shower, physical interventions when pts get aggressive with others.

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BSN RN

ICU-1 year

5 years experience as LPN in acute care

Yes, I have thought of starting my own business.

Do I like my current job? Sometimes.

My night shift begins with shift report. Next I assess each patient (usually I start my shift with 2 critical patients)

Visiting hours begin at 8pm. I speak to the family at this time and answer questions they may have.

I usually have meds due at 9pm.

After meds I try to chart (computerized).

At midnight I assess my patients and give meds again.

Baths between midnight and 3.

Lab draws and more meds at 4pm.

Charting again.

In between all the routine there are almost always crashing patients, new admits coming from ER or surgery, angry family members, stressed and anxious co-workers, ventilators to manage, drugs to titrate, and many other things to deal with.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

  1. Facility type? Community hospital
  2. Position? RN - ER
  3. Time in that position 3.5 years
  4. Do you like it? I love it 90% of the time
  5. Have you ever thought of using your nursing skills to start a home health company, leagl nurse consulting business, ect? Home health or CPR/first aid training for daycare centers.

Work day - every day is different, no such thing as a typical day, which is why I like ER so much. Never boring.

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Specializes in onc, M/S, hospice, nursing informatics.

Hospital - Oncology/medical floor - 23 beds

Charge RN - ADN

5 years

Love it... most of the time

No

I arrive about 2230 for 11p-7a shift. Make assignment if not already made. Take report on my patients (usually 5-6) as well as charge nurse report all patients on floor. Review MARs to see if midnight meds are due, and check chart/pass meds if there are. If not, make rounds to assess each patient. Do 24 hour chart checks, enter assessments in computer. Review labs or other reports to add to charge nurse report. About 3 am, give report to Nursing Supervisor on rounds. Review next shift staffing, make assignment and print reports for day shift. About 0530 review I&O's, nurse's notes, or anything out of the ordinary. 0600 accuchecks/insulin or AM meds. And don't forget to throw in there somewhere answering questions, phone calls, calling MDs for my patients or on behalf of other nurses, pharmacy reconciliations, dealing with family members or dying patients, passing prn meds, hanging blood, or administering chemo. Whew!

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Specializes in NICU.
This is a question from a student of current RNs no matter your education level, or position.

Please also answer the following:

  1. Degree type?
  2. Facility type?
  3. Position?
  4. Time in that position
  5. Do you like it?
  6. Have you ever thought of using your nursing skills to start a home health company, leagl nurse consulting business, ect?

RN-BSN

257 bed-all private room catholic hospital

Staff nurse on a busy 36 bed renal/respiratory/medsurg floor

New grad off of orientation for 1 month

no

I arrive to the floor at 0645 and we recieve report via tape recorder (i eat breakfast while listening to report)

0715 I collect my MARS and review charts. Read about my patients if I don't know them. See who is going to dialysis or for a procedure that day.

0740 Go say hello to my patients ask them if they want me to bring them anything when I return

0750 Assess and get my dialysis patients ready to go (they usually leave around 0815)

0815 Pull meds from the pyxis

0830-1030 Pass meds and do assessments (getting interupted often by docs and checking charts for new orders)

1030-1130 Chart, check charts, ect

1130-1230 Give insulin and pass lunch meds

1230-1300 Lunch

1300 Check on my patients after returning from lunch

1330-1600 Pass any meds needed, recieve patients back from dialysis, usually will have a discharge or two.. will then be getting an admission or two... check charts, do any dressing changes.. .just whatever comes up that day

1630-1800 Give insulin,pass afternoon meds, do PM assessments and chart

1800 Tape my report for the next shift

1815-1915 Chart, make sure nothing was missed ect.. then go home when next shift is out of report

Never a dull moment

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