choughlesRN

Latest Activity

1. Torn Between 2 Job Offers

   choughlesRN replied to Polo's topic in General Nursing

   There are obviously exceptions, but I really think that cases like yours are the exception, rather than the rule. ED is a little bit of a unique animal, in a lot of ways, compared to inpatient specialties, as well. I also think that the post-COVID ne...

2. Torn Between 2 Job Offers

   choughlesRN replied to Polo's topic in General Nursing

   I think all new grads should start in med-surg, any specialty. You learn so many valuable skills that will take you anywhere. I'm not sure how a Level II NICU stacks up in terms of "normal" vs abnormal babies, but I know of a number of new grads who ...

3. Acute COVID, What We're Seeing

   choughlesRN replied to MunoRN's topic in COVID

   Holy cow do they crump fast. I'm in stepdown, rather than critical care, but the patients that we upgrade, we upgrade FAST. To the point where we have standing protocols to notify the COVID/ID team immediately with any changes in respiratory requirem...

4. Refusing Care of a COVID-19 Patient Due to Inappropriate PPE

   choughlesRN replied to BiscuitStripes's topic in COVID

   My hospital has issued some guidelines and recommendations for high-risk staff who may work with COVID/PUIs, basically saying that supervisors/managers have been given some leeway or guidance in terms of possibly reassigning those staff. The staff ju...

5. New Nurse Blues

   choughlesRN replied to Miss-Hanabira's topic in Stress 101

   Give it a year. You'll feel so much better. Some of our new nurses have started to pick up shifts occasionally. Those may help you feel more comfortable, however it can also make you feel overwhelmed, if you need the time off work. Play it by ear.

6. What do you do with your wedding ring?

   choughlesRN replied to Nephron44's topic in General Nursing

   I'm planning to get a tattoo on my ring finger when I get married. That way, I can keep my ring at home, but still have something on me.

7. Dangers of teaching kids they can be boys or girls

   choughlesRN replied to nursingaround1's topic in General Nursing

   Shame on you. The system is designed to make it incredibly difficult for trans* individuals to transition. People like you who consider being trans* "fake" or "a phase" are a huge part of the problem. Trans* individuals have more than enough barriers...

8. Meyers Brigg, Have you done it?

   choughlesRN replied to Alexx_xox's topic in General Nursing

   I'm an ENFJ, on the border between E and I, and J and P. Definitely a borderline human.

9. Ambulating post op day zero

   choughlesRN replied to oceangirl1234's topic in General Nursing

   As tolerated is a magical phrase. I'm on stroke/tele, so we don't do a ton of surgery, but generally, I follow the surgeon's lead. If the surgeon thinks it's safe to ambulate the patient on POD 0, so do I. PT at our hospital may wait until POD 1 to s...

10. NP being used as an RN

    choughlesRN replied to Adam18's topic in NP

    Not an NP yet, but I have left jobs before. I can imagine a response going something like, "I feel that my role has expanded far beyond my contract, and I haven't been able to modify my contract to fit the expanded role. So I have had to look for ano...

11. Sometimes the five rights make us look dumb

    choughlesRN replied to JBMmom's topic in General Nursing

    Frankly, it depends on a patient's mental status. If I'm doing neuro checks or have questions about the patient's orientation, I do it just about every time. Easy way to get A&O x1 out of the way. If anyone gives me guff or questions, I explain t...

12. Is it legal for your boss to dictate where you poop?

    choughlesRN replied to klone's topic in General Nursing

    THAT I can understand. Same idea as not using the bathroom in a patient's room.

13. Commute Time

    choughlesRN replied to nursechini's topic in General Nursing

    45 minutes on a bad day, 35 on a good one. I find it rough, but I've been doing it, in variations, for 3 years. I plan my drive to 1) avoid the worst traffic and 2) get to work in time to take a 5-10 minute catnap.

14. Discharging by Wheelchair

    choughlesRN replied to MunoRN's topic in General Nursing

    Our hospital has volunteers who can assist patients down to the front door, however hospital policy requires that they use a wheelchair. If a patient wants to walk, though, I'll walk downstairs with them. My only requirement personally is that he or ...

15. PTO use

    choughlesRN replied to sadpandaRN's topic in General Nursing

    We can only request 1 weekend/year. But we don't have a ton of other restrictions on PTO use