marymack57

marymack57 has 12 years experience and specializes in LTC, Surg.

Latest Activity

1. things friends/neighbors have asked you "because you are a nurse"

   marymack57 replied to aloevera's topic in General Nursing

   My drug books get used frequently, I keep THIS years at work, and LAST years at home. Someone is constantly calling me and asking about some drug or other. Then I have a crazy sister-in-law that buys all those weird concoctions that are supposed to...

2. Your Favorite one liner used with patients

   marymack57 replied to scaredofshots's topic in Humor

   After multiple complaints about a perfectly WONDERFUL aide, I told the patient "I hired her, I didn't RAISE her!" At least the patient had the good grace to blush.

3. LPN's is this true?

   marymack57 replied to CantWait2Nurse's topic in Indiana

   (DNS in NM) We hire brand-spanker LPNs for 19 an hour. LTC

4. sick and tired of defending working in geriatrics..

   marymack57 replied to ulmaulma's topic in Geriatric

   Experience? EXPERIENCE?? I feel like telling nurses who look down their noses at my LTC nursing job...how good are YOU at starting an IV on a 90 year old ex-rancher that is dehydrated because he's been eating and drinking for 90 years and has deci...

5. Rudeness from EMTs and Paramedics

   marymack57 replied to TheCommuter's topic in Geriatric

   I don't get near as much trouble from EMS staff as I do the nurses/doctors at our local emergency room. They talk about our facility as it were the armpits of hell, and then expect us to be amenable to their calls and such. The last fiasco was whe...

6. Any LTC DONs out there??

   marymack57 replied to MaineNurse67's topic in Geriatric

   bet, the facility who had the happiest, healthiest residents, has the lowest amount of documentation. Somehow it just doesnt seem right that a DON has to write up staff that tenderly cares for the residents, they just don't write it down correctly. A...

7. Any LTC DONs out there??

   marymack57 replied to MaineNurse67's topic in Geriatric

   Our biggest problem is we DON'T get paid for the work we do. Our state has 2 designations for Medicaid reimbursement. Low and High. Its danged near impossible to get the High level. Doesn't matter if they are total care for aides, and frequent ha...

8. MDS Coordinators/ RN or LPN Assessment Coordinators

   marymack57 replied to RN 4 Life's topic in MDS

   That's bad, when the MDS person doesn't have a clue. Been there, done that! It took her only 3 months to hang herself, but after she left I had to fix up the errors. What a mess. Both our MDS coordinators are RNs and new and were hired at 29 an h...

9. MDS Coordinators/ RN or LPN Assessment Coordinators

   marymack57 replied to RN 4 Life's topic in MDS

   Never think you can't learn something new, and always ALWAYS stay on top of what your therapies are doing. LOL At least I found these to be true. Does your facility belong to a large corporation, or is it a stand alone (private owned) facility? I...

10. MDS Coordinators/ RN or LPN Assessment Coordinators

    marymack57 replied to RN 4 Life's topic in MDS

    I am DNS, but our MDS coordinators, though they are both RNs, make almost as much as I do per hour. By the way, I am a former MDS coordinator. They deserve every penny they make, and probably more.

11. Any LTC DONs out there??

    marymack57 replied to MaineNurse67's topic in Geriatric

    We seem to be getting more documentation...not less. With all the assessments and risk scales, its daunting.

12. MDS Coordinator salaries

    marymack57 replied to Nascar nurse's topic in MDS

    I live in the SouthWest. Our MDS coordinator makes about (within a few cents) what the ADON makes. And worth every penny!:wink2:

13. New Policies

    marymack57 replied to wildcard47833's topic in Geriatric

    I'm always telling my friends at work "when I'm a resident here...." and then tell them I don't want that, or I do want this. DON'T GET ME OUT OF BED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, OR BEFORE SIX FOR THAT MATTER, TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME...I might bite Se...

14. Giving pain meds.

    marymack57 replied to banditrn's topic in Geriatric

    An oncologist told me that anyone who has pain CAN'T be addicted to medication. What indicates "addiction", in his words, was the person without pain taking a narcotic for the euphoria it generates. I've tried to keep this in mind over the years I...

15. Charting Bloopers

    marymack57 replied to AHarri66's topic in Humor

    Order given: "Fortified foods at all meals and HS" Order written by charge nurse: "Four to five foods at all meals and HS" Now THAT one took me a while to figure out!