These are ALL wonderful suggestions and excellent pieces of advice!!!!! THANKS to all of you!!!!! One additional question.....when would be the appropriate/best time to put on gloves? We were discussing this today in lab and some teachers are requiring gloves ONLY if there is a Nitro paste/patch or if we have to give a sub-lingual tablet. Would it be improper to put on gloves as soon as we walk into the patient's room immediately after washing our hands? Many of us think this might just be one way to keep everything hygienic (i.e. NOT touching pills with our bare hands) and also a way to NOT forget this most important step. What do you guys think?
Think about the rationale of the gloves...
Let's say, you walk into a room, wash your hands, don the gloves..examine the patient, touch the bed, touch the bedside table etc...now, are your gloves clean?
Probably not.
When wondering if you need gloves for meds...say to yourself, "Ok, would I feel comfortable wearing these gloves right now to eat a meal."
I am posting this because it has become a weekly topic of discussion on the board. To me, so many people overthink this task and make it much more difficult than what it really is. I decided to post some tips that may help with the business of giving your old employer the boot.
Here is some pre-resignation advice:
1. Do not discuss leaving with anyone before you put in your notice. Trust no one. It makes for good gossip as to who is leaving next...I wouldn't trust my best friend at work with this information.
2. Be careful if you are posting your resume on Monster.com, etc. Yes, you can remove your name, but other things in your resume may give away your identity, such as the year you graduated on the list of schools. Be careful.
3. Remain professional...just because you know you are leaving doesn't mean you can slack off now...no matter how tempting. Leave a good impression, even if you never plan on returning. You never know when your old boss or old co-workers may turn up at your new employer...trust me, I have seen this more times than I can count.
Now...how to fire your boss:
1. First, find out what is acceptable for a notice. Everyone says two-weeks, however, this is going to vary by facility. For example, I happen to work in a facility where for nursing staff, 6 weeks is the typical notice given and unless you are on very bad terms with your employer, you get to work out the 6 weeks. Give your notice in accordance of what is customary.
2. Put it in writing...and keep it short and professional. For those that are stuck, I will suggest the following: "Dear Mr/Mrs. Boss: The career opportunity given to me as a Registered Nurse here at General Hospital has been an invaluable experience, but unfortunately, at this time, my career is taking me in another direction. I submit my resignation from my position as a Registered Nurse for my last day to be <insert date here>. I sincerely wish the management and staff at General Hospital continued success in this organization and I thank everyone here for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the healthcare team." Sincerely, Jane Doe, RN.
Yup...that is ALL you need to write. They do not care about why you are leaving...resist the temptation to vent, give them a piece of your mind, tell them everything they are doing wrong, etc. Write it out this way even if you think they are all a bunch of loons and wouldn't go back if they doubled your salary...seriously, in the end, it doesn't matter.
3. Submit your resignation to your direct supervisor or other manager, as dictated by your facility. Bring TWO COPIES with you and give her one...making sure she knows you made two. Listen to any final instructions...they may ask that you not tell anyone you are leaving, etc...LISTEN the warnings, if any.
4. Do not gossip about you leaving to other co-workers after you submit your resignation. While it is acceptable to mention you are leaving, if they ask why, say you prefer not to discuss it.
5. BE PREPARED that your boss may let you go the day you resign...this is legal in many places. It all depends on how upset they are at you leaving...just be prepared for it. Many times it is done for security purposes.
6. Don't bash anyone in the exit interview...seriously...you are leaving, what do you care?
Hope that helps anyone looking to quit anytime soon.
Another piece of advice: never, ever quit a job unless you have another one. The economy is bad right now and even experience may not get you in the door.
I have my three days together. After the kids go to school I take a mild-sleep aid on Day 1...one time a week is not going to kill you. I take a children's version so it does not leave me groggy and I stay up until about 2:00 a.m. the night before...but will go to bed earlier if I feel I need to.
So I get up in the afternoon, get the kids from school, come home, make dinner, go to work. I do all my housework on my days off...I do NOTHING but dinner on the days I work.
Then I only sleep 1/2 a day after my third day and that is enough to turn my sleep around. I usually go to bed with the kids that night...but I wake up the next morning refreshed.
I had this happen one time at a physician's office about 6 months ago where I was greeted by a medical assistant...I assumed that she was a nurse, because the secretary called her one and she answered the phone in my presence earlier and told the patient she was Dr. So and So's nurse.
To make conversation, I started chit-chatting about some of my labs and realized that she seemed unusually clueless..so I asked her if she was an RN or an LPN, and she said that she "didn't HAVE TO go to school because Dr. So and So trained her."
So, as she was taking my vitals, I said calmly, "you know, you should really be careful about telling someone you are a nurse if you are not...you could get into a lot of legal trouble because it is a protected title."
She laughed and said, "Well, gosh, who is going to care enough to do that?"
Without missing a beat, I said, "Someone like me...who is."
I told the doctor when I saw him.
The next time I went to the office, they were making a really BIG DEAL out of calling her a medical assistant.
Really? With all due respect, I find it hard to believe that a transport team RN can tube a patient more proficiently than a CRNA/MDA. Intubating is a skill, just like starting an IV. The more you do, the better you become at it. If you are not intubating multiple people on a daily basis (And I find it really hard to believe that transport RN's are) then you simply cannot be as proficient as an anesthesia provider at managing an airway. This includes tubing newborns emergently as well as 430 pound pts. presenting for laparoscopic gastric sleeves; all of which are not uncommon during an average day for an anesthetist.
At our facility, RN's are never checked off for intubations...ever.
The only ones that are, work on transport teams and even then, you are with an RT, who will do it first.
Now, in that rare circumstance that there is a bona fide emergency, an NNP or MD is not available (b/c the one assigned may be on a delivery as well) and let's say that the RT that is assigned to your unit is also on a delivery, and a nurse from the transport team is not staffing that day, the most SENIOR nurse that is present attempts the intubation.
Now, you will NEVER find a nurse on our unit that will call a CRNA to intubate an infant..ever.
We intubate all of our kiddos prior to sending them to surgery...CRNA never does it.
The reason: CRNAs, for the most part (not all), do not seem to have a true appreciation for this particular patient population and will attempt multiple intubations if they fail (rather than allowing someone else to try) with the "I am a CRNA, and I can get this myself" mentality.
The reason for the decision, at least at our hospital...is that this has happened more than once and with more than one CRNA...intubations with 14, 15 attempts..with the RN begging the CRNA to call someone else...and he/she refusing....permanently damaged vocal cords, horrific gashes to the interiors of the mouth, huge slices to the gums or deep depressions.
You see that a few times and nope..you don't call the CRNA anymore.
I had this happen one time at a physician's office about 6 months ago where I was greeted by a medical assistant...I assumed that she was a nurse, because the secretary called her one and she answered the phone in my presence earlier and told the patient she was Dr. So and So's nurse.
To make conversation, I started chit-chatting about some of my labs and realized that she seemed unusually clueless..so I asked her if she was an RN or an LPN, and she said that she "didn't HAVE TO go to school because Dr. So and So trained her."
So, as she was taking my vitals, I said calmly, "you know, you should really be careful about telling someone you are a nurse if you are not...you could get into a lot of legal trouble because it is a protected title."
She laughed and said, "Well, gosh, who is going to care enough to do that?"
Without missing a beat, I said, "Someone like me...who is."
I told the doctor when I saw him.
The next time I went to the office, they were making a really BIG DEAL out of calling her a medical assistant.
She got her BSN, passed the NCLEX, went straight for her FNP and now works in a physician's office/General Practice.
She has never worked as a staff nurse.
She is an EXCELLENT FNP....she really cares about her patients and constantly works to keep up her skills. She has been practicing about 5 years now and has a very devoted list of patients.
Let's say, you walk into a room, wash your hands, don the gloves..examine the patient, touch the bed, touch the bedside table etc...now, are your gloves clean?
Probably not.
When wondering if you need gloves for meds...say to yourself, "Ok, would I feel comfortable wearing these gloves right now to eat a meal."
If not, then handwash with new gloves!
I am posting this because it has become a weekly topic of discussion on the board. To me, so many people overthink this task and make it much more difficult than what it really is. I decided to post some tips that may help with the business of giving your old employer the boot.
Here is some pre-resignation advice:
1. Do not discuss leaving with anyone before you put in your notice. Trust no one. It makes for good gossip as to who is leaving next...I wouldn't trust my best friend at work with this information.
2. Be careful if you are posting your resume on Monster.com, etc. Yes, you can remove your name, but other things in your resume may give away your identity, such as the year you graduated on the list of schools. Be careful.
3. Remain professional...just because you know you are leaving doesn't mean you can slack off now...no matter how tempting. Leave a good impression, even if you never plan on returning. You never know when your old boss or old co-workers may turn up at your new employer...trust me, I have seen this more times than I can count.
Now...how to fire your boss:
1. First, find out what is acceptable for a notice. Everyone says two-weeks, however, this is going to vary by facility. For example, I happen to work in a facility where for nursing staff, 6 weeks is the typical notice given and unless you are on very bad terms with your employer, you get to work out the 6 weeks. Give your notice in accordance of what is customary.
2. Put it in writing...and keep it short and professional. For those that are stuck, I will suggest the following: "Dear Mr/Mrs. Boss: The career opportunity given to me as a Registered Nurse here at General Hospital has been an invaluable experience, but unfortunately, at this time, my career is taking me in another direction. I submit my resignation from my position as a Registered Nurse for my last day to be <insert date here>. I sincerely wish the management and staff at General Hospital continued success in this organization and I thank everyone here for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the healthcare team." Sincerely, Jane Doe, RN.
Yup...that is ALL you need to write. They do not care about why you are leaving...resist the temptation to vent, give them a piece of your mind, tell them everything they are doing wrong, etc. Write it out this way even if you think they are all a bunch of loons and wouldn't go back if they doubled your salary...seriously, in the end, it doesn't matter.
3. Submit your resignation to your direct supervisor or other manager, as dictated by your facility. Bring TWO COPIES with you and give her one...making sure she knows you made two. Listen to any final instructions...they may ask that you not tell anyone you are leaving, etc...LISTEN the warnings, if any.
4. Do not gossip about you leaving to other co-workers after you submit your resignation. While it is acceptable to mention you are leaving, if they ask why, say you prefer not to discuss it.
5. BE PREPARED that your boss may let you go the day you resign...this is legal in many places. It all depends on how upset they are at you leaving...just be prepared for it. Many times it is done for security purposes.
6. Don't bash anyone in the exit interview...seriously...you are leaving, what do you care?
Hope that helps anyone looking to quit anytime soon.
Another piece of advice: never, ever quit a job unless you have another one. The economy is bad right now and even experience may not get you in the door.
Good Luck!
Babylady
Here is what I do:
I have my three days together. After the kids go to school I take a mild-sleep aid on Day 1...one time a week is not going to kill you. I take a children's version so it does not leave me groggy and I stay up until about 2:00 a.m. the night before...but will go to bed earlier if I feel I need to.
So I get up in the afternoon, get the kids from school, come home, make dinner, go to work. I do all my housework on my days off...I do NOTHING but dinner on the days I work.
Then I only sleep 1/2 a day after my third day and that is enough to turn my sleep around. I usually go to bed with the kids that night...but I wake up the next morning refreshed.
That is how I do it.
I had this happen one time at a physician's office about 6 months ago where I was greeted by a medical assistant...I assumed that she was a nurse, because the secretary called her one and she answered the phone in my presence earlier and told the patient she was Dr. So and So's nurse.
To make conversation, I started chit-chatting about some of my labs and realized that she seemed unusually clueless..so I asked her if she was an RN or an LPN, and she said that she "didn't HAVE TO go to school because Dr. So and So trained her."
So, as she was taking my vitals, I said calmly, "you know, you should really be careful about telling someone you are a nurse if you are not...you could get into a lot of legal trouble because it is a protected title."
She laughed and said, "Well, gosh, who is going to care enough to do that?"
Without missing a beat, I said, "Someone like me...who is."
I told the doctor when I saw him.
The next time I went to the office, they were making a really BIG DEAL out of calling her a medical assistant.
The only ones that are, work on transport teams and even then, you are with an RT, who will do it first.
Now, in that rare circumstance that there is a bona fide emergency, an NNP or MD is not available (b/c the one assigned may be on a delivery as well) and let's say that the RT that is assigned to your unit is also on a delivery, and a nurse from the transport team is not staffing that day, the most SENIOR nurse that is present attempts the intubation.
Now, you will NEVER find a nurse on our unit that will call a CRNA to intubate an infant..ever.
We intubate all of our kiddos prior to sending them to surgery...CRNA never does it.
The reason: CRNAs, for the most part (not all), do not seem to have a true appreciation for this particular patient population and will attempt multiple intubations if they fail (rather than allowing someone else to try) with the "I am a CRNA, and I can get this myself" mentality.
The reason for the decision, at least at our hospital...is that this has happened more than once and with more than one CRNA...intubations with 14, 15 attempts..with the RN begging the CRNA to call someone else...and he/she refusing....permanently damaged vocal cords, horrific gashes to the interiors of the mouth, huge slices to the gums or deep depressions.
You see that a few times and nope..you don't call the CRNA anymore.
I had this happen one time at a physician's office about 6 months ago where I was greeted by a medical assistant...I assumed that she was a nurse, because the secretary called her one and she answered the phone in my presence earlier and told the patient she was Dr. So and So's nurse.
To make conversation, I started chit-chatting about some of my labs and realized that she seemed unusually clueless..so I asked her if she was an RN or an LPN, and she said that she "didn't HAVE TO go to school because Dr. So and So trained her."
So, as she was taking my vitals, I said calmly, "you know, you should really be careful about telling someone you are a nurse if you are not...you could get into a lot of legal trouble because it is a protected title."
She laughed and said, "Well, gosh, who is going to care enough to do that?"
Without missing a beat, I said, "Someone like me...who is."
I told the doctor when I saw him.
The next time I went to the office, they were making a really BIG DEAL out of calling her a medical assistant.
I have a close friend who is an FNP.
She got her BSN, passed the NCLEX, went straight for her FNP and now works in a physician's office/General Practice.
She has never worked as a staff nurse.
She is an EXCELLENT FNP....she really cares about her patients and constantly works to keep up her skills. She has been practicing about 5 years now and has a very devoted list of patients.