Differences: Nursing then and now...

Nurses Retired

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Good day!

I need your opinions on this, what are the differences between the nursing profession then and now?

I'm a freshman nursing student, and I'd like to know how it was for you back then and how do you see the profession now?

Thanks!

I graduated in 1980. Still had the white's and the cap. Had to kneel down and make sure the skirt touched the floor or it was too short. I still remember when we first go to wear uniform slacks.

Back then, we did everything on the floor. Sigmoids? no problem. Just get the tray. Couldn't wear gloves, it implied the patient and their "natural functions" were dirty. Most IV's were gravity drips, It was like heaven if you could get a pump... oh and you could NEVER run blood in a pump.

Chest tubes were set up with air tight bottles, which we had to set up for vacuum.

Rounding was a MUST with doctor's or the orders didn't get written.

T, C and DB and PD and P were on almost every patient.

3 H (high, hot and a helluva lot) enemas was and accepted and commonplace order using Castille soap.

No one could touch a newborn without first gowning and scrubbing... even mom!

Geri chairs lined the hallway and poseys vests were expected.

Mist tents were set up by nurses and used for Pedes and geri patients.

We washed all our own instruments, double wrapped them and put them in the autoclave for reuse.

All patients got a bath daily and a backrub nightly

ALOS was 7-10 days

A day med nurse calculated and passed all meds.

We also did team nursing with an RN, LPN and NA between 50 patients on nights. On days, you sometimes got an extra RN or LPN and the med nurse.

Organic Brain syndrome was a common diagnosis and Barium enemas were a common cure?!?!

Ashtrays were to be cleaned after each physician use and redistributed on the documentation table. Nurses could only smoke when MD's weren't present.

A nurse always stood when the MD's entered the room.

Wow, the good old days! :D

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Since a lot of the nurses are talking about the then. I might as well talk about the "now". This is completely over exaggerated with some truths in there.

Working in an underequipped facility with patients that really belong in a psychiatric facility. Documentation but you have to document that you documented something or else risk being written up. Rather low pay but solid benefits if you can actually survive because the administration knows the turnover is really high. Cranberry juice the miracle substance for cleaning up g tubes and preventing UTI's. Less RN's and a lot more CNA's thinking that solves things. Paper documentation still?! LPN's still exist and they almost have the same abilities except for IV meds. Hell they even get a higher sign on bonus!

One thing hasn't changed though, IV machines are still temperamental as hell.

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OK, here's another one. I started working in HIV/AIDS in 1989, then we spent a lot of time figuring out how to pay for funerals. Now, we spend a lot of time how to pay for medication. We always seem to figure out a way, now it's just way more satisfying. I sleep a lot better.

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The one thing that was discussed, was the methods in which they trained nurses to lift patients. Today, we have something called TLR (Transferring, Lifting, Repositioning) certifications to say a nurse is qualified to be physically able to move patients in a safe manner. Patients are suppose to be called clients... The newer generation will most likely have less back problems.

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Specializes in ICU, Trauma, ER, Peds, Family Practice.
I love this thread. I laughed so hard reading some of the things I remember so well.

Do you remember the clysis? I hated them when I was an aide. I was so afraid the needle would fall out.

People were hospitalized for 6 weeks following a heart attack. If that did not kill them, they went home weaker than when they had the MI.

T&As were common. Ice cream was the drug of choice after surgery. It still is my drug of choice 50+ years later. Wonder if they started my addiction for this?:jester:

I remembered the clysis well. I too was afraid that the needle would fall out. The patients(now clients) would pull them out !

Oh Ice Cream and popsicles are good rememdies and yes most likely can cause an addiction to even the nurse!

I love reading this thread esp with the comparisons to what we did years ago and now .

Paddlelady

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