Alright... so my eight year old son has been in the hospital for the past three days after an episode of non responsiveness and seizure. He had never had this happen before and the docs are trying to figure out what happened.
He is in a children's hospital which is attached to a large university teaching hospital.
My son is doing well and so I've had more of a chance to observe what is going on around me. The doctors and nurses here have been wonderful and I can't complain about the care.
But my goodness... I feel OLD being here. I mean, are hospitals these days pretty much only hiring the youngest, prettiest nurses? Seriously... I have seen maybe two nurses who look like they are over 30 and most of the nurses are skinny and blonde.
Look.. yeah I'm old and heavy. And yeah at this point in my career maybe I should be settled into a place and not thinking "gee I like this place I would kinda like to work here".
I think it's just due to yes, I've watched my nursing career go down the toilet mostly and wish I could go back to being that fresh faced young nurse again.
I kinda feel bad for older new nurses who would maybe want to work in a place like this, though.
Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
Better than the observation me and my partners keep making every time we go to the PICU or NICU... I won't let my female partners drink the water up there, since it seems like a vast majority of those nurses are expecting lol
It's been scientifically proven it's in the water of those units........
Specializes in TCU, Post-surgical, Infection Prevention.
I feel your points are salient. Since university hospitals are teaching facilities, they utilize a heavy proportion of residents and interns, a.k.a. 'June Docs,' whose inexperience sometimes results in wacky orders and half-baked decisions.
Specialty hospitals are an entirely different animal. The overwhelming majority are for-profit and very much profit-driven, so essentially revenue is prioritized over optimal patient outcomes.
Yes, the precious hospital o' kiddies in Los Angeles - some pct withdrew blood and left the needle in a patient chair, forcing me to scare this man and his child in warning them not to sit in that chair (strike 1), . Later in life, my daughter did her usual asthma 6 day stay at some pink/blue hospital of Orlando; pumped her full of steriods, but no one could seem to notice that bulleye growing on the side of her face, well not till she was kicked out of school until the ringworm was addressed (strike 2). Lastly, hospital o' kiddies in good old Hartford, CT - why would you seal any windows, and why shouldn't they open fully with the touch of a finger (strike 3).
It's funny, my grandaughter was a little wheezy, and instead of raising to the other children's hospital in SoCal - i opted for the little community hospital that wasn't pomp and circumstance and we were home within an hour.
I will admit that as a hiring manager I always hired people with experience that I thought would compliment the skill set of the unit. The unit nurses did not always agree.
I hired a nurse who was 65 (Difficulty using a computer)- it made me think twice about hiring someone who might have a hard time fitting in.
I also thought I was impervious to hiring someone based on looks- until a very handsome nurse was in my office for an interview....
With both of these hires I had to really ask myself about why I would/would not hire these nurses... I could see where my personal bias could effect what my staff looks like.
I will say as well part of the equation is the attitude- I have talked with many nurses who are skilled, yet have a chip on their shoulder when they come in for an interview because of their age. I also hear from a lot of older nurses once they are hired that they can't work efficiently because of computerized charting...
Hey there OP. I am 50 with naturally grey hair. In case anyone wonders, yes it used to be black like my eyebrows. I get asked if I "used to have" dark hair. I always want to say no it has been this colour since I was a child. I am too heavy and look old. Over the years, i have been busy working nights, going to school, and not eating and exercising like I should. All I can say is try your best. I have a pretty good employment history. I had the same employer for 16 years, but tired of a complete B*TCH who the hospital hired as a manager. Gee, she just left "suddenly" and had not been getting along with others. Despite being short, fat, and old I was hired by another hospital. I am a bit bored, but I do have a position and a good income. You can do it. Make some changes. Try going back to school. I see you do LTC. My gosh, there is such a need there. What about case management or senior living or peds home care? Lots of opportunities there. Don't give up!
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.
Wow thanks for all of the replies. :) I love it when I can start a good discussion.
My son is doing well and should go home tomorrow barring any high fever or issues with hydration.. I'm pushing the fluids. :)
How did I mess up my career? Well, for starters, at the beginning of my nursing career I voluntarily left FOUR pretty good nursing positions. The first position was at a small local hospital; I had been working on the same Med Surge floor for seven years (four as an aide) and was just burned out. Psych was my nursing field of choice and this hospital had no psych floor. So I went to a state psych hospital and really liked it but it was a long commute and gas got too expensive.
Left another med surge job, then a child psych job that I hated.
Every single permanent job that I've had since then I've been fired from. Well except the one I have now, knock on wood. I'm now a second shift LTC supervisor and I don't hate it but I don't think LTC is what I want to do forever, unless I can finally get back in school and become a geriatric APRN. I lean more towards psychiatric APRN though.
I haven't seen my twenties in a while, but patients still think that I'm in the 18-24 range. So it's quite possible that some of them are older than they look.
Can't say anything as to the hair colors.
I fit this description as well. It's a frequent conversation piece with older patients who discover I have kids, particularly kids who aren't babies.
I was only one of two grads in my cohort who was over 30, and the only one who had kids. A rather large percentage of my fellow graduates fled home to mom and dad and new jobs at teaching hospitals in large urban/suburban areas. I think there is truth to the previous post that said these larger hospitals with fancy, popular names and low pay attract the new grads who just want to write "Johns Hopkins" on their resumes. I assure you my rural hospital has a well represented blend of pretty, skinny, young, old, tall, short, fat and ugly people on staff.
All of that said.... OP, I can't imagine how terrifying this experience with your son was. Ever since learning the acronym "SUDEP", I have been terrified since I just learned I have epilepsy a year and a half ago. I offer you huge, warm hugs and a spot in my heart, from one mom to another. I hope you never have to go through something so scary again. I just can't imagine.!😔
My daughter has a congenital heart defect. She spent 2 months total at a children's hospital last year. All of the nurses looked younger than 30. I'm 38, and I felt so old.
I haven't seen my twenties in a while, but patients still think that I'm in the 18-24 range. So it's quite possible that some of them are older than they look.
THIS.
I work in a children's hospital; many ages, sizes and looks here; although I am approaching 34, a child (age 5) asked me if I was a teenager.
kakamegamama
1,030 Posts
It's been scientifically proven it's in the water of those units........