retiredmednurse

retiredmednurse

med-surg, med oncology, hospice

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About retiredmednurse

retiredmednurse has 36 years experience and specializes in med-surg, med oncology, hospice.

I always wanted to be an RN. My mother was an RN and tried talking me out of it. I'm glad she did as I chose nursing for my own reasons, than to follow her. I did look at other professions, but none interested me as much as nursing. In high school, I looked at various ways to go to get my RN. I'm old enough when diploma nursing was still available. But I like to study first and then work. So I chose the BSN. Several reasons I chose nursing was I love the intricacies of the human body systerms, loved to see how behind the scenes work, and I felt it was a calling by my Lord. As he said, "if you do it unto the least of men, you do it to me." I had been a CNA for 4 summers as I went to college. Through my CNA experience and my clinicals, I loved med nursing. At my local hospital, the medical and surgical floors are separate. Being a medical floor, we got enough surgical patients to keep my skills up, which was enough for me. We got the 'dirty sturgicals' such as those with MRSA or any gross infection. I worked the medical floor at the same hospital for 36 years. Work for a non-profit hospital, if one a choice. Our hospital is owned by the community with a non-profit foundation board to over-see the operations. Since I have been a nurse, technology has changed it for the better and the worse, lots more meds, new therapies, and even new diseases. No 2 days are the same. I loved my work and bedside nursing. And a great team of nurses on the floor can make a tough shift do-able when all pitch in to help. There are patients, and sadly, even deaths, that I will not ever forget. Nursing is/was so much a part of my life.

Latest Activity

  1. Question about priming tubing

    retiredmednurse replied to aship's topic in General Nursing

    If the frequency of the ABX is more than daily, I always liked to use a flush bag for my saline locks when going by gravity. Not only does the patient get nearly all of the med, but one doesn't have to worry about the line going dry and blood backing...

  2. Quick Head to toe?

    retiredmednurse replied to NurseTman's topic in Med-Surg

    What shift do you work? I worked graves and did my assessments in pieces. The VS will give you a lot of information. If surgical, check the dressing(s) for drainage amount, color, smell, and if you need to replace or reinforce. Know the surgeon's and...

  3. Where Were You...9/11

    retiredmednurse replied to Daisy4RN's topic in General Nursing

    I was working nights on the medical floor. At 5 a.m. (local Alaska time), a nurse rushed to the nurses station and then to a private room that was empty and just a few steps from the nurses station. The TV was turned on and kept on. We were glued and...

  4. Why is Med-Surg so hated?

    retiredmednurse replied to Nola009's topic in Med-Surg

    I agree wholeheartedly! I also love med-surg nursing. The local hospital is small with a 100-bed capacity. Med. and surg. are actually two different floors. The surgeons didn't like their surgical patients to be admitted to our "dirty" floor. As the ...

  5. Dr makes me feel so incompetent?

    retiredmednurse replied to mzsuccess's topic in General Nursing

    I totally agree with everything said in this post. I have also checked the graphic sheet to see if this patient is known to run high BP's or is this is new. And at times, I have started my phone conversation with the doctor, after confirming who he i...

  6. What nursing specialty has the best work life balance?

    retiredmednurse replied to dianearc's topic in General Nursing

    The trick is finding a nurse specialty that you love. The time goes so much quicker, you enjoy the job more, the patients and their families pick up on this and some will make your day!

  7. How long have you been a nurse

    retiredmednurse replied to Rocknurse's topic in General Nursing

    36 years here. Now on disability. I wished I could have worked for a few more years.

  8. How Can I Get a Nurse to Float Happily? Interview Question

    retiredmednurse replied to Nurse Beth's topic in Nurse Beth

    I would also say, that the receiving unit usually "hand-picks" her assignment so not to receive anything beyond her comfort level. On my med-unit when making out the assignment, I tried hard to pick patients that she would be familiar with doing. Suc...

  9. Dedication

    retiredmednurse replied to KalipsoRed21's topic in General Nursing

    I just want to add to my comment above. The shift supervisors for the hospital were the ones who usually did the calling. For the most part, I, or anyone, could say "no" and not get a lecture. They understood that we had lives outside of the hospital...

  10. Dedication

    retiredmednurse replied to KalipsoRed21's topic in General Nursing

    As a new nurse, I felt I always had to say "yes". But then I started noticing that I was never acknowledge for coming in extra, co-workers just thought that I was scheduled to work that shift. I never got mentioned in my annual eval that I volunteere...

  11. Help!! New nurse that hates Med/Surg!

    retiredmednurse replied to M0nk3y007's topic in Career Support

    I'll be honest, are school clinicals truly enough to determine if you'll like something? It may be enough to determine that you like the 'idea' of something. The reality of it day in and out might be something else entirely. I'm not saying not to go ...

  12. Best thing about being a nurse?

    retiredmednurse replied to LM838's topic in General Nursing

    Every day is different. Literally, no 2 days are alike. (And if it is a "shift from h***, than I'm glad I only have to live it once.) I love the comradeship of being in a great profession and the respect from the public, and the doctors that I worked...

  13. How to call a provider at 3 am

    retiredmednurse replied to ZenRN181's topic in General Nursing

    I agree with the earlier posts. Other things that I have done before I called the doc in the middle of the night is to try to anticipate what orders he might give to assist him. If I have a newly confused patient, I usually take his O2 sats and if di...

  14. Which nurse do you want for your Little Johnny?

    retiredmednurse replied to Pirate RN's topic in General Nursing

    I loved the article. It is so true and as you stay in the profession, it only gets worse. I shared it on my Facebook page and encourage EVERY one to read it. Help spread the word and share it on your social pages.

  15. So you're an RN - you must be earning big!

    retiredmednurse replied to _littlemissBSN's topic in General Nursing

    When I was working, I thought I was making decent wages. Not great as in all the decisions regarding meds, patient safety, time management, and you know the rest. But really IRKS me was when I needed to pay a plumber $60.00 (minimum time one hour) fo...