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I work on a self contained heme/onc floor. The nurse manager posts a needs list for each upcoming schedule to cover any holes due to vacations, personal leaves, etc. We also make an effort to recruit nurses from the opposite rotation to work for us or swap out shifts. This aspect seems to work pretty well. Unfortunately, we don't have a system in place for call-ins. The charge nurse just randomly calls staff that are off to see if anyone can come in. It seems that some staff members NEVER come in to help out on a call in, so the charge nurses seem to just call the ones that most likely will say yes. I am interested in how other places handle the unexpected call ins. We are thinking of having a rotating on-call person for each shift to cover call-ins, but I'm afraid this might actually lead to MORE call-ins since the person contemplating staying home would know someone would have to come in. Thoughts?

What hospitals/locations in Minnesota are popular for hematology/oncology? I am currently on a heme/onc floor in Mississippi. My husband and I are considering relocating to Minnesota in the next few years. On a side note, is Minnesota the outdoor paradise for cyclists and campers that the tourist websites would have you believe?

I graduated from Hinds Nursing Allied in December 2006. Out of the original 100 that started out, I think we ended up with approximately 20 something graduating. Some failed, some decided they wanted to do something else with their lives. At the time anyone could go to Hinds as long as they made sufficiently on the NET and had the prerequisites done. Not everyone is capable of being a nurse. So it stands to reason that there would a large portion that would not make it based on their entrance criteria. I think they have changed it to be more interview and grade-point average based now. If you can survive Hinds, you have the basic skills to being a nurse accomplished. You just have to gain experience. :) Some of the new grads I see from other schools (mostly BSN schools) are frightening in their lack of knowledge about medications and basic procedures. I survived Hinds in 4 semesters, and I am proud to be a Hinds graduate. But I will never darken those doors again unless forced. :)

Rrandle02, I think it will take a lot of guts to work in an abortion clinic. I would be careful telling people where you work. Not that I think you should be ashamed (not at all), but there are some crazies in the world that could harm you for what you do. I don't think I'd advertise where I work. Other than safety, my other concern would be how working in an abortion clinic could affect any future jobs you may decide to pursue. I'm not sure that all hospitals or clinics would be receptive to hiring someone who worked there, particularly the religious-based hospitals. I don't think anyone has addressed this possibility. Take a tour, talk to people who work there, do some research, and make your decision for yourself. :)

I agree, winning the lottery could open you up for lawsuits if the patients found out. I think I might take up teaching nursing school... might be fun to torture a few nursing students! I like the idea about going on mission trips, too.

The Jackson area hospitals started paying $18.50 base in December 2006. So it has gone up a little. UMC pays $19.00 base if you did your externship there.

Okay, I have to ask... which way is correct? I've heard MeTOProlol and MetoPROlol. *laughs*

I'm a hard of hearing nurse! I wear biaural hearing aids and have an amplified stethoscope. No problems so far! :) They had to work with me a bit in nursing school. When we were being checked off on blood pressures, the teachers used a dual head stethoscope to check off the students. Well, I couldn't hear using their stethoscope. So the lab just happened to have one of those Bionic Man type dummies... so they programmed in some blood pressures and then I took the blood pressure using my stethoscope. Got them all right.

I'm a hard of hearing nurse! I wear biaural hearing aids and have an amplified stethoscope. No problems so far! :) They h

Um, a day maybe? I applied online and they called me the next day. I was offered the job at the interview. It was like that at all interviews... I was offered the job on the spot.

I didn't know you could hook a vacutainer directly to a picc line. How does this work?? Do you use the vacutainer transfer device to do it? I'm having trouble visualizing this one. At my facility, you use a 10cc syringe and you have to waste the 1st 10cc syringe (unless you're drawing blood for blood cultures).

if the peg tube is not in the right place, wouldn't you get water in the lungs and cause a serious problem? sounds dangerous to me. i was always taught to use air.

I personally think we should vote on best slogans and have a tshirt made! Maybe the money could go to some worthy cause like the American Heart Association or something after expenses.

Good luck on your project!

I'm not sure on the rate of return as I just started at the end of January. I wouldn't doubt that it's only 3.5%. Most likely since it's mandatory they only invest conservatively so they won't lose everyone's money if the market dips. *laughs* That's why even though I'm mandated to put 7% into their plan, I put about 9% into a 403B so I can pick my own funds and be more aggressive in my risk. I would contact the benefits office of the hospital you're interested in and ask what the return is to make sure.

I work at University of Mississippi Medical Center. We don't have any choice on what the retirement plan is invested in. However, you do have the option to open a 403B plan in addition in which you can pick your investments as you choose. A 403B works similarly to a 401K... it's tax-deferred. As for as what happens if you quit, on the retirement plan you have the option to keep the money where it is, or you can roll it over into an IRA or whatever you prefer.

If you have a patient that is gone to a procedure and misses meds, do you give the meds upon return or just wait until the next scheduled dose? I'm confused about this. I asked one nurse, and she said you could always just reschedule the times. Another nurse said if it's over 1/2way to the next dose, hold. Yet another said it depended on what kind of medication it is. Help!

For those worried about losing their hearing aids: Most hearing aids come with a warranty so that if they are lost they will be replaced free of charge. After the warranty is up you can always renew it for a pretty reasonable fee. I know Starkey has warranties, I'm sure probably other hearing aid companies do as well.

I forgot to mention that I do have to take out my hearing aids to use my electronic stethoscope. That's a pain in the butt, but I've gotten used to it now.

I wear biaural digital completely in the canal hearing aids. They really aren't noticable at all unless someone is just looking in your ear. They are programmed to pick up on the frequencies that I cannot hear. Mine have a 3 settings: a normal setting for everyday use, a "small group setting" that is slightly amplified, and a setting for restaurants/parties where the background noise is loud. The settings can be programmed for other uses, that's just what mine are programmed for. The sound quality is great. Hearing aids are quite expensive. I think mine would have cost approximately $6000 if I had to buy them myself. My state's department of vocational rehabilitation paid for them since the hearing aids are deemed medically necessary for me to be able to work. Certainly I could not be a nurse without my hearings aids and my amplified stethoscope. Hope this helps. My last pair lasted about 5 years, hopefully this new pair will last as long.

Rapid Badger: I can hear lung sounds well with my Thinklabs stethoscope also. See www.thinklabsmedical.com for more info about it. It's cheaper at www.allheart.com though. Caliotter3 is definitely right. Don't leave your amplified stethoscopes laying around. They will indeed "walk off". Particularly if you work on cardiac/pulmonary floors where your peers definitely know what you have.

Also, I wanted to point out that if you are a hearing impaired nurse or nursing student, check out your state's department of vocational rehabilitation. I have received 2 stethoscopes through that department without cost due to needing it for school and in order to do my job, as well as hearing aids.

I am also a hearing impaired nurse. I have a ThinkLabs digital electronic stethoscope that I have been very pleased with. ThinkLabs website is www.thinklabsmedical.com . It amplifies the sound and also filters out background noises extremely well. I did an externship on a cardiac floor and the nurses and doctors were quite envious of how well it sounded. On the website the list price is $395, but I ordered mine from www.allheart.com for $200. That was the cheapest I could find it. I've had mine for almost a year. I've had to replace the eartips, but other than that it has held up well.

I work on an adult hematology/oncology floor. We get a lot of frequent flyers, so you get to know the patient and family well. As far as treatments, the patients are usually on a ton of IV antibiotics. They are getting chemo, so there's the precautions for that. Also steroids and assorted PO meds. We have to hang a lot of blood and platelets. Some patients have peg tubes, NG tubes, ostomies, trachs. May have some pressure sores. They usually have other problems that just cancer, like heart disease, for example. I think it's an rewarding field. The patient and family have a rapport with you, and you become part of their support system. I don't find it emotionally taxing at all. I see it as my duty to put my best face forward to help my patient fight the good fight. Cheesey, maybe, but if I look scared, the patient will be too.

In Jackson, Mississippi the base salary for new grads is $18.50 per hour.