JJFROG

How about a day surgery center or ambulatory surgery center. For the most part all are elective procedures, most are healthy, and most are ambulatory....no total care. However I agree with the previous poster, you should really be fine in any setting of the hospital as long as you use your head!

I was an ER nurse for 10 years, and never dreamed of leaving. We moved about two and a half years ago and there were no day or evening shifts available in the local ERs so I branched out. I happened upon an opening at a surgery center and started in the PACU and now am the nurse manager. I will never go back to the hospital!!!! The shifts are great, the patients are pleasant, the doctors are all easy to work with. The pace is right on track with all ERs I have worked in (level I&II trauma centers), but the acuity is no where near ER level obviously. Any chance you could shadow a nurse for a couple of days in the OR? The main thing I have learned is sterile field in the ER is NOT sterile field in the OR!! I am not a circulator, but have oriented and found my ER skills are best utilized in the Pre-op, PACU and procedure rooms. Best of luck in your decision!

Are you wanting an HCA facility? If so there are numerous HCA Ambulatory Surgery Centers in the North Texas division. In fact there are 2 in Plano. McKinney, Denton, Dallas, Fort Worth and Las Colinas all have HCA amb surgery centers. Less HR to go through than at a hospital. Just a thought.

"I'm So Dizzy my head is Spinnin'" for all the vertigo patients.

I did not work at UMC, I worked at Covenant and had good working conditions while there. Most people I know that work at UMC left Covenant only for the Sign On bonus and they all said that they enjoyed there 2 years they spent there, but they ALL came back to Covenant. UMC is a teaching facility that some people have trouble adjusting to that type of environment. As far a Lubbock as a town, I loved living there. We moved when my husband graduated from law school. Lubbock is a super friendly town, and getting around is very easy. All numbered streets (82nd, 66th, 19th) run east/west, and then named street run north/south. And then THE Loop will take you around the whole town. Shopping is good for a town its size. Big mall, good grocery stores (United). Good luck in your decision!

I agree with sending a thank you note, and high lighting something that was discussed in the interview. I also have sent my resume directly to the hiring manager/nurse manager. I have had to move due to my husband relocating severaly times over the past 7 years and each place we have moved I went to HR gave them my resume, AND sent my resume to the ER manager. Everytime we have moved, I nailed the job I wanted. Good luck, and GO and get the job you want!

Thank you for all your input. This was done to the best father in law I could have ever asked for, and I feel his death could have been prevented with a simple CXR ASAP after the attempts for a central line. I am not sure why the central line was place either, and I have reviewed the chart and cannot figure out why it was needed as he had a patent 18g prior to anesthesia.

It's simple. Take as much time off as you possibly can! If you can afford 3 months off take all of it. If you can afford more time off, take it too! All depends on how long they will hold your position. But, if you have to go back in 6 weeks, do not feel gulity about that. Babies are expensive! Congratulations!

I think waiting for the PACU before getting a chest xray is too long. Is this the standard?

A family member recently had a brain tumor, a benign meningioma, removed and anesthesia place a central line. They obiviously had difficulty starting the line as there were 8 attempts on the R subclavian, 8 attempts on each jugular and it was eventually place on the L sublcavian after what appears to be 8 more sticks. Yes, I myself counted the stick marks, along with the attending Pulmonologist in the SICU. No chest x ray was done on him until after surgery when he went in to cardiac arrest. Surprise....he had bilateral pneumos! My theory is he was so acidotic from inadequate perfusion he arrested. My question is, do you normally get a chest xray after placing a central line in the OR? I am an ER nurse and we get the PCXR immediately after placing the line, what is the norm for the OR? Thank you.

West Texas is huge, I am in Lubbock...where are you?

Doesn't it seem odd that we all get the low scores? We had one month where we were in the 95 percentile, the following 2 months we were in the 20th, this month we are at the 80% and we have done nothing different!!!!! It is all a crock! My guess is that the patients that returned the negative responses were mad that the nurses were "eating and laughing at the nurses station, while I had to wait 6 hours to be seen", were the patients that were in the ER when administration bought lunch to celebrate the 95% placing.

What about the bands that you wear around your wrist that trigger an accupressure point. I think they are called "sea-bands".

After moving from Seattle, I consider Lubbock Texas as a rural area. I see cotton fields across the street, and it is $4 to park!

I do not like it and I have not met anybody who does! I would get on my soapbox but I am on my way to BUNKO! Down with Press-Gainey!

In an effort to raise funds for the hospital, they have recently begun charging to park in the parking garage. What was a free "perk" now costs $4/day. They have taken away the "employee only" lots and they allow visitors and patients to park anywhere. Needless to say we all want the free spots. I work 11a-11p and there are never free spots available that are "safe" to walk to after my shift, and it frustrates me to pay $4 to come to work. We have had several town hall meetings on this subject and the parking fees are staying, in fact we were told we were "lucky" to only have to pay $4 dollars since in the"big cities" it costs $10 to park. Ugh.... The real kicker is that the parking garages were donated by a family that wanted to give back to the nurses who cared for their mom! Nobody had heard their thoughts on the parking fees. Just venting....and curious.....who has to pay to come to work?

I work in a 46 bed level 2 trauma center. On average I will have 3-5 patients, depending on the acuity. I would say 50-75% of our patients are admitted. Depending on the doctor, our average stay in the er is 4 hours can be longer if the hospital is full, or we have a pokey MD! Lately we have had overnight guests more than ususal. When traumas come in we deal with them with the rest of our patients, the charge nurse trys to get the nurse with the "lightest" load the trauma and the rest of us pick up the Trauma Nurse's other patients. The majority of our traumas come from out of the county and Eastern New Mexico so we usually have a decent ETA to get prepared. The level 1 trauma center is right across the street and all the traumas that occur in city limits go there,.....unless the patient requests us, or we have a "honk and drop" at the back door with a GSW. Good luck....and stay on orientation as long as possible, that is the best way to learn.

I was an Army nurse for 4 years, feel free to PM me with your questions. I have several friends who have done the anesthesia program. It is an intense 2 years, but there is no other program like it. High stress, hard academics and you will be expected to stay in peak physical condition. Don't forget your main purpose is to be ready for war.

"She's got da Funk"..............it is always in my mind when I am assigned the "pelvic room". Bleckhhhh!

I do not know of any, but since you are in Seattle check with the nurse educator at Harborview MC. They would be your best bet! Maybe even some of the ambulance companies would have an answer for you.

The best part of 3-11, no alarm clock! You have the entire morning to do errands , work out, watch soaps... Go to work, then come home and relax, then off to bed. I have been doing 7a-5p for the past year and 1/2 and have come to dread that @#$@ alarm clock, the drive with the masses into and home from work, and pure exhuastion wanting to just go to bed but it is only 7pm! We are moving and I am taking an 11a-11p shift, I can hardly wait!

Working in the ER, I love how each diagnosis presents itself so differently. We get to learn something new everyday. I don't I have ever said "I am so bored" while I was at work. Keeps you on your toes!

I agree that they are quite close to the bone and it gives me the heebie jeebies when I hear the scrape of needle on bone but usually always get the draw. Also, they usually are not as deep as one thinks they are. I also find that the more gentle I poke the needle in, the better luck I have! Also do not forget to check the pt's Allen's Test and document that you did it.

We have LPNs that work in our ER, but they stay on the non monitored section of the area. When I was in the Army the LPNs worked the entire ER, and most were excellent. As an LPN you can "audit" the ENA sponsored classes (TNCC, ENPC) I think that it would be beneficial to sit in on these classes if you have the chance. Good luck deciding your future!!

We use paramedics as often as we can. They function in a "resourse position". IV starts, blood draws, transport of monitored pts to the units or CT etc..., and as an extra set of hands in the trauma rooms. Our medics at one point were able to give meds, however new admin came in and that luxury was taken away with no real good explaination.