Wisco50

WOW! I must say I TOTALLY agree with Lil Nel, RN! This new young nurse was worried she wasn't going to get a job in her geographical area. We have no idea where she lives, why she thinks this or whether she can do anything about it for now - i.e. moving to a different location. She started on a med-surg floor, which wasn't what she really wanted, but she likely thought (my presumption) that she had better get a job, get started and hope for things to improve from there at SOME point in her relatively near future. We don't know if she was pregnant when she took the job. (At least I don't, sounds like she might have gotten pregnant very soon after starting the job?). We have NO idea if she has had any pregnancy losses before which would exacerbate the emotional distress. A pregnancy loss at 19 weeks is pretty far along and a rather unusual gestation for a loss. Very early losses are usually chalked up to lack of implantation, insufficient hormonal levels for maintenance of pregnancy, genetic defects. I was a L&D RN for 21 years and say 19 weeks is unusual. So we have no idea what was going on, if it was a sudden loss or if she was going through extra stress of "will I or won't I keep this pregnancy?" Have a bit of heart, some of you! Really! Couple that with frustrations of all the challenges a new job (of any kind) brings. My guess is she may also be (at least somewhat) clinically depressed from all the aforementioned. Yet you are telling her to buck up, how she is wrong about A,B,C, and D.Wow, just wow. -My advice - take the allotted medical leave you have available because of your loss. Talk to a therapist about your jumble of feelings and get the help to sort all this stuff out. I, personally, will tell you to stay until you have a firm and viable plan. I have often told myself in certain life situations that "I can do this for X amount of time." That helps me see the light at the end of the tunnel! -I was not only a new grad hired into OB, years down the line, I became the unit director and I hired new grads! Some hospitals may have policies about such hiring but not all do and not all directors feel the same. NONE of us were born being a "X type" of RN - be it Peds, ICU, OB, OR, etc. At some point we are ALL learners! -Do I think a year of med-surg can be useful to being an OB nurse of any kind? Yes, I think it likely can help in ANY forward career move. It's a good solid background. Plus these days in OB and esp L&D, SO many things are more complicated, more technical, etc. it is NOT going to hurt to learn any of that and when you get the OB patient who is ill be it a kidney stone (with possible sepsis?!), a bad infection of any kind (resp., GI, cellulitis, etc), who needs surgery (GB or kidney stone) it will all help. I say be gentle and kind to yourself, hopefully others will be gentle and kind to you, that you have good family and or friendship support. Things WILL get better, they really will. When nothing is going right (as it seems), it is so easy to let any little thing get to you. BTW, I have also had some serious clinical depression as a result of a physical situation I had little control over for awhile...it makes you feel as if everything is hopeless, as if you cannot punch your way out of a paper bag. Lean on those who help you in whatever capacity. Keep the faith that things will get better. Hugs.

You have made an excellent point. I realize there is an opiate problem but I also think the media reports etc. have swung the pendulum way over to mass hysteria at this point. There has to be a reasonable point in the middle. I fear it is going to take awhile to get there. I think there are doctors who prescribe indiscriminately (and criminally, sadly) but speaking from my PACU nurse point of view, I lay a lot of the blame on the "added VS campaign" promoted by JCAHO. If I could use emojis here, you'd be seeing an angry face. Sure, we'll rip out Jane Doe's original knee, saw and hammer and chisel a new one in and get their pain "acceptable". Oh, BTW, acceptable can be no higher than 2-3 (if lucky!). I am SO glad I am retired now!

I understand where you are coming from. I was a staff RN for most of my hospital career but did have 4 years in position of unit director. Most drug users are either caught or highly suspected of use. I had two of the latter situations occur. Frustrated c one as she actually had a "viable" reason to start using, said for pure lack of another way to explain it, NOT as an excuse to divert and use. Had joint surgery, ended up c post op case of RSD (as it was then called). Pre-PYXIS, could see she was removing more drug than needed for patient/s. She refused to admit she had a problem and insisted she had actually given patients more than was ordered because "they needed it". Well, of course, THAT was against nursing practice, so she was then terminated. She could have admitted, taken leave, gone to Rehab and her job back eventually. (This was a long time ago. I feel things have become very punitive minded.) The other nurse was someone I had several concerns about but never anything I could put my finger on. Long story, just trust my gut on this one....anyway she eventually had performance issues (late, call-ins) and I was able to terminate her because of those issues. Long as I am opining here, let me also say sometimes staff gets upset when you terminate someone (my first example) but because of confidentiality, I could not explain my reasoning for my action. Sometimes staff gets upset that someone is NOT being "dealt with" (my second example) but don't realize I am 1) aware of situations i.e. lates, absences, etc. yet just am waiting 2) to follow protocols etc. in order to terminate someone rightfully - if done incorrectly the person can file a grievance and possibly win if they can show that procedures were not exactly followed.

An unsealed vial or premeasured syringe is vastly different from a sealed one. I got the impression the poster had a partially used amount of it in her (accidental) possession. Why else would she have immediately asked for herself and the med contents to be tested?

I would be interested to know why the poster believes she would be happy/"happier" with postpartum nursing? Does she see it as an easier job? Does she love babies? Crying babies that will not nurse even though you are trying every trick you know? What about moms who are tired, hurting, frightened, suddenly bleeding heavily, etc.? Drug addict moms? Moms who just had a stillborn or whose baby is teetering n the edge of life in NICU? It also can involve a LOT of teaching. Likely far more intensely than years before - moms take those babies home so fast now! I'm someone who worked PP my first year out of school (long ago). You can run into all those things. I do think the poster needs to figure out just what is going on in her life that leads her to make certain decisions and actions. Best of luck!

"Everyone knows medical marijuana dispensaries" are really a joke for people who want to use recreationally? Proof? Statistics?

Wow. Just a head shaking wow. Humans can be so freaking obnoxious at times. Yes, we need to care for most of them. I say most because on rare occasion I actually asked a male RN to help me when I had a male patient being very obnoxious with obscene comments - working in PACU, it seems an occasional patient will try and use the guise of "the medicine made me do it" to get away with being obnoxious. Truly obnoxious. Why should a patient be able to cuss someone out or call them ugly names because of how they look or speak English (with an accent) or perhaps have a head covering on, etc.? Sure, we all know that some conditions mean a patient cannot control their brain. I do think there needs to be clarity in what we consider patient responsibility. I have been a patient a number of times, including under stressful conditions and acting like that never went through my mind! I was also a unit manager and I would not have allowed my staff to be treated thusly!

Don't have to smoke it! Mind you, never used it when working and am hoping medical (at least) will someday be legal in my state. I would happily try it to see if it helps with pain and poor sleep due to mod/severe spinal stenosis.

No, you were not wrong, she was. She likely knew it, too. Signed, retired c 43 yrs of hospital nursing

You are not the only RN I have heard saying that! I worked in PACU x 22 years and L&D x21 before PACU. I could never handle a floor and especially not how they are now. My son is an RN and he went to Cath Lab from ER (was tired of being PM charge and the "more senior" nurse when he had been there only about 5+ years. His wife is an RN and went from MedSurg to ER - better than a floor (usually). She's wanting OR but they cannot both do call with young kids at home. Me? Glad I retired! Miss the patients and most of the people I worked c but NOT the administration and stupid, petty rules. :

I was a registered nurse for 43 years, retired several years now. (My back and neck will never be the same, either. í ½í¸¥) I was a 3 year "diploma" RN. I have worked c terrific nurses, including LPNs, from all educational levels. While I would not go c a conspiracy theory, I do agree that if we could all band together we would get a lot further in ways beneficial for all! Better hours, working conditions and wages for nursing staff. Better and safer care for patients. If someone like the ANA could become a unified voice for us, as strong a lobby as the AMA is for MDs, it would protect all.

I think staff are considered more expendable by far. You can always "make do" with staffing shortages. You cannot recruit patients as easily. These days many insurance plans mandate where a patient can receive care including negotiations with hospital/s. Patient satisfaction is the driver behind success.

Get an attorney!

I hope you and your fellow staff realize that according to Federal law you are required to be comped by the hospital/employer for 30 minutes of meal time during an 8 hour shift?! The hospital I worked at did not make this well known, it was not applied fairly and there was a fine and a legal firm (local) brought the case as class action. We got financial compensation for past wages that should have been paid. So please be aware and do NOT be afraid to speak up. You can always report it anonymously. I can't remember the exact name of the Federal rule but I believe it is the Department of Wages and Hours or something like that.

Bless you!!!! From a retired RN and dog lover who has also smuggled a dog into a hospital for similar reasons! Before pet therapy dogs were allowed never mind someone's personal dog!