Nurseways

My first job as a nurse was in a CICU, and I was overwhelmed every single day! Of course, this was in the day of Paper Charting. As a new nurse, you need to find an organization system that works for you. "Brain Sheets". Before you leave, check and recheck that you have documented the requirements. They are obviously auditing your charts. In terms of care, if you did NOT document something it wasn't done. And many charges are generated through certain charting. The above advice is for your NEXT job. You are in a toxic environment. Get out now. And consider this a lesson so you will perform better in your next job! All the best, Lisa

I disagree with this! I have been a nurse for 25 years, in that time i have only known 7 nurses who were fired.

Congrats, on the new relationship! I love the idea of working one day a month as sort of a trial. There is something about the new phase of the relationship, heart racing, daydreaming, loving the sound of a voice. Most of this is hormone related, btw. But it sure is nice. Now, how invested are you at your current job? Can He move to you, or is that out of the question? My other suggestion would be if you are set on making this move, stay prn at your current job, and work there occassionally. You would be able to keep up your skills, and maybe come back. As a Mom, I would say that right now you are in the "honeymoon" phase. Everything is perfect. The real test of any relationship is: How well you as a couple react to adversity Have you had your first argument yet? How will finances be handled How are your communication skills as a couple? I wish you the best whatever you decide. And if you move North they will be damn lucky to have you!

At my Healthcare System, it is either get the flu shot or wear a mask (allergies or any other reason) for the duration of flu season while on the job.

Juniper, I moved from Indiana to Florida four years ago. It was an exhausting process. You don't have to be a resident of Fl to get a Fl license!. I know a lot of travelers that are from out of state who travel to Florida. But it does take take time. This is a quote from the Florida Board of Nursing regarding obtaining endorsement from another state: This is a link Florida Board of Nursing >> Licensed Practical Nurse & Registered Nurse by Endorsement - Licensing, Renewals & Information for the Florida Board of Nursing. There are quite a few steps, fingerprinting is what took the longest for me. You can't do a live scan when you are out of state. And they are VERY particular. I had to do it two times (you can usally do this at a law enforcement agency. Background check. Verify your current license. As of January 18,2018, Florida is now a compact state, so the process may not be as long for you depending on where you currently live. Best of luck to you. Not sure what part of the state you are looking at. We live about a mile West of Tampa Bay, and love it here. ~Lisa

Another article entitled, Why stress happens and how to manage it Stress: Why does it happen and how can we manage it? gives some truly benifical suggestions about handling stress. Do you think you could benefit from seeking a counselor? Several companies offer free or low-cost counseling services in their Employee Assistance Programs. Either way I would suggest you set up an appointment so you can talk to someone just for you, and who is impartial. And then! Then Mother's Day is Sunday. I am a mom, and I am anticipating more obligations than celebrations. As it is we are hosting a friend of my son's for an overnight. 1. Happy Mother's Day !!!!!! 2. You need to give yourself permission to say No, sometimes. You can't possibly be all things to all people. One thing to consider is that your son will have a guest and will be entertained. Or maybe next time your son can have an overnight at his friends house. Maybe you could use that time, to read for fun, take a relaxing bath, or give your self a pedicure. (((((((((((((((((((HUG)))))))))))))))) I certainly wish you the best! Lisa

I would NEVER recommend emailing someone about this issue. 1. What you see as doing nothing, may not be true. What you saw was a "snapshot" a moment in someone else's day. As you were very busy, doing what nurses do, tending to your patients. Nor would I recommend saying something, in the heat of the moment, that would jeopardize your relationship with your coworkers. Consider this, perhaps your frustration was an issue with staffing and nurse/patient ratios. If you feel this person (note I did not use a gender-specific noun) is not pulling their weight. Think about what you want to achieve. Nurse/patient ratios that are manageable? Your conversation could go something like, "You know the other day, I had a full patient load and I felt like I couldn't keep up. As a team lead, what is your role on the unit? Maybe we can put our heads together that will impact better care delivery. What do you suggest?" 2. A blanket statement is not helpful, to anyone. Ever. I would steer clear of the suggestion that one demographic is "lazy". 3. As a floor nurse, it is expected that you will be busy on your shift. What is your process for the shift? Do you use a brain sheet to help keep track of everything that needs to be done? 4. If you want to be a change agent, begin by using the appropriate chain of command. The structure should be available to you in the General Employee Handbook, or what ever your institution calls it. 5. If you aren't willing to help fix the problem, then ultimately you are part of the problem. And keep in mind nobody is forcing you to stay on that unit. You are a nurse, and there are several opportunites where you could use your skills more in line with your niche.

I'm sorry this happenned to you, but think of it as a learning exeprience. Here are a few things you can do before your next interview. 1. [/b]Consult with a professional resume service.[/b] They can help your resume stand out and shine. 2. Clean up you social media pages.Prospective employers view your history and what types of things you are posting. If you posted negative statements about your current or previous employer that would be a red flag to someone looking at your timeline. Delete any pictures that you wouldn't want a future employer to see. (Keep in mind even if you have your privacy seetings private, that those images never truly "go away" i.e., a friend shared a picture and tagged you ) 3. Move ForwardYou tried to get some feedback, but I don't think you are going to get any answers from that hospital as to whythey didn't hire you. So plan how you will present yourself on your resume, on the phone with HR, and at the interview. 4.Remember somethings are simply out of your control The Manager obviously like and wanted to hire you, so you must have great communication skills! If you don't really want to leave Florida, have you considered taking a travel assignment within the state? You already have a Fl license. I know three travelers who ended up getting full time positions at the hospital of their choice through a travel assignment. I know this is horrible now, but it will get better! Best of luck to you.

I agree with what others are advising you. Another thing to consider is this. If the hospital you want to work for has Magnet status, then you probably won't get an interview with an ADN. Only you know what is best for you. First, do your due diligence. Many ADN programs are actually harder to get into than BSN programs, due to so many people trying to get in at a community college level. Then consider, that although the ADN is technically a two-year degree, in reality, it takes at least three years to complete because of the general education prerequisites. And be careful, because all of those "required courses" for the ADN programs may not transfer if you decide to go back. Since you are essentially starting at ground zero, you need to ask yourself do you want to spend three years to get a 2-year degree, then go back later to obtain your BSN. If a BSN is your goal then I would recommend attending a BSN program. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best as you begin YOUR Nursing Journey!

You are truly an example to us all. Your post reminded me of an article I read the other day, How To Tell If Someone Is Truly Smart Or Just Average by Michael Simmons. The article talked about the mindset of innovators, how they view the world differetnly, and how you can apply their techniques. One idea that resonated with me was that it is not enough to have above-average intelligence. It is the thoughtful and purposeful way we use our brains. I truly believe that we should all strive to be life-long learners. I just finished my MSN at 54, and already getting the itch. I'm thinking of perhaps an MBA this time around. First, I'd like to thank you for your service to our country. And second, congratulations on your prolific career(s)!

mmmidori, My husband and I relocated from Indiana to Florida 4 years ago. I knew the general area where I wanted to work, but I knew nothing about which hospital was a good fit. I dodged one bullet, that would have been an awful place to work. Long story short, sometimes there is very little wiggle room for negotiation. The Health Care System has an algorithm and that is your offer. I have three friends that did a travel assignment in our hospital, that ended up getting full-time positions. (Incidentally, they all took huge pay cuts.) But it is a great way to get the feel for an organization and the community. Are you selling your current home? My husband and I ended up relocating before our Indiana home sold. I reached out to a realtor pal in Florida, and she found us a short-term rental, that was on a month to month bases, and dog-friendly (we have a German Shepard, some complexes don't allow the breed.) If you do decide to do a travel assignment, you would have a place to live. I'm no expert about taxes. Check with an accountant or lawyer about that. Best of luck to you as you make this transition!

Nurse, "Look, I get it. None of us like it, but the Staff Only Bathroom is out of order. If you have to "go" that badly, use the Public Bathroom. Worf, "Are you suggesting that I "Go where no Nurse has gone before?""

I know we need a culturally diverse nursing staff, but Klingons?

Worf, how many times do I have to write you up for not following the dress code?

I was working on a high-risk antepartum unit. The attending physician and the perinatologist agreed to discharge a patient when they made the morning rounds. This lady was there for "abdominal pain" at 36 weeks gestation and had been a patient for about a week. She had practically every test available, but they could not find a definitive source of her pain. The attending felt that she was a drug-seeker, and made arrangements for her to be seen at a pain-management physician once discharged. The patient and her mother were very concerned about the discharge. The patient was crying, "I don't understand why they are sending me home." Her mother said, "I know her, she is not a complainer, if she says she's hurting something must be going on!" On the physician orders, she was to get a Biophysical Profile every other day. Normally, unless the physician requested it, we did not do them on the day of discharge. But the order was still available. She got the Biophysical Profile, and she had no amniotic fluid present in her uterus. I left a message with the attending's office nurse (he was in surgery) then called the perinatologist and told him the results. He ordered to prep her for a Cearean, and said that he would notify the attending. When the perinatologist came down to discuss the plan of care, he stopped at the desk and said,"What the f*** did you do to her?", but he was smiling. He told me that if the patient would have been discharged there was a high probability that the baby would not have survived due to sepsis.

I once worked in a busy LDRP unit where had Family Medicine Residents completed their OB rotations. One night, a patient at 34 weeks gestation, with a partial abruption, started having a non-reassuring fetal heart tracing. After the normal interventions (change positions, fluid bolus, O2) the fetal heart tracing started improving. However, there were still some occasional DEEP decelerations. I took the patient's food and water and explained what was happening with her baby's heart rate and that at this time not to eat or drink anything. The patient was aware and agreed. The on-call first-year resident came into the room came into the room as I was explaining everything to the patient and her husband. The resident said to me, "I need to speak to you." So we stepped out of the room. She (the resident) pretty much reamed me out. "How dare you give orders to MY patient, without even talking to me. I think this patient is dehydrated, so give her her PO fluids back right now." I very calmly explained about the fetal heart tracing, and that while it was better it wasn't ideal. She stopped me and then said, "I am the doctor you are the nurse, and you will do what I tell you." So I reply, "Let me get this straight. You want me to give a patient PO fluids because you're the doctor? The tracing is just now recovering. Why don't we watch it for a bit, and then if it stabilizes we can give her PO fluids back." "Well, I guess that would be okay, but her lips are cracked, that means dehydration. I want you to give her some Glycerin swabs, and make that STAT!" Our unit didn't even stock Glycerin swabs! It wasn't five minutes later, the fetal heart rate had a prolonged deceleration, and we rushed her to the OR for an emergency Cesarean Section. She never got those Glycerin swabs!

My Nursing Tips After more than 25 years as a nurse, I have learned: First, when you are getting shift report listen to what the other nurse has to say. Be respectful, clarify what you don't understand. If you feel for one minute, that the nurse left you with a mess, take a deep breath, instead of immediately questioning them why something wasn't done. You don't really know what that person has endured on their shift. A little kindness goes a long way. Second, take everything with a grain of salt when a nurse tells you that a patient or their family member has ATTITUDE, is drug seeking, or is non-compliant. It may be true or it may not be true. Walk into that patient's room, like you know they are the BEST patient on the unit. Meet their needs, talk to them, and be sure and include their family. Answer all their questions. Third, if you do not like something about your unit, you have a few options open to you. 1. Yo can complain about it 2. You can ignore it 3. You can get another job 4. You can find a solution to the problem and make things better. (BTW options 1 and 2 are what you REALLY shouldn't do!) If you use just these three pieces of advice, you will be a much happier, valuable team member in your organization!

via GIPHY Congratulations!

As frustrating as this is, consider it merely a speed bump on YOUR Nursing Journey! Here are my suggestions: 1. If you do not currently work in Healthcare, find a job in a Healthcare organization. Tuition reimbursement is a GRAD Thing 2. Brush up on your writing, math, and research skills. You need all of those for school anyway 3. Spend as much "fun" time with your child/children as you can now. Your time will be quite a bit more limited once in Nursing School 4. Complete all the tasks that you have been putting off (i.e. cleaning out closets, painting the bedroom) 5. Stay positive! I find that most things happen for a reason. Instead of thinking of this time a hindrance, think of it as a gift! Oh and by the way, you ARE a Rockstar! 4.0. You should be doing a Happy Dance!

Dear Mermaid 701, I was fortunate because when I first went to WGU to obtain my BSN, I only needed two non-Nursing classes that were required, Biochemistry and Statistics. The very first thing I would do if I were you, would be to discuss this with your student mentor, if you have been assigned one, if not then speak to the admission counselor. I can tell you that if you are very motivated and you opt to take the course through WGU, it probably won't take you long. If English Comp is one of your strengths, you do not have to complete every single task in the course of study, you can take a pretest, and if your cutoff is high enough, then you can take the final test. There is sometimes a lot of repetited information within the course of study. I don't have any idea how much it costs to do a CLEP test, but since you will be on a six-month term through WGU it isn't really going to cost you anything extra to take the course through them. I would be more than happy to answer any other questions you have about WGU, so please feel free to reach out to me.

Alex, I completed my RN-BSN program in 2015. I started at WGU 20 years after I obtained my Associate Degree. It took me 18 months, however, I could have finished a lot sooner. We moved from Indiana to Florida while I was in school, that slowed me down a bit! What sold me on WGU was 1. WGU is affordable 2. It was a competency-based program and 3. The ability to complete the program on your own timeframe. WGU's terms are in six-month increments and run ~3,000 per term, and there are no books to buy! They are all electronically accessed and are included in your tuition. The Competency-based paradigm allows you to accelerate in subjects that you are already proficient in. This means that you can complete as many courses that you want in that timeframe. Two years after I completed my BSN, I went back to WGU for my Masters. I completed the program in 12 months. If you have any questions about WGU, feel free to contact me. Best of luck to you as you begin this new phase on your nursing journey! ~Lisa