Ted

Hi - I'm just finding out about the site changes now. Please clarify. Will the "Breakroom" no longer be its own web-page? If not, will there be a "Daily Diary" on the Yellow Side. For what it's worth, I've been a member here for a long time. (Heck! I used to be an Administrator here! L O L!) I've cut back on my postings here and on the internet as a whole. But I do enjoy and appreciate the Allnurses web-site, especially the "Breakroom". I've been "cyber friends" with several members from Allnurses . . . for a long time. I do want to continue on corresponding with them, at least through the "Daily Diary" forum. I wish you well as the changes take place here. Ted

Looking forward to seeing Allnurses up and running again. ?

I'm just being silly! LOL! You're doing GREAT work. Again, Thank You! ?

LOL! Thank you, I think! LOL! I try to compose music that is relaxing, but hopefully not to the extent that would cause deep slumber! LOL!

Here's a link to a composition that I wrote 2 years ago. https://soundcloud.com/edward-fiebke/an-ocean-sunset I'm posting the link as a test. Hopefully you can hear the music. ?

Enjoyed reading everyone's postings here. Life has been relatively "Q" inside and outside work. The big thing that I've been doing is setting up a big "templet" in my audio-recording software for new music compositions (for 2019). It has over 100 (virtual) instruments to this templet and almost maxes out the RAM in my computer. LOL! Hope to start a new composition later this afternoon/evening. My goal is to compose one new instrumental composition per month. ?

Dave - Just want to say a warm "Hello". . . Peace. . .

Wow. . . This topic is only one day old and already there are SIX pages of postings to be found. I received an email regarding this topic. Usually I ignore emails about posts from bulletin boards like the one that was sent from allnurses. But this topic caught me eye. No. I did not read every post. Too many of them. But it seems that the "control issue" has been clarified by the "original poster" (OP). Hopefully that's true. Since I am here already, I might as well give my "2-cents worth". It's summed up with this: HIPPA. Don't use patient names or anything super specific about a patient that can violate HIPPA. Otherwise, share, vent, seek answers to question, etc. As far as preserving one's own anonymity. . . well that's a personal choice. I started out on this web-site using the first initial to my first legal name followed by my last name. I held that UserID for years. Now, it's just simply my well-recognized nickname since birth. Why? It's easier to type when I sign in. For me, i'm an open book and I could care less what others think about what I post. Not everyone shares this point of view which is to be expected and respected. So, don't share anything about yourself you simply don't want people to know. (And, as always, following this web-site's Terms of Service will go a long way in keeping whatever is posted safe, honest, respectful and following HIPPA.) Cheers! :) Ted

Some sound advice found here. Count me as another nurse who will not accept former patients as FB friends, for the reasons noted in previous posts.

I guess I'm re-re-readdicted to allnurses. LOL! (It's always been a nice internet-resting-place to visit.) :)

Thanks! And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! :)

Definitely. . . lots of what's been shared here are what I would hope to see in a new-grad/orientee nurse. Being eager to get all of the "task-stuff" out of the way (learned, practiced and competent) is a first step. For me, though. . . being willing to "dig deeper" into the roles of the Professional Nurse is a pleasure to see, too. "Teacher". "Advocate". "Preceptor". "Care-Giver". "Forever Learner". "Problem-Solver". "Critical Thinker". "Team-Player". "Team-Leader". "Role Model". "Researcher". etc., etc. Well. . . maybe not all. . . and certainly not all at once, but, at least to my eyes, these are the "roles" of the Professional Nurse that go along way to making the career satisfying, challenging, effective and life-long. Learn what you need to learn to draw that blood lab. Now, that you can do that, what are you going to do when the potassium level is 2.5 or 7.9? If the situation presents itself appropriately, what and how are you going to teach your patient to keep the potassium level within normal limits?? Be patient with yourself. Mistakes will come. As others have said, learn from them. Then, move forward and appreciate the growth as you continue to learn, practice, master. . . and teach. :)

I hope to take the PCCN exam sometime by the end of the year. I haven't stared studying for it, yet, unfortunately. Haven't even purchased a study-book for it yet. UGH! I've had co-workers attend lectures by Dr. Laura Gasparis before. They LOVED her lectures and found them to be quite helpful as they studied for the CCRN exam. Many, many moons ago, I actually talked to her on the phone. We tried to get her involved with a musical that was written back in 1996/1997. She was very gracious and offered much encouragement as we continued on with the production and promotional aspect of this project. Unfortunately, she had scheduling conflicts and didn't have the time to be in the show (so she said). She's a very cool person. Good luck with your study as you prepare yourself for the PCCN exam. This thread that you just started is challenging me to get on with my studies! UGH! LOL! Cheers. . . :cheers:

Congratulations! Edited to add: I see that you're currently residing in upstate New York. If you don't already have one, there are nursing job openings in the Albany, NY area.

nights verses days debate working nights rule!!! yea, night-shifters!! (i work the night shift.) nights are just as busy as days, just a different busy. asn verses bsn debate asn and bsn rules!! yea, asners and bsners!!! asners are just as edumicated as bsners, it's just a different edumication. rn verses lpn debate well. . . both rule!! yea, lpn and rn!!! lpns work just as hard as rn and both carry a lot of responsibilities, it just different kinds of hard and different kinds of responsibilities. both make a difference to the lives of the patients. finally, there's no debating this: all nurses rule!!! :yelclap: :thankya::yelclap: cheers. . . . :cheers: [color=#d3d3d3](i've never seen these debates before. . . . they're sooo new and soooo original!)

not new news!!! been saying this for years. . . . for decades, actually! in the end, though, a shortage is a shortage if ftes are not filled. having worked on a unit which experienced significant difficulties filling those vacant ftes, and keeping them filled with experienced and talented nurses, the "why's" behind them being empty mattered none!

Interesting . . . In quickly reading the article, it seems that the operative word is "temporary". It seems that the nursing "labor supply" may be experiencing a temporary bubble. The article continues that the nursing shortage most likely will come back "to haunt us" (my words, not the article's words) in the next few years as the economy improves. The last paragraph of this article ends with this: I do hope that employers and "workforce policymakers" keeps this in mind.

i work for a critical care access facility! i appreciate the compliment!! except, i take exception to your comment about us sometimes bickering like children. we do not bicker like children. we bicker like adult children! there's a difference! ha! cheers! :)

Just reading through the posts, here. For some facilities, it seems o.k. to float. For others? Scary!! It least in the name of Patient Safety (not to mention employee satisfaction), I would hope that ALL healthcare facilities would provide its nurses appropriate, effective orientation, as well as solid and safe-minded policies to which specialties their nurses can and should not float to, should "floating" be part of the job description. Sadly, it seems that this is not the case for a number of hospitals. Scary.

Worked both at a big teaching hospital and (now) a small community hospital. This statement is spot-on!! :)

Sooo not cool, tntrn, and freakin' scary. . . . Don't those unsafe staffing reports help in any way??

Which part of the day is most stressful for you? This is a somewhat complicated question for me because I'm actually going through a fair amount of stress now, not related to work. Ummmm. . . Normally, I'm most "stressed" when I don't get enough sleep or don't eat right. Working nights (which I do), it's important to maintain one's sleep pattern and ensure good eating habits. When too tired and/or too hungry, the simplest thing can be quite stressful (both in and outside of work). How do you keep from your work affecting your home life? Well. . . my wife is also a nurse. We have no children. We have a pretty healthy, trusting, caring and loving relationship. This, of course, helps. We're free to talk about work with each other if there's anything on our minds. Once we get any lingering concerns/frustrations of work off our chest we move on and live our life. It's a mind-set. A sense of humor is really helpful, too! Any tips on how a child of a nurse could make it easier for their parents? First, that is a very thoughtful question especially if it's sincerely coming from a "child of a nurse" (or any child of any parent). But like I said, my wife and I have no children. That extra "stress" does not exist in our lives. I honestly don't have any "parent-like" answer to offer. Do your chores. Keep out of trouble. Get good grades. Make a million dollars and give it to you parents. How are these for tips?!? LOL! Best wishes as you continue on with your study. :)

This is one of a number of responses here that crossed my mind too. . . . Hope the patient is doing better. Would be interesting to find out the cause of your patient's change in status.

I watch a lot of Dexter. . . . . I watch and learn. . . . LOL! (Just kidding ) It will be interesting to read the varied responses. Me? First, I really do like my job. This helps. (I feel very lucky.) Also, I basically keep work at work and home at home. At work, I give the best 12 hours that I can. At home, I do what I need to do to maintain my household maintain my involvement with some fairly time-intensive hobbies. Of course I have to say that hanging out here is a place to seek and share information, seek and share support and just relax. Establishing some level of involvement here can be very helpful after all it is a nursing-focused bulletin board. In a nutshell?? Maintain a balance in life. Yes. . . this in itself requires some work, but it's well worth the effort especially if one is in the nursing profession for the long run. One more thing. . . When at work and while at work, be involved. Join committees (if your facility has them) so that you have opportunities to at least "have YOUR say" on how things are managed.

Yes and no. Yes, because I know that the staff in my (really small and very unique) hospital is caring. Most also know their strenghts and weaknesses; I know their strengths and weakness! There is a lot of professional strength to be found where I work (especially when it's said, "You need to be shipped to another hospital because we don't have that "Specialist".) No. . . because I don't want ANYONE who knows me taking care of me. . . no matter how smart and/or how professional they are! I want to go to a hospital where NO ONE knows me. . . (and still employs the high grade healthcare professionals found in my teeny-tiny hospital). But. . . if I had no choice, I'd feel quite safe being a patient in my hospital. Sorry for not giving a straight "yes or no" answer.