icurn11

Interesting. I thought someone said the state BONs limit how many hours you can legally work straight on. I am not a candidate for 18 hour days on a regular basis. Leave that for the 20 year olds!!

I'm interviewing for a job with Fresenius, and I'm pretty sure call is part of the job. How does that work? When I was a new floor nurse 10 years ago at a small country hospital, on call meant you made a whopping $2 an hour to stay home and hope the phone didn't ring. Yes, only $2. My last job, you didn't get paid a cent for being on call, but you could count on being called right around 7 AM, which means you should have just gone on in to work. They tried to save $$ by cancelling staff, then the ER filled up with admits, and it was a mad house with them trying to get half the hospital's nurses to come in. I don't mind call, but I think you should get paid something, since you basically waste a day you could have been doing other things. And if you have kids, you have to have "standby" child care which is almost impossible. Luckily, I don't have kids, but just the logistics of "sitting on ready" are a bit of a pain.

Thanks for all the info. I plan to ask is there a limit to the day....if you could possibly end up with an emergency situation and end up with a 17 or 18 hour day. That would kill me. I did a 16 once when my relief didn't come in. It had been a very good shift, and I was still wiped out. I'm pretty sure I'll be expected to take call, especially if they are so short-staffed that they know they will be paying me overtime. I think I will like the job itself, it's just if I can handle the hours. I'm getting old and my feet and back remind me every day that I'm not 20, lol.

OMG, you could make more at McDonald's!! A nurse for $10 an hour should be illegal. that is just nuts.

I have an interview with Fresenius in a few days to interview for an inpatient dialysis RN position. I have 10 years ICU/ER/med-surg experience and a MSN. I'm new to dialysis, however. Does anyone have a rough idea of salary range? I do know that I will train 12 weeks in classroom and work with a nurse at least 6 months. The benefits sound great. I've been told up front that it's 4 12's a week, but you don't get off till you're done, which is no big deal since that's any nurse's job. I know it would be a lot of overtime every week. They are short staffed but hopefully will go to 3 12's. Just want to get an idea of salary, what to expect from training, and if they do what they say. I'm tired of getting a pretty picture painted only to find out I've signed up for a tour of duty in hell (my last job:(). Thanks!

Is it just me, or are there others who despise the group projects required in every grad school class? I hate the idea of waiting on others to drag their heels doing their part of the work. You are only as fast as the slowest person, and I am extremely busy with work and school and other obligations. I have to beg everyone to get started so I can plan my work. I don't think it's fair to get the same grade as someone else who maybe didn't put much effort into their work. I find this very frustrating. Maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist. Does anyone else have this experience? I always seem to end up in the group that turns work in at the very last minute.

I work (thank God) agency nurse at a 400 bed hospital. Of course, the Christmas gifts have gotten skimpier each year, not a shock. Just found out today from a nurse that the hospital isn't giving employee C'mas gifts this year. Instead, they are forcing employees to donate to thier supposed "non-profit" special charity affiliated with the non-profit church-based hospital!! Oh, you don't HAVE to give, but if you don't give at least $20, you get an "below average" mark on your performance review!! Hmm.....I thought this was called coercion. Sounds to me like if you don't donate, your review will get a black mark, and of course, no raises! They said that if even 1 nurse on a unit gets marked unsatisfactory, that will render the ENTIRE unit ineligible for merit raises! So now nurses with kids and single moms are scrambling to dig out yet another "it's only $20" donation from thier pocket to buy themselves a decent performance review. This is so illegal and unfair. I am just appalled. They get away with murder at this place. I don't care if it's only a penny, it's the principle. If I didn't need my job, like we all do, I'd quit tomorrow.:angryfire

How about my rich crazy lady who came to the ER in a LIMOSINE!!!! Then up on the floor, she stole oil paintings off the wall by the gift shop..........everyone in the hospital says "Oh, yeah, I heard about that pt." Good news travels fast!!!! LOL

Pt in ICU 6.9 and beginning to turn slightly blue......

Awesome notes!!! Thanks for posting.

I really want to get my NP in adult critical care....but what I've read and heard lately seems to think that a FNP is more hireable. If I go FNP could I have options to work in ICU/critical care? I think FNP might bore me to death. Thanks for any input!!

thank you soooo much!! anything will help. i hear that program is pretty kick butt.....i'm nervous already and i havent' even gotten in yet!!

Hi Nursekitten! Would you possibly email them to me, or PM to me?? I am starting NP school next year, and am weak in cardiac. Thanks bunches!!!

I used several...I love the Made Easy series-I have several of their books, including EKG interpretaion made easy. Look for them on Ebay and Amazon to save a few dollars.

Oh, thank you! That would be great. I am going to start on patho now-Ive always heard that it's the hardest part. Thanks!!