boxofrain

Long, sad story. I graduated from BSN program as a second-career nurse in December, 2017. Passed NCLEX in 75 questions in Feb. of 2018; secured first job in ICU at a Level I trauma unit in a residency program summer 2018. Was asked to leave program a...

Okay, total tangent, but I laughed out loud at this. I hate the term "self-care." It sounds so touchy-feely (and almost a little bit pornographic.) Whenever someone asks me what I do for self-care, I'm tempted to say "heroin." Not appropriate for hea...

Thanks! I'm focusing efforts on outpatient and research right now, but I'll see where the road takes me. With regard to the stress nurses endure, I'll say this. One of my last conversations with the nurses at my former facility was completely about o...

I think you hit the nail on the head. This has become such a "hot topic" that anyone who even raises a (very valid) question about safety and efficacy is swiftly labeled a wacky anti-vaxxer, which itself has become a perjorative term. Even before I b...

Thank you for your kind words. Yes, I've found that the nurses I've worked with have not been particularly kind. In fact, they've been pretty nasty at times. They're also very stressed and anxious. I think that's the key to the whole "nurses eating t...

Somewhat far afield from the original post, but this was on Medscape a few days ago. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/918026

The first part of your post describes me exactly. At least in the role of floor nurse. Judging from the string of letters after your name, you've thrived as a nurse, so that gives me hope. Since I originally posted, I've been focusing on outpatient a...

So, newbie (kinda) nurse here with a quick question...what's the point? If you woke me up every hour of every night, I'd be A&OX0 by the second night. If you wake someone out of REM sleep, you won't get any kind of accurate picture of their menta...

Many, many thanks for all of your thoughtful suggestions and insights. In answer to the question about clinical rotations, again, my education was woefully inadequate. Technically, the number of required hours was attained, it's what passed as "clini...

I tried to delegate and was told that I wasn't helping the PCTs enough, so I went back to doing all the patient care myself. I really felt like I could not get a break at this facility. Every move I made was wrong...

I really hope not. Yes, I was focusing on certain tasks that needed to be mastered, while trying to keep the big picture in mind. "Task-y" is almost the worst thing anyone could ever say about me, in my world. And to be perfectly honest, yes, I've al...

This is something else I've learned. My school (and others, from what I've heard) does not prepare students for nursing jobs. It prepares students to pass the NCLEX. That's a piece of advice that I've given people considering nursing school...beware ...

Yes and yes. I know I have at least moderate anxiety and I'm pretty sure I have ADHD (my son, brother, a niece and a nephew have all been diagnosed too.) I have considered medicating for the ADHD and will at least consult w/someone about it. I'm very...

This is such a fine line. I've dealt with situations like this before. A parent of one of my psych patients actually asked me to give her child a placebo and tell him he was getting medication. I did not comply and she understood. Does your facility ...

Hmmm...trying to remember almost two years ago now. Role transition was on a general med surg floor with a few tele pts thrown in. Want to say maybe three or four? I don't remember what the regular patient load was for those nurses. Probably four or ...

Aw, thanks! Something I needed to hear...

I would welcome an opportunity like a new grad residency and some of my friends have suggested it as well. Although technically not a new grad, I guess it can't hurt to try. Thank you so much for your response.

Just, fyi, I left the psych facility of my own accord to take this most recent job, which I thought was my dream job. And it was, in many ways. This is why the loss of the job is so difficult for me. I think the earlier part of the post may be one co...

I did an accelerated BSN program (16 months) with no prior medical experience. That was probably my first mistake. A program like this is fine for the student who previously worked as a PCT or EMT, but not so much for someone like me. Because the pro...

First, thank you for taking the time to put together this response. I know the questions are meant to elicit personal reflection, but thought I'd throw the answers out there: 1. YES! I had trouble with the med scanner, getting med packages open, coo...

Actually, that was another piece of positive feedback that I received. I was told that I was very good at developing relationships with patients and family. And, yes, probably most people would describe me as "book smart."