sassyRN73

I'm feeling your pain right now...have been in the ED for 3 weeks. I like the work and the team we work with is awesome!!! However, some days I feel like I'm running on a treadmill and not getting anything accomplished. Hopefully we'll be getting the hang of the ED rythym.

We use it, but def NOT for RSI! We have been using it for about a year and I still prefer propofol for sedation for intubated patients.

Title: RN status: Full time, staff Nights Category: acute care hospital Specialty: Mixed ICU # of beds in the unit:17 Geographics: Springfield, MA How has your facility or department been affected?: New COO 15 non RN layoffs last month. We just found out that Days on ICU is overstaffed so they are trying some "creative" staffing solutions to avoid RN Layoffs. Fear that Day RN's will opt to come to nights and as one of the low men on totem pole I'm afraid of being laid off. Not many jobs posted at my facility and in my area.

I'm a new grad orienting in busy ICU, and it has been four weeks. I feel really overwhelmed, and I feel like I've bitten off more than I can chew. Transferred patient to telemetry floor and forgot to print new medication reconsiliation. I feel sooo stupid:madface:!!! I am also with a super smart and organized preceptor and am feeling just a little bit intimidated. Preceptor is really nice and is good at teaching. I keep forgetting little things (mostly paperwork stuff, clinical skills are good). Will I ever get the hang of this???? Thanks for letting me rant!!!

Working in Tele & ICU

Took the dreaded test today - stopped at 75!! Holy crap:uhoh21: my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. Was unsure of alot of questions. Tons of priority & pharm, with a smattering of pedi, ob & psych. Zero med calc. Will be checking BOR & Pearson constanly. The waiting totally sucks. Good luck to all waiting on their results.

Taking the NCLEX tomorrow at 3pm. back and forth between ok I can do this and freaking out and ready to puke. Studied both saunders, NCLEX 3500, and learningext.com. :barf01: Wish me luck, and my prayers are with anyone who is in the same boat as me.

I work as a tech in M/SICU and the same thing happens at my job alot. Some techs do nothing but most bust their buts. We transcribe doctors orders, order supplies, stock carts but some just outright refuse to touch a patient. Ridiculous!!! We are all there to help the patients. I wish that everyone could pitch in when needed.

I also have a bulging disk in my back and fortunately the pain comes and goes. I take meds and do back exercises. The best exercise I have found for this pain is yoga zone yoga for a strong and healthy back. This dvd has literally saved my back and I notice if I get too busy and haven't done it in awhile my back knows it. Hope this helps and good luck with that last semester and surgery if you get it.

Another Nursing student chiming in- scribblern -GOOD for you. I work 24h/week as ICU tech, have two small children and attend a night ADN program. I put a ton of time into prep for all of my classes (lecture and lab/clinical). I really makes me angry when students just breeze in and think that they can just BS their way thru. They are neither contientious nor responsible two traits I believe are required for nursing. You are doing the right thing. Thanks to all the nursing educators for all you do and all you have taught us nursing students. This gives me great insight into all that goes into teaching nursing students. Eight more months to go to :mortarboard:

This happened just the other day - I work in acute care and I was working with a RN doing med surg overflow with six patients (I am a Secretary/CNA). At 2pm we were told there was no staff to replace us at three, so we had to move all of our pt. by 3:30pm. The RN called one of our med-surg floor for report and explained to the RN taking report that she was sorry but not all of the orders were noted. The med-surg RN exploded and screamed at my RN using both profanity and screaming. I could hear her loud and clear as I was sitting right next to the RN giving report. I can only imagine how that sounded at the med-surg station. What's up with that, I understand that the recieving RN might have been having a bad day but that is no reason to treat ANYONE in that fashion. Makes me wonder if nursing is like that everywhere, and I for one do not want that kind of behavior in my facility. Any thoughts?

Marla- Thanks for the inspiring post. I am in my thirties with two beautiful daughters and a great hubby working toward my RN in May 2007 (hopefully). I have some extra baggage and I would love to be healthier and have more energy for my activities. The one meal at a time approach sounds really great, and I want to take better care of myself. Why is it that we always put ourselves on the bottom of our to do list??? Anyway, I'm sending you all of my good wishes and prayers. Be well. Mariann

I just completed my first year we started with 36 and lost 3 from our 2 year ADN program. One student had SEVERE test anxiety and the other two really struggled with the material. As you all know, it flies fast & furious. Try to focus on your goals, and stay on top of your assignments. Also, use a comprehensive NCLEX review book as a study guide prior to the tests. This helped me tremendously!!! Good luck to all my fellow nursing students in the coming semester!!!

Hi there- I work as a unit extender in ICU and Intermediate care and I do it all!! Vitals, Ekg, transcribe orders, file, answer bells etc. But in Med-Surg all they do is desk. Working towards my RN:balloons: Grad in May 2007!! Good luck to you.

I will be starting my 3rd semester at Springfield Technical Community College in September - glad to have some R&R this summer!!