mcmannrn

from the time that the person is suspected of diverting drugs to the actual time that they are taken out of work is long, very long. So know that you did the right thing also are your "big cheeses" going to report this to the police & office of professionals. Chris Mann, RN

What were they thinkin'???? I believe that touch is important, holding a hand, soothing a brow, petting the dog....but do I know the status of your energy field NO, I don't believe that I do.

If I need it once in 3 months, I try to check staffing. You gotta take care of your self too.

Yeah, charge nurse = where everything that rolls downhill stops.:roll

I have a love-hate relationship with my 12-hour shifts. I hate doing them but love it when I'm off for 3 or 4 days at a time. I'm getting too old to do more than 3 in a row but God love you nurses who can do 6 or 7 in a row. The problem on my unit is that management does not require that for every 12-hour day shift person there is a 12-hour night shift, creating 4 hour holes from 3p-7p, which can be our busiest time of the day. You know, those discharges that are supposed to happen by 11am, never happen until 1 or 2...and just like April showers bring May flowers, discharges bring admissions & transfers. I tried working straight 8's for a few weeks not too long ago and hated it, that getting up at 5am is a killer. So I alternate 4-8s & 4-12s with 1-8 & 6-12s, keeps me sane.

Is it just my facility or are Isolation Precautions just for nurses, the MDs are exempt. My unit has 20 beds and we usually have 6 or 7 pts who are MRSA and/or VRE. MDs are under the impression that "if I don't touch anything, I don't have to gown up" BUT THEY ALWAYS TOUCH SOMETHING!!!!! It makes me crazy. Or nurses at the desk with gloves on...what the heck?

No as so many others I don't feel valued, but as I became a nurse as a second career late in life I have to stay because I have to think about when I retire. Hospital nursing (med/surg) sucks but there is no $$ in office nursing in Central NY, and bottom line as much as I enjoy pts and nursing its all about the paycheck. It is only going to get worse as nursing schools aren't preparing new grads for the real world, and young people don't seem to have much desire to work....work hard anyway. I work for a state facility so we have all the govenment bs to deal with, and a year ago they got rid of our CEO and last week it was the CNO. The new CEO has a reputation of going in and "restructuring" everything and then moving on...Phillip S. Schaengold any one ever heard of him. I'm really concerned because I'd like to get my 10 years in with the state before I move on but I don't know what is going to happen next. Our CNO was a nurses nurse and she looked out for us. What is going to happen to healthcare if we all feel so negative about our jobs.

Ok, the butter-hole & tin plate are killing me, I'm laughing so hard I'm crying, my husband keeps asking "what are you laughing at" but I can't stop long enough to tell him. Just remembered had a man refer to his member & scrotum as "The Sheriff & the Deputies"

I love the things pts say it can really turn around a really bad day. Who-Who is from the movie "Boys on the Side" with Whoopi Goldberg, Drew Barrymore & MaryLouise Parker. Watch it the who-who part makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it. I have one on documentation, an LPN actually wrote "patient looks crappy" :rotfl: how would you like to take that one to court!!!

Oops forgot to tell you that in August 2005 my facility went to being a "Smoke-free Campus" Now the smokers just have to take longer breaks to go to an area that is off campus. Another negative for us non-smokers who already take less breaks. mcm

In the news last week was an item r/t Scotts Miracle Gro Scotts has given employees a year - and free counseling, nicotine patches and cessation classes - to quit smoking. They also built a $5 million gym for the employees. The company has not determined how it will verify compliance with the new policy, said Jim King, a spokesman. As a non smoker I have concerns r/t the cost of my health insurance because the costs of claims has to be passed on and I end up paying more for my care because of smokers illness. Additionally I have a problem that as a family of 2 I pay the same premium as a family of 12.

I am shocked that the HR dept let you leave that way, obviously that facility doesn't think retention and success of new grads is important...too bad for them. The other info is correct that often employeers can only state that you did work there with dates and would you be rehired. Good Luck in your nursing caree, don't give up either. Next time you interview don't just let them interview you, you need to interview them make sure they are going to meet your needs, ask specific questions about the orientation process. Our preceptors, along with charge nurses & managers meet with new orientees weekly to ensure that the process is going along well.

#1 at 25 and #2 at 29, worked great for me especially with the last one as I wanted my children grown and on their own while I was still young enough to enjoy my life. At 41 I went to school and changed careers, from Executive Assistant for VP at a large Engineering firm, to an RN. Now that I am 53 (for a few more months) my husband & I travel and enjoy life and I love my nursing career. We particularly enjoy the part of life when we can lock the door & turn off the lights and go to bed at 8:30 pm just because we are tired and want to.:rotfl:

I just started the Excelsior program and I'm having some trouble getting into it. Any suggestions that will help me get on the right track to success?:balloons: mcm

I feel your pain, I work for a State owned facility and once staff make it through their first year without problems getting rid of them is difficult. I find using the phrase "are you refusing to..." works quite well, I also document with our "Occurence Report" if you have something similar I would use it. Do you get the support and backing of your management, if not take it to the next level.