Kype

I was a non-stop preceptor for newbies to ICU, nursing students on their ICU rotation, transfers into ICU, etc. It can be either the most irritating, frustrating, interfering thing in the world or (in my mind) the most influential task moving the art of nursing forward. Humor was my tool. I treated all my newbies as "wide eyed" infants for the first 10 minutes, sized them up and customized my approach to their learning styles. Modifying all along the journey. Much like nursing my patients. What I hated the most was a preceptee whose behavior was cavalier. Even though I knew it was probably anxiety, if the cavalier behavior continued, it clued me in that ICU was not a safe match for them. Safe ICU practice requires alot of humility. Confidence is one thing. Acting like God's gift is another. Quick story: I transferred from one hospital to another within the same health system to get a better schedule to continue work on my MBA. I was matched with Joe, a young nurse in his 20's with >2 year < 5 experience. Cute, adorable, but gave me some concern! So cocky! So cavalier! I spent 3 weeks of orientation to the unit and he was my preceptor. During those weeks, newly found co-workers (in the getting to know you phase) would ask me.............. "why is Joe your preceptor?" Well that told me something. So after my orientation, my nurse manager had a meeting with me..." So, how's it going? Ready to be on your own?" I said something like, "Sure, but other RNs are wondering why you matched me with Joe? I have more concerns with him than with me!" And she looked me square in the eye and said, "Exactly." If you have confidence in your own practice, precepting can be very rewarding. Coming full circle, it's irritating, frustrating and inconvenient. But if you're confident in your own practice, that must mean that somewhere along the line you had a great preceptor, right? Pay it forward brothers and sisters in nursing! Kype

jive turkey Sorry, BostonFNP, APRN

And just to clarify, there are historical references to hundreds, if not thousands, of nations and civilizations that perished because of the foolishness of the few. Will we never learn, Socrates?

I completely agree with you. I have to wonder if your dynamic and quite academic explanation really applies to all of the 80 million unvaccinated US eligibles. If all 80 million are as articulate as yourself, there would be no problem. I'm simply putting forth my views with "boots on the ground" and death/fatality statistics vs. ivory tower.

Who do I consider an anti-vaxxer? 1) Those who value their own "personal freedoms" (vs. immunocompromised, medically fragile, some religions, etc.) vs. those that claim vaccines cause autism and "their cousins' friend in Trinidad. 3) Would in the same sentence say that their own personal freedom to go on and infect their CHILDREN is more important than a woman's right to CHOOSE whether or not to have a CHILD. Idaho is now on crisis standards. Meaning care will only be provided to those that are "likely to survive". There are no more beds in Idaho. All the beds are filled with COVID patients. So good luck having a stroke, or a heart attack or a trauma or asthma or (God bless us all) someone with a fall-related hip-fracture. How far does an anti-vaxxer's rights go? So others die because of their own selfishness. Case closed.

I've actually erased about 100 email notifications from allnurses on this topic stream because I don't even have one more scintilla of patience. I am a 62 yo retired ICU nurse. I had to leave practice at the age of 50 because of neuropathy that had me walking with a walker for 3 years. If there was a neuropathy vaccine, I'd still be on the job. Having said that, while I was standing on line at my pharmacy in late Sept last fall, there were a bunch of people ahead of me in line. All I wanted to do was re-fill my pantoprazole script. There were posters everywhere about new vaccines, including NOW'S THE TIME FOR YOUR FIRST FLU SHOT! (ME<- "first?" So it was my turn, got my script and went into a private "shot" booth to get my flu shot. Had the complete attention of a pharmacist for the whole time. Me <- "hey, what vaccines should I get/am eligible for? Oct 1, 2020 MMR #1 RUA, Influenza, LUA Nov 1, 2020 MMR #2 LUA, Shingella #1, RUA Dec 1, 2020 TDAP LUA Jan 7, 2021 Shingella #2 LUA Flu #2 RUA COVID #1 April 15......COVID #2 May 15, 2021 All I can say to the anti-vaxxers. If you're argument is fear for what one single vaccine might do to your body, here I am as testimony that: I'm 62! I'm still alive and breathing after 9 vaccines in 8 months! I can still walk and talk and wish you well in your future present and afterlife. Kype PS. How did you manage to avoid nursing school without getting a vaccine of one sort or another?

On an upnote, I wanted to mention I was given this book as a Christmas present by my then-love George H. Snyder III. We could all laugh that this book was, and still is, the best Christmas present I ever received. I'm a nurse, go figure!

I've been impressed with this topic thread, for better or for worse! Suggestion? Disease The Extraordinary Stories behind History's Deadliest Killers Author Mary Dobson (Cambridge) 2007 This book is divided into four categories: Bacterial, Parasitic, Viral and Lifestyle (I.e.,scurvy, Kuru & CID, cancer and heart disease) Under "viral", the topics are smallpox, measles, yellow fever, dengue fever, rabies, polio, influenza, ebola AIDS and SARS. Having been published in 2007, it's also a time capsule of history! And I'm certain I've have not heard about any of those tragic diseases in 2021. What would the common thread be, do you wonder? Vaccines.

I'm more of a big picture thinker. We can all squabble intellectually about vax and employment rights etc. Except that's much like making sure to dust the trophies while a tornado rips your house apart, right? Nurses are educated individuals, and role models and people trust 100% most of the time. We often sacrifice our own needs for others, right? I, for one, would like to know all my pro-health, anti-disease philosophies, motivations and practices aren't being sabotaged by foolish colleagues.

I say, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. I, for the life of me, cannot understand how a person can devote themselves (via cost, education, establishing a credential) and builds their REPUTATION

So on topic this story. In October of 2019, I was standing on line at my pharmacy to refill my pantoprazole. I was behind 6 other people who ever had a question about anything in the universe.:_ In the meantime, I noticed all these posters about available vaccinations. A shingles vaccine, what? and whatever has happened that we need whooping cough re-vaccines? I thought whooping cough no longer existed in the US, and my brain went to this space.............Do I need another POLIO vaccine? because POLIO had basically been eradicated across the globe because of vaccines, but, wait for it, if a WHOOPING COUGH vaccine is now being recommended ................... because of transmission to vulnerable populations like CHILDREN ......... well, I'm on board! So I had a conversation with Ann, who turned out to be Ann, MY PHARMACIST. On 10.1.19 I received a flu vaccine to my LUA (left upper arm) and the very same time I accepted my #1/2 MMR (measles/mumps/rubella -- german measles--) to my RUA (right upper arm). On 11.04.19, I received my #2 MMr in my LUA and the same time I received my #1 Shingella vaccine (chicken pox, which is a terribly communicable disease which manifests itself as herpes) On 12.12.09 I received my #2 my booster TDAP.. Ann said - "Hey! take a break, give your body a rest and we'll see in January!" On 1.07.20, I received my #2 shingles vaccine to my LUA. And Ann joked, "If you're interested, you should probably get a flu booster next month.........." LOL But, gee, I was done, but thank you Ann! And in Jan?Feb?2020 I was aware of a "chinese virus" that manifested itself on a cruise ship off the shores of CA. And it was decided that passengers of this cruise ship would not be allowed to disembark and return to their homes because of a "mysterious chinese virus" Reminder... this was a cruise ship full of US citizens. Because of this "mysterious" "chinese" virus. Enough said. Zip ahead 19 months. I only ventured out once a week to minimize my COVID exposure. I wore a mask to either get gas in my car, which was comical......... where was I going?! or groceries or...(I admit!) wine. LESSON HERE. I am a simple nurse. Albeit more post-high school/vocational school. At this point,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I have had to succumb to my own worst thoughts. No matter what, we can't cure stupid. We can't treat stupid. We can't even SAVE stupid. If you are a person who endeavors to achieve a paying job that requires you to be a 6 foot radius of another individual, meaning a child, or even JOE FRIENDLY at the bus stop, traffic light or a smile and hello EVER, ANYWHERE and you think it's your constitutional right ro maintain your employment so you can enjoy your right to be mask=free and vaccination=free, I am completely confused about what you think your rights are. !!

BDluvs....... if I could wrap you up in my arms, I would. But that would be weird :) Listen, it sounds like you're having a crisis of soul and mind. I'm going to suggest something I did for my BFF in nursing school. She's the one who suggested we do a residency in her ICU where she had worked as a nursing assistant during college. I didn't want to, but if we were going to do something we should do it together, right? Every shift, either 7a or 7p, she would spend pre-report throwing up in the locker room. Remember, this was her idea and an ICU full of friends and colleagues who knew her so well. This was her jam man, and yet she's throwing up every shift. Ultimately, she had to be able to look herself in the eye in a mirror and give herself affirmations. That sounds lame and felt even lamer at the time, but she had to remind herself that 1) this career was her dream 2) she paid for her education with her own hard work 3) and most importantly, she had to forgive herself for not knowing how this was going to feel. I mean really, putting yourself out there where the rubber hits the road - you're going to get road rash. Look up "crisis of confidence". If you have done all this work and you're at the point where the rubber hits the road - working at night when everybody else in your sphere is tucked in and sleeping - walking to your car and saying "Just put one foot in front of the other"... you know, it's so isolating, yes? Being a nurse can be terribly isolating. Recommended reading. The House of God Author Samuel Shem, M.D., Ph.D. Copyright 1978. It's a diary of his residency at Beth Isreal in Boston, Believe it or not, healthcare from a resident in 1978 is remarkably, exactly what it's like now. Humans and disease haven't changed all that much. There's even a glossary of terms and "The Rules of the House of God" Rule #1: Take your own pulse first. Best wishes my friend.

Here is my input as a returning RN of 25+ years. I had to retire due to neuropathy disability and I'm glad/afraid to return. During 1995-1999, I was president of the Polyclinic Nurses' Association, an open shop represented by PSEA, the PA State Education Assoc. Yes! teachers and nurses! Sad to say, the teachers didn't think they had anything in common with nurses....... and I had to agree. Teachers got to eat, and never had to work consecutive 12 hours shifts, day and night without anything like a week off that coincided with another week and the next week, and they even got to urinate without spelling each other. I support unions of professionals. Most professional grievances are not the traditional "lunch bucket" issues associated with "blue collar" workers. Not to say that "blue collar" employees ---- and I would offer Amazon employees as an example---- have so many similar issues. I am proud that "we" were able to defeat our hospital's misguided attempts to overcome massive staffing shortages with what was nothing short of mandatory overtime. We sat and listened. and AGREED to mandatory on-call staffing. The hospital was so thrilled. Until they realized that the on-call policy that they wanted (and agreed to) denied their right to call in the on-call for a pre-existing staffing hole. And the very first attempt to fix a hole involved - you got it - me. I was called in to replace a nurse who had repeatedly requested off his one time shift because he needed dental surgery that turned out to be an emergency. He called off sick and they tried to mandate me to come in. I refused, and as a result they had to close 2 beds in the ICU. There was alot of bluster about that, but the point was made - if the hospital is so short-staffed that an RN can't even attend to their own medical needs and the only "fix" is mandating another overworked RN to fill a pre-existing, predictable staffing hole and the end result is closing much needed beds, well, gosh darn it, there's a problem that is not our responsibility to fix 24/7/365. Without a union, both of us would have been disciplined. Case closed.

Thank you! Since this may be a conversational, professional, colleage type of chat room? Yes? Since I worked days, nights, weekends, holidays, 8s, 12s, sometimes 3-4=5 shifts in a row, I have never been able to turn my brain off to sleep. I have always conferred with my own PCPs over the years and the only solution seemed to be to put me on anti-depressers Trying to be compliant, as well and trying ANYTHING, I trial'd myself on one or two to no avail. Case in point! I was trialed on Prozac 20 qd. After 30 days, no luck. Up'd to 30. After 2 doses of 30, I found myself building a cabinet in my basement at 3 AM. I can't sleep because my brain never shuts off. Good news, the background noise of ventilators, IV pumps, pages and phones ringing have stopped. That took some time but that's gone. I have tried blackout curtains, eye masks, massage with guided imagery, music therapy (I actually have a BS in Music Therapy - no brainer there), white noise aromatherapy and I even agreed to a sleep study with CPAP ( my sat on room air alone never dropped below 95%, so case closed there.

What can I expect? I was only university-based hospital bionic. I know everything has changed. But I cried too many tears for my patients before I couldn't work anymore. For the past two years, I didn't have enough tears for the nurses. Here I am. Tell me people, what is the labor force looking like now?