bungies

What an interesting thread. My most recent hospital experience was in a small public (cancer-specific) hospital. I can't speak highly enough of the place!! Only left because I wanted to work community. Long hours and busy shifts, but only 4 patients to a load (legislated in Vic for public), and staff support like you wouldn't believe. Openings for Nurse Practitioners, too. Great place.

Yeah, our haematology/ stem cell transplant ward reports go for up to 1.5 hours. We do need to get report on everyone 'cos they're always pretty unwell, and need to know what's going on and who's about to crash. Every now and then we try to cut time by leaving out some of the less vital stuff, however the next shift then asks a heap of questions, so it's quicker to just include everything... I think a VERY brief outline on everyone and then a mpre detailed mano-a-mano handover would be more appropriate, myself, but other people want to get a full report, so it doesn't seem to change... Kathy

Hi! I'm a nearly-finished grad nurse (that is, I've nearly finished my Grad Year). I'd like to add as my $0.02 that although I never pass up a learning experience, I always seek out someone experienced before I attempt a new procedure, and I do my homework, I am only able to ask my questions of nurses that I feel comfortable with. I was told by one ACN (that's the associate charge nurse - the second in charge) that I don't ask questions and that worries her. Hmmm. I could never tell her that I actively her because the few early attempts I had at asking questions were met with a scornful look and rude answers. (And she didn't sound worried, just critical. But perhaps I'm being too harsh...) But there's always someone I CAN ask; if not I have to bite the bullet and get the scornful look, I guess... Also, when people come up to me and demand to know what I'm doing and why (NOT the same as asking a pertinent question!) or asks me if I have any questions, I feel completely unable to think of anything to say. Please don't assume that a quiet grad thinks they know it all. We are often more overwhelmed than we appear, and we sometimes can't think how to phrase the questions we need to know. Mind you, if you actually care what a grad is feeling you're not the one who needs to be reading this!

And if you really need to get away from it all to recoup so you can be yourself again, go to the bathroom! People may think you've got diarrhoea, but at least you don't have to share the cubicle.

Surely better not to burn out at all, Mario! I'm just 6 months into my Graduate year and my husband is currently working at the Immunology Dept. of a local university packing media plates into boxes (oh, but you need a Science degree to pack boxes at a uni - would you believe it?) We've discussed several times him staying home when we have our kids and me working. I think it's a great idea in one respect, as his current job isn't exactly challenging, and his degree is a bit eclectic to lead to anything concrete, but I also feel that not working - even by choice - is frequently bad for self esteem. Even friends who are stay-at-home mothers have said the same thing. Our solution is that while I work full time this year and next, he'll do post-grad study in teaching, then we'll both work part time (3-4 days). This will allow for some time together as a family, very little or no time in childcare, and still bring in enough to live quite comfortably on. I don't know if that's helpful, Anagray. You know your hubby best - he might be happy at home, but perhaps even better off looking into retraining for something he really wants to do while at home. Just a thought! Kathy

I work on the haematology ward of a relatively large cancer hospital. More than half of our patients have a lower than normal blood count, and if someone is really low (nearly or = 0.0 neutrophils) we tend to watch them carefully and do lots of checks (e.g. test urine, sputum, blood, etc daily). We tend not to isolate someone unless an infection is suspected, as it can be very demoralising to the patient. All visitors, staff etc. have to wash hands before entering the ward, however, and hygiene is high priority. No flowers, etc., and no colds (unless the patient is in the terminal phase - special situation, of course.) I think we reach a good compromise!

Q: How many nurses does it take to change a lightbulb? A: None. They aren't allowed to. They can determine the health of the bulb, record it's health in the charts, and order a new bulb, but the doctor has to change it. Q: How many doctors does it take to change a lightbulb? A: Three. One to order a replacement bulb, one to watch the nurse do it, and one to bill it all to Medicare. Q: How many surgeons does it take to change a light bulb? A: None. They would wait for a suitable donor and do a filament transplant. Q: How many orthopedic surgeons does it take to change a lightbulb ? A: Why don't you just let us take out the socket ? You aren't using it anyway, and it will only cause you trouble later. Q: How many chiropractors does it take to change a lightbulb ? A: Only one, but it takes nine visits.

I agree with your assessment of the pain scale, babs, but it IS useful in a field like hospice care, where patients are very much more in touch with how they feel. I think I'd find it difficult to rate pain myself, except relative to other pain (e.g. whether analgesia has made any difference). I have seen academic writing trying to pass the pain scale off as objective data! (The original post by nurseyperson seems to question that, doesn't it?)

Bessie, If you want a job which will combine your wish to stay sensitive and the need to find humour in a job you can't go past paediatric oncology. The kids there have a black humour all of their own! A friend of mine's youngest sister was diagnosed with a spinal cancer, and when in remission she joined CanTeen (an Australian group for teenagers with cancer). These kids are incredible. They went on a camp a few years back which was situated (by a wonderful lack of foresight) right next door to a cemetary. The kids thought this was fantastic! All sorts of jokes about "at least they won't have far to take us"... Black humour, but humour. There's ALWAYS humour working with kids. It should also give you plenty of scope for "helping" - the kids somewhat, but the families much more so. And yes, you'll howl often, but as MollyJ said, as long as you learn not to be immobilised by it, that won't make you any less a good nurse. I'm also in the last few months of my nursing course, and looking at oncology/palliative care. I'm also prone to cry a bit, but I find the need to help people overrides the need to cry - at least till I get home! All the best with your grad year! Kathy.

Bessie, If you want a job which will combine your wish to stay sensitive and the need to find humour in a job you can't go past paediatric oncology. The kids there have a black humour all of their own! A friend of mine's youngest sister was diagnosed with a spinal cancer, and when in remission she joined CanTeen (an Australian group for teenagers with cancer). These kids are incredible. They went on a camp a few years back which was situated (by a wonderful lack of foresight) right next door to a cemetary. The kids thought this was fantastic! All sorts of jokes about "at least they won't have far to take us"... Black humour, but humour. There's ALWAYS humour working with kids. It should also give you plenty of scope for "helping" - the kids somewhat, but the families much more so. And yes, you'll howl often, but as MollyJ said, as long as you learn not to be immobilised by it, that won't make you any less a good nurse. I'm also in the last few months of my nursing course, and looking at oncology/palliative care. I'm also prone to cry a bit, but I find the need to help people overrides the need to cry - at least till I get home! All the best with your grad year! Kathy.