bluesboyj

txrn1, it is EXACTLY because of a fear of job loss that nurses float to areas where they don't feel comfortable. Too many judges have ruled that if a nurse refuses to float to an area where they don't feel qualified, they can be fired because nurse-...

Does anyone out there besides me feel that insurance companies are getting too deepl involved in healthcare decision making. I'm referring to the recent decision by Kaiser Permanente to have their clients call an 800# if they can't decide if they ne...

Yes I have known a couple of nurses who get headaches so debilitating that they suffer vision changes to the point of temporary blindness yet CT scans are denied as not "medically necessary." And suellen e., you just don't get it if you think it's s...

Runner, it must be nice. Where I work we have alot of new nurses who are orienting to IABPs, VADs, CVVH, CABs. I've got 15 yrs critical care experience (10+ w/cab, iabp) who had to pester my manager to orient to CABs (their way of doing things). I...

Good news! California law was just enacted to make it possible to sue HMOs for refusing to pay for treatment, etc. Basically, if you feel you received sub-standard care, you can sue. I agree we all know healthcare costs must be contained, but I h...

Unfortunately, there are forces at work in Congress that would like laws passed that would prevent HMOs from being sued for malpractice over things like this. I agree that the ED is being used for non-emergent things, but with the cost of insurance ...

As a male who has been in nursing for over 16 yrs with almost 15 in critical care I've had positive experiences. The only downside is sometime you get assignments to care or not care for certain based solely on gender which I find disturbing. I hat...

Also our weekends for nights are Fri and Sat nights. No penalty for calling in sick either.

We do 12 hour shifts and on nights we have to do 3 weekend nights and 1 Sun night every 4 week schedule including 16 hrs call time in the same 4 week period. We get a 26% weekend diff. No staffing problems except during the summer when our census d...

I believe taht Troponin I is more indicitive of myocardial damage because I've seen it rise when the CK and CK-MB are decreasing post event. ------------------ If Ya' Don't Love The Blues, Ya' Got A Hole In Your Soul

Kel, I couldn't agree with you more. The hospital I left in CA. had us frequently staffed with at least 5 inexperienced nurses in our ICU and CCU. Some nights we didn't have a clinical supervisior some there were 3 of us designated as relief charge...

I disagree that personality tests can determine if someone will make a good ICU nurse. Nurses store things that are important from report and assessment not from being able to regurgitate some bit of info from a question on a personality test. Test...

The hospital where I worked in Ca was at war against the county hospital and spent millions$ to keep the county facility to expand and upgrade their lab and kitchen, which were at risk of losing the licenses because they were so old. When we were to...

I would recommend nursing to anyone not interested in the $$ part of it. If they are looking for $$, nurses don't come close to getting paid commesurate with experience. I've been a nurse for 16 yrs with almost 15 in critical and I'm at the top of ...

I urge to think carefully about whatever you decide to do. Courts have ruled in the past that nurses and hospitals have an "at will" relationship which basically means you can quit without a reason and you can be fired for any reason. --------------...

I would contact an attorney since to didn't consent to a personality test ------------------ If Ya' Don't Love The Blues, Ya' Got A Hole In Your Soul

The University of Texas here in Austin has a critical care elective and the students do their clinical at my facility. 2 graduates from the BSN program are hired each year and get approx. 6 mos orientation so when they no longer need a "buddy", they...

At my facility, the nurses pull sheaths post cath. The doctor orders the start time for the Q1hr ACTs to be started and the ACT result to obtained for removal. We use manual pressure, but because most of them are on Aggrastat, there are a minimum n...

I am of the male persuasion who has been an RN for 16 yrs with almost 15 in critical care. I have a 2 year degree. There is more clinical nursing in the 2 year program than in the BSN where you get more theory. I work with 2 and 4 yr program and so...

Maybe you need to work out an arrangement where the er and floor and unit nurses can trade places for a few hours or maybe even a whole shift so everyone will have a feel of what it's like other "hot" spots in the hospital. ------------------ If Ya' ...

First let me apologize for my insensitive fellow RNs. I'd rather be in a unit staffed with experienced LPNs than with a group of newly graduated BSNs for the simple fact that LPNs aren't stupid and there may be a variety of reasons they haven't gott...

I too love my work, I just hate my job sometimes. And, yes, we don't make nearly what we should for what we have to know. As a critical care nurse with 14+ yrs experience I make squat, but when a patient &/or family says "thank you" for taking ...

As my pal Sophie says DOCUMENT.....!!!!!!!!!! everything. Also I think you should notify your state board of nursing and the facility to the agency that oversees your type facility. Something tells me if something should happen to a patient, your a...

I think you should check with your state BRN. It sounds like you're dispensing medicine with out a license. I believe you'll find only th MD or a pharmacist may give out the meds and the doctor should do physicals on all new patients if he doesn't ...

I agree it would be nice if staffing could be done by needs of the individual pt. but it's not going to happen, esp. in these days of a profit driven business. The bottom line of hospitals is the bottom line, not patient care. Fewer nurses, esp. exp...