pinkRN23

I am moving to oregon from california & sent in all my paperwork (you need to fill out a verification of license, and get transcripts from your schools) about 6 weeks ago and still No oregon license !! I called the board & they said its takes the California Board of Nursing up to 2 months to process the paperwork... If I were you I would get on it !

I am moving to portland and would love some insight - I am applying/interviewing at both OHSU and Legacy emmanuel. My main q's are - 1) nurse:patient ratios on med-surg tele and or stepdown units? 2) Pay for an RN with less then 2 years experience (the pay scale online seems to range from $27-$44/hr) ? 3) What is the culture like at these hospitals in general? I am used to a unit where everyone is *extremely* helpful,works as a team and where the ratios are only 3:1. Most people are also fairly young, energetic and not burnt out... So this is the kind of culture I am hoping to find. Thanks for any *real world* answers !!

This is BS - my only advice is to get thyself to an area where staffing is good & ratio is 1:4 /1:5 . The hosp. I work at does not use LVN's and very few aids - they hire more RN's & gives us less pt.'s overall. IMO - this is more cost effective & better for patient care. YES - the RN does TOTAL care; but only has 3-44 pt's at a time (depending on acuity) and at night sometimes 5. This kind of care is less stressfull because there are not 3-4 people trying to take care of the patient on different levels. the RN does it all - therefore the RN *knows* the I's and O's, the VS, and what's up with the skin assessment (usually done during bath time) AND knows the status of lines&meds as well as all the other more detailed assessment issues & complex procedures including the social issues. I have time to really sit and talk with my patients, assess their issues and attend to their more complex medical procedures and any underlying causes. This is why I am nurse. Having less patients/total care is better for everyone all around and if I were you I would look for a state & hospital you can do this in.

UMMM what state is this in ?? this sounds crazy. You need to be in a new grad program (6-8 weeks of orientation & training) Don't put up with this ! There are way too many jobs and training programs available these days to put yourself & your patients at this kind of risk... be strong !!

I have had friends accidently sip on bottles of urine when camping in the desert - (where there is no where else to pee EXCEPT in a gatorade bottle inside your tent!) YES I do lots of extreme camping. anyway - they have had always no adverse effects - besides being a bit grossed out ! urine is sterile & mostly water - and most viruses are way too delicate & small to survive passage of the urinary tract, a plastic bottle & through the mouth & GI system. I would be a bit angry at the boy - but chalk it up to a stupid teenage joke & move on. My guy friends & brothers did *way* worse practical jokes in high school & college and if this is ALL you have to worry about you are blessed.

Unless she appears under the influence at work or admits to using before or at work, you should not report her. You sound uncomfortable with the whole situation & it would be good- especially as a healthcare professional to learn the difference between the drugs that are out there and the effects they have on people before jumping to any conclusions. It is important not to judge or project your own personal feelings about drug use on to others & the best way to do this is to educate yourself. There are *lots* of people in our society that occassionally use recreational drugs in their personal lives out of curiosity, to enhance creativity & personal relationships, or just to let loose now and again. Most people experiment with some kind of drug use at some point in their lives and are still able to function normally & move on with their lives. There are also many people out there that have a problem. Methamphetamine abuse is the new drug crisis in this country- most people that try it become addicted and its incredbily difficult to function day to day, keep a job & be responsible if you are a meth user. But using methamphetamine is a lot different then smoking a little pot or experimenting with less addictive drugs. She may have a serious problem & is crying out for help - then again maybe she's just experimenting a little. There are some great websites out there that talk about different "street" drugs - and their affects on the brain & body, their level of addiction, and who & why people usually use them. In my opinion education & harm reduction regarding drug use and abuse are important aspects of nursing care. It also can't hurt to expand your knowledge in this realm before forming an opinion or making a decision regarding your co-worker. http://www.dancesafe.org is a great place to start.