rubynrse

I understand that. Not sure what accountability would be held against me while working behind the desk. I guess the ground rules would have to be set ahead of time assuming they would hire an RN for that position. For example I would ask to not respond to codes, start emergency IVs, etc.

I have thought about this also. There were times when I was just so tired of being responsible. Tired of being given jobs without the right tools and then chastised for not getting it done. I don't think I'd go so far as being a CNA, bless their hearts they work their fingers to the bone. I could never do what they do. I have thought of being a unit secretary or something along that line. Not leaving medicine entirely, just the part about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Unfortunately throughout my long career as a nurse in many different venues and through many decades I've found that management, especially middle management, want things to run smoothly. This includes keeping the employees with a more high-strung personality content. They don't like the boat rocking. It's almost as if there is a different hierarchy of "errors" than the ones that exist in the NLN and/or the oath we took at graduation. I've been both the "floor" nurse and middle management. What I've learned? Listen to your heart, beliefs, and sense of ethics and morals and do what you think is right no matter what the outcome. All you can ever do is the right thing. You have no control over what people who receive that information do with it. It's how I sleep at night.

Forget the food and items stolen. These are the people we work with. What does that say about those people? If they steal food and items, or if they let food rot in the fridge, what in heaven's name do they do other places? What do their homes look like? What does that say about HR and their hiring assessments? I can't imagine taking something that wasn't mine. They also apparently have no fear of being caught because it could easily happen. I don't know. It's just sad that people are so rude.

I had 3 jobs my first 3 years after school. I found what I was good at and learned to love it as I had success after success and took lots of classes, seminars, in-services to hone my skills. Then, after having 31 years of nursing under my belt, I found my niche. Been in my niche ever since. I can't tell you each of those specialties because my likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses won't be the same for you. It's a very personal choice for each person. Just plug in your career/ideas/loves/etc. At the end of the day it's ok to say nursing isn't for you.

I got it right awaySororAKS, ADN, RN. That word sums it up. Says it all. It IS a complete sentence within itself.

I didn't either. When I was a brand new nurse I even hit the iliac crest giving IM PCN. I wanted to crawl under the linoleum. I got better. But even now, after some 40 odd years of nursing I still hate hurting people. I apologize ahead of time and go for it (mainly when I'm trying to get a perfect bleb on a TB) It gets better. And I agree, talking to the person during the procedure helps. It helps you because you're already nervous and it helps the person pay attention to your words and not their arm/hip/stomach/etc.

Doesn't matter who said what when, but I would love my answers to be: "Shut up" "No" "Go away, let me do my job" "You do it" "Are you stupid?" "I give up" "What's the matter with you?" "Speak English" "Never mind, do what you want - you will anyway" "Bye"

What a relief to finally hear someone describe out loud how I feel and who I am. I smiled reading this. Thanks.

I would absolutely not take the shift. It is unsafe for patients and for you and your license. This is a disaster waiting to happen and you will feel the wheels of the bus in no time flat. As they say in drug classes for kids - Just Say No!

I love Geriatrics, especially working with memory impaired. They are not predictable and there are always seminars, CEUs, in-services that are teaching new and updated information. Neuro will always be on the cutting edge of finding out new things. I think working with geriatrics and memory impaired not only tests your nursing skills, it challenges you to be creative and think outside the box. Never a dull moment!

Yay for Diploma graduates!!!!! Spent my first year in psych, then went to Med-Surg Charge Nurse second year. Had 4 year grads working for me!

I'm glad you're away from the bedside, DeeBuzz. Maybe you should find a different career altogether. You are really jaded and cynical. I'm hoping it's just a response to incidents and you will be able to have a happier and more gentle personality and this is not who you really are.

I think from what I've read is that it's legal to record someone as long as there is at least one person in the room who knows that a recording is happening. JMHO

I am not submitting a quote from your post as I would have to quote all of it. It has been my experience (nursing 40+ years) that every where I've worked the atmosphere is the same. The "good" nurses - the ones who come in early, stay late, cross their T's and dot their i's, give patient care above and beyond, who know what they are doing, need little to no guidance, go by the rules, etc - are the first to be let go, go unrecognized, and are basically disposable. On the other hand, the nurses who don't document well, are in constant need of counseling, need to have someone f/u frequently, who are lazy, who take advantage of the system - you know who I mean, your co-worker who gets paid as much as you do and you can't believe she gets away with x, y & z - somehow they skate by and become the "senior" staff. I'm glad everything worked out for you. I want to apologize for the company who did not recognize your value to them. Little consolation, but ..... What about the European countries where vacation is encouraged and even mandated? The US, in general, is the stingiest country in providing and encouraging "down time". We wonder why families are falling apart, no one has family dinners any more, and more. We don't take time off. We don't use our vacations and MH days. I'm all for letting my staff have the time off they want and I make sure , we as a team, are helping cover for each other as each one gets their battery recharged.

I work white, pantsuits and dresses, white hose, my pin, my cap. I was so proud. 8 hour shifts. Cardex - we wrote in pencil the info on patients and when a symptom/treatment/medication was D/C'd we erased it!!!!!!!!!! We sat down and gave face-to-face report shift to shift. Then we moved to leaving our shift report on a tape (cassette) We got up and gave doctors the chairs at the nurse's station. For each of our own patients: we passed pills, started IVs, did wound care, helped make beds, helped with bed baths, gave back rubs if we were on the evening shift. We were totally responsible for everything that had to do with each of our patients. There were no "teams" - except for respiratory. We wrote in blue or black ink for days, green for evenings, and red for nights. We rotated shifts. Counted drops for the IV infusion rate. Patients stayed in the hospital for much longer periods so there were relationships developed. The patients went home with a good education of what to do and were well on their way to healing. Now I work in hospice. I will still put on my whites and cap if I know I'll be spending a lot of time in a SNF or ALF. That group of folks recognize that attire and will listen to me.

"I'm ON my period". How can a woman be ON a period. You can be having one, beginning one, ending one, suffering from, (maybe more), but you can't be ON it.

Expired. No, milk expires, patients do not! Mixing and mispronouncing dysphasia & dysphagia. Not using the words: SOB & dyspnea, correctly. Mucus! Not only do I dislike the word, I just can't "do" it. I'll clean up poop, blood, bodily fluids, emesis, etc., but please, please someone suction that trach, blow that kid's nose, get rid of that slimy sticky goo!! Please!

That's a very personal thing. How desperate is one for a job? It's also not how far as in how many miles, but it's how long as in how many minutes does it take to get there. Do you travel once there? I live in Atlanta. My job is 16 miles away but it can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes to get there. I used to work 48.5 miles away and it took me between 45 and 75 minutes to get there. Just depends. Weather. School months. Sometimes leaving 5 minutes too early or too late can add 20 or better minutes to a commute time. UGH.

I have been trying to review the threads and answer my own questions. But, I am confused about a couple of things. In order to get my CHPN do I actually need to take classes, or is it more of a self-study then take the exam type of thing? I have gone to the HPNA.org site but my question wasn't answered there either. In FL I took classes and was given reading materials to study for the CORE certificate, but in actuality I probably could have just studied and done just as well. I'm guess this is about the same. Any advice and information would greatly be appreciated. Thanks in advance,