bahamabread

Thats what I am saying, you just dont feel comfortable and it is obvious to others. Like I said, perform at your best in the things you know. And one thing I will fault you for is seeing something that you didnt understand and then not doing your own self teaching. College really only taught us how to learn. If you didnt understand what to look for when they were pacing, then go home, and search it up, take it step by step and next time at least you will know what you are looking for and why. You may not know every medicine you give, but when you come across a new one, give it if you have to emergently, then look it up and next time you will know. If you do this every day then you will be surprised at how much you will learn. Don't be intimidated, it will come in time. Take it step by step. Focus on patient and not staff and you will do well. I do not know why they are not helping you when they have the time, but that is their ego which is common. You just smile, and know that with or without their help you may one day be more proficient than they are. There is one DR or nurse there that is a teacher at heart and loves to explain things .........search that person out and every now and again pick their brain. Pray every day that God will help you adjust as you are doing his works.

It sounds to me like you are just plain uncomfortable and intimidated. You have to let go of the need to feel like you know everything. You never will in ER. When pt's are admitted, they at least have a possible diagnosis. Sometimes in ER you have no clue what you are working with. So you are going to have a hard time if you keep this up. You are an experienced nurse......18 months is good experience. You should never have the time to "sit and watch". You need to focus more on the pts than the staff, And the pts always need something and even when there is nothing more to do........there is pt teaching which can help them from returning unnecessarily to ER. So remember you are treating the whole pt and not waiting for someone to teach you something.....it will come to you in due time. For now do what you know how to do and do what you can for other RNs pts whenever you can within your capabilities. Not every day you will 'get taught"......but every day you 'will learn". It will happen. Just be yourself and know your strengths.

Gracious, Im a former 3rd world nurse. I think Im a wonderful educated nurse. The level 1 trauma centre that I worked in in texas thought I was pretty good. I may move to San Diego. I hope I wont be looked at like Im stupid or less than the American Nurses because I am just as good.

Parkland has wonderful residencies, and they pay pretty well. Its hard work but you learn ALOT! Try it.

I will be moving to Ca from Tx. I am new to all of this. :confused:When I had my RN from NM, and I applied to Tx, I was not aware that my NM license was only good for a certain amnt of time after I applied. It was a mess and I actually got suspended for a time until my Tx license came through. Is it true that I can go ahead and apply for my Ca license and still have my Tx one current at the same time? So basically I can hold the both valid licenses?

im curious.........what part of texas?

Well, I have read all of the responses, and all I wonder is...........cant we just start small Try to uplift our peers, our units, our little piece of the equation? How many of us take a report and think " What was she doing that she couldn't do this or that?" And do we just think these thoughts, or do we keep thinking them and speak them to our other coworker? Why don't we just think the best of our coworkers. Maybe she is having a bad day........really was busy...........or.......heres a thought!!!!!!!!!Just come out and say to her face "What made you unable to finish this or that? Dont accuse her, just ASK. Her surprise might enlighten you, or surprise you, or may be she will confess........."Hey, I was very slow today and I should have done this or that, Ill do better." How many of us are tattlers, that take everything to the office? Its like we are children. In my opinion, even if management never changes, one could easily put up with their bullsheet, if our peers are there to encourage us, and keep us on our toes, and make coming to work bearable.

I think you read my mind. I am getting just as bitter as you are and with good reason. But I am not going to be broke, or have no insurance, or lose my security! I am going to work tomorrow, smile at the beeches, treat the patients like how I want to be treated and most important, remember that "God is watching me". I can not do any less than he expects. I am a good nurse ( no matter what the few beeches say) and I will save my money and get a new plan. I will kiss a$$ until I can kick it!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont let them make you struggle financially, "just smile and wave"

Please dont get me wrong. I want to be orientated. I expect that to last for a few weeks at least. I need that. But it was made clear I had to apply for an internship POSITION. Not go through an internship to orientate me. It is two different things we are talking about.

OK???????? Umm I don't know what that is about......... but gerontology is not my speciality.

I agree............I need orientation............but I did my internship years and years ago! Orientation and internship are two different entities. Anyhow..........somewhere there is a job for dumb ole me!! I know Walmart is hiring!!

u dis tink I is be jokin! I ain fa dis!!!!!

Ok...........I finally spoke to someone personally to a certain Dallas hospital. She said that because I've never worked in the US before I need to get a internship position. I don't know what that is all about so I made her elaborate. Apparantly...........I am ........to them..........just as if I am fresh out of school with no experience. She said the least amount of time is 6 months. But I have 8 years experience! I know I need an ORIENTATION, but I feel so insulted. I dont think this job search is going well. I want to go home. I dont want to beg for a job. I had THREE before I came here. Dam# that husband of mine for dragging me here....I wasnt desperate to come here ...do you see where I came from? Sun sand and sea!........ I am insulted and people speak to me like " OH..........you are not a US trained nurse?" They may as well say " OH MY.......HOW SORRY FOR YOU...........YOU DUMB UNEDUCATED CHILD"! Im gonna work at Walmart!. They may want me.........without a long internship period. And the thing is...........I kept hearing stories about how much the US needs nurses and such. DONT BELIEVE THAT LIE!! For the amount of calls you have to make just to speak to a person and then they dont call back........they dont send an application............etc. Im going home. Anybody want a husband? Im selling him......he is putting me in debt.

I have no idea if you are obligated.............but do you want to? Is the LPN a knowledgeable staff who was trying to really help the patient? Or was it definately a case of ............always doing tasks that is out of his/her scope?

Thanks so much for your input. I really appreciate it.

Im going to TEXAS!!

Try going to school for four years and only getting a ADN ! I did way more credits than was needed for ADN, but just not quite enough for BSN. ( it was how the program where Im from was structured at the time.) Its revised now..........and many of the courses I have done is now in the BSN program. But I only have a ADN. Well who cares? Im not any dumber for it, even though it doesnt count.

thanks.........I will keep trying. But I know that when it doesnt seem to be working out.......it usually means that that isn't what God has planned for me. So I will keep an open mind.

Im relocating to Texas and trying to find the best hospital. I called a recruitor at Baylor and spoke personally to her and then sent an e-mail and she never called or wrote back..........apparantly they must have enough nurses? Parkland sent me an application packet I asked for the next day.........and I mailed it off Monday and got a call TODAY to find out what area I wanted to apply for ( I wasnt specific on the application.) They seem very much on the ball! I called Presbyterian twice and got the nurse recruitor voice mail. Ill try leaving a message tomorrow. Anywhere else I can try? I thought Baylor was the place to be...........but they cant have THAT many nurses applying that I cant get any response for two weeks! I know I am in need for a job but I don't want to sound desperate........you know? If anyone can help me out I would appreciate it. Oh I need to be in Dallas........or no further than an hour or so away from the airport.

Where I worked...........we( the female nurses) let the doctors, our co-workers or whoever needed to )know that we were with child . We did this privately............explaining that we wanted it to be on a need to know basis only. We got advice on which caes to avoid...........could not go to pt to x-ray............staff pitched in to help lift pts etc. Then..........when it was time..........we put in our official letters from our doctors to administration. I always felt that the safety of the baby came first............but of course our privacy was important too. As much as my co-workers love to gossip..............I found that when you got pregnant............there was such a respect given to you ( as long as you dont use the pregnancy to avoid doing things you dont WANT to do. They usually kept it all shush until you told the administration.

we were taught to place the hand against the top of the chest near the collar bone and then count resps for 30 sec and pulse for 30 sec. The pt is usually unaware that you are counting resps when you keep your hand in place at the pulse. Sometimes you forget what you count and have to start over.................even the experienced nurses do this...........so dont fret. Yes it takes time to be comfortable with this. It will come though. But I find that counting resps can be done in 30 secs very well ( never with babies though) But the pulse..............when I can...........I ALWAYS count for a minute to really feel the pattern..........I have picked up many irregular beats like this that I would have missed in 3o secs.

So what you need help with?

I dont know if I would like to be as rigid as it was in the "old days" ( as my mummy would say) I KNOW from experience that sometimes the pain can be UNBEARABLE. Awfully unbearable. In those instances.........an epidural is a lifesaver. It probably helps many women not have c-sections from long unbearable labours. But I agree.........its too commonplace...........much too overused.........as is inductions and c-sections!!

Let me inform everybody. I consider myself a somewhat of a baby birthing expert. I only have three but with those three I have had everything!!!!!!!!! The first one was overdue and my cervix was hard as steel. So they induced me. After 9 hours of HELL I had only dilated to 2 cm. I was going crazy!! Literally.........I told my mummy I didnt mind if I died so the pain would stop. It was 15 yrs ago..........in a third world country so epidurals were not routine. I had a c-section. 8 yrs later.......overdue ( again) cervix hard as steel (again) big baby (again) The doctor gave me something to ripen my cervix overnight in hosp. Didnt do much........so he began me in the ptocin ( again) Now I knew what this pain was like so I was more able to cope because when it got bad it wasnt sooo surprising to me. Well after 12 hours of HELL and only 4 cm dilated............I was at the end. I was at the let me die stage again .......NO its no joke...........thats how bad the pain is with no breaks between. They offered me an epidural and it was that or another c-section. So I tried it ( but it was a last resort) The thing numbed my breasts. But I was sooo happy............pain was gone. 6 hours later...........sensation came back and I felt I had to sh** But it was the baby! ( what did I know? I never pushed out any baby!)I was at 10cm! I pushed for an hour.....................but doc had to end up using forceps after episiotomy ( and I still tore some more). Ok .........7 yrs later...........I went through this mess again. Cervix like a rock.........at the due date check up. BUT two days overdue..........I felt back pain . This lasted all day! Then at 11 pm.......definately had contractions..........good solid ones..........but I breathed through them and didnt tell my husband until 5 am when they got strong. I laboured all day at home........taking hot showers..........sitting down..........laying down..........walking..........moaning............breathing..........holding my breath................whatever it took. They said dont come to hospital until pains are 3-5 minute apart. So I waited because they were 10 minute..........5 minute.........7 minute.........3 minute............11 minute...........but constant back pain all the while. ( I should have known to go to the hospital) But I was being a good patient! WELL.........my mother thought I should be going to the hosp so we listened to her and when I stood up and walked in the car ( at 10:30 in the night) I felt severe pain and my body began to push!!!!!!!! I dont know how made it. I wanted to take off my pants and push in the car.............the pushing feeling and the pain was bad! I somehow made it and she was born 5 minutes after I got to the hosp.......had some meconium.........I think she was stressed out while we were driving to the hosp. They asked me why I didnt come in sooner and I told them the truth. The pains I had with my two other children ( the induced babies) was soooo horrible.............and because I was coping with the pain at home...........I had no idea I was that far into my labour. I was waiting for the Hell to start..........then I would have known. ALL OF THAT TO SAY THIS.............Not every labour is the same. I coped well with the natural labour..........but I would never had made it the second birth without the epidural. I would have ended up with another c-section which has more complications and risks. So it is good when it is necessary. BUT........most people nowaday have only one birthing plan................an epidural. That is not how it should be. They may be able to cope if they give it a real try and save themselves and the baby from risks. If they try and CAN NOT COPE..........by all means..........dont suffer the woman. Labour pains can be HORRIBLE. But women should have an open mind.............expect PAIN.............cope as best as they can............and they may be pleasantly surprised to have a natural birth with no drugs at all. It is worth a try. And the best for them and the baby. But to all those who feel that wome NEVER really need pain relief..................well.............I can tell them...............they never went to that hell I went to with that drip in my arm!! ( Another reason to wait past your due date until your body is ready..............it is soo easy and wayyyy less painful. Maybe the other times if I had waited another week ( I was only a week overdue..........and it can go to two weeks overdue. I always wondered if I waited.........I may have had all of my children naturally. Who knows?