Orca ADN, ASN, RN

Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC

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All Content by Orca

  1. Orca

    100k in loans worth it?

    Orca replied to ravindram's topic in General Nursing

    I would be very reluctant to trust something like this. If you read the fine print, it says that the offer may be withdrawn at any time. Say that you put nine years and six months in under this...
  2. Orca

    Highest Paying States For Registered Nurses

    Orca replied to nursephillip's topic in Nursing News

    Another thing that Nevada has going for it: No state income tax. I was contacted by an employer in Oregon who wanted me to pursue a job in Astoria. I did the math, and after paying Oregon state income...
  3. Orca

    Nursing and the Sabbath

    Orca replied to kdf6404's topic in Spirituality, Religion

    I am Baha'i, and there are nine holy days scattered throughout the calendar year during which I am supposed to refrain from work. In this profession, that is usually neither possible nor practical,...
  4. Orca

    I Inherited A Bully

    Orca replied to Natkat's topic in Nurse Management

    No doubt you will. This was just a bad situation. A lot of new managers fall into that trap -and even some veteran ones. They believe that employees will be happier if they get whatever they want,...
  5. Orca

    Bit by a patient...

    Orca replied to WCSU1987's topic in Health, Stress Management

    When I worked inpatient mental health, our protocol for any skin break was lab testing for HIV and hepatitis immediately and at one and six months. I was never bitten, thank goodness, but I did have a...
  6. Orca

    I Inherited A Bully

    Orca replied to Natkat's topic in Nurse Management

    All I can say about that is that your ex-employer is getting exactly what they deserve. If any effort at correction is going to be considered harassment, then any manager who comes in there is...
  7. Orca

    Possible new (nursing) drinking game

    Orca replied to Jedrnurse's topic in School

    I love the ones who ask what it is like to work at a specific facility (or worse, a specific unit at a specific facility), what the pay is, how much overtime you can get, etc. I frequent the...
  8. Orca

    Some people are just plain rude!

    Orca replied to HburgRN07's topic in School

    I worked on a new hospital adult mental health unit after graduation. Management wanted us to wear dress casual to work so that we would not stand out from the patients. In the beginning, nurses from...
  9. Orca

    Ancillary Services

    Orca replied to jrt4's topic in Nurse Management

    Before I answer - are any or all of these services contracted, or are they employees of your facility? The answer will determine the
  10. Orca

    Inmate Porters

    Orca replied to Zigga zig ah's topic in Correctional

    Our Administrative Regulations specifically prohibit inmates from delivering or participating in medical care. The main reason is liability. If anything goes wrong, we don't want to be answering...
  11. Orca

    Tips for the new girl?

    Orca replied to Happy.Nurselet's topic in Psychiatric

    I have worked with staff who did far too much of that. One nurse in particular used to talk at length with the alcoholics about "my time in AA", which several said made them feel uncomfortable. This...
  12. Orca

    Doctors Say the Darnedest Things

    Orca replied to allnurses's topic in General Nursing

    During my orderly days, one night I was assigned to ER. The physician on duty was an OB/GYN. We had a young boy come in (probably about ten years old) who had a fractured right arm that needed to be...
  13. Orca

    Doctors Say the Darnedest Things

    Orca replied to allnurses's topic in General Nursing

    We had a patient on my adult mental health unit who claimed to have seizures, but he talked to people all the way through them. The psychiatrist had never been present when one of these "seizures"...
  14. Orca

    HIPAA violation?

    Orca replied to Zerocks's topic in HIPAA Challenges

    Context does play into it, as you mentioned. If it was a clinic that by its very nature disclosed a particular condition, that would be more of an issue than a general hospital or family practice...
  15. Orca

    Resident fall feel like....

    Orca replied to KatMaine's topic in Patient Safety Issues

    Several years ago, I was working in a rehabilitation hospital. My CNA and I were returning to the floor from the nurse station after checking some patient charts. As we were walking past one of the...
  16. Orca

    fake illness...how to rule out real injury

    Orca replied to Psych77's topic in Correctional

    One thing that helps to sort out the pretenders in seizure situations is ammonia inhalers. Chest pain is a little trickier. I start by asking the inmate to show me where the pain is, and to describe...
  17. Orca

    Should I quit my patient?

    Orca replied to Jandomz91's topic in Home Health

    It sounds to me that your body is already telling you that you are reaching a physical limit. I would
  18. Orca

    Tips for the new girl?

    Orca replied to Happy.Nurselet's topic in Psychiatric

    You will hear some very odd things. It is important to remember that these things are real to the people who are telling them to you. Patiently listen and offer support. Reorientation to reality is...
  19. Orca

    What's something you never expected as a male nurse?

    Orca replied to Darth Practicus's topic in Men in Nursing

    Early in my career, I worked on a hospital adult mental health unit. There were several occasions when I was told by young female patients in explicit detail what they wanted me to do to them...
  20. Orca

    Will green skin hurt my career?

    Orca replied to hppygr8ful's topic in Nursing Professionalism

    I hate threads like this. Someone asks a question, presumably to get honest feedback (otherwise, why ask?), but then say only positive responses. In other words, "Give me your opinion, but only if it...
  21. Orca

    Patients Say the Darnedest Things

    Orca replied to allnurses's topic in General Nursing

    Nursing home conversation. Group of LOLs gathering in the dining room for the evening meal. LOL #1: Ralph! Ralph! It's time for dinner! Come and sit with me! LOL #2 to LOL #3: I wonder how long Ralph...
  22. Orca

    Caption Contest

    Orca replied to allnurses's topic in General Nursing

    "I can hear the ocean." Gotta love "Sponsored by Career Smart Learning", where they can teach you to listen to your skull with a stethoscope. Very valuable skill that not everyone
  23. Orca

    Seriously?!?! You gotta be kidding me!

    Orca replied to ~Mi Vida Loca~RN's topic in General Nursing

    About 40+ years ago, a teenage me, working as an orderly, gets called to a male patient's room to assist him. I walk into the bathroom, where there is blood everywhere. He had pulled out his foley -...
  24. Orca

    Advice from current nurses or students?

    Orca replied to Pianoplaya94's topic in General Nursing

    I know this type. They come on here before they have even taken the board exam and ask which doctorate, PA or NP program that they should go
  25. Orca

    HIPAA violation?

    Orca replied to Zerocks's topic in HIPAA Challenges

    I believe that it was bad judgment on your part to chime in, but information about a bank check is not a HIPAA