Orca ADN, ASN, RN

Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC

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All Content by Orca

  1. Orca

    Discrimination of Men as nurses?

    Orca replied to bonestAx's topic in Men in Nursing

    An instructor in my nursing school was caught altering the test responses of male students so that they would not pass. Amazingly, due to tenure she was still on the faculty when I came through school...
  2. Orca

    Difficulty finding jobs outside of psych?

    Orca replied to Stephieee's topic in Psychiatric

    I worked mental health immediately after nursing school. The last mental health facility I worked for closed, and I found it nearly impossible to find work afterward. In fact, I drew unemployment for...
  3. Orca

    Crushing bupropion

    Orca replied to trishm74's topic in Correctional

    We have done away with crushing altogether. While I understand the arguments for it, by crushing the medication you are altering the absorption rate, and in effect giving the inmate a bolus of...
  4. Orca

    New job at a Correctional facility, any advice

    Orca replied to pkt00's topic in Correctional

    Make sure that you have strong assessment skills. Inmates are chronic manipulators, and they will exaggerate and fabricate symptoms to get over on you - whether it is for medication, a doctor...
  5. Orca

    Correctional Nurse / Officer

    Orca replied to TEMPNURSE's topic in Correctional

    In Nevada we once had employees called forensics, who were trained in both nursing and correctional custody. IMO there is too much conflict between the two roles and they ought not to be mixed. The...
  6. Orca

    What to wear on a unit where nurses wear street clothes and not scrubs?

    Orca replied to tareija's topic in Psychiatric

    The last mental health unit I worked on, we wore street clothes. I generally wore business casual attire, polo shirt and slacks. As far as shoes, I wore athletic shoes that could pass for casual shoes...
  7. Orca

    Pregnant Nurses in Corrections?

    Orca replied to katethegreat's topic in Correctional

    Honestly, I feel safer on the yard than I did at a couple of the hospitals I previously worked at. I have worked with several pregnant nurses, and they weren't any less effective or any more subject...
  8. Orca

    considering corrections again

    Orca replied to Medsport's topic in Correctional

    In this economy you can never have too many irons in the fire. During my nursing career I have worked for two facilities that changed hands while I was on duty, and one that was closed altogether by...
  9. Orca

    Won't get a job in 2 years? - ADN student in South Carolina

    Orca replied to joe2's topic in Men in Nursing

    Sometimes you have to make your own breaks. At the time I graduated there was a nursing surplus after several years of shortages. While my classmates were doing nothing about employment I was sending...
  10. Orca

    Thin skinned nurses

    Orca replied to cinja's topic in Men in Nursing

    One of the male nurses working under me has a hearing problem, so he actually is yelling sometimes, and he doesn't realize it. Like nurse2033 says, one man's firm is another man's yelling. Perception...
  11. Orca

    Doctors disrespect Male nurses.

    Orca replied to Jimmyjuice's topic in Men in Nursing

    I have been at this for 17 years, and I've never had an issue with a doctor because of my gender. I butted heads with a couple because they were being jerks and not giving their patients proper care,...
  12. Orca

    Need advice...

    Orca replied to jffhlbrt1's topic in Men in Nursing

    Do the pre-reqs first. Nursing school is very time consuming, especially an accelerated program. Once the nursing courses start, you want to be aboe to devote all your time to them, which you cannot...
  13. Orca

    Guys, do you take this personally?

    Orca replied to bethannie's topic in Men in Nursing

    I don't take it personally at all. It isn't a reflection on my competency, just a personal preference on the patient's part. I had a situation like this come up work once. I had a female patient who...
  14. Orca

    Alcoholism: disease or choice?

    Orca replied to HonestRN's topic in Addictions

    Starting down the path is a choice. Remaining on it may or may not be. As one develops physical and psychological addictions, it is tougher and tougher to go in a different direction. That said, I...
  15. Orca

    Lost my job after 7 shifts...do not feel it was my fault

    Orca replied to blessedmomma247's topic in Geriatric, LTC

    This is not an employer I would want to work for. Working per diem does not mean that you are on perpetual 24-hour call, which is what this facility seems to expect. Their expectations are...
  16. Orca

    Mental Health Nursing

    Orca replied to TerryNeal's topic in Psychiatric

    One piece of advice, from someone who has been there: Don't go straight into mental health first thing out of nursing school. I did this, and when the mental health facility I was working in was...
  17. Orca

    New Grad Resume Questions

    Orca replied to nurse_starlight's topic in Diploma, ADN, BSN

    I was on a job interview panel last week. One of the applicants handed in a resume that was - wait for it - eight pages long. One of the panelists said (before the applicant came in, of course) "I...
  18. Orca

    Can someone "dumb down" what Obamacare really means?

    Orca replied to EarthwormRN's topic in Activism, Healthcare

    Any health care system in which decisions about care are made entirely by companies with a profit motive does not act in the best interest of the people it supposedly serves. Do an online search for...
  19. Orca

    TV Shows

    Orca replied to StudentNH's topic in General Nursing

    One episode of Trauma: Life in the ER was shot at my sister's ER (I saw her from behind, although she wasn't interviewed on camera). She said that the film crews told staff that they normally shoot...
  20. Orca

    ADN's being pushed out

    Orca replied to MSN Student's topic in Diploma, ADN, BSN

    That seems to be what some people
  21. Orca

    ADN's being pushed out

    Orca replied to MSN Student's topic in Diploma, ADN, BSN

    I find your comments highly insulting. You imply that anyone who doesn't pursue a BSN is simply lazy. I can't speak for others, but in my own case it came down to accommodation. I had a bachelor's...
  22. Orca

    ADN's being pushed out

    Orca replied to MSN Student's topic in Diploma, ADN, BSN

    I'm not against education. What I am against is elitism in nursing, in which some nurses have sought to split the profession into tiers with themselves at the top. We all passed the same board exam,...
  23. Orca

    HIPAA and Correctional Officers

    Orca replied to Neats's topic in Correctional

    I am also a DON, and I would not have disclosed the information you were asked to disclose for the same reasons. You were right to stand your ground on it. The discovery of a diverted pill does not...
  24. Orca

    Drug Shortages

    Orca replied to CrufflerJJ's topic in Patient Medications

    I have little sympathy for the drug manufacturers. They continue to soak American consumers for billions in profits for drugs they sell for a fraction of the cost elsewhere in the world. The FDA...
  25. Orca

    Finding Motivation in a Hopeless Area?

    Orca replied to mingK's topic in Medical-Surgical

    Had to chuckle at this phrase: Thanks for the