Orca ADN, ASN, RN

Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC

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All Content by Orca

  1. Orca

    Motivating Burnt-Out Staff

    Orca replied to lulain's topic in Psychiatric

    I gather from your reluctance to confront unit staff that you aren't in charge, and you cannot directly affect change. The nurse who spends most of the shift using her Kindle is likely breaking all...
  2. Orca

    CA nurse that made 260K which prison did she work at.

    Orca replied to jgg765's topic in Correctional

    It isn't a matter of being "mean". The tone of your original post made it plain that the salary was your primary focus - which is never a good way to go into any
  3. Orca

    Are Male RNs or BSNs Preferred for State Prisons?

    Orca replied to Shane505's topic in Correctional

    I am a DON in a western state. I don't have a BSN myself, and that is not a consideration when I hire nurses. I am more interested in the applicant's background and personal traits. Sex is not a...
  4. Orca

    Thinking of going to corrections

    Orca replied to toddlar's topic in Correctional

    I did the same thing. I find that my custody experience serves me well in this environment, in that I can relate to what the COs are going through, and I also think of possibilities and head off...
  5. Orca

    Decreasing Medication Passes to BID from TID

    Orca replied to brcompton's topic in Correctional

    I work in a state prison system. We do everything possible to avoid TID medication orders. almost no medications require it, and when we do encounter such an order it is usually of limited duration...
  6. Orca

    dating someone with schizophrenia

    Orca replied to dipsett08's topic in Psychiatric

    I can't speak to your specific situation. Knowing what I do about this disease and how it affects people, it would be a complete and total deal killer if I were looking for a relationship....
  7. Orca

    Just want to thank you all

    Orca replied to clousehaus's topic in Psychiatric

    I am impressed that a patient would take the time to stop by a nursing forum just to say "thank you". Things like that keep us in the profession and make it
  8. Orca

    What does it take to be a good psych nurse?

    Orca replied to paulschwinn's topic in Psychiatric

    Some things I have found to be of great help: Have a calm demeanor. When a patient is spiraling out of control, the last thing he/she needs is to see the same thing happening to the caregiver. Keep a...
  9. Orca

    Nursing intervention for schizophrenic patient having sex?

    Orca replied to robinslapsRN's topic in Psychiatric

    This happened on a mental health unit I once worked on. I wasn't on duty, so I didn't have to deal with it directly. The nurse on duty split the two lovebirds up, and they were reminded of the rules...
  10. Orca

    Psych. Nurse Job

    Orca replied to Macann's topic in Psychiatric

    I can only speak from personal experience. Psychiatric nurses get pigeonholed, and prospective employers assume that you can't do anything else. I went straight from nursing school into a mental...
  11. Orca

    Changing from Long term care to Correctional nurse

    Orca replied to rosdan2000's topic in Correctional

    One thing I have always liked about correctional nursing is that you don't have to take any crap off anyone. As Jollydogg said, you aren't being discourteous. It's just a matter of not tolerating...
  12. Orca

    Shady S/R practices. . .

    Orca replied to BSNBritt's topic in Psychiatric

    Practices like this are what led to the demise of Charter Behavioral Health Systems. I worked for Charter (fortunately not one of the facilities using improper restraint techniques) when the company...
  13. Orca

    Borderline personality disorder

    Orca replied to wish_me_luck's topic in Psychiatric

    Borderlines alternate back and forth between valuing and devaluing others. If you do what they want, you're the greatest nurse ever. If you don't, you are worthless and against them. There is little,...
  14. Orca

    had an interview, got the job offer, now what?

    Orca replied to schoolnursejennie's topic in Psychiatric

    I work for a state government agency, and we tell people during the interview process that hiring takes a while. Experience has taught us that it generally takes 6-8 weeks for our HR department to...
  15. Orca

    CA nurse that made 260K which prison did she work at.

    Orca replied to jgg765's topic in Correctional

    If your motivation is to go where you get the most cash and nothing else, you will be eaten alive in
  16. Orca

    Turnover Rate

    Orca replied to dekagirlsRN's topic in Correctional

    Long term care (nursing homes and
  17. Orca

    Experiened Vs New Nurse: An Ongoing Struggle

    Orca replied to All4NursingRN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    It's a delicate balance. For everyone like you, there are probably a dozen who believe that because their book learning is fresher, they are somehow superior to those who have spent years on the...
  18. Orca

    Finally a Nurse Manager That Does NOT Tolerate Nurses Eating Their Young

    Orca replied to OnlybyHisgraceRN's topic in Patient, Colleague Relations

    I discovered long ago that there are worse things than a vacant position. I have let nurses go for a variety of reasons, and this is one of them. I have no tolerance for people who can't play well...
  19. Orca

    Child/adolescent psych position

    Orca replied to katyb213's topic in Psychiatric

    I didn't work extensively in child/adolescent, but I did work some. One day we had a kid about 12 years old who was an absolute terror, running through the unit, screaming, throwing stuff. We finally...
  20. Orca

    What is the deal with GEO Group?

    Orca replied to Chipola's topic in Correctional

    Sheri257's response should be required reading for anyone in state or county government who believes that privatization is the solution to their money problems. I currently work in a state facility...
  21. Orca

    Mean coworkers?

    Orca replied to 9064's topic in Correctional

    One thing to bear in mind: Interactions that may be perceived as "mean" may be anything but. It is easy to draw incorrect conclusions from what you are observing. Many of the tenets we operate under...
  22. Orca

    Interview at the local Psychiatric Hospital

    Orca replied to red2003xlt's topic in Psychiatric

    You are likely to be asked about general classes of psychiatric medications. Generally speaking, antidepressants show no effects for 7-10 days and don't reach full therapeutic levels for 4-6 weeks....
  23. Orca

    Is Corrections a good job for a new RN Grad???

    Orca replied to nursgwithcompassion's topic in Correctional

    You do what you have to do, and do your best to survive. When I graduated nursing school there was a nursing surplus (my luck being what it is). I sent out blind letters and resumes to every hospital...
  24. Orca

    question about IM emergency meds from new psych RN

    Orca replied to manchmal's topic in Psychiatric

    As far as IM injections in restraint situations, go for whatever you can hit. Your patient will not be cooperative, and likely will be thrashing around on the bed. I have used every IM site imaginable...
  25. Orca

    Is psych a good experience for a new grad to go to med/surg?

    Orca replied to Ochin09's topic in Psychiatric

    I started in psych fresh out of nursing school. This really hampered me in my early career. I worked in a free-standing mental health facility that was closed by the parent company. There was not an...