nessa77

Thank you over and over again for this sincere, heartfelt story. You are right, often the generic, one size fits all hospital thank you's don't mean a whole lot. Your story inspires me and helps remind me the impact I can have!

They hired me after the telephone interview. They are giving $4000 for relocation. They interviewed me around Jan 8th, and they want me out there by March 1st at the latest~ Hope this info helps!

Thank you all for your colorful responses! ~nessa77

Have you thought about talking with your own Dr/cardiologist regarding your condition? I think that would be the best bet to get the best advice! Good luck!

Thank you so much for your input! It's nice to hear the "other side" (nurses views) of specific hospitals!!

Hi, I've been a nurse for 18 months on a busy medical/tele unit. I currently live in Colorado. I absolutely love the hospital I'm at, but I don't like Colorado! I've lived in Colorado my whole life, hate the winters, and want to experience a new place (I've visited AZ many times and fell in love with it right away!). Anyway I went online to the Bannerhealth website, applied for a position...telephone interview, etc. Well I have now been offered a job at Banner Good Sam in their ED. I would love any feedback and really appreciate it. It is going to be quite a move, and with three kids I want to know this is the right move. Of course any hospital is going to make their hospital out to be the best. I would greaty appreciate any feedback on this hospital! Thanks!!!!!

Thanks for the replies! When I spoke to the charge nurse about NPO status, I mentioned to her that I was going to hold her BP meds, but give her the paxil (this is after I got off the phone with dept handling echos). The charge nurse at that point told me to hold the paxil as well. I know the paxil was a once a day med, which means the dose I forgot to give her was a missed dose for the whole day. I think I will talk to the charge the next shift I work, explain the situation, and see how to handle it (if I need to do the paperwork for a med error) Once again, thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the replies...just knowing there are others who have been there, can relate, understand the stress...so on and so forth. I have a great family who is willing to listen to my venting, but until you've been there, I think it's hard for others to understand. Thanks again!

When I got on the floor at 0730...the dept that handles echos called to make sure the pt had been NPO for the procedure. In the chart the order read something like: pt to be NPO after midnight for dobutamine stress echo. I should have asked the charge nurse if I should have given the pt her meds when she got back to our unit. I was so busy, that it didn't even cross my mind:idea: How does one remember everything???? Yikes...I just don't know:(

I am two weeks out of orientation. I've felt pretty good being on my own(typical stress of a new grad) but I'm always so nervous during my shift. I work on a typical medical unit, and this past friday I'm afraid I may have made a med error, and didn't realize it until yesterday when I was trying rethink my day through. It was a very hectic day. One of my pt's was to have dobutamine stress echo. She was NPO for the procedure, she had several BP meds that morning, along with paxil. So, I held her 0800 meds, and she went on her way. In the mean time, I had a discharge and a new admission on the way,along with my other pt's, and I was so focused on getting all the admission assessment stuff done, and the discharge paperwork ready to go. I finished my up my shift feeling very uneasy...I'm always so paranoid that I will forget to chart something, or that I will just forget something major. Well yesterday as I was reliving my shift in my head, I realized that I forgot to give the pt who was NPO her 0800 meds when she got back. I suddenly got this quesy feeling in my stomach and thought oh, no, I think I just made my first med error. Of course being a new grad, and already feeling not too confident I started to question whether or not I'm really cut out to do this. There is such an unbelievable amount of charting, along with a million other things to do, I'm wondering how others don't forget things. I mean honestly I'm wondering how I will remember everything all the time. Any suggestions, maybe I'm just not organized enough?? I keep the pt's report sheet with me that goes from shift to shift, along with my own sheet of meds, VS, assessment, I&O, diet, code and allergy info, etc. I'm wondering also what others do to keep things straight on a really hectic day??? I love nursing, but feel so worried that next time I will forget something even bigger..... This turned out to big a longer post then usual....guess I needed to vent more then I realized. Thanks for any suggestions/support!

Thanks for all the suggestions...lots of good information to think about. I guess I'm just worried that as an employee with a chronic condition, they may try to figure out a way to let me go- since they may think that my condition (I have Meniere's Disease an inner ear disease that can cause vertigo issues and hearing loss) may be an issue with missing work, etc. When I have a relapse, or an "attack" I really can't function and sometimes it can take a day or two to recooperate. I am so worried if they found out they may find some way to let me go...

Thank you very much for your reply....I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should mention it, I definitely think there could be some benefit mentioning, on the flip side, there are some definite concerns about mentioning it...Thanks again

Just wanted to find out if there are other nurses who live with a chronic condition and how they handle it at work? I have a chronic condition, and most of the time I feel pretty good. However, when I get really stressed out (we all know how nursing can be stressful, esp on a new grad!) I can get a flare up of my disease. Just wondering how others might handle being sick yourself (with something chronic) and nursing? I'm a recent graduate and have been working on a medical unit, and very soon I will be off orientation. I really enjoy my job, like the unit, etc. This morning I had to call in sick because of a flair up of my disease. I've been very stressed lately (work and some other outside of work issues). So I guess what I am wondering is...obviously I don't want to tell my employer about the disease, but now I am worried about having to call in sick, and praying that my body starts to feel better. I guess hearing about others who are successful as a nurse, and live with a chronic condition would give me some hope....I guess I just needed to vent too! Thanks!

I am very aware that there are certain meds that need to be wasted while someone witnesses that waste. The problem that occured was not lack of knowledge with that, but lack of judgement on my part (putting the ativan in my pocket and forgetting about it) I have definitely learned from the situation. Today it was taken care of, a med error was written for it. I know that this is something I will not be forgetting, and something I will NOT do again! That is for sure!

Many thanks to all of you who responded to my post. Having the opinions of several people helps me look at things from different perspectives. Well, I went to work on Wednesday, found my preceptor right away, and told her that "we" had forgot to waste the med. She looked at me confused, and said she didn't remember that we had given ativan (at this moment I was a bit worried she was going to forget the whole situation) I gave a quick reminder of the patient. She said ok, let's go waste it. We got to the med room, and tried finding the patient on the pyxis (computerized med dispenser). Well since the patient was discharged that same day we gave her the ativan, she was no longer in the pyxis. So my preceptor said she would talk to pharmacy about it. At the end of shift she found a pharmacist to talk to about it. Apparently the pharmacist said that because the patient had been DC'd it would be considered a med error (?) (didn't really understand why) This all took place the at the end of shift, with a staff meeting after our shift. My preceptor ended up saying we would deal with it later, next day together (which isn't until monday). I didn't know what to do...once again this all happened so quickly...so, on Monday I will ask my preceptor once again if we can handle the situation promptly, and if I don't get any action from my preceptor, I have decided to go to the clinical coordinator (the person above my preceptor who deals with all orientees). I am worried about this because I don't want my preceptor to get in to trouble, but considering I am new, and don't know exactly what to do at this point (i hate that the ativan is in my locker at work still) things have just seemed to spiral out of control with the situation. I can't wait until this is all resolved.