KLeigh

At Carolinas Medical Center (CMC Main) in Charlotte, NC, the RNs have 2 pts each in the MICU, which seems pretty good. I do acute dialysis all over the ICUs, so I just go there to dialyze the patients - I'm not an ICU nurse. I do, however, spend a lot of time in the ICUs, and most of the nurses seem happy with the patient load (although they can sometimes be low on techs). I don't know if that's the info you're looking for, but hopefully it helps a little. Good luck in finding the right place!

Thank you very much for the information! I really appreciate your feedback--it's been really tough for me to get an idea of a typical pay scale, since it varies so much by region (and I think I made the mistake of scaring one potential employer off by quoting a salary that was too high because I just took a shot in the dark and guessed, which wasn't a good idea but was my only choice at that point!). Now I at least have a general idea to work with ($26/hr is where they said I would start if I do get the job). Thank you again!

I work at the University of California San Diego Medical Center, and I often see "volunteer pets"--they actually have a "staff" made up of dogs lol--I'll explain. You all know the extremely wonderful and helpful volunteers who come around the floors helping out with various tasks (running labs down, handing out water pitchers, delivering flowers, etc)? Well, one of the jobs done by specific volunteers is to bring volunteer dogs around the hospital and into patients' rooms. The dogs even have to wear name badges with their pictures on it, just like the human volunteers:lol2:! Although I do not know the specifics of the screening and training process the dogs must go through (and they do have to be screened, I know that much), I do know that I consistantly see the same dogs and human volunteers around (I've worked on various units in our hospital). The volunteer comes to the floor and first asks the nurses if it's okay to visit, then the nurse will ask the patient if he/she wants a furry visitor--usually people do! Some people even want the dogs to hop up into bed with them! I think it is absolutely beneficial to patients have animals available to interact with. Obviously, some people have allergies and/or fears of dogs (the volunteer dogs at our hospital are all pretty small, though, which might eliminate some fear), but a volunteer would never enter a room with a dog without the patient's nurse first going in and asking the patient. I've heard that studies show that not only does petting an animal lower your blood pressure, but the simple fact of thinking about petting an animal can lower BP. So animals can have a lingering effect, since patients can actually physically benefit from remembering their interaction with the animal--isn't that amazing? I think it's wonderful :)

Hi everyone! I've been an RN for 7 years, 6 of which I've spent in here in San Diego, CA (the other one in Ohio). My husband recently got a great job offer in Charlotte, NC (he's an engineer), so we will be moving across the country from San Diego to Charlotte at the end of May. We're really excited--Charlotte seems like such a great place! Anyway, I'll get to my point: I had a phone interview with a manager from a dialysis unit in Charlotte, and she mentioned the pay, and I'm wondering if it is a fair/good offer. I have tried to research nursing salaries in Charlotte, and have come up with so much conflicting information that I'm so confused! Various salary websites say different things (I've seen average pay listed as $51k annually up to $72K, depending on the site, for an infusion/oncology/dialysis nurse, which are the areas I work in). I've even spoken to a couple of hospitals, but I got such a huge range that I still don't know what to think (one woman said they pay RNs between $20/hr-$34/hr, but couldn't really get more specific; I understand there are many factors involved, so I thought I'd ask some actual nurses). San Diego is in its own world, when it comes to the economy. I currently make $39.15/hour for a day shift position in as an apheresis /infusion /oncology RN at a university hospital (outpatients), which may sound like really good pay, but it isn't actually, when you pay $1775/month for a 900 square foot apartment and gasoline is over $4 a gallon. So I obviously know that I will be making far less than my current salary, and have no complaints about that since cost of living is so much more affordable in Charlotte. However, like anyone else, I would like to make fair wages, so I was wondering if anyone could please help me out. What is a typical salary for an RN with 7 years of acute care experience looking to work in a large hospital (for instance CMC inpatient or outpatient infusion center giving chemo or dialysis treatments)? Are salaries often "set in stone" (for instance, at the university where I work, we're union, and they have a "step" program, so you'll be paid a set amount no matter what, based only on how many years you've been a nurse)? Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

I think I have a pretty good one....This happened when I was a new grad, working on a med/surg unit. I had just finished everything I needed to do in my (totally alert, oriented, and awake) patient's room, when I noticed that her foley cath bag was full. So, I emptied the foley, and moved along.... A few minutes later, that patient rang her call light. "Something's making a weird noise in here", she said. When I entered the room, she asked if I heard "that dripping noise". Uh-oh! :imbar After I'd emptied her foley, I had forgotten to clasp the tubing, and there was urine dripping onto the floor! I felt awful (not to mention completely idiotic!). That was over five years ago, but it still always sticks out in my memory as one of my most embarrassing nursing moments.

I just tried out my crocs professionals this weekend--two very busy 12.5 hour shifts in a row, and absolutely no foot pain!! That's a first for me, so I'd say the Crocs are the winners!

As promised, here is my review of the Comfort Clogs from allheart.com: they're grrrrreeeeaaattt! And they only cost me $8.99, because they're on sale! Actually, I just checked their website, and it looks like the price is now $9.99...haha, well, I think that's still an okay price. http://allheart.com/ahcc1000.html Here's my blurb about them: I wear a size 7.5, and I ordered the size M (8-9). When I first got them, I thought they were too big. They make my feet look like boats, and I feel like a clown in them. I was singing a different tune after 13 hours of standing / walking / moving heavy patients in these shoes. This is the first time in ages that the top of my foot hasn't been killing me after a long shift! And I realized that, while these shoes are big and wide, if I had gotten the smaller size, they definitely would have been too short. I think that these shoes are designed to hold your foot in place with minimal contact between the foot and shoe. My foot never once slid out of these shoes, even though they appeared to be too wide! And my feet are pain-free today! I just got my crocs in the mail today, and they appear to be pretty similar to the Comfort Clogs from allheart, except that they don't make my feet look so big, and they have an optional strap that you can pull over the back of your foot. The crocs are pretty obviously of higher quality material than the Comfort Clogs, though they are both a very lightweight plastic or similar material. They cost about $35, which is still really good for nursing shoes. I can't really say anything else about them, since I haven't worked in em yet, but I'll write again on Sunday, after I work my next shift and try out my crocs! Talk to you later.

i completely agree with you here! one of my greatest pet peeves is the lack of respect for night-shifters' schedules by most of the world! of course, the vast majority of our society functions throughout the daytime hours--we night shifters know this. we are aware of the fact that you cannot reasonably, for example, request that your apartment building has the construction crew come back at 2am to repair that leak or mow the lawn because we night-shifters need our sleep, and it is too noisy at 11am. however, i think many of us night-shifters would appreciate just a little more understanding from our places of work. we are people, too, and we also require the same number of hours of sleep as you; we simply sleep at different times than you do. so it really should not surprise or offend anyone that a night shifter wouldn't want to come in at 5pm for a "conveniently" scheduled meeting before their 7pm shift any more than a dayshifter would want to get up for work at 3:30- 4am to come in for a 5am meeting. honestly, if daytime people who have a hard time understanding it could just "shift the clock" in their minds, and imagine themselves in a congruent situation, then i think it would be much easier for them to see that nightshifters aren't actually being noncompliant or difficult--we're being human. and that's all that we want, is for people to acknowledge and respect that we have the same basic needs for sleep (haha and for fresh snacks, not just crumbs, as some have mentioned...but that's a different story. anyway, the fact that night shifters don't get the goodies keeps me from getting fat!). hopefully that didn't sound like a rant--i tend to get emotional and defensive when it comes to my shift, so i'm sorry if i came off as cranky! i am actually very happy that the original poster is doing the exact right thing by trying to see things from the night shifters' perspectives and trying to understand the problem in order to fix it. we need more people like that!

I'm having some trouble finding a good pair of shoes, too, especially since my right foot is almost an entire size bigger than my left! That makes it so hard, and I almost always come home with one foot in pain! Anyway, here's what Ive learned or experienced, as far as shoes go: Just last night I ordered a pair of Crocs Professionals online for $34.00--I'll let you know how those are, as soon as I try em. I've heard great things about them. From what I've heard, though, make sure to get the "Professionals" kind, because they have ridges along the sides, to catch any body fluids that might drip onto your feet, so you don't get anything gross falling through the foot vents! They are slip-resistant, although I have heard some nurses say that their hospitals have banned "Crocs" and similar shoes, because people have been slipping in fluids (someone mentioned in another post that this could be due to some less well-crafted knock-offs, which might not actually be slip resistant, giving a bad name for the real shoes). Here are the other shoes I've tried, though: Dansko--I have had pretty good luck with these. I bought 2 different types, both cost around $100, and one pair has been great (I've had them for over 4 years, and they are still in good shape, except for the fact that the inside of them seems to have become really super smooth, so my feet have started to slide out of them--but that was after 4 years of wear). My other pair of Danskos is not quite as "cushy" inside, but are still very durable and reliable, and are also still in great shape after several years. Recently, I started having quite a bit of pain at the top of my "bigger" foot, from my big toe up to the front of my ankle, and at first I thought maybe the shoe was too tight, but when I paid more attention, I think it was caused by the inside of my shoe wearing down. I think what was happening was that the new slickness of the inside of the shoe was causing my foot to slide out, so I was "gripping" the inside of my shoe with my big toe, to keep my foot from sliding out. This resulted in the "extensor tendon" (looked it up, cause my foot was hurting so much!!) being stretched an awful lot during my 12-hour shift. That's just my theory, though--I haven't gone to a doctor about it or anything. Has anyone else had this problem, with dorsal foot pain after a long shift, when your shoes are obviously not too tight? This only happens with one of my feet. I've also worn Nursemate shoes, and those are pretty comfortable, too, and cheaper than Dansko. I've only had one pair, though, and I ended up getting rid of them because the pair I had was just so darn ugly! They do have a huge selection of styles, though. I might try another pair of those if my crocs aren't as great as I've heard they are. Also, I just ordered a pair of clogs from allheart.com, basically because they were on clearance for $8.99! The sizing system is horrible, though, because I wear a 7.5 (my right foot tends to be an 8, actually, while my left can fit into a 7), and their size small is 6-7 and medium is 8-9--seems like it would be hard to get a good fit with such a wide range. If they hadn't been less than $10, I wouldn't have tried them, but I couldn't pass up the deal. I ordered a medium, and honestly I can't tell if they are too big or not. They are, though, the most lightweight shoe I have ever seen. I am going to wear them for the first time tonight at 1900, so I'll let you know how they are, after my shift tonight! So, I'll update you when I try the allheart clogs and the crocs! Good luck in your search for the perfect shoe--I know it's a tough one-I'm right there with ya!

During the last year of my BSN program, we studied the progression of the nursing profession over the years. I remember one of my instructors gave us a handout that listed what the responsibilities of the nurse used to be several decades ago (I want to say it was from the 1950s or something, but I'm not positive about the date). Anyway, it included--no joke--"sweeping the floor", among other "household" tasks (some of which we nurses do sometimes still take care of when necessary, like changing bed linens, but this list certainly didn't mention anything that sounded like today's skilled nursing duties). Although we all just laughed at the time, it was/is pretty insulting and frustrating that much of the public still remains so ignorant about the nursing profession.

i'm an infp! i remember getting the same result when i took the test several years ago, too.

Do you wear your wedding / engagement rings to work? In what setting do you work (hospital, doctor's office, etc)? Newlywed here, just curious!! I just got married in July, and didn't wear my rings to work on the hospital unit I'd been workng at for 4 years (they all knew I was married, so I didn't care), but I just started a new job at a different hospital, and I almost feel bad not wearing my rings (like I'm betraying my new hubby or something...haha I know that's probably dumb, but I'm just curious how other folks do it). So far, I've been wearing my wedding band and not my engagement ring, and I work on a M/S unit in a hospital.

Hi there! I thought I'd offer a few tips that I have found useful in finding veins/starting IVs. Sorry if I end up repeating what has already been said (I haven't had a chance to check out all of the suggested resources yet). -Is that the ACF or a stretch mark or a scar or a tendon? It FEELS like a vein...I think.... One trick a charge nurse of mine showed me, if you're unsure about whether one of those "mystery bumps under the skin" is actually a vein is to keep one finger on the "vein" while the tourniquet is tightly in place, then use your other hand to release the tourniquet, while leaving your finger on the "vein". Does the "vein" immediately disappear upon release of the tourniquet? If so, you're golden! The blood rushed out of it when the tourniquet was removed, and you felt the pressure being relieved. However, if the "vein" still feels exactly the same as it did before, then it's probably just a darn stretch mark, scar, tendon, mystery bump that you won't be able to get blood from so keep searching....When I first started with IVs, that helped me out a lot. Hope that made sense! -If possible, warm up that arm! One floor I worked on kept heating pads around strictly for starting IVs, but on other floors I would improvise and use a warm washcloth inside a plastic baggie or something (be careful, obviously, so you don't burn anyone). I know this isn't always practical or within your time constraints, but often it is worth it to warm up the patient's arm rather than having to stick the patients several times. I mean, the body's cooling mechanism involves dilating the veins and pushing them closer to the skin's surface, which is just what we need for an easier IV insertion. And, by all means, multi-task....While your patient is "warming up", that's when you'll be out there preparing all of your IV stuff: have everything set up (alcohol swaps or chloroprep opened and accessible, tape strips peeled, flushes prepared, etc.) and at your side when you go in to stick the patient, and always bring a couple of catheters along, as well (hehe I feel like it "jinxes" me if I don't bring at least 2) -Use a B/P cuff as a tourniquet If you aren't finding any veins with a normal tourniquet, try using a manual BP cuff (actually, an automated one would work, too, but it's much more annoying). You can almost always find a vein this way. Of course, do not leave the cuff inflated for long periods of time without giving the patient a break (hehe I just have to throw in my little disclaimers...I know you nurses realize this stuff, but just making sure you know I'm not being cruel or reckless!). -Where to check You can check places like the hand, which is usually better for smaller guage needles (but hand veins can tend to roll, and personally I think they are not as good as the fore arm or AC), or the wrist (if you turn the hand on its side and follow the thumb upwards to the wrist, you'll notice a vein right there. This is almost always a nice big one, but unfortunately can sometimes tend to be rollers. The top of the wrist is nice, too, on some people, but not often on people with tough veins). The upper inside of the forearm is a sensitive area, and hurts more for the patient, but is usually a place where you can find straight veins (although these are often smaller ones). The AC (the antecubital fossa, right inside the crease of the elbow) is almost always a quick, sure-shot place for most patients, can handle a large ga., and hardly ever rolls, but you'd have to be sure to secure the site very well, and sometimes use an armboard (hehe actually, there's a new post up that talks about not liking IVs in the AC, so start IVs here at your own risk...) Basically, the problem is that, if the patient bends the arm too much, the site can become bad, so it is a perfectly valid point, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. There are usually veins you can find on either side of the crease of the elbow, as well as above the elbow, on the upper arm, and those veins, although not as commonly used, can actually hold higher guaged catheters quite well, I've found. -Always feel--never go by "look" alone You just have to feel the bounce of a good vein, and use your finger to feel where it travels. I am not sure if some people use sight as a technique of finding veins, but in my opinion, it would limit one's ability to start IVs in darker skinned patients, or patients with deeper veins. It is sometimes helpful to make a pen mark at the starting point of the vein, then follow the vein with your finger, and mark another spot, roughly an inch or so along its path, to guide you when you're ready for insertion (of course, the bottom mark will disappear when you clean the site, before insertion, but it can still help out when you're a beginner). -Practice, practice, practice...and just remember, THREADING A PIECE OF STEEL INTO ANOTHER HUMAN'S VEIN IS A LEARNED SKILL...IT'S TOTALLY NORMAL NOT TO BE GOOD AT IT INITIALLY :wink2: I used to absolutely hate starting IVs...I was so afraid of them, and then I thought I would just never, ever get the hang of them, and that something was wrong with me as a nurse. But eventually--and I don't know exactly when--I realized that I had stopped having mini anxiety attacks when I read that the MD orders required me to start an IV. You just have to do them over and over and over again, and you'll eventually become faster and better at them. I have also learned that certain nurses have certain IV "niches". For instance, I can't catch a rolling vein to save my life, but my coworker Marie sure can--no rolling vein can escape her IV catheter. However, Marie can't, for the life of her, start an IV in a very large patient, while I seem to have a knack for finding deep veins in large patients (hold the catheter just like a pencil!! no joke--try it, and you'll never go back to skinny patients!). Well, hopefully there was something in that long message that you'll find helpful!! Good luck to you! :)

:chuckle :yelclap: that's hilarious, grace90!! and all this time, i've been feeling stupid when i try to maneuver through all the equipment in a patient's room, while dodging visitors and trying to keep both feet on the ground....they should realize that they are actually witnessing a talented athelete--not a clumsy nurse who is attempting to untangle her ankles from the vitals sign machine so she doesn't end up tripping over the iv pole and falling into grandpa's lap! your post had me laughing out loud!

I once had a teenage girl say to me (while I was drawing her blood) that she could never be a nurse because she doesn't enjoy inflicting pain upon other people!!! :uhoh21: Concentrating on that blood draw was all I could do to hold back the urge to snap, "Oh yeah, that's exactly why I went into nursing--because I just love to hurt people!"