kdmcook

I am currently on an orientation committee for my OR, and was wondering if anyone would be willing to share with me their experiences with their OR training, what worked, what didn't, and what their hospital utilizes in their training, ex. AORN training modules, On the job training, preceptors, mentors, classroom training, etc. I personally just finished my training and struggled through out my 6 months of classroom and on the job training. We had difficulties with preceptors, ( I had a different one practically every day, some that didn't want to teach, some that left me hanging by myself, etc.) So, we on the committee are trying to find better ways to conduct training and would really appreciate any feed back from other facilities/OR educators. Thanks,

I am looking for advice from experience OR nurses. I am a 2 year med/surg nurse interested in switching to an OR setting. Of my many concerns, I worry that as a type 2 diabetic that I might get myself into a room and not be able to help myself if I feel a low blood sugar event coming on. Can anyone give me advice on this? Also, I worry about standing long hours on my feet (since I have a slight bit of neuropathy, and frequently experience numbness in my feet.) I really like the OR, (or at least what I have seen) and want to make this work, but I have to admit this is a big concern for me. thanks for all your help and advice ahead of time, kdmcook, RN

Thanks for all of the replies. It has given me something to think about for sure. Thanks, Kathie

I would like to hear from other camp nurses how they handle staff medications. I had a lot of staff last year that were keeping their own meds, despite our requirement to turn them in. I have read on the camp assoc site where we should be keeping track of what they are taking and when. I wonder about this since these are basically adults that I am dealing with.

Can anyone offer advice to a fairly new nurse who is having difficulty managing her diabetes since she became a nurse? I have almost been forced to work nights, where I constantly forget to test, eat right, and take my medications as prescribed. On days, I am too busy it seems to eat right, and test my blood sugar when I need too, so I end up going all day without testing or knowing where my sugars are, then I am started after my 7a-7p shift, eat late and more than I should, and end up with high blood sugars at night. Exercise seems to be a joke as I am always either sore or tired or sore and tired from working 12 hour shifts, all on my feet practically running from one end of the hall to the other (which DOES help keep my sugar level down for that time period). I can't tell you how scary it is to be answering call bells while my hands are shaking so bad and my mind is in a fog from low blood sugar. Any advice would be greatly appreciated or just to chat with someone going thru the same thing. LOL, Kathie

I am fast approaching 41, it is a fast growing community hosp ER. NO traumas at this time. The nurse/patient ratio is 1 to 4, but I am having difficulty with 2 and 3. Especially when they slam me with them back to back. I seem to be unable to think fast on my feet, with the stress of trying to hurry leading me to make mistakes, etc. Everyone seems that it will come with time, but I am getting the feeling that they aren't going to give me the "time" that I need to get up to speed.

Wow, I wonder what camp you work at. I have been at a weight loss camp for the past two summers and we have absolutely NO computer access in the infirmary, except for those who bring laptops, then no printers. If you find anything I would be interested. Thanks, kat

Help, I just started a new ER position and having much difficulty with the role transition. I am still a fairly new nurse with 2 years Med/Surg and needed a change, and some new learning experiences. An ER position at another hospital was offered to me and I took it. I am about 1.5 months into training and am really struggling. I am having a hard time with the super fast pace, and so many things to learn. There has been a big turn over of staff for some "secret" reason and preceptors are apparently hard to come by. I feel like they are rushing me thru training in order to get me out on the floor to meet staffing needs. I am afraid for my pt's safety and my license. The other new orientees, there are four of us, feel the same way. We have tried talking to our nrs manager, education specialist, team leads, everybody, but so far have gotten no where. I worry as well that being an "older" nurse, that maybe I am just too old for the pace, especially learning a new pace. Initially I was excited about the position, but lately have been feeling very anxious and having a lot of self doubt. I have started having stess symptoms, anxiety, depression, general maliase and overall feeling sick and I think it is because of this job. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Any suggestions on what to do with the rest of the girls in the bunk?

repeat post

Hi, I am Kathie, the newly appointed charge camp RN at Camp Pocono trails in PA. I am "shipping" off to camp next Friday. I am a new nurse (0nly 2 years experience) and I am very nervous about this assignment. I will have 3 other nurses and an EMT helping me. (Thank goodness) I am charge because I am the only one that was there last year. My daughter went with me last year and loved it, so we are returning. I will be checking this site daily if I can. We have internet access but it is not the best. Good luck to all, happy summer!

I am leaving next Friday for camp, and our pysch counselor won't be there this year. Any advice on how to best deal (besides calling mom or dad, which does not work) with homesickness since this will now fall into the hands of the already busy nursing staff? Thanks Kathryn , i.e. Kathie, camp RN

It just seems that if we are in such demand, that we should be treated better as employees. I work at a summer camp and although the work is hard, they treat me SO nice. Because they know they need me in order to run this camp. I think hospitals need to adopt some of this philosphy.

I am a fairly new nurse (almost 2 years), and for the most part I really like nursing. But I am getting so frustrated with management that I am close to quitting altogether. I work nights, 7p to 7a, in a small hospital on a med/surg floor. We get mostly elderly people who are bedridden and incontinent and quite often confused. Our patient/ nurse ratio is 6/1. Sometimes with a tech, sometimes not. Our floor has 27 beds. Most often I feel very overwhelmed with 6 patients, especially with no tech, or having to share a tech for the whole floor, (which then means taking primaries). I feel like I am drowning under my patient load with no help. Our charge nurse ( of which I am frequently charge as well, with 6 patients of my own), has six patients as well, so asking her puts an additional burden on her, of which I am reluctant to do. The other night, I was charge, with 6 patients. I had two new nurses on the floor and some issues with taking admissions. It was 9 pm before I got to see all of my patients. 1 am before I could start charting. I was on my feet all night long, had no lunch break. And now I am getting blasted for asking to be "up staffed" because one of our patients was on CBI, and we had several complete cares. I am so disgusted about the whole thing. Someone tell me what the incentive to be charge is? I don't get extra pay, less patients, recognition, no considerations at all! I feel like I am stuck on this floor. I decided to be a good graduate nurse and do my year of med/surg, and now I am having a hard time getting into a specialty because all the new graduate nurses are filling their spots! At this point I think clerking at Walmoart would be much less stressfull, less fear of being sued or losing my license, etc. Anyone give me some advice? Is nursing like t his everywhere?

Or send them out?