jenny031

Had always heard ghost stories but never had my own until I had been nursing about 6 years. We had a bed tower in the hospital where I worked the night shift as a float nurse. It was a pretty quiet night at about 3am and the nurses were sitting at the desk charting when my patients light went off. His room was the right in front of the station so I went in to check and he wanted to know "if everything was OK" and I said, "what do you mean" and said, "someone just came in here. I woke up and someone was standing by the bed and then they went out but didn't say anything. I didn't want to upset him, but I knew noone had been in there so I just said, Maybe it was the CNA or maybe you dreamed it, but I was secretly a little freaked out. Then I was REALLY freaked when I went out and told the others. They weren't surprised, said it happened all the time in that room and the call light frequently went off when the room was unused. No one was sure who the ghost was but had been seen many times. Sure enough not a while later I was working that floor and in the early morning hours the light went off, same story, different patient.

We've been doing it for a few months too, but I work in the ER so we just start the sheet. Well, actually we give it to the patient or family and have them write all their meds and doses down and then it goes with the chart to the floor on admission. I had no idea what they were doing with it once it got to the floor. That is crazy. I'm going to find out if it is the docs or nurses and I'll get back to you.

Wanting to find out information about the ERs in Anchorage/Wasilla area. I believe there are 3 hospitals in Anc. Does anyone know how many beds they have, nurse/pt ratio, what is the morale/staff like? Also any information about the new hospital in Wasilla area. I am planning to do some travel nursing in the area starting this fall. The hospital websites didn't give alot of information so I thought maybe I could get some first hand knowledge from someone. I have friends that live around there but they are non-medical so they aren't much help!

I was working on an ortho floor one night about 7 years ago and the call bell went off. I answered it and got some garbled reply, so I went to check it out. Ther was a elderly fellow in nothing but his tighty whities, with a little pot belly, sitting cross-legged on the bed. I was trying not to laugh and trying to figure out what he was saying at the same time. He had his hand up to his mouth and his speech was garbled and I could tell he was saying, "I've got something stuck in my throat!" When I got closer I could see he had his uvula between his finger and this thumb, pulling for all he was worth! I nearly lost it! I couldn't believe how long it was and that he had managed to get a hold of it! I made him stop for a second, his uvula literally was laying on his tounge, then he reached in again and started to pull it, "Get it out!" he said. I was hopeless I that point, he wouldn't stop. I went to enlist the others.

In our ER we get first dibs...if it's not an obvious OB-related issue, we medically clear them first (ASAP) and then they go upstairs. Isn't it funny, I worked in the Birth Center my second year out of school, that was 11 years ago, now I'm an ER nurse...and there's nowhere I'd rather be than as far away from a delivery as I can get!!! And I know I'm not the only one! That is one area you either definitely love or definitely hate!

Hear,Hear!! I've only been at it for 13 years, but with 4 tacked on prior as a CNA, I'm done!! Mentally anyway...unfortunately I think I'll be here for 2 more years but I'm carefully planning my escape. I'm sure working nights up until the last year didn't help! I was a float nurse in a large hospital for 7 years and worked in many depts, but I always wanted to get to the ER. Well I made it a little over 3 years ago and I swear I've never been treated so bad. And I'm a really nice nurse. I still try to do the little things that matter to people. Most could care less. Nursing has changed so much just in the years I've been in it, I don't want to see where it is 13 years from now. Whoever made the comment earlier about McDonalds is absolutely right! Not only is the customer is always right, the customer wants it all in 5 minutes. They can talk to us however they want and we just have to take it and smile. I recently had a case where the lady complained from the word go about everything. She was abusive and degrading to me and the doctor. We let the Nurse Manager know because we figured the patient would complain....she did...and our manager apologized and sent her a plant. I can't wait till she comes in again (she's a frequent flier) I'm sure she'll be even worse! Fortunately I work with a great bunch of nurses and we keep each other sane.... or maybe it's the 11:30pm beer call once a week that keeps us sane....well, I think we're still sane...

Ports are scary the first time, but they are easy to access. If you feel comfortable using the directions you were given, and the hesitation is because it's sore, then numb the port site with a little lidocaine first. Take your time and feel the port site. Don't rush. You'll feel the rubber stopper in the center of the port. Go straight in till you hit bottom. Then pull your needle back just a tad. Be sure to flush it first, if your not in, you'll feel it swell just like a PIV. If you have trouble getting it to give blood, have her lie down flat or raise her arm above her head. I do agree totally that you should have been given the opportunity to have at least see one accessed first. But if you have good written instructions to follow and observe asepsis you'll be fine. Good luck.

www.uniformadvantage.com and www.lifeuniform.com are 2 places that I've bought scrubs from that are reasonable. They have small talls.

HI! As long as you work in the south you won't have a problem! haha. I'm from Louisiana and came to New England as a traveler. Huge complaints from the geriatric population. One man asked me if I could "speak English". The younger crowd didn't seem to mind so much.

When we started using silicone caths and stopped using latex, we were told they didn't have to be tested. Of course we never really got an explanation why.

I finished with Excelsior, although it was Regents at the time. I had been an LPN for 9 years, so I found the clinical weekend pretty easy. Out of 6 of us there that weekend only 3 passed. 2 of us were LPNs and the other was a medic or EMT I believe. I had spent all but 1 of my years as an LPN in a hospital, so I was fortunate. Having good nursing skills in general made it easy. They were pretty big on care plans, placed alot of emphasis on them. It was very low-stress I thought. I did have some aggravation from time to time trying to contact them and get info, but it was well worth it. Overall it was a good experience. The best part of that program is that you get to do it at your own pace. That was a big factor for me since I was working full time. If I can help anymore let me know.

As a victim of physical/sexual abuse from a sig other, I completely agree with the others who said see a therapist. I had a couple of bad years after mine, not realizing how important that was. I thought I could handle it myself. Don't worry about nursing part, you'll be fine. As an ER nurse, I see alot of DV and rapes. You're heart will break in the beginning with the memories but it's gets easier, and it'll only reinforce that beautiful feeling of freedom. I'm often one of the only ones in the dept that is empathetic to the patient. Most have the 'it's her fault for staying in it' attitude. For those of us who've been there we know it's just not quite that simple. Good Luck

Looking for information from anyone who has done travel jobs in Ak. I'm an ER nurse wanting to travel there this coming fall. Can you give me any advice on a good company to chose or advice on hospitals that you've been to there. How was housing?