Left nursing (ICU) for 8 years, returned at 51. Had 4 job offers for ICU from 4 hospitals in a few days, all willing to give me several weeks of 1:1 precepting. Our maturity and work ethic is...
My first 10 years was ICU. I finally realized I was bored to death-turn q2h, write all vital signs and I/O every hour, hang a dozen IVs each shift, draw bloods from any patient with a central line at...
I graduated from nursing school at 33, and am now working in a busy ER at 55 and loving it. I agree with lucky1RN - life is too short to do something you don't love. I have a job I love, a job that...
bill4745 replied to rnlightening01's topic in Emergency
We sometimes admit, treat, and discharge from hallway beds. We use portable monitors. You are not likely to convince management to stop using the hallway
I've worked in M/S, ICU, tele, home health, and now ER. ER is the most stressful thing I've ever done, and the most rewarding. In my hospital, the floors and ICU have the luxury of having no...
bill4745 replied to trinitygrad07's topic in Emergency
It helps to have ADD and mild psychosis. Also, staying calm under stress, being able to 'think on your feet', able to reset you priorities on a moment's notice, an ability to occaisionally engage in...
bill4745 replied to sunshineonleith's topic in Emergency
I've been doing this for 14 years, and I still ask other nurses to look at rythym strips, and I certainly would have called for help in your situation. You did the right thing, you will be a great...
20 ER beds, 5 fast track. 100 patients/day, just outside Philadelphia. From 7am-11pm 6 RNs-1 in Fast Track with 5, 5 in the ER with 20 for a 4:1 ratio. A charge RN with no patients, and almost...
bill4745 replied to FireStarterRN's topic in General Nursing
People will learn and retain more in a relaxed, positive atmosphere. The goal is to save patient's lives, not scare the people taking the course. I am glad it has
I love my job. I work hard to give the best possible care. I also have a wife and three children. I choose my employer based on all the above. I have turned down higher pay at hospitals that were...
bill4745 replied to Happeetxn's topic in Emergency
Trauma shears, hemostats, calculator until you get a PDA. Eat-on-the-run food - fruit bars, peanuts,etc. I like aviator.com scrubs - many pockets, well-made and worth the price. Good luck with making...
Three weeks into my ER job, a 9 month suffocation came in, blue, tubed, and flat line. We worked on her for 45 minutes. For the rest of the day, they were a lot of otherwise strong docs, techs,...
My basic position is three 11am-11pm per week (ER). My yearly total for this is about $72,000. If I do one extra 11a-11p each week, my gross jumps to $112,000. I can work all the OT I can handle, OT...
Ditto. Don't give any info that is not asked for by licensing or the employer. If an issue is raised by the employer, point out that there are a lot of staff members on psych meds that they don't...