merellis2009

From experience working in the Augusta area and interviewing/dealing with HR of most of those hospitals I can tell you that University Hospital is the BEST hospital in Augusta for its nurses. MCG will usually offer a little more in terms of pay, but working conditions at UH are MUCH better. My husband is military so we had to move away, but I miss my coworkers and manager from UH constantly. Put it this way: MCG's HR was the first to interview me and have a second interview, but it took around 4 weeks to get a decision out of them. With UH, I put an online application in on Friday, got called Monday, was interviewed Thursday, and hired on Friday. Good luck and let us know where you decide to go!!!

I use the daycare at Cape Fear and cannot say enough wonderful things about them. Yes there may be a waitlist but if you tell them you're an RN, you get priority placement. If you are in the process of getting hired, go by the center the day you get the "you're hired" call and start the pre-enrollment paperwork. While you're getting all that filled out, they'll get you on the list (if there is one right now) and you're more likely to get in faster. Good luck!

My hospital has the same stupid policy. I am in the process of trying to get added on for an extra day a week on another unit to make up for the "on call" time that I'm losing PTO days and money on....

Gamommy81, I PM'ed you.

As someone who had a license from Georgia before coming to NC, I can verify what the other 2 previous posters said. Go to the BON website and fill out the online application. Print the appropriate forms and mail off your check. You will automatically be issued a temporary license number for the meantime until things get cleared. The process is pretty easy but there's no way to really "get around the red tape." It's just something you have to do. Good luck!

Regardless of right to work state or not, the hospital/organization you work with must follow due process as per their policy ie: if their policy states that you committed a negative action then you get X amount of verbal warnings, X amount of written warnings, X suspensions without pay then termination. Legally they have to tell you why you were fired/let go also. *Hugs* I'm so sorry they did this to you. Just please don't let them walk all over you and get away with it! I wish you the best.

I have orientation on Monday

I'm going to be switching from cardiac stepdown/tele (what I was doing in Georgia) to peds.

Is the NACCRRA daycare subsidy the one that pays a portion of daycare while your spouse is deployed? If thats the same program, we used them while my husband was deployed. They base the amount paid on rank and income. Even as a captain, they paid $100 a month for daycare which was a wonderful help. We just got here from Fort Gordon GA and I already accepted a position at Cape Fear. I just hope I like it there as much as I loved my old hospital. I really miss my old coworker buddies.

I received a $5000 scholarship for my last semester of nursing school from the hospital where I now work. I had to sign a contract for at least one year. The scholarship was paid out to me by a check about a week after the scholarship review committee interview. I was offered a job at the hospital about 3 weeks before applying for the scholarship. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the hospital scholarship because it helped me to pay those last minute fees for graduation, NCLEX study courses, board of nursing fees, and NCLEX fees. Good luck!

I dont know but strangely enough, my doctor was featured in the original documentary :)

It took me exactly 48 hours from the moment I hit "submit" until I found out that I passed NCLEX. It took my job about 7 days to officially see my name on the GA BON website. A friend of mine who lives in SC took her boards in SC and then got a job in GA. It took around 4-6 weeks to get all the paperwork so that she could work in GA. I highly recommend getting your GA license first then paying for an additional SC license later after you've gotten all settled into work. Good luck!

I've also got a mild/moderate hearing loss and HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting an electronic stethoscope for hearing sounds. I've got a Littman 3M 4100 with ambient noise reduction. It's great-you can turn the sound up or down as needed. Tell your friend not to worry too much-there's no reason on God's green Earth why she can't be a nurse with a little hearing loss.

I grew up in NC, graduated college and moved to Washington DC and then ended up back in NC a few years later. I can tell you that although it sounds like you're taking a drastic paycut, if you run the numbers I bet you'll be just fine. Expenses are MUCH cheaper in NC-believe me. Have you started looking for a house? apartment? Where you live around Durham will have a lot to do with housing costs too so keep that in mind. (Some places in Durham arent so great, but there are communities all around if you're willing to drive a little bit further.) Speaking of driving, take into account what kind of car you've got and how it does on gas. All in all, you really just need to run the numbers as a previous poster said. I'm betting that you will be pleasantly surprised.

You said the nurse can check the photo from anywhere in the facility. Now what if she cant get there right that second (as it often happens that we are elbow deep in .... stuff)? We use bed alarms and chair alarms at our facility which sound a loud bell both at the bedside and at the nursing station. Additionally a light comes on above the patients doorway. That way, whoever is closest to the room can assess the situation and check. The beds themselves have the technology capable if the person is 1) just rolling around a little too much 2) sitting up or 3) actually preparing to stand, depending on how the nurse enters the sensitivity settings. Although very high tech, cameras I feel would be invading a patients right to privacy. Although it is a hospital and we nurses are free to enter when we need to, that patient has a right to his/her own space, just as if they were at their own home. Images that others could inadvertantly see would also violate that privacy right. Yes I understand that the images would only be transmitted in an emergency but I think privacy is a big deal. Additionally, what is your "back up" system if the nurse is busy? Is there a way to alert a nurse who is closest to the patients room that her co-workers patient could be about to fall? How are these images sent? Are there handheld devices that the nurses carry? Are there monitors throughout the hallway that the nurse is paged to check?

Actually I can tell you that one of her in laws is a cardiologist (I can't remember if he's retired or not but I am 99% sure he used to practice at the floor where I work now before I started working there.) I think that's what makes it a little funnier to me... her father in law is a cardiologist and she messes up on how to put on a stethoscope a few times. hehehe I think she's a great actress but it's still funny.

Apparently they have a RN on the set along with a MD to act as "medical consultants." The RN's name is Linda Klein and according to her IMDB page, she's also acted as a consultant for Doogie Howser, Nip Tuck, and a bunch of other things. (See http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0458868/) *Here's an article where they talk about the medical consultants* http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/entertainment&id=3653045 This is a link to a special that was done awhile back on 20/20 where they highlighted the medical consultants.... I remember watching it vaguely but I specifically remember them talking about how most of the actors/actresses can't remember the proper way to wear a stethoscope. (After seeing it, I paid close attention and Katherine Heigl is REALLY BAD for wearing them backwards!) http://abcnewsstore.go.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DSIProductDisplay?catalogId=11002&storeId=20051&productId=2003298&langId=-1&categoryId=100039

I expect my charge nurse to: -make appropriate patient assignments based on pt acuity and RN ability -act as a resource to me when I have a question -act as an advocate for the staff nurses if a patient gets into a "sticky situation" and we need to spend extra time with them -trust that I am doing my very best to get things done not only quickly but safely -act as a mentor/example of what a good nurse should be -treat me with respect and dignity

Just be honest with the powers that be at your school. Let them know you're on the meds and why. I stayed on my ADD meds throughout nursing school (still on them now as an RN) and just showed them a note from my doctor stating that I have ADD and am taking XXX meds at XXX dosage. The school said it was fine and no big deal.

I also work on a tele unit and our hospital doesnt have a psych floor so essentially psych patients are everywhere. 1. I document, document, document. 2. Just give the charge nurse a heads up on the situation so that if you need more time to deal with this patient and document everything, she'll know why. 3. If needed, get the charge nurse involved. 4. Stay calm. If they're unhappy with the quality of services received ask them for specifics. Address each specific problem by citing hospital policy and protocol. 5. If your hospital has a care line phone number to call when patients are dissatisfied, then tell them to call. 6. Remind them that they are there by their own choices. No one is forcing them to stay anywhere. They may sign out AMA if they choose but insurance may or may not cover their charges due to AMA status Good luck!!!

Reminds me of the other day when I was trying to reach a MD to update on his patient condition while he was at the office. The receptionist said "I can let you speak with his medical assistant." when I said "I'm a RN at XXX hospital taking care of XXX patient trying to update him on the status per his request." So I get the voicemail of this medical assistant who says "This is the voicemail of Jane and Kathy, nurses of Doctor such and such..." ARGH! They're calling themselves nurses when they're not! That REALLY irritates me!

I second what Zimsaint said but I do believe it's worth it to at least go for the BSN to start out with. There is such a high need for RN's right now that no matter where you go to school, you WILL be able to find a job upon graduating and passing NCLEX. I stress that you find a great program but with the least cost possible. I say this because financial aid repayments can add up to be much more than you anticipated if you don't keep track of the costs related to your school. (I myself am paying over $500 a month for undergrad/graduate school repayments right now.) Best of luck in your decisionmaking!

Kudos to you because you did the right thing! I had to call a "code" on a visitor who came nonresponsive (although breathing and pulses were fine) and started vomiting last week. She just wouldnt wake up. I knew I could either call the rapid response team or a code blue. I knew I needed people FAST so I called the code. You better believe they got her on oxygen, got an IV in her, drew blood samples, and then got her to the ER in less than 10 minutes. The charge nurse said I did fine because I didnt know WHAT I was walking into--no clue of a medical history. All I knew is she was projectile vomiting, unresponsive, and looked a dusky shade of grey/blue. If ever in doubt, call the rapid response team. Heaven forbid you would've just instructed that man to go to the ER and he had an accident walking downstairs. For that, you might have been sued and where would you license be then?! You did a great job. Feel good about it.

"Would you see them as less professional if you saw them eating a Big Mac? " If they come in with their breath stinking to high heavens of Big Mac onions and sauce while they're taking care of me then yes I would see them as less professional. When I am a patient, to have a nurse smell of heavy smoke is as bad (if not worse) than a person with bad body odor. If you stink (regardless of the offending agent) then it's not professional PERIOD.

As a patient when I've smelled smoke on my nurse, it automatically causes me to see them as less professional (not by intention but just because it's how I reacted.) As a nurse now, if my coworker smokes, I know them personally and don't necesarily see them as less professional, but rather I kinda feel sorry for them.