labor1

I have been nursing for 33 years. Wore all white,a cap for a long time and even the dreaded white hose. I worked very hard back then as I do now.Often way too big patient load. Med errors were made then too but the difference now I think is that the meds errors can be more serious. Just look at the number of meds out there and more being introduced everyday. More complicated procedures and a more demanding patient population. I don't remember my patients expecting me to be their personal maid then or want me toprovide all their friends with snacks etc. Of course we always had what were called aides who were a great help!! I think it is Christmas if I have a tech now.The patients knew who was who. I don't want to go back to all white and definitely not a cap though I was proud of it. Clearer tags are a good idea, I like the suggestion of the info being the same on both sides. I know alot of nurses who purposely turn over their tags because they don't like their pictures. However I would not stop nursing because they made me wear a certain color, no matter what is. We are waiting now at our hospital to hear what the dress code will be, I guess our administration saw the Today Show too. I was very upset at first when I was told we were going to have to change into color coded uniforms at the first of the year. However, I have been thinking, Maybe everyone will be able to see how few nurses we have!!Although I agree it is important to tell nurses apart from housekeeping,it is more important to have adequate staffing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A patient told me, to her going natural meant not wearing any makeup:jester:

this doesn't bother me as much as the poor woman who obviously severe pain and her husband is on the phone saying "no she isn't doing much" because the TOCO doesn't read more than 30 or 40. I also get frustrated with the 300 lb woman who gets upset with me because I have trouble keeping her baby on the monitor or they blame the baby.

I have been wearing my crocks for several months and love them. I also find them less slippery on wet floors. I need to check out the website for new styles too. I also like my zcoils. My feet feel better than they have in years

at our hospital we have to be able to work in at least 2 areas. I work in Labor most of the time but have to work postpartum at times. I can work nursery too but don't have to often. Worst is when we are pulled to a med surg or pediatrics floor. Having the three areas in our own district to staff keeps that pulling to other floors down Our techs,when we have them, do put pts on the monitors but the nurse comes in pretty promptly to check on the pt or at the least checks the tracing on the central monitoring. I am interested in how many labor pts each nurse has at other hospitals.

I remember toe pleats,how about bed cradles,do they still use them? Does anyone remember pneumoencephalograms? They did alot of themwhen I was in school and I remember thinking someday they will be obsolete and now no one I talk to ,including doctors, know what I am talking about. I worked hard for my cap and wore it proudly for many years along with white uniforms and stockings which always got runs in them when I was leaving for work.

I agree completely with this writer. I have been nursing for 33 years,on pediatrics,med-surg,postpartum and now mostly labor. A good secretary is a god send!! When we don't have one our time is taken up with answering the phone, directing visitor traffic, looking up reports for drs and the location of their patients on other floors and heaven know what else. It scares me to think of who could walk in when no one is at the desk. Our secretares enter orders but the nurse is responsible for checking them. On our floor she also admits patients into the computer which also saves us alot of time. We take turns acting as charge nurse and are paid alittle extra when it is our turn. We still have a patient assignment,usually 2-3 labor patients or 6-7 patients on post partum.