BrightEyes

I have three kids also. Over the years I seem to have done the whole gammut of shifts/hours to fit around whatever was needed at that time in their life. We have no family here and I only had to use a home day care for about a year after my third could talk and the oldest was in school, other than that it's just been between me and the husband to work it out between us. When I only had one child, I worked the night shift, 12 hrs, 3 days a week. Worked out better if I did the weekend because then I was home through the week with the baby. Two kids, ended up doing 12 hr days at the weekend with home health covering the case managers, then evenings for a while (this didn't last long-hated it!). Then three kids...did home health, took my own cases, like others have suggested, did this for eight yrs or so, worked out great, worked around kids schedule, paperwork at night or weekends. Did this per diem for a few agencies so that I could pick and choose clients depending on how much time I knew I had available for the week. Per diem was great, didn't have to work 8a til 5p, if I ran out of time in the day and wanted to see someone in the evening and the client agreed then I would schedule for when my husband came home. Agencies for the most part don't care as long as the clients are seen and it's not crucial (eg:IV antibiotics) that they be seen at a certain time. This has worked out really well, home evenings/weekends, able to work around kids activities at school if needed. Paperwork drags you down..but that seems pretty much the norm for nursing anyway! It can be done...just need to get a little creative. I feel lucky that nursing has given me the opportunity to be so flexible, don't think I'd have been so lucky if I'd chosen a different profession! Best of luck to you! :)

I used to feel the same way. Panicky, nervous, wondering what on earth the shift was going to bring. It got better the more experience I gained, so hang on in there. I eventually did switch to a less stressful position purely to save my sanity and home life! Good luck! :)

Someone that knows what they're doing. Is pleasant to be around. Thoughtful. Doesn't try and chit chat if not feeling good. Timely. Keeps you informed. No BS.

You can ask, doubtful they're gonna budge though. Sounds like there's more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps they've had a bad experience elsewhere and need to micromanage this time. Have you managed to build a good relationship with the family yet? Do they trust you? If they ask why they should leave the room, what are you gonna say to convince them not to be there?

Good one! :)

I personally wouldn't touch it with a ten foot barge pole. Having worked tele in the past 8:1 is wayyyy too many. Doesn't matter how good the LPN is you'll ultimately be responsible. Tele pts can need a LOT of IV pushes and can change condition quick.

I worked til around 36 weeks with all of mine. First one it just worked out that way because of the contract I was on. The others it was purely a matter of comfort. Lots of ankle swelling towards the end. Congratulations and take good care of yourself.

Sorry to tell you but it honestly never does get better. Been at this 20 years and to this day it can't possibly be a simple headache but most definitely a brain tumour!! It's a standing joke at our house. :)

I couldn't agree more. The hospital/SNF discharges are absolutely abysmal as a rule. Drives me nuts. The patients really don't have a clue for the most part. Also, a lot of the time I find prescriptions still in the home not even filled because the pt/cg didn't realise it was a rx. I'm talking about the ones that end up at urgent care/ER and the discharge rx's are printed off in most places now on the A4 paper. Most of my older patients don't realise, they expect to see the rx on the smaller prescription pad paper, totally throws them off. The pts don't understand it's a prescription and here we are two days later with no antibiotics filled for the problem we initially went to get help for!!!! I've seen the same with nitrogycerin. Pts don't get it filled, end up back in hospital again for oh, let's see, we went back for "chest pain!!!" Oh, and then you get the docs that just write admission orders/meds off of old lists they have in the system for the client and then DC home with old list of meds. Pts haven't been on that med for months. Or, what about NO PRESCRIPTIONS given to pt for new meds. Try getting the pcp to order something that the discharge doc ordered on your word alone (obviously not going to) before they get the paperwork. You can't get the pt to see pcp for follow up for three weeks!!!! Let's see, maybe the discharging doc will write/call in the med they should have got rx for, IF you can get them to call you back. No, not happening, "they are no longer our responsibility!!" Nightmare for follow up. Oh, and what about the DC orders that have the generic and the brand name listed separately....with different dosages and the doc signed off on them!!! No-one catches it and the home health have to fight all the way for clarification. I totally understand how it is in the hospital when nurses are running round like chickens with there heads cut off. I get it, I really do. There just has to be a solution. It's not the nurses fault it's a myriad of failures in the system. What about the patients that don't have home health, I can't imagine. No wonder there's a readmission rate of 25%, not surprising in the least. Discharge....it's an absolute joke for the most part. I've even been tempted to try and get a job as CM/discharge planner before, because honestly the discharges I see for the most part are atrocious, there has to be a better way!!! Wishful thinking!!! :) Sorry for the rant, guess it's really a sore point with me!!

Thanks Blossom, Sounds like you had a fabulous education. I only hope mine ends up just as good, when I eventually get it sussed out! Good luck with your new position, hope they give you a huge big pay rise to reflect the new title. :)

Hi Blossom, It's $241 for a passport renewal! Wow. Nope, I'd definitely save your hard earned pennies and spend it on something else. :)

i know cariad, it's really scary! it's something myself and hubby (brit too) talk about often but we choose to bury our head in the sand and not really address it. i can't imagine how stressful it'll be if/when something happens!

I can't remember any one of my patients asking me to wear street clothes, ever!! Seems like an odd request, can't imagine why they would even suggest it. I occasionally wear street clothes in the field, rarely though. Feel way more comfy in my scrubs!!

I remember always having to have our patients out of bed by the time the consultants and their tribe came round to do ward rounds. All the patients had to be sitting up in the chair beside the bed, beds all made with corners "just so" and the men HAD to be freshly shaven. Woe betide us if this wasn't done before they came round to see the first patient. Our ward sister was a tyrant, but I learned A LOT and she was very well respected. The first 9 weeks and the last 9 weeks of my training were spent on this ward and this is where I ended up getting my first job after qualifying. Awesome foundation. We worked 7 til 330, 1245 (I think) til 930 for the late shift. Lates had two staff nurses, usually a first yr and a third yr student and usually one auxillary. I think it was about 30 patients and we had to remember the name of every last one of the patients on the ward. Hardly ever had a weekend off that I remember. Lots of nights spent "debriefing" in the social club. At that time they still had one on the hospital grounds. Couple of steps from the nursing home. Many a good night spent there I remember. It was a sad day when the "powers that be" decided to knock it into the ground. Thankfully, the nearest pub was 5 minutes away, always made for a bad hair night walking there in the rain. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!

Hi Blossom...CONGRATULATIONS on your Masters!!! Did you end up taking the management position? Did you do your furthur education ground or online? I'm still working on my transcripts. I did manage to get NMC to send something out to the Uni but I don't think it's going to get me much, they're still evaluating it!! It's been a while.