rachel h

I don't have any kids either, so that makes my schedule a little more flexible. I usually go to bed around 1am- I need to unwind for a bit after I get home from work. Sometimes I'll sleep in but if I need to run errands I'll just set my alarm to get up around 8 or 9... gives me plenty of time to run errands, go to the gym and then it's off to work. It just takes a little bit more prioritizing to get everything done when you work straight pm's.

The hospital I used to work for changed the name badges so that your title was in bold letters and HUGE- I swear you could see it across the room, whether it was MD, RN or LPN- the letters were about an inch high. That really seemed to clear it up for the patients. However, it did look a little kindergarten-ish...

Oh I hate the pain scale due to the fact that an overwhelming number of patients seem to get annoyed with it and many of them don't quite understand it. I would much rather just be able to document that I gave a patient a pain med because they were in pain. In our facility it's a huge deal to do a pain score on every single patient at least once a shift. I find it more annoying than anything else.

The opinion of nursing has got to change. I think that is the most frustrating part of being a nurse. From family members hanging out of a patient's doorway staring at you like you are doing nothing when in fact you are charting, preparing meds or checking a patient's labs to unhappy patients who are going to report whatever it is they're unhappy about to the doctor, because of course, the doctors must be in charge of us nurses. And what about the doc's perception of nurses? Now, I'm not including all docs of course, but what do some of them think we do? I kid you not, yesterday I had an order, yes, an actual ORDER for 1) diaper changes prn, and 2) call H.O. with unstable vitals...Really?... you don't say... Sorry, I feel myself beginning to vent here, but also what about conversations I have with my friends and family who have no medical background who think the main functions of a nurse's job are to 1) put bedpans underneath people and clean up poop, 2) bathe patients, and 3) feed patients, no thinking required? Makes me want to barf everytime I have to explain to people that there is critical thinking required, I need to know lab values and what they mean, I need to know what all the meds do and how they work, I need to know various s&s so I know when to react and when something is just a minor bump in the road... I don't know how this will change... It kind of makes me think of how teachers had to fight for a long time for better pay, benefits and more respect... I think nurses are traveling the same path...

Thanks for all the feedback. I think part of it does have to do with the fact that I am young. And I just want to clarify that these patients who have threatened me have all their faculties- they are A&O- I would never let it get to me if the patient was confused or had legitimate psych issues. I don't know if it's my personality or what, but I can never seem to diffuse a situation. Everything I say or try to explain seems to make the person angrier... never was good at that therapeutic communication. I know I can't stand it much longer- I have been checking out the employment section in the paper every week...

I am a new nurse who started working in a large teaching hospital on a med/surg floor almost a year ago. It's been hard enough adjusting to being a "real" nurse, but we get a lot of patients that are not exactly, for lack of a better term, "nice." I am constantly stressed at work because it is very frequent that I feel threatened by one (or more) of my patients. Today I had a woman literally scream at me and lurch toward me while screaming "Ask me that question again, go ahead, ask me that question again!" Luckily I was by the door and able to make a quick escape. This just got me thinking how often this happens. I have to deal with so many innapropriate people it is just making me sick. And there is no reasoning with these people because they have no morals/values/conscience. I just don't think I deal with it much longer without going nuts. Does anyone else have any similar experiences? I could never imagine that as a NURSE I would have to fear for my own safety... that is one reason I chose not to work on psych. Thanks for letting me vent- this is wearing me out!

This may be a dumb question, but how can a nurse be an independent care provider as so much of what we do depends on physician orders (IVF, meds, certain procedures, etc.)? Do you collaborate with a physician, which would then mean you're not truly independent or is there another way? I'm very curious about how this is done, as the idea of being an independent contractor is very appealing to me. I understand how it can be done as, say, a legal nurse consultant or someone who is not doing direct patient care, but I don't understand how it works when you're providing direct patient care. Thanks for any input!

This may be a dumb question, but how can a nurse be an independent care provider as so much of what we do depends on physician orders (IVF, meds, certain procedures, etc.)? Do you collaborate with a physician, which would then mean you're not truly independent or is there another way? I'm very curious about how this is done, as the idea of being an independent contractor is very appealing to me. I understand how it can be done as, say, a legal nurse consultant or someone who is not doing direct patient care, but I don't understand how it works when you're providing direct patient care. Thanks for any input!

Unfortunately, I know all too well what you are talking about. Usually when a pt is admitted I tell them that when it is time for them to be discharged, it may take a few hours before they can leave. And I start the nursing discharge paperwork as soon as I can upon their admission. What we also have on our floor is an LPN who 'flies' the floor and they can do pt discharges as long as the RN makes the teaching plan. Helps out tremendously in the real hectic times... also we usually have a flying squad nurse that we can call on for help, too.

Unfortunately, I know all too well what you are talking about. Usually when a pt is admitted I tell them that when it is time for them to be discharged, it may take a few hours before they can leave. And I start the nursing discharge paperwork as soon as I can upon their admission. What we also have on our floor is an LPN who 'flies' the floor and they can do pt discharges as long as the RN makes the teaching plan. Helps out tremendously in the real hectic times... also we usually have a flying squad nurse that we can call on for help, too.

It's supposed to be only compatible with D5W, but I wouldn't have a bird about it. And I agree with Caroladybelle... pharmacy should attach a warning; ours doesn't : (....

I have my tongue pierced and have never had a problem with it. Usually people don't even notice it. As far as other piercings go, I have worked with nursing assistants who have eyebrow piercings, but I don't think any nurses. I have worked with nurses and techs who have visible tattoos and I can think of two docs at our hospital with nose piercings (very tiny studs, however). I guess it just depends where you work.

Sent you a pm. :)

Let me start off by saying that it is terrible that Jessica died and went through as much as she did, and I'm sure her family is heartbroken. That being said, they are in this country illegally. They did not pay for any of her medical care. Why should they be allowed to sue and get money when they didn't have any in the first place? JMO...

I will survive :)