catnip

K i will try to make this the readers digest version, after the disclaimer "NOT LOOKING FOR MEDICAL ADVICE!!!!" now thats out of the way. Long story short, been diagnosed after many months of c/o neck pain and pressure with some trouble swallowing as have 3 pretty good sized complex thyroid nodules. Blood work came back perfectly normal, no antibodies for hashimoto's, thyroid hormones within range, only oddity being elevated wbc's. Had a coorifice needle biopsy almost 2 weeks ago, results came back as inconclusive. Will be going to appointment next tuesday to talk about doing a partial lobectomy. The ultrasound showed that the tissue of the left lobe is abnormal, and the physical exam showed the whole gland itself is inflammed. I have thought of some questions i am going to ask such as, if i dont have antibodies why is it so inflammed, and would it be more prudent to simply remove the whole gland as we dont know what caused the one side to mess up,( i have nodules on both sides btw), and i already know how long the recovery time is for post surgery as well as possible complications. statistically i am aware the chance of cancer is very low, so im not really worried about that. I just really am at a loss as to what else to ask. Any good ideas would be greatly appreciated. I hate to admit that im totally blank about it.

I agree with puppyrules, nursing is a little bit of everything, and just because its not hands on bedside nursing dosent mean that its not another skill that will aid you in your future, when i first graduated, the only position i could find was in LTC, which lead to my being transfered to their progression unit, which opened up the way experience wise to a job in home health. Never underestimate the value of a job, no matter how "meanial" it seems. I hope this helps. And please dont feel that because its not where you wanted to be right now, that you will never get there.

i understand how you feel asking this question, mine to myself is usually along the line of when will i stop feeling like an idiot. Ive been at my current job for a year, and though everyone tells me i am doing well, that i ask the right kind of questions, and am not afraid to let them know when i need help, i still come home most nights feeling like ive been hit by a stampeed. I doubt i will ever feel like i know everything i need to, i just cant wait for the night that i come home and dont feel like i had no clue what was going on and was treading water the best i could.

i have a very small stud and have been working as i nurse for about a year. i have never had anyone say anything to me about is, maininly because it seems to give me a better connection to my patients who are younger, they see me as someone who understands where they are in their life, and that i value greatly, i only work 3 days a week and nainly at night so im sure the families would have something to say if they see me, but with the teens/young the adults see to be more apperciative , esp after the pt begs for a peircing and i tll them ALLLLLL about it, then the teens seem to stop asking. hope this was helpful

i agree with the others, being personally on an antidepressant does not in anyway affect my on the job skills, other than making me a far more patient nurse! The stigma that goes along with these medications is far over due for being thrown out the window. If it is something you need, take it.

Where i worked as a CNA, we were expected to do dressing changes, so long as they did not envolve medication. Once we got report from the nurse that had the pt, we were told what type of wound it was, what was needed for it, and what if anything we had to come get her for in terms of changes. Cant say i agreed with it, but when arguing it with the manager results in the good old, "if you dont like it....." what can you do.

Keep in mind, if your new, doing a great job, and by your actions showing their sloppiness, they are going to try to tear you down anyway they can. Dont let them, keep your chin up, do your job well, and remember, karma is a wonderful thing, what they send around will come back around and bite them on their rears:wink2:.

Take care hon, i also started out as a new grad in LTC with 30 residents, and every day i went in terrified, but i knew that this was where i wanted to be. Every one reasured me that it would take time to find my footing, and now, 10 months later, i realize they were right. I do still have days where i feel like i have a dunce cap on, but more often than not i know that i am in the right place. If this is where you are ment to be you will find a way. :redbeathe

I had a friend who went to Holy Family University, she said that the program was wonderful. Hope this helps.

depends on what area you are in and how bad the CNA shortage is, be aware though that there may be a catch of having to work there for a period of time.

i went through tech school while in highschool for mine. But i have heard that some hospitals, nursing homes, and community colleges offer a 6 week course to become certified. Call around and ask if they could send you any literature on what is offered, that will usually include the time length of the program.:nuke: Good Luck!

whenever someone in my family would ask that dreaded question "i need some advise about xyz" my reply was always "go to the doctor, i can tell you what i think it is, but i cant write scripts, order tests, or send you for labs, so go see him/her.":wink2:

I always love it when they tell me 'i dont know how to do that", be it vital signs or emptying a bag. My usual response is that i was an aide for 7 years, i went through the same certification as you did, and i know for a fact that to be certified that you have to know how to do this so either your lying to me, or you need to go back to school. That usually gets them moving and stops the argument, if not then the threat of a write up with a full explination of what the person "does not know how to do" does.

http://www.pressganey.com/

Supervisors who dont want to be bothered. When i've had X number of falls, new orders, and a readmit i CANNOT be 30 places at once, passing meds, doing neuro checks, and answering the phone. I assure you that i am not calling you to chit-chat, i am calling you because i am drowning and its an unsafe situation. I really don't care that you are at "dinner", i doubt i will be out on time much less eating this shift. So PLEASE do your job so i can try my best to do mine. sorry bout that, had to get it out.

Every one has a vice, be it whatever, for some its smoking, for some its drinking on the weekends, for some its far worse. Quitting is hard, many fail, if they didnt there would not be so many companies offering and making millions off "new" ways to quit. I find hypocrits to be the worst, dont stand there and tell someone that smoking is bad for their health and is going to kill them when you yourself could stand to lose a couple hundred pounds, or as in one case, when your asking them for a ride because you lost your liscense d/t a DUI. Judge not, lest ye shall be judged yourself. If the smell bothers you, nicely offer a tic tac or gum, but dont try to humiliate them.

At my last job i made the choice to leave. About 3 months before i was to graduate nursing school i was pulled into the managers office for my "evaluation". Mind you this person had only been my manager for about 2 months and had been a nurse that i have previously worked with. She promptly told me that i was a terrible aide, that the nurses hated working with me, and that i would not be welcome on that floor as a nurse, or any where else in the building. She then told me about all the complaints that had been made against me. I will admit that i walked out crushed and waited till i got out to my car to break down and cry. I had always felt that i did a good job, and that i interacted well with my peers and patients. It wasnt until i left with my tail between my knees and found another job that i really began to think. 1. If my co-workers had hated me that much, where were all the supposed write ups/complaints, i had never seen nor signed them. 2. If i had that many complaints from my patients, why wasnt i given the warnings to shape up or be shipped out. 3. And the most important, of the almost 7 years i worked there, 5 out of 6 evaluations had been excellent, hers was the only poor one. It has taken me almost a year to come to terms with the hurt and the massive blow to my self esteem that this caused, but i am now finally seeing things for what they were, sour grapes for only God knows what reason.

It took me 5 years, 3 for the pre req's and 2 for the nursing program. In all i came out with roughly $15,000 in student loan debt. This was at a community college BTW.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone, i didnt get my full results until friday, typical delay:bugeyes:. The results came back as significant obstructive apnea. Thanks to the posts and the links i was able to find scores of info and i feel fully prepared to fight this head on. Again, thank you to everyone.:bowingpur

At our facility we have a couple of ambulance services that we use to transport residents for appointments or non emergent trips to the ED for labs being off etc. We love them, they know us and we treat each other with absoulte respect. 911 on the other hand is a whole different kettle of fish. A resident choked one night, good ole heimlich (sp?) got the obstruction out but had called 911 any way d/t it taking a couple of tries and the resident not responding correctly after wards. EMS walks in, looks at him, looks at us and with eyes rolling asks "why are we here." Took everything i had not to be sarcastic when i reviewed the facts that the resident is still grey, is NOT able to speak, may be breathing but not in an even or rhythmic manner. At the end i simply stated that unless they are able to see with their own eyes if the chest is clear and nothing is still lodged somewhere, i wanted him examined at the ED.

WTH!! Im speechless, and thats rare.

http://www.medscape.com:up:

I went through the fun of a sleep study last night. Before they turned me loose this morning i was told that i have apnea. Of course my next question was jokingly how loud did i snore, to which i was told i do not snore, i just stop breathing. Now i am NOT looking for advice, i will let the sleep doctor handle that when i talk to him on monday, what i am looking for is a good source of info on apnea without snoring. I can find snippets here and there but nothing that i have found really usefull. So i am asking for any good web sites that i can look into to better inform myself for when i do speak with the doctor. Any help is appreciated!:typing

I was on depo for roughly 8 years, i know WAY over the recommended time, other than about 60lbs of weight gain in 8 years (i know, it wasnt all the depo:rolleyes:) i really couldnt complain, but i got tired of being a dart board and went with the implanon instead, figured 1 BIG poke verses 12 plus pokes. Havent noticed any problems coming off of the depo either. I figure just like any other drug, whats okay for 1 person is not always okay for another.

When i got my RN, my classmates could not believe that i was actually WANTING to go into LTC. They constantly told me i would miss out on learning my "basics". Exsqueeze me? In my first 8 months i have had countless tube feeds, checking lung sounds included, Iv ABT's, trachs and a crash course in trach reinsertion (thank HEAVEN for the wonderful experienced LPN i work with). Not to mention the everyday antics that geriatrics pull that occasionally end up with a one way trip to the ED and having to be able to tell what is an acute situation and what can be treated in house. What exactly am i missing out on learning? I just chalk it up to people being under informed on what LTC nursing truly is.