Wsmith16

You brought up a great point. About the potential of transmitting the virus to non Covid pts. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities in NY lost a lot of lives due to placing covid positive pts with non Covid pts and having healthcare workers unwittingly spread the virus.

Hospitals providing Nurses with adequate PPE should be non negotiable. No way should a nurse work with covid patients without the proper PPE. This should not even be up for debate. Hospitals administrators are making enough money provide equipment for your staff.

OP, it is real and scary. Hospitals in NY are slammed with Covid 19 patients, nurses and doctors, healthcare staff are getting sick. It's not a joke. I really wish it were. Just be thankful that your area is not as affected. It's quite odd that folks would think that we would have to shelter in place for something not real. I can't speak for other states but folks in NY would not tolerate that.

If possible it is always best to start off in the hospital however I train/supervise new grads at our HH agency and what Ive learned is if you have a good foundation from a good nursing program you will and can succeed. I see it all the time. If there is a particular skill that you are unable to do it is always best to let your manager know in order for the field supervisory to go out with you on that visit. We all have to start somehewere. A reputable agency will give you support and training. When I started in HH I had hospital experience however my coworkers were new grads and they did exceptionally well. Just make sure the agency will allow you to shadow an experienced nurse and that the field manager will go out with you on a few field visits to assess if you are doing tasks/skills correctly. If the agency does not offer supportive training find one that does. But it can be done. Most of the new grads I worked with are successful HH Nurses today. Good Luck!

I highly encourage you to take the oasis class. When I use to review Oasis, I took the two day course to better understand. I learned that the questions are not black and white, and if you read it as such you are bound to answer the questions incorrectly. At our agency we reveiw key Oasis questions with our nurses for a better understanding. I also have the Oasis book it cost around 60 bucks. HH requires that documentation be submitted in a timely manner thats's how the agencies receive reimbursement. If I have field visits I spend 30 to 45 mins with a pt, longer if its a SOC, or ROC or if there are multiple issues. Seeing more than 8 pts a day can be tough however we must be flexible and know that days like these can happen as long as it doesnt happen everyday. If its an everyday thing than it will be difficult to submit documentation on time. You're a newbie at all this and luckily an experienced nurse. It gets better.

Documenting in a patient's home is always ideal however this must be done in a case by case basis, some patients simply do not want you in their home for an hour plus and at times feel like its an intrusion. I respect that. If its not possible I try to document as much as possible in my car, right after the visit.

Go upstate they are the only place hiring. Only prob is u will make les then $40,000 a yr. If u can do afford it go.

I have never seen a nurse not giving a pt proper care becasue she received a call from home or logged on the internet for a few seconds. So my statement still stands it does not bother me if a fellow nurse has to make a call or goes on the internet for a few seconds. Again, I don't work with the type of nurses that you guys must work with. The nurses I work with are professional all the time when it comes to work. So it does not bother me.

If it doesn't harm the pt then what business is it to anyone if a coworker uses their cellphone or the internet on down time. I mean really jeesh.

Please take sound of MUsic's reply very seriously. I left a good paying job with sick leave, vacation days, a job where coworkesr respected each other to be a nurse. The healthcare system sucks nurses are overworked and pt's have more rights then you ever will. And they know this. I love being a nurse but I don't know how long I can stay at the bedside it is not what I thought it would be. They never told me in school that your cooowrkers could be your worse enemy, pts can verbally abuse you and there's not much you can do and that you must give all yourself all the time. Gawd forbid you call in sick--or can't come in on a snowday. Disgraceful. Good luck in whatever you choose. If you go the nursing route hope you get into a specialty with a good nurse to pt ratio an d a great staff.

I really don't think it's gonna pick up. IN NY another hospital has closed heard over 500 nurses are out of jobs. Future may be in homecare. But that doesn't mean you won't get a job it's just really hard for everyone now.

Run to radiology. You will experience less stress, less drama with family, none of the "nurses eat their young" syndrome, and will receive more respect from pts and staff. Nursing is not all its cracked up to be. Don't believe the hype. Good Luck in whatever you choose.

Franky, I never understood the rationle of "you need atleast two yrs experience in a hospital to work in hospice or home health". Especially when you are dealing wit one pt at a time and in home health most of the pts are stable if their not you smply call 911. I always thought it was a farce. My friends who began their nursing career in hospice and home health are flourishing and they are generrally happy in their jobs and love nursing. Those who are dedicated, professional and are willing to learn generally make it. Congrats to the OP for not listening to naysayers and doing what you love.

Get another job before you quit. Bedside nursing isnt for everyone. Good Luck.

I checked my union book it says that when serious weather arrives and we are not able to make it we can take a vacation day or personal day. Thus I don't understand why they told me they "would take care of me later". Or refused to transfer me so I could request a personal day. I've come to the ugly realization that my hospital doesn't care about its nurses. All those nights of having 11pts per nite means nothing to them. I'm just expected to give give give until I can't anymore. And that means putting my safety las I guess.

I was scheduled to go to work today. I live about 40 miles away from work got in my car and found visibility to be very bad and did not feel safe driving--train not an option. I called out and was told that my patients needed me and that administration was not happy and that I would be dealt with later? Intimidation or is this ground for termination? I feel that I give so much of myself at work. But it's still not enough. Can I be let go or this?

You basically have to go for it and try if you really want it.

i work 7pm to 7:30am. i eat in the morning whatever i want and before i go to work. after 7pm i don't eat again, i will drink water and if i have the munchies then i have a yogurt or some crackers. this works for me. i'd prob lose more if i followed the same motto on my days off.

I actually lost weight. By not eating anything once my shift starts. Just drink water and the weight started to come off.

I dislike med-surg because I can have 10 to11 patents a night. What is there to like about that?

The "nursing way of thinking-patient is number #1, patient's family #2, Nursing administration #3, nurses #4. We lways put ourselves dead last. It's outrageous.

Post, after post, after post. Everyone seems to be complaining about the same thing. You are not alone in your sentiments-- after 6 mths I am looking for a way out of bedside nursing. Life is too short or this abuse. Go into homecare or anything else bedside workng on the flr. You'll still b stressed but it won;t beas bad as working on the flr.

You should search within this site. Here is alink I found a few wks ag: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/ng-tube-question-118840.html

I agree with the other poster don't say anythingto manageent they know alread and frankly don't careas long as their are bodies to do the job.

Been doing this only a few months and if I could leave the bedside now I would. I love nursing but the nurse to pt ratio sucks as as among other things. I'll hopefully end up in case management.