jzkfel

It sounds like pretty terrible care. Your pain threshold really isn't the issue. How well your pain is controlled, how well you are breathing, are there any complications that are causing the pain... those are the issues. I would follow up with the hospital. Having something in writing that is very specific about things like how long you waited for medications after reporting pain, and things that were said to you by nurses and residents is helpful in getting their attention and focusing the conversation on the problems with your care. If you are interested in going into surgical nursing, I would look for facilities that have and utilize a pain treatment service that is separate from the surgical service. Surgeons are not necessarily good at pain control. They also don't always make it a priority.

I was a middle school teacher for 16 years before being a nurse. I did an entire year of student teaching for my graduate degree in education. Teachers I worked with with BAs in education did at least a full time semestor of student teaching in addition to a lot of field experiences leading up to that. Your most important references in entering the teaching profession as a new teacher are your cooperating teachers. If I were hiring a teacher I don't think I would even look at an applicant from an on line progam who didn't have a significant amount of prior experience, or a full internship. I think the on line programs might make sense for people who are already working in the field and advancing themselves, but not for new teachers. Depending on what your previous degree is in, there are other ways to enter teaching that would probably prepare you better, and certainly make you more marketable. If you were the parent of a special needs child, would you want a teacher with an on line degree and limited practical experience as a teacher working with your child? I don't know anything about Liberty University's on line program. What I do know about Liberty University doesn't impress me. It was founded by Jerry Fallwell (remember the "moral majority"? ) It sounds like a great place to go if you want to surround yourself with people who share the same religious faith and world view..... but I thought the best part about my university education was being exposed to a variety of different people and perspectives. I think you could do better.

I personally could not care less if a student nurse wears a lab coat or not. Seriously, aren't there more important things to worry about?

Sorry, Triquee, but I think the people who have been quick to judge are those who jump all over anyone expressing a different point of view. If you post something in a public forum, people will respond to it. Nothing "socially unacceptable" about that. On the other hand, jumping all over people who don't join you on your bandwagon or questioning their credentials (by the way, I am a nurse in peds trauma and surgical care , and peds acute and post acute burn care, and I think I understand what job stress is) is a little juvenile, to say the least.

I think hospitals should have a right to require it. Ever heard of herd immunity? If I were a cancer patient and I got the flu from my nurse I would be pretty upset.... And the OP isn't talking about not wanting vaccinations because he doesn't believe in them. He already said he is ok giving them to other people. Needlephobia is a really poor reason to refuse vaccinations. Get an order for ativan if you need to, get some therapy.....

I hear you! I am totally needlephobic. Still, the worst thing that will happen is you will get anxious and pass out. Embarrassing, but you probably will never see the person again. Suck it up, ask to lay down, and get your shots if you have to! And never, never, never admit to any kind of back pain at a pre employment physical! Good luck!

Oh, Please....

I think that if you post something in a public forum then you should be prepared to have someone disagree with you. And just because someone disagrees with you (or everyone) doesn't mean that they don't "get it", or they are "stepping on a vent" . They just don't agree. If you want to have a discussion where everyone agrees with you you have to hand pick the people you talk to.

So let me see if I am getting all this right. - It's impolite to disagree with someone or post another point of view because someone is "venting"? - Nobody who is not a nurse can possibly empathize with a nurse's feelings about their job? - If you don't agree with the majority, then you "don't get it". If that's how venting works, I'll pass.

I loved my motorcycle, but got rid of it when I started working in a hospital. I saw too much, and I didn't want my kids to look up to it as they grew older. I still agree with the last poster, though.

Nice post, Eric! I don't agree with your entire argument that nursing isn't a profession - there are elements of nursing that I think make it a profession, but it when I think about why I love being a nurse, being considered a professional just isn't one of the reasons! I think what matters is my own attitude towards my job - not someone else's. I don't see being a worker as being less important or worthwhile than being a "professional". We have housekeepers at my hospital, but in the middle of the night if a trash can in a patient room is overflowing I don't feel at all demeaned by emptying it. I agree that nurses are often defensive about their image to a degree that is counterproductive. It's the only profession I have seen where people cite their bachelor's degrees on their IDs! (I've seen some pretty good threads on that one...) Forrest Gump's logic would work here - professional is as professional does....

There will be jobs. Even people who have been in the field for a long time will need to be flexible, but it is a needed service. I think right now with the poor job market more nurses are holding onto their jobs instead of going into part time or per diem work, so the market is tighter. A lot of hospitals have hiring freezes or are cutting back on their hires, but that can't go on forever. My floor did that, and now they have to hire a traveler to keep our staffing at a safe level. I think health care reform will ultimately help the industry, because more insured people = more patients. At the same time there is going to have to be major cost control, which will cause some growing pains for hospitals. I think one difference in the future is that with all of the emphasis on cost control hospitals will have sicker patients, as more healthy people see shorter stays, and more patients are moved out of ICUs faster. We are already seeing that where I work. That isn't entirely a bad thing, but it will require flexibility on everyone's part. The job market is tough for everyone right now. I still think nursing is a great field and opportunity, though.

If I neglect ADL care of my patients I actually think that's pretty unprofessional - its neglecting my patient. If someone else chooses to see that facet as my job as unprofessional, that really doesn't concern me. If you really want to promote nursing as a profession, I think you have to act in a way that supports and advances nursing as a profession. That means act in a professional manner at work, pursue continuing education, and contribute to the training of new nurses. It also means insisting on being treated as a professional - no rudeness or disrespect from other providers, courtesy between nurses, fair pay, etc. I still don't see the system of nursing diagnosis as being helpful in either improving patient care, communication, or enhancing the profession of nursing. It just makes assesment and communication more complicated and convoluted. I get an energy field disturbance just thinking about!

Why would doing ADL care make you less of a professional?